Well, my experience is probably not common, but I'll tell you anyway.
When thew first rumors about the D200 were around and BEFORE it was
officially announced, I told my local store I wanted one. This was in
early November of 2005. The store had funds on my account to cover the
cost ofl the camera.

I STILL don't have a D200.

I ordered one from Circuit City and receved it in a week, they sold out
of that batch in 1 day. It shouldn't take more than a few weeks, if it
does I'd withdraw your order. No sense in haveing someone else get
interest on your money. In a way Nikon has let the little stores float,
one of the local camera shops here, a Ritz franchise, but has used and
pro cameras. Said they hadn't seen one yet as of a month ago, and they
had a waiting list. That is when I decided I'd have to go to the big
box houses, would much rather deal with a local shop, but I'd also
rather have a camera.

Tom

I BILLION hours.  :-)

Check alt.urban-legend ... our store has only rec'd 4 of the initial 20 we
ordered in November, 2005.

A week ago Unique Photo shipped my D-200, 18-200, and 12-24 the day I
ordered it. It arrived UPS ground the next day. But this may not hold true
for everybody.

Don <www.donwiss.com> (e-mail link at home page bottom).

My experience was about 30 seconds (a local dealer had one in stock and, no,
I was not on any list anywhere).  Good luck in getting yours.  You'll like
it.

George

Can anyone report on B&H service on this item?

Depends on if you're just getting the body or getting the kit with the
18-70mm lens. The latter is available immediately ($2000) from multiple
sources, while the body-only is back-ordered everywhere.

You're better off waiting anyway. Early production is usually not as
good as later production (i.e. the banding issue).

Ordered on a Tuesday from supplier in Hong Kong. Shipped wednesday A.M, via
UPS, Arrived on my doorstep (UK) on Thursday at Noon. Cant get faster than
that! Full garuntees, no fuss no waiting probably got the only one in my
town.

Well in early December I plunked dowm the full $1699 at my local camera
store [Action Camera in Roseville, CA] for the D200. Most people put
down a deposit. The store was supposed to get forty D200s.They got
three in, not forty!!. I had mine in hand a week before Christmas.

I found a store on the Internet that sold me the Nikon 18-200 at MSRP
and I bought it. I went to my local store and paid ahead for the Nikon
105mm macro VR and got one of the two they received.  It doesn't pay to
be cautious when you KNOW what you want. Try Google's FROOGLE for the
best prices. Be warned, I found several stores that lied about having
it in stock. Call the store and make sure they have one and will ship
it THAT day. Some stores will take your money and THEN tell you it is
"back ordered" and will be here "soon". Caveat emptor.

BTW, all three products perform even better than I expected.

I bought my first Nikon [a Nikon F] in 1959 in Japan. I won't buy any
other brand and have never regretted my loyalty to Nikon.

Tom Roach

I was able to find a local Best Buy store (not generally recommended
for photo purchases) that had two in stock via their web site, which
will show some inventory information.  I went down there a few weeks
ago and walked out with the camera (for $1699 plus tax).  This was
after several weeks of failing to find it at local and online camera
stores at all; Nikon may be playing weird games with distribution.