Graham Line
Well-known
'Digital filters' are for keeping your fingers off the front of the lens. Everyone knows that.
Listen Up, Camera Store Snob!
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Russ
Well-known
Joe Brugger said:
Gee, in that case, I'd better get some...
Russ
Uncle Bill
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the sad truth in the Greater Toronto Area, the digital plague is pretty much in place. I have look around the Henrys Clearance Centre as the Flagship store consolodated all their pristine used gear in half the space. Digital Cameras are overglorified disposible pieces with rapid obsolecence and no margin for the retailers. What is up with that picture. I get my gear through the net, the small independant, my camera tech and the camera shows that are held up at the Thornhill Rec Centre.
Bill
Bill
Byuphoto
Would like to upgrade
I had a wedding photographer tell me he lost all his digital images, computer crash no backup, to a wedding I attended. Boy is he going to pay to use my OLD film scans. I got caught up in the digicam revolution and spent a fortune on upgrades in one year. I realized what was happening when I had a 1 year old DReb, that I paid $1000 for, and can't give away now. But I have been offered $600 for my mint Canon F1n.
"Skill in photography is acquired by practice and not by purchase" Percy Harris
I carried a 20x30 photo of MT. Fuji, I took in '73, to the same Ritz. I showed it to the salesman and told him I took it with a lowly RF and film. He said It held up well for a print over 30 years old. I told him I had just scanned the negative and had my local lab print it for me that day. He did not know w hat to say. I asked if his $8000 Gee Whiz Whiz Bang 2000 could do any better or if he had done anything like that lately
The price tag will never replace the EYE and the BRAIN
Of course it does mean I can buy all the Canon FD mount equipment I want a dirt cheap prices.
Whether it is a $40 RF or an $8000 Canon 1Ds MKII it still takes the magical ingrediant of the Brain.
I was in my local photo lab, today, and a kid comes in with some photos taken with a digital P&S they were fabulously sharp and wonderfully exposed when we asked how he did it he said he found the lens was sharpest at 15' so always shot for that distance, he waited for the clouds and light to be just right and held a yellow filter over the lens. He wanted to know if a DReb would take better photos. William told him no but it would make it more conveniant. He had learned to work in his equipments limitations.
I told the sales clerk that if you used your brain and eye you could make P&S photos look outstanding but if not your $8000 whiz bang photos would look like a pinhole
"Skill in photography is acquired by practice and not by purchase" Percy Harris
I carried a 20x30 photo of MT. Fuji, I took in '73, to the same Ritz. I showed it to the salesman and told him I took it with a lowly RF and film. He said It held up well for a print over 30 years old. I told him I had just scanned the negative and had my local lab print it for me that day. He did not know w hat to say. I asked if his $8000 Gee Whiz Whiz Bang 2000 could do any better or if he had done anything like that lately
The price tag will never replace the EYE and the BRAIN
Of course it does mean I can buy all the Canon FD mount equipment I want a dirt cheap prices.
Whether it is a $40 RF or an $8000 Canon 1Ds MKII it still takes the magical ingrediant of the Brain.
I was in my local photo lab, today, and a kid comes in with some photos taken with a digital P&S they were fabulously sharp and wonderfully exposed when we asked how he did it he said he found the lens was sharpest at 15' so always shot for that distance, he waited for the clouds and light to be just right and held a yellow filter over the lens. He wanted to know if a DReb would take better photos. William told him no but it would make it more conveniant. He had learned to work in his equipments limitations.
I told the sales clerk that if you used your brain and eye you could make P&S photos look outstanding but if not your $8000 whiz bang photos would look like a pinhole
X
xcapekey
Guest
i for one will be sad when all the real good independent camera stores bite the dust...who wants to buy the cheesy stuff at ritz anyway? i use to buy a lot of my used equipment online because it was cheaper and still do occasionally, but now i do make an effort to purchase it at the local camera store first. why? because i want them to be around for a few more years...
i may lose out on saving a few dollars, but the people at my local store have helped me immeasurably by telling me about equipment, letting me try out gear and letting me in on old techniques that are being forgotten...
that is what i feel i pay for...that knowledge and experience...half the time i ask someone a question in ritz about film, they give me a blank expression....
i've recently booked a photo shoot where the client requested film...i could have probably saved more by ordering online, but bought the film through my local camera store instead to help support them in whatever way i can...
i urge u all to do the same....i know some people simply can't afford to, but if you can, please do or else well all be buying our camera stuff from someone who doesn't know their a** from an aperture
i may lose out on saving a few dollars, but the people at my local store have helped me immeasurably by telling me about equipment, letting me try out gear and letting me in on old techniques that are being forgotten...
that is what i feel i pay for...that knowledge and experience...half the time i ask someone a question in ritz about film, they give me a blank expression....
i've recently booked a photo shoot where the client requested film...i could have probably saved more by ordering online, but bought the film through my local camera store instead to help support them in whatever way i can...
i urge u all to do the same....i know some people simply can't afford to, but if you can, please do or else well all be buying our camera stuff from someone who doesn't know their a** from an aperture
richard_l
Well-known
You sure got that right! 🙂Byuphoto said:
Sonnar Brian
Established
Pherdi: "Ugly-box" film, either open end-flap that is taped shut, but internal cannisters intact, or just "squooshed" with internal plastic cans all intact. The Ritz outlet center is on my way home from work. They get a lot of the "damaged" goods and out-of-date film from the chain. Old filters, camera accessories, etc wind up in deep-discount bins. Sometimes "warehouse" finds end up there, like Nikon F2 accessories and other "New-Old-Stock items. And of course old digital cameras. Nothing gets older, faster, than a digital camera.
Ritz in Washington DC also sells used gear. My local store is authorized to give trade-in value for various cameras. It ends up downtown, and more recently on EBay. Sometimes it makes its way to "my Ritz". I have found some good stuff there. Just wait until they really want to move out the Leica stuff...
Ritz in Washington DC also sells used gear. My local store is authorized to give trade-in value for various cameras. It ends up downtown, and more recently on EBay. Sometimes it makes its way to "my Ritz". I have found some good stuff there. Just wait until they really want to move out the Leica stuff...
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Goodyear
Happy-snap ninja
Actually, the 'digital' section is a handy tip when you're trying to find those elusive 39mm filters - apparently quite a number of the higher end digital 'semi-compacts' have 39mm filter threads.TEZillman said:
Seele
Anachronistic modernist
Getting back to the thread where it's about how one gets treated at "camera stores"...
A little less than two years ago, I worked a stint at a local camera store at a major shopping district; small shop, part of a chain but independently owned. While it sold equipment, and most of the sellers are digital cameras, the volume was small, but the balk of the revenue came from processing for it employed a great team of technicians.
However, most of the enquirers were more like tyre-kickers: getting expert advice on which camera that fitted his requirements, then off to the discount electrical megastore to get one from a clueless salesman for five dollars less, and felt smug about it.
The worse I personally came across was a middle-aged woman who took me half an hour to explain to her the pros and cons of half a dozen low-end digital cameras, notebook in hand, one certain morning. Close to closing time she walked in again and said to me the best price I quoted was not the cheapest, gave me the finger then walked off... the time she spent, money for parking and obviously two meals were of course not in the equation.
Of course the shop is closed now, no more free advice for Joe Public. For those who are still going, it's cheaper to hire clueless salesmen to just sell sell sell. After all, cameras are designed, manufacatured, promoted, and consumed just like any other electrical product, welcome to the Zeitgeist where the road you travel crumbles behind you, as soon as you want to turn back, you'll realise there's nothing for you to turn back to.
By the way I still use my Prakticas professionally; the best work to date was done on a Contax F (made before Zeiss Ikon got bought out by Praktica). My arsenal of B-series still carry on giving sterling results, as do my Minolta XD series. I shall be using my Praktica original (no flash sync) model more often and wow those who judge a camera's merits by megapixel numbers.
A little less than two years ago, I worked a stint at a local camera store at a major shopping district; small shop, part of a chain but independently owned. While it sold equipment, and most of the sellers are digital cameras, the volume was small, but the balk of the revenue came from processing for it employed a great team of technicians.
However, most of the enquirers were more like tyre-kickers: getting expert advice on which camera that fitted his requirements, then off to the discount electrical megastore to get one from a clueless salesman for five dollars less, and felt smug about it.
The worse I personally came across was a middle-aged woman who took me half an hour to explain to her the pros and cons of half a dozen low-end digital cameras, notebook in hand, one certain morning. Close to closing time she walked in again and said to me the best price I quoted was not the cheapest, gave me the finger then walked off... the time she spent, money for parking and obviously two meals were of course not in the equation.
Of course the shop is closed now, no more free advice for Joe Public. For those who are still going, it's cheaper to hire clueless salesmen to just sell sell sell. After all, cameras are designed, manufacatured, promoted, and consumed just like any other electrical product, welcome to the Zeitgeist where the road you travel crumbles behind you, as soon as you want to turn back, you'll realise there's nothing for you to turn back to.
By the way I still use my Prakticas professionally; the best work to date was done on a Contax F (made before Zeiss Ikon got bought out by Praktica). My arsenal of B-series still carry on giving sterling results, as do my Minolta XD series. I shall be using my Praktica original (no flash sync) model more often and wow those who judge a camera's merits by megapixel numbers.
parks5920
Well-known
My Praktica is on it's way, YIPEE! 😀
Seele said:
doubs43
Well-known
"My Praktica is on it's way, YIPEE! "
Right along with the rangefinders, the M42 mount cameras - Pentax, Prakticas, Mamiyas & Fujis among others - are some of the best film camera bargains around today.
There's only one full-service old-time camera store within 20 miles of me; Coke's Camera of Macon, GA. About three weeks ago I was there to have a roll of color film processed (just the negatives) for $1.95 when I spotted a 28mm f/3.5 Super-Multi-Coated Takumar in M42 mount. In seemingly perfect condition I paid the $39.95 happily.
Only 5 minutes after getting it home, the aperture blades bound up tight! I spent a couple of hours taking it apart, repairing it & re-lubing the helicals and re-assembling it. I learned a thing or two while doing it so it was educational.
Last weekend I took two rolls of color film to Cokes and told the tale of the Takumar. We had a good laugh about it and I asked if he might have a 35mm Takumar hiding anywhere. (I've learned to ask if I don't see it. It's amazing what he finds in the back!) He looked and said "No..... but I did find this for your 28mm." And with that he handed me the Pentax lens hood for the 28mm I'd purchased before. No charge.
I'll give him as much business as I can.
Walker
Right along with the rangefinders, the M42 mount cameras - Pentax, Prakticas, Mamiyas & Fujis among others - are some of the best film camera bargains around today.
There's only one full-service old-time camera store within 20 miles of me; Coke's Camera of Macon, GA. About three weeks ago I was there to have a roll of color film processed (just the negatives) for $1.95 when I spotted a 28mm f/3.5 Super-Multi-Coated Takumar in M42 mount. In seemingly perfect condition I paid the $39.95 happily.
Only 5 minutes after getting it home, the aperture blades bound up tight! I spent a couple of hours taking it apart, repairing it & re-lubing the helicals and re-assembling it. I learned a thing or two while doing it so it was educational.
Last weekend I took two rolls of color film to Cokes and told the tale of the Takumar. We had a good laugh about it and I asked if he might have a 35mm Takumar hiding anywhere. (I've learned to ask if I don't see it. It's amazing what he finds in the back!) He looked and said "No..... but I did find this for your 28mm." And with that he handed me the Pentax lens hood for the 28mm I'd purchased before. No charge.
I'll give him as much business as I can.
Walker
pmu
Well-known
My father asked me to find out if there was a decent digital compact camera in local store (around 350eur). Well, I went to the camerastore and asked this man (I believe he was canon's dealer/represetantive) if he had such camera. He of course thought that I was going to buy it for myself and he smiled and had a look like this 🙄 when he saw my M2 hanging on my neck... I am sure he had no idea what is Leica. Oh man, that was hilarious when he praised that plastic camera. I asked that what is the main idea in that you could move/rotate it's lcd screen in different angles in that camera. Well, he looked me like "duh!" "because of this..." and he raised his right hand high up in the air and took a picture while looking at the screen. I started laughing and said that - "wow, that looks sturdy way to shoot - I think I NEED that camera".
vsolanoy
Established
I just had an interesting encounter at a local Wolf/Ritz Camera. I went in there pricing film (Kodak 400UC and 400CN) and the first thing to come out of the guys mouth was, you know, you're not going to be able to buy this stuff anymore, in maybe 2 to 3 years. He went on to say that I might have to belong to a special club to buy the stuff.
Needless to say, I was completely shocked... at the fact he decided to share that with me. He was SO unbelievably condescending about it. Funny... I didn't ask for his opinion... I was looking for film not a digital camera -- I've got enough DCs, thank you very much.
Needless to say, I was completely shocked... at the fact he decided to share that with me. He was SO unbelievably condescending about it. Funny... I didn't ask for his opinion... I was looking for film not a digital camera -- I've got enough DCs, thank you very much.
Graham Line
Well-known
Wonder if his manager was lurking anywhere?
The guy should have tried to sell you a couple bricks of each for your freezer, against the coming shortages ; )
My local shop says their B&W sales are up 20% from a year ago and they are stocking more paper again. But they're independent and don't have to move somebody's quotas.
The guy should have tried to sell you a couple bricks of each for your freezer, against the coming shortages ; )
My local shop says their B&W sales are up 20% from a year ago and they are stocking more paper again. But they're independent and don't have to move somebody's quotas.
parks5920
Well-known
On Saragtoga Sunnyvale Road, young guy dark hair? YEAH, I've had the displeasure of dealing with him before! Putz!
vsolanoy said:
parks5920
Well-known
If it is the same store, it's huge, and they have one case of non-digital equipment.
vsolanoy
Established
parks5920 said:
It was the one on Hillsdale in San Jose.
To be quite honest, he's really the first person that's ever done that. Some of the other employees I've talked to in the store like and appreciate film.
It felt like using a digital was some elite club and he was recruiting for the Dark Side 😀 ... and that I wasn't cool enough. Kind of funny if you think about it.
Russ
Well-known
vsolanoy said:
Hey! Watch it. In another group, I am considered the Prince of the Darkside, because I use Nikon's....
Russ
dmr
Registered Abuser
Manolo Gozales said:
ROFL!!!!
Took me a few seconds to sound that one out, but it's a keeper! 🙂
back alley
IMAGES
light side = canon rf
dark side = everything else
darkest side = leica
🙂
dark side = everything else
darkest side = leica
🙂
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