View Full Version : Camera shop of horrors
Got any horror stories?
I was in a well known national chain camera shop in Manchester today and whilst queuing to buy an Optec camera strap I overheard a young salesman talking to a middle aged woman about the camera he was trying to sell her (It was a tiny Lumix compact with a lens the size of a 5p coin)
Her "How good are the photographs off this compared to one of the bigger cameras?"
Him "Well - the image quality from this would be exactly same same as something like that (Points to a Canon 30D) as it has the same number of mega pixels."
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So why exaclty do I lug around my 1.5Kg 70-200IS lens?
Apparently big cameras and lenses are all about ego and have nothing to do with image quality.
...nah its all about compensation
http://www.smileypad.com/v10/Cache/Feelings/Flee.gif
Jimmy_Lemon
16-06-2007, 19:51
I was once looking at video camera in Curry or Comet or one of the similar shops...and one the ever usefull sales people came over. I asked a few questions, which he seemed to answer ok. Then I asked if it had manual focus, he didnt say anything for a moment, then said "it has zoom"....at which I just said "right........thats good, bye!" :| He had no idea what manual focus was and he was surrounded by about 100 video and stills camera :(
My sister has a great story (and as she never posts on here, even though she registered -I will tell it). She took some film into a high street developers and asked if they put the photos on CD's, the women behind the counter said they did. My sister then asks if the photos are Jpeg and if they will work on a Mac....this totaly confused the women behind the counter who came out with what we now use a classic quote "I know you need a windows!" Luckily someone else came out the back and was able to help.
Still love the phrase "I know you need a windows"
Never forget that sales assistants are paid minimum wage and the only training they are likely to get is how to sell extended guarantees/extras. Sometimes you'll be lucky and get one that cares (obviously hasn't worked there long) and/or knows a bit about the product, mostly you should do your own research and just go buy your item from the shop if it happens to be cheapest (and smile as you see the light go out of the assistants eyes as you refuse the guarantee)
Sherlock_Holmes
16-06-2007, 21:46
When i first started to look far a computer i was into sony gear so went to sony in leeds the best thing i ever did 2 veery young assistant, both where students at leeds university, thay advised me to bay a mac, that is watt we use they said because they are the best wish i new them gnaw, so a big thanks to them 2 students that worked for sonny in leeds:thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs:
http://www.diegotorres.com.ar/mensajeitor/foro/caritas/mac.gif
Messiah Khan
16-06-2007, 22:51
Not really a horror story as such, but the staff at my local camera shop are useless. They have been there decades, so arn't like your usual Jessops staff(The only other camera shop in town). He probably knows his stuff, but he has the WORST customer attitude ever. He's always misserable, mutters and seems annoyed to serve customers. Its a real shame, because if they were decent, I would more than likely spend quite a bit of money there, especially as they have a selection of second hand lenses for decent prices. How hard is it to put on a smile when working in a customer service job?
Not my own horror story but a deal a saleswoman tried to pull off in a local camera shop whilst I was looking at lenses.
This elderly couple were looking to buy a p&s camera that was about £175 by the time the saleswoman had finished adding "essential" extras which consisted of insurance, 2 memory cards, cleaning kit, bag and some other bits and bobs it had jumped to nearly £400, they would have bought the camera and a card but she just kept on adding more and more until they said they didnt realise it would be so expensive and walked out.
whitewash
17-06-2007, 12:48
i went into chesters bridgestreet jessops (the one that burnt down...) and asked for a circular polariser, 58mm, so she looked through the shelf behind her couldnt find one and said "we've got a 52mm is that any use?" erm not really so she looked a bit further, found a 58mm lens and said "ive got a UV filter in that size will that do?" needless to say i didnt buy anything from them....
i like going into shops and playing stupid as if i know nothing about cameras, listen to the sales patter and then ask them a question that they cant answer, and then answer the question for them, probably really annoys the spotty sales assistant and makes them go home and slit their wrists but i enjoy it and in a way i guess they learn something about it....... theres nothing worse than being told that jessops own brand memory cards are better than sandisk etc...
If your bored and need something to do when the missis drags you around the shops, go into jessops and ask if they have say a canon 70-200 L IS lens, when they come back with it let them give you the talk of death, ask a few technical questions and then get around to the price and give them the big "How much....... you can get it cheaper on the tinterweb" and walk away, just watch them stand their and stare as you walk away.
If your still bored later on, just stick your head in and ask if they have dropped the price yet.
It works everytime.
You have to be really bored to do it. Normally i just go for a pint.
It's a wonder if you ask for a circular polariser they don't tell you that apart from those square ones used in a Coquin filter holder they are all round so they screw into the lenses filter threads. Come to think of it they are correct!:lol:
Just tell them you want a linear polariser bound up with a quarter wave plate (= circular polariser), that will confuse them!
DaveW
antonroland
17-06-2007, 17:15
i went into chesters bridgestreet jessops (the one that burnt down...) and asked for a circular polariser, 58mm, so she looked through the shelf behind her couldnt find one and said "we've got a 52mm is that any use?" erm not really so she looked a bit further, found a 58mm lens and said "ive got a UV filter in that size will that do?" needless to say i didnt buy anything from them....
i like going into shops and playing stupid as if i know nothing about cameras, listen to the sales patter and then ask them a question that they cant answer, and then answer the question for them, probably really annoys the spotty sales assistant and makes them go home and slit their wrists but i enjoy it and in a way i guess they learn something about it....... theres nothing worse than being told that jessops own brand memory cards are better than sandisk etc...
:D
And here I thought I was the only one doing this!!
This is why I'm helping my grandmother sort out a digital camera. If she went in and talked some numpty at any of my local shops she'd just end up with exactly what she won't want.
photomad
17-06-2007, 19:01
you have to blame the shop owners though if they dont train their staff. its not actually the sales assistants fault that they get no training and if they are on minimum wage they probably dont care if you buy anything or not. but i admit it is DAMN annoying
its not actually the sales assistants fault that they get no training
Oh - the guy in my original post new exactly what he was doing. This was no dumb sales assistant - this was a guy knows his stuff. It was blatant misinformation in order to make the sale.
P.S. It wasn't Je$$ops!
Calumet or Wildings ?????
It pays to research before you go into any camera shop. One thing that happened when I went to Jessops for my 400D was the young female assistant, after reading the cameras specification from the display card, with the help of a more experienced (just) collegue offered a standard memory card instead of the high speed one. Without the information from this site I wouldn't have known any better.
FlyerFoto
22-06-2007, 18:35
if they are on minimum wage care
Got to be pretty frustrating for the staff - being expected to have technical knowledge and getting paid the same as some slapper on the till at Superdrug, who just throws your purchases in a bag and probably doesn't even know what DAY it is!
shiato storm
22-06-2007, 18:55
Apparently big cameras and lenses are all about ego and have nothing to do with image quality.I've got an enormous camera and massive lens...and my ego is the size of this galaxy. I'd say they compliment eachother well
thelurch
24-06-2007, 20:49
Im lucky enough to live in the same town as Park Cameras and I work in the next town which has Park Cameras only other store in and they are fantastic and very knowledgeable:thumbs:
Got any horror stories?
I was in a well known national chain camera shop in Manchester today and whilst queuing to buy an Optec camera strap I overheard a young salesman talking to a middle aged woman about the camera he was trying to sell her (It was a tiny Lumix compact with a lens the size of a 5p coin)
Her "How good are the photographs off this compared to one of the bigger cameras?"
Him "Well - the image quality from this would be exactly same same as something like that (Points to a Canon 30D) as it has the same number of mega pixels."
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've just read this and you are due me a new keyboard son, or find a way to get the pespi out of this one! :lol: :lol: :lol:
I talked to a shop assistant about colour slide film and he told me how it was "a new one on him" and how he'd never heard of it before!!!!!
Of course we just carry around 70-200 and 300 2.8's to compensate!! :lol:
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