Today's interesting conversation

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Now then, first of all, hopefully the majority of you who 'know' me from on the line will know I am not one to post things like this often. I don't rant or slag people off, it's just not in my nature. People's ignorance to things isn't always their own fault, they simply may not know about whatever it is. However, when you work in one of the last major camera retail chains on the high street, I do expect you to know your onions a little bit. This it seems, is not the case. Today, me and a photographer friend of mine were in Manchester centre having a mooch about, eating food and such like, when I decided to pop into Jessops to see if the X100t was in store yet, although I believe it isn't released until the 28th. Had a brief chat to the chap about said camera when he noticed the Hasselblad 500c/m that I was holding (no strap, more often than not I just carry it).

Here is where the conversation got interesting...

Man who works in camera shop : "what's that?"
Man with camera (me) : "It's a Hasselblad 500c/m"
Man who works in camera shop : "Is it a camera?"
Man with camera (me) : "yes"

At this point, I hand it over so he can have a play. I take off the film back so he can wind it on and fire off a few frames if he wants to. I show him the viewfinder and explain how to advance the film and shoot.....

Man who works in camera shop : "Oh so it's film then?"
Man with camera (me) : "yes, the film is stored here in this bit" (shows him the film back)
Man who works in camera shop : "Is this display digital then?" (as he looks through the viewfinder)

The guy simply cannot understand how the image is being projected onto the ground glass. My friend is practically wide eyed in disbelief at this point. I go on to explain how it's an SLR and works with a mirror, exactly the same way the digital SLRs that he is there to sell work. At some point during the conversation I mentioned about black and white film and how I develop my own, to which he then thought that this camera shot black and white (I guess perhaps like a Leica M), to which I had to explain that I could choose which film, B&W or colour I wanted to use. I realised at some point in the last few minutes that I am in a camera shop, explaining to an employee how a camera works. :LOL:

And this, is why the 'specialist' shops on the high street are often on their arse. To be completely fair to this store, the guy who works upstairs in the film lab seems very knowledgeable and I sometimes have C-41 processed there. :)
 
To be fair he works in retail, that just happens to be a camera shop, not all employees of a camera shop are going to be experts on cameras especially historic cameras...

For most camera shop employees it's likely simply just a job, not a passion...luckily locally to me I have a great LCE with some really great staff
 
How old was he? Technology moves on at a fast rate, show a young person a Sinclair ZX80 and they would not believe that it was a computer, mind you I would have expected a bit more knowledge than he displayed, or not as the case may be :p
 
MWHCVT said:
To be fair he works in retail, that just happens to be a camera shop, not all employees of a camera shop are going to be experts on cameras especially historic cameras...

For most camera shop employees it's likely simply just a job, not a passion...luckily locally to me I have a great LCE with some really great staff
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TVRTim said:
How old was he? Technology moves on at a fast rate, show a young person a Sinclair ZX80 and they would not believe that it was a computer, mind you I would have expected a bit more knowledge than he displayed, or not as the case may be :p
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You know, I thought both of these points at the time, and both when posting this. I thought that most of the replies would echo this and almost didn't post as you are absolutely right. But as you say, Tim. I would still expect a little more knowledge than that. I just think it's a shame that things have come to this and that people who generally need educating about cameras, regardless of age of machine, could probably not find it from this employee.

I can almost gaurantee from the conversation that he wouldn't be able to explain how a DSLR worked if the potential buyer wanted to know. I guess they just ring things through tills now and take the money? :(
 
gazmorton2000 said:
I can almost gaurantee from the conversation that he wouldn't be able to explain how a DSLR worked if the potential buyer wanted to know.
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"Of course this camera takes great pictures sir. What you do is twist this dial to the green square and it works it all out for you. Cameras are so clever these days. You look professional, produce great shots and the camera does all the work. It's that easy.

Could you just enter your pin number now sir..."
 
To be fair, if you showed a Hasselblad to most people on here, they wouldn't have a clue what to do with it.
I'll put it out there now that I used to use one of those babies every day at work. I still managed to load the film in backwards when I was doing a scene once.
Heady days!
 
northernbiff said:
To be fair, if you showed a Hasselblad to most people on here, they wouldn't have a clue what to do with it.
I'll put it out there now that I used to use one of those babies every day at work. I still managed to load the film in backwards when I was doing a scene once.
Heady days!
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Fair point. I'd expect them to know at least that it was some sort of camera. I guess you had to be there for this one. :LOL:
 
northernbiff said:
To be fair, if you showed a Hasselblad to most people on here, they wouldn't have a clue what to do with it.
I'll put it out there now that I used to use one of those babies every day at work. I still managed to load the film in backwards when I was doing a scene once.
Heady days!
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I certainly wouldn't have a clue how to go on!!
 
Luckily the staff in my local shop all understand how cameras work and what film is! Not sure the same could be said of the staff in the chain who seem to be developing into a box shifting place. The favoured place was slightly surprised when I didn't actually want to fondle and play with my most recent purchase, although it transpires that they actually wanted a quick peek at it since it was the first of this particular model that they've sold over the counter so they wanted to see what it offers over its predecessor! (X-30)
 
Rang jessops help line for a laugh ..just strarting in wedding photogrphy what camera would you recomend? Could not shift her off a D4 even when I said I needed two andit would take a long time to get my money back ......
 
gazmorton2000 said:
Fair point. I'd expect them to know at least that it was some sort of camera. I guess you had to be there for this one. :LOL:
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And that's the crux of it really, you would expect him/her to at least recognise it as a camera even if they were not familiar with the actual make/model, but as you say, most outlets are just box shifters and give their staff very little training if any.
 
My grandson went for a job interview at our local Jessops last week. They were intrigued that he had put photography as one of his interests in his CV - why wouldn't you if you want a job in a camera shop?

According to the person that interviewed him (who never actually introduced himself but was probably the manager) if he is offered a job then he will have to complete their on-line training course and pass the accompanying test in his own time before he could actually start working in the store. The course, apparently, covers Nikon, Canon and Fuji cameras and their differences.

He's yet to hear from them but I think he's gone off the idea anyway :)
 
Pistnbroke said:
Rang jessops help line for a laugh ..just strarting in wedding photogrphy what camera would you recomend? Could not shift her off a D4 even when I said I needed two andit would take a long time to get my money back ......
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To be fair a D4 or a D810 would be distinctly the most suitable out of the current nikon line up - maybe a D750 for those who are just dipping their toe in the water. I'd be more concerned if she'd told you that two D7000s and a D3200 were an ideal wedding set up
 
I suppose the main thing in defense of that particular Jessops salesperson is that Jessops haven't sold film cameras for probably 10 years at least and I doubt they've sold any Hasselblad medium format kit in recent years.

Whilst I agree that some general knowledge of your sales area should be expected, it's not uncommon for people on this forum who have always shot digital to come across old film kit and not have a clue how to use it and "we're" supposed to be the photographers (as already said above)

Cheers
Steve
 
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You probably gave him more job-training in your encounter than anything he's experienced!
 
I suspect he is taught what he needs to know to deal with the average customer, anything above that he'll pick up as he goes along, least he knows not all cameras are digital now. I think you should pop back next week and talk him through something else. Take in an old polaroid instant, it'll blow his mind.
 
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All your taught to do is read off the specs of the camera! No technicality to the job! Up to you to research the camera to help yourself out in store,

I'm 26 only knew what your talking about from people going on about it on here so looked it up! I wouldn't no how to load a film camera but have used disposables does that count :).I'm even taking a online diploma course and it hasn't even mentioned about film cameras, which I think is bad as would love to at least no how to load/operate them!
 
Several years ago I applied for a job with Jessops but being a photographer rather than a salesman, I didn't get it. Only really wanted the staff discount!
 
As above, Jessops are in business today to sell current digital cameras and associated kit. They don't sell film kit so as a retailer, there's no point in their staff being trained to know about them.

I wouldn't go in to Tesco's and be shocked that the guy in the vegetable section didn't know how the crops were grown or how they used to be ploughed by a horse and cart :0)
 
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