Photography show-is it worth taking your camera?

Bucketp

Bucketp

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Yes
As it says really! Going to the show at the NEC in March never been before and wondered if I should take my camera, thinking of maybe buying a lens, would I be able to try them out on my camera?
 
If you take a 70-200 as well we can point and laugh. You could take it, but don't. :)
 
If it's a current model, chances are that the manufacturer will have one on the stand for you to play with with the lens you're thinking of buying. However, if it's an older body or a 3rd party lens you're considering, I would be tempted to take the body so you can see what the lens feels like WRT balance etc. Keep it in a pocket though, otherwise small minded people might assume you've taken it to show it off... ;)
 
Bucketp said:
As it says really! Going to the show at the NEC in March never been before and wondered if I should take my camera, thinking of maybe buying a lens, would I be able to try them out on my camera?
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No, I wouldn't bother. If you want to try a lens from a manufacturer they will have cameras there too. Looking at the men pretending to be interested in studio lighting just so they can shoot the model is cringe worthy.

Bit more of a helpful answer than the first one.
 
Merc said:
No, I wouldn't bother. If you want to try a lens from a manufacturer they will have cameras there too. Looking at the men pretending to be interested in studio lighting just so they can shoot the model is cringe worthy.

Bit more of a helpful answer than the first one.
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The first answer was very tongue in cheek. Hence the smiley you missed
 
Merc said:
No, I wouldn't bother. If you want to try a lens from a manufacturer they will have cameras there too. Looking at the men pretending to be interested in studio lighting just so they can shoot the model is cringe worthy.
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This! I went a few years back and thought exactly the same thing myself. Wouldn't bother going again tbh, its not that great.
 
Just bought my ticket for this as well. Leaving mine at home because it doesn't fit in my handbag! (... And, I don't want to look like an out and out nerd walking around.....)
 
actually, I think that this year (and it hurts me to type this...) in a change from Focus On Imaging, they're having a stage with stuff from BMXers to fire jugglers and catwalks. So you might want to if that's your kinda thing.
 
Having been to Focus. I think in order to blend in you need to not wash for a week before, wear your oldest t shirt, put every item of photography equipment you have on straps around your body and then swarm around every young female in the building.
 
Check out who has trade stands first, the last Focus on Imaging show a lot of the big names wern't there. For example I don't see Sony or Panasonic on their list
 
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Bucketp said:
As it says really! Going to the show at the NEC in March never been before and wondered if I should take my camera, thinking of maybe buying a lens, would I be able to try them out on my camera?
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Yes. And one of those fishing vests so that all of your stuffs can be kept right next to your body at all times.
 
Why would anyone take a camera to a camera show? If you want to grab some images there.... just take a small compact. Don't be one of those sad gits who walk around draped in SLRs. Real people will just laugh at you.
 
Pookeyhead said:
Why would anyone take a camera to a camera show? If you want to grab some images there.... just take a small compact. Don't be one of those sad gits who walk around draped in SLRs. Real people will just laugh at you.
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+1
 
Should I leave my 500 f4 at home then?
 
"A photographer eats with his camera. A photographer sleeps with his camera."

Perry White ~ Superman III
 
Yeah.... except that's a fictional character.... who like.. doesn't exist :)
 
st599 said:
Having been to Focus. I think in order to blend in you need to not wash for a week before, wear your oldest t shirt, put every item of photography equipment you have on straps around your body and then swarm around every young female in the building.
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.... phew ... I should be safe then ..... !!:rolleyes:
 
st599 said:
Having been to Focus. I think in order to blend in you need to not wash for a week before, wear your oldest t shirt, put every item of photography equipment you have on straps around your body and then swarm around every young female in the building.
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It's funny because it's true.
 
Pookeyhead said:
Why would anyone take a camera to a camera show? If you want to grab some images there.... just take a small compact. Don't be one of those sad gits who walk around draped in SLRs. Real people will just laugh at you.
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While I tend to agree a little, the OP stated that he was hoping to but a lens while he was there so I reckon he has a legitimate excuse to take a body with him. Yes, the big manufacturers (if they're there) will have their current range of offerings available to try but maybe the OP has an older body that he'd like to feel the balance of the lens on. Gone (hopefully...) are the days when "photographers" would crowd around any stand with semi naked young ladies shooting god knows how many frames on their film cameras without reloading.
 
Nod said:
Gone (hopefully...) are the days when "photographers" would crowd around any stand with semi naked young ladies shooting god knows how many frames on their film cameras without reloading.
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Still seemed to be happening at the last Focus
 
Chances are that these days, they have a card in rather than just ogling the models through a viewfinder.
 
Thank you Nod for your helpful reply to a legitimate question. and thanks to everyone else for the non to helpful answers I think I'll just take my body tucked away in a non conspicuous bag
 
Nod said:
Gone (hopefully...) are the days when "photographers" would crowd around any stand with semi naked young ladies shooting god knows how many frames on their film cameras without reloading.
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Afraid not. It happens. Even if they're not semi naked.
 
Folkestone. May.
 
Bucketp said:
Thank you Nod for your helpful reply to a legitimate question. and thanks to everyone else for the non to helpful answers I think I'll just take my body tucked away in a non conspicuous bag
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In all seriousness... it's a bad place to buy anything. Major manufacturers won't be giving discounts... you'll have hardly any time to test the lens, and in reality... HOW can you test a lens in that situation? I'd go to a store (if there are any left in your area)... test the lens there, and then examine the files when you get home more critically... then if you like it, go back and buy it.
 
It's always the same every year, and it's always a good laugh to see them (primarily men I have to say) walking around with their big camera/lenses, like fluffed up peacocks...trying to replicate the images that are being taken by the presenter of the model... and wondering why they don't look the same on the back of their cameras! Last year year at Focus though, I missed great photo op... surrounding our stage were the usual suspects, but down in the front row, about 4 foot nothing, was a little girl with her pocket camera firing off pic after pic... and her being surrounded by all these monster camera & lenses... it was too funny.
 
Pookeyhead said:
In all seriousness... it's a bad place to buy anything. Major manufacturers won't be giving discounts... you'll have hardly any time to test the lens, and in reality... HOW can you test a lens in that situation? I'd go to a store (if there are any left in your area)... test the lens there, and then examine the files when you get home more critically... then if you like it, go back and buy it.
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On the years I have been, and have been buying, I have always managed to get a price on something for lower than the cheapest internet/store deal.

Some years it has been bags, some paper, or light modifiers, but I also got a great deal on a refurb 1D MKIIn from Jacobs (back in the day), and the last time I was there they certainly had show offers on lenses. Now you have to weigh up the £10 for the car park, fuel etc as an additional cost and the ticket if you pay to offset against just ordering one. But the deals are there.
 
I took my 5D3 with me to a Lincoln Photo Show (much smaller but still quite packed) as I wanted to try a Canon 24-70 f2.8 MkI and MkII to see if I would be happy with the quality of the MkI. I finally got my MkII lens through last week after juggling my lens collection a bit. If you're interested in buying a lens at the show I can't see why you wouldn't take your camera to make sure your purchase is fine. I wasn't the only one at the show to take a camera either, it was about 50/50 of people with and without cameras at the Lincoln show.
 
meonshore said:
On the years I have been, and have been buying, I have always managed to get a price on something for lower than the cheapest internet/store deal.

Some years it has been bags, some paper, or light modifiers, but I also got a great deal on a refurb 1D MKIIn from Jacobs (back in the day), and the last time I was there they certainly had show offers on lenses. Now you have to weigh up the £10 for the car park, fuel etc as an additional cost and the ticket if you pay to offset against just ordering one. But the deals are there.
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I could get next to nothing on a 14-24 2.8 when I was there. Best I could get was 60 quid less than Jessops.. very disappointing.
 
On the subject of discounts, bear in mind that it costs a small fortune to exhibit there, so exhibitors really ought to be charging more, not less, for items they sell there.
Some exhibitors will be offering genuine discounts, to get a high turnover, because a high turnover at low profit can help to offset the exhibition costs.
But others may just be offering discounts on selected items that they can't sell at the normal price.
 
Only take a camera if there's an item of equipment you want to try. There's a mountain of stuff there that you'll never see in any camera shop, let alone all under one roof.

And there are certainly show bargains to be had, on just about every stand. In previous years (when it was Focus show) Canon has been selling off lots of demo models and warranty returns in as-new condition and with full warranty.
 
Garry Edwards said:
On the subject of discounts, bear in mind that it costs a small fortune to exhibit there, so exhibitors really ought to be charging more, not less, for items they sell there.
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LOL - I'm not that holds water at all. Shows like that are a cost of doing business, it should come out of a marketing budget - either as you only direct marketing or as part of the mix. You don't see photographers charging more at wedding fairs to offset the cost of the stall. If it doesn't make financial sense to go then you just don't attend and spend money on SEO, Ads, or other direct marketing & promotions.

Some exhibitors will be offering genuine discounts, to get a high turnover, because a high turnover at low profit can help to offset the exhibition costs.
But others may just be offering discounts on selected items that they can't sell at the normal price.
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Exactly - but not just to offset the exhibition costs again if you don't think you can cover your direct expenses and then some over the show or as a result of increased brand awareness, customer base, or future business then you simply shouldn't be there.

As an attendee I wouldn't care if the item I wanted was discounted because it was hard to shift, or a genuine offer. What I'm not going to do is pay over the odds for something I could get from the same retailer a week later for less because they jacked up prices for a show or from anyone else either before, after or ordering it on my smartphone during the show.

FWIW I usually buy F2F in my local pro shop, unless I'm picking up used items on here, and occasionally eBay. So I'm not suggesting abandoning local companies - just not funding 3 nights of a hotel, and a load of beer and curry for some stall-holders and my slice of what it costs for a stand for them.
 
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meonshore said:
LOL - I'm not that holds water at all. Shows like that are a cost of doing business, it should come out of a marketing budget - either as you only direct marketing or as part of the mix. You don't see photographers charging more at wedding fairs to offset the cost of the stall. If it doesn't make financial sense to go then you just don't attend and spend money on SEO, Ads, or other direct marketing & promotions.



Exactly - but not just to offset the exhibition costs again if you don't think you can cover your direct expenses and then some over the show or as a result of increased brand awareness, customer base, or future business then you simply shouldn't be there.

As an attendee I wouldn't care if the item I wanted was discounted because it was hard to shift, or a genuine offer. What I'm not going to do is pay over the odds for something I could get from the same retailer a week later for less because they jacked up prices for a show or from anyone else either before, after or ordering it on my smartphone during the show.

FWIW I usually buy F2F in my local pro shop, unless I'm picking up used items on here, and occasionally eBay. So I'm not suggesting abandoning local companies - just not funding 3 nights of a hotel, and a load of beer and curry for some stall-holders and my slice of what it costs for a stand for them.
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I'm not suggesting that any exhibitor DOES charge more for goods sold at the show than normally, just that, logically, they SHOULD because of the very high associated costs, something like £1000 psm with everything considered (space, stand contractors, electricity, staff, hotels, travel etc) - so an average size stand of 50 sm costs around £50,000 in total. People expect to pay more when shopping in Regent St than in the local market, it's the same principle.

Yes, the benefits for exhibititors are brand awareness and an opportunity to show off new products in the flesh and to meet their existing customers and find new ones. My guess is that the retailers who go along JUST to shift stock have caught a cold, especially during the last few shows, with low attendance.
 
Garry Edwards said:
On the subject of discounts, bear in mind that it costs a small fortune to exhibit there, so exhibitors really ought to be charging more, not less, for items they sell there.
Some exhibitors will be offering genuine discounts, to get a high turnover, because a high turnover at low profit can help to offset the exhibition costs.
But others may just be offering discounts on selected items that they can't sell at the normal price.
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Shucks, and there was me waiting for the show to get a pair of Lencarta Elite Pros at a reduced cost ;)
 
ChrisHeathcote said:
Shucks, and there was me waiting for the show to get a pair of Lencarta Elite Pros at a reduced cost ;)
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Ah, I can't tell you about Lencarta show discounts yet:)
 
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