[Dartmoor Dave]

Several years ago a very reputable independent camera store (Mifsuds, Brixham, Devon) in the UK was advertising Canikon and then added Pentax (saying they were an Authorised dealer) - and then, less than a year (probably a lot less) they dropped any mention of Pentax, apart from used equipment sales!

Mifsuds stopped selling new Pentax gear for a while, but they were definitely back on board last time I visited in March this year.





EDIT: Darn, I've just looked at their website and they're not listing any new Pentax bodies again.

---

Last edited by Dartmoor Dave; 10-12-2017 at 04:53 AM.

[ffking]

On my way to work I pass by a camera store in a big mall and I drop in from time to time. I have never bought anything from them as they never have anything I want. I have tried but got no joy.

Rechargable AA batteries? Sorry, fresh out. This happend twice On one accasion I found some at the toy shop around the corner. The other time the supermarket had them.

Any Pentax mount lenses? Nope, we don't stock that stuff any more.

Light stand? Only as part of a very expensive studio flash kit.

Umbrella? That one is part of the shop display and not for sale.

Flash bracket? What is that?

Nice big camera bag? We only stock these dinky ones, how much kit do you have?

Sensor cleaning kit? That is dangerous stuff, you might scratch your sensor. Let us send your camera off for a service. It will only be $150 and should be back in two weeks. Uhm, I will get back to you on that...

I can only wonder how they stay in business. They do run a website, that must keep them afloat.

You Tube

You Tube

[normhead]

My local camera store Cavalcade in Huntsville Ontario brought in a K-1. As an older store now run by the son of the man who founded it, the Pentax rep still visits and they have a lonely K-1 on the shelf. I visit it sometimes when I go to Huntsville. At one time they had a thriving Pentax business, some of their sales staff grew up on Pentax, but now they push Nikon. I would have bought my K-1 from them, but it's been years since they had anything Pentax on the shelf, so I stopped looking there.

[Wheatfield]

Camera stores have been dying for several decades. People would rather play mail order roulette in the hopes of saving a few dollars than support local businesses.

[normhead]

Camera stores have been dying for several decades. People would rather play mail order roulette in the hopes of saving a few dollars than support local businesses.

On-line I have a "shopping experience". I'd have happily paid the extra $100 to take the Cavalcade K-1, but they carry nothing else from Pentax. They order everything in, so what's the difference? I order it in and cut out the middle man or they order it in and I drive 60 miles to get it. My post office is a lot closer. If they don't have stock for me, there's no reason for me to stop in. I discovered the K-1 when i went in looking for a camera bag for a specific gear set, which they also didn't have. I do like them for their printing service.

I sometimes wonder, if they had a 150-450 or a 70-200 or even a 31 ltd or 77ltd would I have bought one from them now? We'll never know. I definitely prefer taking things out for a test drive before purchase. But, even Henry's, my biggest supplier both on line and in store, doesn't give me that option.

The thing these brick and mortar stores have to understand is they have to offer a service. If what they offer is an ordering service, I can do that myself, thank you very much.

[dwalt]

I must be lucky. The "local" camera store is 50 miles away in Bozeman, (did I mention I live in a remote area?), is not a Pentax dealer...
However, they have a display case shelf with used Pentax gear. I bought my backup K3 from them. They provided the service history (Precision repair receipt) and an in store warranty.
Purchased a Sigma 150-500 from them with an in store warranty. If I'm unhappy "we can set it up in back with your camera and calibrate it".
Before I knew about Eric Hendrickson, took my MX in and they did a CLA on it in store, not sent out.
So, I bought a camera bag and tripod from them as well.
They have bins of odd bits including a basket full of Pentax lens caps, body caps, etc.
They are usually busy. I suspect its due to their customer service attitude....

As always your mileage may vary.

[BigMackCam]

Camera stores have been dying for several decades. People would rather play mail order roulette in the hopes of saving a few dollars than support local businesses.

The problem is, it's not just "a few dollars" (or pounds, in my case). Prices online are typically way below those on the high street if you shop around; at least, they are here in the UK. I really want to support local businesses (and still do for small items), but not if I'm out of pocket by £100 on a lens, or £200 on a camera. Money's too hard to come by for that

As for the mail order "roulette" factor, I mitigate that by using only reputable suppliers and sticking to two or three where I know (from experience) I'll get decent service and trouble-free returns.

[DeadJohn]

Camera stores have been dying for several decades. People would rather play mail order roulette in the hopes of saving a few dollars than support local businesses.

Shopping at local stores can also be roulette. I'm in the NYC area so the metro population of 25 million people can keep a lot of stores in business. B&H and Adorama are good.

2 other stores nearest me: awful. And it's not just their lack of Pentax stuff. I couldn't find a variable ND filter. One of the stores doesn't have gaffers tape; not sold out, just don't carry it.

And the 3rd nearby store I mentioned in the original post, with a $9999 645D ... that's more than saving a few dollars.

[Wheatfield]

On-line I have a "shopping experience". I'd have happily paid the extra $100 to take the Cavalcade K-1, but they carry nothing else from Pentax. They order everything in, so what's the difference? I order it in and cut out the middle man or they order it in and I drive 60 miles to get it. My post office is a lot closer. If they don't have stock for me, there's no reason for me to stop in. I discovered the K-1 when i went in looking for a camera bag for a specific gear set, which they also didn't have. I do like them for their printing service.

I sometimes wonder, if they had a 150-450 or a 70-200 or even a 31 ltd or 77ltd would I have bought one from them now? We'll never know. I definitely prefer taking things out for a test drive before purchase. But, even Henry's, my biggest supplier both on line and in store, doesn't give me that option.

The thing these brick and mortar stores have to understand is they have to offer a service. If what they offer is an ordering service, I can do that myself, thank you very much.

They offered a service. That was 30 years ago. It wasn't good enough. People decided they would rather have no service and save a few pennies. Now that they don't offer a service people complain.
You can't have it both ways, the choice was made for you decades ago. At this point Elvis has left the building and he isn't going to be singing any more love songs.

---------- Post added 10-12-17 at 11:26 AM ----------

The problem is, it's not just "a few dollars" (or pounds, in my case). Prices online are typically way below those on the high street if you shop around; at least, they are here in the UK. I really want to support local businesses (and still do for small items), but not if I'm out of pocket by £100 on a lens, or £200 on a camera. Money's too hard to come by for that

As for the mail order "roulette" factor, I mitigate that by using only reputable suppliers and sticking to two or three where I know (from experience) I'll get decent service and trouble-free returns.

Apparently you and a few others think this started happening last week.
I have some bad news for you, it started happening decades ago. What you are moaning about is the culmination of years of people ignoring the local camera store in favour of a very slight cost saving.
I sold cameras at the retail level all the way through the 1980s. I was there, I watched it happen.
Where were you?

[BigMackCam]

Apparently you and a few others think this started happening last week.
I have some bad news for you, it started happening decades ago. What you are moaning about is the culmination of years of people ignoring the local camera store in favour of a very slight cost saving.
I sold cameras at the retail level all the way through the 1980s. I was there, I watched it happen.
Where were you?

Wow, someone got out the wrong side of bed this morning!

[jeallen01]

Wow, someone got out the wrong side of bed this morning!

I sympathise with Wheatfield - I was made redundant (="laid off") at least 5 times (and close to that number at least 5-10 more times).

---------- Post added 10-12-17 at 09:29 PM ----------

Mifsuds stopped selling new Pentax gear for a while, but they were definitely back on board last time I visited in March this year.





EDIT: Darn, I've just looked at their website and they're not listing any new Pentax bodies again.

AND NOT showing anything in the way of new Pentax stuff in their current Amateur Photographer (= AP - a weekly UK photo mag - been on the market before I was very young) ads.

[BigMackCam]

I sympathise with Wheatfield - I was made redundant (="laid off") at least 5 times (and close to that number at least 5-10 more times).

That's sad, for sure, and I sympathise. But - with all due respect - there are no victims here... it's simply the result of continual evolution in sales and distribution channels, and the free market economy (all of which is to be expected). It involves and affects all kinds of businesses, including those I've worked in all my life (I've been hugely affected too, but that's just how it is ).

People (businesses too) will pay as little as they can for products and services they're happy with, to maximise the benefit of their hard-won funds. Some will pay too little and get poor quality products and/or services, some will pay too much and get more than they needed. As a result, most will adjust their approach to find a compromise they're happy with.

Personally, I get the photography products I want, with a level of service and backup I'm generally satisfied with (which, granted, is sometimes less than a mom 'n' pop high street shop could offer), at prices I'm generally comfortable with

[ffking]

= AP - a weekly UK photo mag - been on the market since I was very young)

for those who don't know - I guess that makes you about 135 - you're doing well on it

[jeallen01]

for those who don't know - I guess that makes you about 135 - you're doing well on it

Didn't say I was around when AP was first sold ! Only that it was "there" when I got interested in photography (Actually 70th b/d is next week, so not 135 )
Referenced post now "amended" to correct any "misinformed" assumptions about that

[Wheatfield]

That's sad, for sure, and I sympathise. But - with all due respect - there are no victims here... it's simply the result of continual evolution in sales and distribution channels, and the free market economy (all of which is to be expected). It involves and affects all kinds of businesses, including those I've worked in all my life (I've been hugely affected too, but that's just how it is ).

People (businesses too) will pay as little as they can for products and services they're happy with, to maximise the benefit of their hard-won funds. Some will pay too little and get poor quality products and/or services, some will pay too much and get more than they needed. As a result, most will adjust their approach to find a compromise they're happy with.

Personally, I get the photography products I want, with a level of service and backup I'm generally satisfied with (which, granted, is sometimes less than a mom 'n' pop high street shop could offer), at prices I'm generally comfortable with

Then why does the OP sound like a victim😁?