Just got off the phone with the local camera shop...

bimjo · 12-20-2011, 11:29 PM

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Originally posted by RioRico

What, local camera shops still exist?

Not around here they don't.

Docrwm · 12-21-2011, 05:40 AM

Originally posted by RioRico

What, local camera shops still exist?

Unless you count KEH, not here anymore.

Philoslothical · 12-21-2011, 05:53 AM

Originally posted by RioRico

What, local camera shops still exist?

Yep, I have one locally. I mainly go in there for comedic value though. For instance, I was looking for ideas for a pop-up flash diffuser, and saw one of these in their shop, however no price tag on it. They were very nice, let me try it out on my camera, and I'm thinking OK, it's gonna be marked up, but let's just see. They wanted $30+tax for this, which ranges from $2-4 on Ebay including shipping. I haven't had the impulse to return to that shop since, but I got a good laugh out of it that day. And they wonder why they're barely getting by, blaming online sales and big box stores for killing the brick and mortar shop.

eddie1960 · 12-21-2011, 06:12 AM

Originally posted by RioRico

What, local camera shops still exist?

As pointed out by Steinback, in Toronto we are spoiled for choice. I can think of a few stores who would know arca swiss and other high end gear. Montreal and Vancouver are likely the same
the tripod part of it in Toronto and Vancouver would be influenced by the fact we have a large film production industry

RBellavance · 12-21-2011, 06:35 AM

Originally posted by RioRico

What, local camera shops still exist?

Around here they sure do. In fact, I'm somewhat spoiled because there is one less than 10 minutes away from my home. It's been in operation since 1938 (although it was just a photo studio back then), and it's still family-owned. The do printing locally, the employees are all photographers & they know their stuff... and they stock Pentax :-)

Docrwm · 12-21-2011, 07:02 AM

Originally posted by Philoslothical

Yep, I have one locally. I mainly go in there for comedic value though. For instance, I was looking for ideas for a pop-up flash diffuser, and saw one of these in their shop, however no price tag on it. They were very nice, let me try it out on my camera, and I'm thinking OK, it's gonna be marked up, but let's just see. They wanted $30+tax for this, which ranges from $2-4 on Ebay including shipping. I haven't had the impulse to return to that shop since, but I got a good laugh out of it that day. And they wonder why they're barely getting by, blaming online sales and big box stores for killing the brick and mortar shop.

I know what you mean about that. In their defence they may have had the genuine Fong diffuser and in that case $30 is about what they go for (more or less).

Philoslothical · 12-21-2011, 07:13 AM

Yeah, it wasn't that brand, just some generic Chinese junk (that still worked quite nicely with the white shade) like the one I linked. I mean if it had been say $10-12, I probably would have bought it just so as not to wait a month for shipping, and that would still be a 300% markup...

It's a crappy shop run by a very nice guy, he's probably just out of touch with the competition. He did give me a great deal on a set of A type extension tubes, complete with a decade or so of dust on the box.

Of course they also sell about 30 types of UV filter, but only one or two of CPL or ND. /sigh

Docrwm · 12-21-2011, 07:50 AM

Originally posted by Philoslothical

Yeah, it wasn't that brand, just some generic Chinese junk (that still worked quite nicely with the white shade) like the one I linked. I mean if it had been say $10-12, I probably would have bought it just so as not to wait a month for shipping, and that would still be a 300% markup...

It's a crappy shop run by a very nice guy, he's probably just out of touch with the competition. He did give me a great deal on a set of A type extension tubes, complete with a decade or so of dust on the box.

Of course they also sell about 30 types of UV filter, but only one or two of CPL or ND. /sigh

Ah well. Just can't understand running a business and not keeping up with developments. Its just unreal to me because back 20-30 years ago when I was very active shooting SLRs there were a LOT of camera stores locally and several really had their acts together. Sadly almost all were bought out by Ritz (then Wolfe) camera and became stocked with schlock and had idiots behind the counters. Now they are gone and we have nothing locally at all that I am aware of anymore.

DaveHolmes · 12-21-2011, 08:07 AM

Originally posted by RioRico

What, local camera shops still exist?

We have one here too AND he's a pentax pro dealer... Whoop... I try to get stuff from him when possible although I often have to invoke 'pricematch' as he's unfortuatrly not great on the 'competitive pricing' front...
He still does a roaring second hand trade too... Got my M40-2.8 and my black ME from him... Had a used 21 Ltd in the window last week but I'm potless... DAMN YOU SANTA!!

MRRiley · 12-21-2011, 08:34 AM

I guess we are lucky here in the DC area. No more Ritz Camera stores but other than my daughter losing her job when they closed up, no big loss there. We do have a decent brick and mortar "prosumer" chain called Penn Camera (doesn't carry Pentax though) and a full service "pro" store called Ace Photo which carries Pentax cameras and lenses in-stock (including the 645D). And even the guys at Penn Camera know what Arca-Swiss is.

Mike

RioRico · 12-21-2011, 12:14 PM

Locals? Not around here. The camera shop a mere hour's drive away closed a couple years ago; the next closest are 1.5 hours away, and we're only in their vicinity every six weeks or so -- and they don't carry Pentax, so feh. I've seen a little Pentax stuff in antique and pawn shops the same distance away, but nothing worth buying. Small Pentaxian supplies are a couple hours away in either Sacramento CA or Reno NV, but the only real stores are around San Francisco, 3-4 hours away. No impulse buying for me! And no dealers to laugh at.

littledrawe · 12-21-2011, 07:42 PM

Thanks everyone for letting me know I wasn't totally out to lunch on this one!!

Originally posted by cmohr

I asked about a "Gimbal" at one of the bigger shops here in Brisbane, and the guy looked at me like I had two heads with a worried look on his face (as if I had just asked for a gimp) then said, "Um No..... we dont sell that brand here?".

I was actually in the same shop I mentioned originally a couple months ago looking at tripods to see how their prices compared. I asked one of the sells people if they had any m42 rear lens caps because they actually do have a lot of miscellaneous stuff?
He said for what kind of camera?
I said well its for a lens, its a Takumar lens for the old Pentax cameras but the back of the lens is threaded and it screws into the camera.
He said well let me go ask my manager.............
I said don't worry about it I'll just get some on ebay.

RodKlukas · 12-22-2011, 09:10 AM

Originally posted by littledrawe

I asked the guy what his price range is for ball heads that have an arca-swiss style quick release?
Then all I heard was silence. . . . . . .
He asked me what I meant by Arca Swiss?
I said well a lens plate with dovetail grooves cut into both sides of it and a head that that clamps onto those grooves to hold or accept the lens plate.

He said well I've worked here for 20 years and you're the first person that has ever said "Arca Swiss" anything to me.

I didn't know what Arca Swiss was either when I got my first DSLR but after a couple months on the forums and a couple hours looking for a tripod head a while back I knew exactly what it was.

20 years and he had never heard the term Arca Swiss.....that is surprising.

My name is Rod Klukas and I am The US Representative for Arca-swiss. Please feel free to contact me for any questions or information on Arca-Swiss equipment.
I am always willing to help guide you.
Rod

**boriscleto** · 12-22-2011, 09:46 AM

Upstate NY is littered with empty store fronts that used to be home to camera shops. Syracuse has 2 specialty camera shops left, both cater to the Canikon crowd. The local "discount" department store that used to have an extensive camera section now has a case of point & shoots, a case of Canons and a case that had a few Nikons and an Olympus Pen last time I was there. No more used cameras, no more darkroom equipment, no more film, just a few overpriced camera bags, tripods and generic accessories. Their "Black Friday" flyer was exclusively Canon.

littledrawe · 12-23-2011, 12:38 AM

Originally posted by RodKlukas

My name is Rod Klukas and I am The US Representative for Arca-swiss. Please feel free to contact me for any questions or information on Arca-Swiss equipment.
I am always willing to help guide you.
Rod

Great to have you here! It is nice to see a few representatives on the forum to answer product specific questions.

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12-20-2011, 11:29 PM	#16
bimjo Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Pasco, WA Posts: 967	Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here. Originally posted by RioRico What, local camera shops still exist? Not around here they don't.

12-21-2011, 05:40 AM	#17
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Originally posted by RioRico What, local camera shops still exist? Unless you count KEH, not here anymore.

12-21-2011, 05:53 AM	#18
Philoslothical Veteran Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 1,889	Originally posted by RioRico What, local camera shops still exist? Yep, I have one locally. I mainly go in there for comedic value though. For instance, I was looking for ideas for a pop-up flash diffuser, and saw one of these in their shop, however no price tag on it. They were very nice, let me try it out on my camera, and I'm thinking OK, it's gonna be marked up, but let's just see. They wanted $30+tax for this, which ranges from $2-4 on Ebay including shipping. I haven't had the impulse to return to that shop since, but I got a good laugh out of it that day. And they wonder why they're barely getting by, blaming online sales and big box stores for killing the brick and mortar shop.

12-21-2011, 06:12 AM	#19
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,667	Originally posted by RioRico What, local camera shops still exist? As pointed out by Steinback, in Toronto we are spoiled for choice. I can think of a few stores who would know arca swiss and other high end gear. Montreal and Vancouver are likely the same the tripod part of it in Toronto and Vancouver would be influenced by the fact we have a large film production industry

12-21-2011, 06:35 AM	#20
RBellavance Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Near Montréal, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,716	Originally posted by RioRico What, local camera shops still exist? Around here they sure do. In fact, I'm somewhat spoiled because there is one less than 10 minutes away from my home. It's been in operation since 1938 (although it was just a photo studio back then), and it's still family-owned. The do printing locally, the employees are all photographers & they know their stuff... and they stock Pentax :-)

12-21-2011, 07:02 AM	#21
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Originally posted by Philoslothical Yep, I have one locally. I mainly go in there for comedic value though. For instance, I was looking for ideas for a pop-up flash diffuser, and saw one of these in their shop, however no price tag on it. They were very nice, let me try it out on my camera, and I'm thinking OK, it's gonna be marked up, but let's just see. They wanted $30+tax for this, which ranges from $2-4 on Ebay including shipping. I haven't had the impulse to return to that shop since, but I got a good laugh out of it that day. And they wonder why they're barely getting by, blaming online sales and big box stores for killing the brick and mortar shop. I know what you mean about that. In their defence they may have had the genuine Fong diffuser and in that case $30 is about what they go for (more or less).

12-21-2011, 07:13 AM	#22
Philoslothical Veteran Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 1,889	Yeah, it wasn't that brand, just some generic Chinese junk (that still worked quite nicely with the white shade) like the one I linked. I mean if it had been say $10-12, I probably would have bought it just so as not to wait a month for shipping, and that would still be a 300% markup... It's a crappy shop run by a very nice guy, he's probably just out of touch with the competition. He did give me a great deal on a set of A type extension tubes, complete with a decade or so of dust on the box. Of course they also sell about 30 types of UV filter, but only one or two of CPL or ND. /sigh

12-21-2011, 07:50 AM	#23
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Originally posted by Philoslothical Yeah, it wasn't that brand, just some generic Chinese junk (that still worked quite nicely with the white shade) like the one I linked. I mean if it had been say $10-12, I probably would have bought it just so as not to wait a month for shipping, and that would still be a 300% markup... It's a crappy shop run by a very nice guy, he's probably just out of touch with the competition. He did give me a great deal on a set of A type extension tubes, complete with a decade or so of dust on the box. Of course they also sell about 30 types of UV filter, but only one or two of CPL or ND. /sigh Ah well. Just can't understand running a business and not keeping up with developments. Its just unreal to me because back 20-30 years ago when I was very active shooting SLRs there were a LOT of camera stores locally and several really had their acts together. Sadly almost all were bought out by Ritz (then Wolfe) camera and became stocked with schlock and had idiots behind the counters. Now they are gone and we have nothing locally at all that I am aware of anymore.

12-21-2011, 08:07 AM	#24
DaveHolmes Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 1,501	Originally posted by RioRico What, local camera shops still exist? We have one here too AND he's a pentax pro dealer... Whoop... I try to get stuff from him when possible although I often have to invoke 'pricematch' as he's unfortuatrly not great on the 'competitive pricing' front... He still does a roaring second hand trade too... Got my M40-2.8 and my black ME from him... Had a used 21 Ltd in the window last week but I'm potless... DAMN YOU SANTA!!

12-21-2011, 08:34 AM	#25
MRRiley Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sterling, VA, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,275	I guess we are lucky here in the DC area. No more Ritz Camera stores but other than my daughter losing her job when they closed up, no big loss there. We do have a decent brick and mortar "prosumer" chain called Penn Camera (doesn't carry Pentax though) and a full service "pro" store called Ace Photo which carries Pentax cameras and lenses in-stock (including the 645D). And even the guys at Penn Camera know what Arca-Swiss is. Mike

12-21-2011, 12:14 PM	#26
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	Locals? Not around here. The camera shop a mere hour's drive away closed a couple years ago; the next closest are 1.5 hours away, and we're only in their vicinity every six weeks or so -- and they don't carry Pentax, so feh. I've seen a little Pentax stuff in antique and pawn shops the same distance away, but nothing worth buying. Small Pentaxian supplies are a couple hours away in either Sacramento CA or Reno NV, but the only real stores are around San Francisco, 3-4 hours away. No impulse buying for me! And no dealers to laugh at.

12-21-2011, 07:42 PM	#27
littledrawe Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Red Rock Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,514 Original Poster	Thanks everyone for letting me know I wasn't totally out to lunch on this one!! Originally posted by cmohr I asked about a "Gimbal" at one of the bigger shops here in Brisbane, and the guy looked at me like I had two heads with a worried look on his face (as if I had just asked for a gimp) then said, "Um No..... we dont sell that brand here?". I was actually in the same shop I mentioned originally a couple months ago looking at tripods to see how their prices compared. I asked one of the sells people if they had any m42 rear lens caps because they actually do have a lot of miscellaneous stuff? He said for what kind of camera? I said well its for a lens, its a Takumar lens for the old Pentax cameras but the back of the lens is threaded and it screws into the camera. He said well let me go ask my manager............. I said don't worry about it I'll just get some on ebay.

12-22-2011, 09:10 AM	#28
RodKlukas New Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 4	Originally posted by littledrawe I asked the guy what his price range is for ball heads that have an arca-swiss style quick release? Then all I heard was silence. . . . . . . He asked me what I meant by Arca Swiss? I said well a lens plate with dovetail grooves cut into both sides of it and a head that that clamps onto those grooves to hold or accept the lens plate. He said well I've worked here for 20 years and you're the first person that has ever said "Arca Swiss" anything to me. I didn't know what Arca Swiss was either when I got my first DSLR but after a couple months on the forums and a couple hours looking for a tripod head a while back I knew exactly what it was. 20 years and he had never heard the term Arca Swiss.....that is surprising. My name is Rod Klukas and I am The US Representative for Arca-swiss. Please feel free to contact me for any questions or information on Arca-Swiss equipment. I am always willing to help guide you. Rod

12-22-2011, 09:46 AM	#29
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,477	Upstate NY is littered with empty store fronts that used to be home to camera shops. Syracuse has 2 specialty camera shops left, both cater to the Canikon crowd. The local "discount" department store that used to have an extensive camera section now has a case of point & shoots, a case of Canons and a case that had a few Nikons and an Olympus Pen last time I was there. No more used cameras, no more darkroom equipment, no more film, just a few overpriced camera bags, tripods and generic accessories. Their "Black Friday" flyer was exclusively Canon.

12-23-2011, 12:38 AM	#30
littledrawe Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Red Rock Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,514 Original Poster	Originally posted by RodKlukas My name is Rod Klukas and I am The US Representative for Arca-swiss. Please feel free to contact me for any questions or information on Arca-Swiss equipment. I am always willing to help guide you. Rod Great to have you here! It is nice to see a few representatives on the forum to answer product specific questions.