[photolady95]

I just tell them it's a secret society of Limited membership

And I would elaborate on that to say, with unlimited lenses.

[magkelly]

When Canikon pushing salesclerks try to pull that one on me I simply raise an eyebrow and say "Really?" in a rather arch tone and walk away. 9 times out of 10 they come running after me then asking "Why Pentax?" If I am in a good mood and I feel like playing Pentax ambassador I enlighten them, if not I tell them to "Google it, dear!" and continue on my way. It makes me sound a bit snotty I know, but I have no time for snide salesclerks who don't know their camera brands and if my subtly implying they are idiots for not knowing gets them to read up on the brand a bit in self-defense that's a good thing. If not, well then who cares?

I mean why would I even buy a camera from a clerk who didn't even try to know the other brands out there, even if they are not on his or her employer's shelves at the moment? I have no respect for people who do that. When it comes to having a decent sales technique it's not good enough just to parrot the company literature and leave it at that. You have to know enough about the other brands so you can explain "why" your brand is supposedly better. Myself, I'm not partial to selling any product that I don't actually believe in. If I can't sit there and honestly believe that I actually could use a Nikon or a Canon successfully and have good reasons for doing so, then I wouldn't be able to sell it effectively. I won't sell anything I believe is junk, period, and I certainly wouldn't ignore a good brand just because it's not the one I sell.

Just because you sell one brand over another doesn't mean it's a good fit for everyone who walks through the door. It's always better for business if you don't treat the people who walk through your door like idiots. People do respect a sales clerk who is knowledgeable in their field, professional and honest with them and even when they don't buy from you then, often they will come back to you and buy something else later because they respect your candor. Nothing turns me of buying a brand faster actually than a sales clerk who hasn't done their homework. Someone who knows the entire field, who can give me plenty of legitimate reasons to buy their brand without knocking their competitor's brand, that's likely a person I will give my business to at some point.

[RobA_Oz]

Try an analogy: "Canons and Nikons are like Camrys - they get the job done, they're reasonably priced, but they're boring as bat sh*t".

The problem is, they probably drive Camrys...

[TaoMaas]

If a person was truly interested in my camera (and not just looking for a reason to tell me why I should have bought a Canon or Nikon), I'd tell them a bit of the history of Pentax, then tell them the reasons why it's still a viable brand today...great lenses, water-proofing, in-camera shake resistance, ability to use every Pentax lens ever made, etc...
(Edited to add) Pentax has done a lousy job of marketing their gear in the digital age. Even guys in my camera club, who run decent sideline businesses of selling used camera gear, aren't all that familiar with Pentax's DSLR's. They know the brand, but they don't know squat about Pentax DSLRs. I stopped by one of our local camera stores a few years back (now closed) to see if they had any used M42 or K-mount lenses. The manager told me, "Those aren't worth anything. Pentax never made a digital camera and nobody shoots film these days." I politely told him that Pentax IS making digital gear, but he seemed to think that I just didn't know what I was talking about.

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Last edited by TaoMaas; 08-02-2011 at 04:34 AM.

[magkelly]

I stopped by one of our local camera stores a few years back (now closed) to see if they had any used M42 or K-mount lenses. The manager told me, "Those aren't worth anything. Pentax never made a digital camera and nobody shoots film these days." I politely told him that Pentax IS making digital gear, but he seemed to think that I just didn't know what I was talking about.

The next time I went that way I'd be strolling back in with my snazzy K-x or better yet with my teacher's K-5 just to watch him eat a bit of crow. Oh wait, they're closed! Could it be because they were so short sighted and narrow minded that they couldn't even sell the cameras they had? ;P

[RonHendriks1966]

I'm just a poor guy and can't affort a Nikon/Canon set.

[Falke]

I always had a Pentax (30 years back). Pentax are tough as a tank. I would tell the questioner about the Pentax's enormous achievement of creating a camera (K1000) that is build and tested to survive a fall of 2m onto concrete (besides taking great pics).

[adr1an]

I would tell the questioner about the Pentax's enormous achievement of creating a camera (K1000) that is build and tested to survive a fall of 2m onto concrete (besides taking great pics).

<in best Nikon Prat Voice - think Ralph Wiggum > "Well why then do they take Nikon D2X's into Space huh..."

[TomK]

Pentax? Pentax? Oh sh*t!
That darn salesman must have slipped me the wrong camera.
I wanted a Polaroid.

[InlawBiker]

Most of what I'm doing is taking pictures of my kids, so I see a lot of Canon & Nikon. Most of them are Dads who assume the Pentax is a more advanced camera for experts.

When I meet enthusiasts, the older ones all say the same thing - "Oh, I used to use a Pentax a long time ago I loved that thing." Most of them don't really care about the brand.

The younger hotshots with a lot of gear are really in love with their equipment and somewhat look down on the Pentax, but it doesn't bother me to be honest.

I enjoy checking out other equipment, they all offer something unique.

Greg.

[mookowz13]

My favorite is dealing with the "serious photographer" hipsters that have been cropping up in my city with armies of Canikon kits. I usually pull the irony card with them and talk about how Canikon is too mainstream and how my main camera is a Holga.

[JeffJS]

Most of what I'm doing is taking pictures of my kids, so I see a lot of Canon & Nikon. Most of them are Dads who assume the Pentax is a more advanced camera for experts.

When I meet enthusiasts, the older ones all say the same thing - "Oh, I used to use a Pentax a long time ago I loved that thing." Most of them don't really care about the brand.

The younger hotshots with a lot of gear are really in love with their equipment and somewhat look down on the Pentax, but it doesn't bother me to be honest.

I enjoy checking out other equipment, they all offer something unique.

Greg.

That's what makes you a part of the secret society of limited membership

[gp1806]

The best one I heard: "It's the Japanese equivalent of the Leica". And when you get the response "Lika?" just say "It's very exclusive". The snobby ones will go out and buy it.

[richard balonglong]

I would tell them: "Shhh... It's a super top secret camera system, and only a specially select group of talented people who uses it and I'm one of them...". hehehe... Cheers! =)

[Eagle_Friends]

The best one I heard: "It's the Japanese equivalent of the Leica". And when you get the response "Lika?" just say "It's very exclusive". The snobby ones will go out and buy it.

love it!