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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
07-12-2021, 07:46 AM
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My experience was similar. The last camera shop in my area stocked a couple of Pentax lenses, but that was it. I went in there one day to look at accessories, and I saw one of those little plastic diffusers that clips onto the hotshoe to diffuse the onboard flash. I had ordered a set from Ebay for less than $5, but I was curious so I asked how much they were. When he said $40 I just stared blankly. And that was the last time I went to a camera shop. They went under maybe a year later. There are a few around in other towns but it would be a pain for me. Happily, I found what I need this year on the marketplace forum. I try to buy everything used now, even camera bodies. It's the people who don't yet really know what they want and need who suffer most from the lack of surviving B&M stores.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
07-11-2021, 06:27 PM
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I think this is true for many people, and I suspect it's one of the factors leading to the decline of DSLR popularity relative to smaller cameras. Back then I was very uncomfortable with the idea of buying my first DSLR online because I knew it had to be the right choice for me, so I had to hold one and verify with my eyes that it could do what I expected, and that it felt right. Like a new pair of shoes.
There is a way to somewhat mitigate the risk and uncertainty with online buying. The various protections offered by payment processors like PayPal, or sites like Ebay are often slanted in favour of the buyer, so it is possible to shop with that in mind, so that you're assured of a smooth return should you want that. It's the time involved. It takes so much time to ship stuff back and forth that it's much less appealing than going to a shop, but it's something, and buyer protections have evolved quite a bit since I bought my first camera.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
07-11-2021, 05:32 PM
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Perhaps they'd had people attempt the old grab and run recently, but it's an awful policy and they didn't know how to make a sale, or didn't care. One thing I remember about the Black's I went to was that their entry level Canikon models were at inflated prices compared to what I'd looked at online, but their Pentax prices were almost at parity (which is a reason I went there). Maybe they were trying to unload them, or maybe they were just trying to fleece the people who gravitate to the most advertised brands. I was very happy with my experience there though.
If they were worried about ending up with an open-box copy, they could have done the old switch where they keep them all behind the counter, but one of them has been opened and is used for demos. If the customer bites they can just grab a fresh one. Of course in my case I'd be testing it, too.
Ah well, at the stage we're at now we're wishing there were still brick and mortar stores to go to.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
07-11-2021, 03:10 PM
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The audacity! I would have walked away, too. This reminds me of when I bought my first DSLR back in 2011, maybe because it was the opposite experience. I have a relative who shoots Canon, but I did my research and I found Pentax to be more tinkering friendly, so I found my closest local dealer a couple of towns over and went to check them out. It was a Black's Photography store, not long before they went under. I had pretty much decided on a K-r at that point, and they had the usual lineup for the time, K-x, K-r, K-7, and I think their K-5 was out of stock. In retrospect I should have got a K-7, as it's a beast of a camera for its generation (and what I'm still using right now), but I selected for the K-r and the salesperson got one, opened up the box, put the lens on, stuck a charged battery in (they had a few!), and handed it to me to try it out. The tactic worked, I snapped a few, checked some settings, and it seemed great in my hands, so I bought it on the spot along with a cheap Sigma 70-300mm. I soon added an old 50mm f./2 from Kijiji and a ring flash and tubes from the marketplace forum here, and that was my kit for a very long time. My K-r lasted 9 years and 116k clicks. I'd buy that salesperson a beer if I could.
I wonder what I would have ended up doing if I hadn't bought that day because the salesperson chose to behave like yours did.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
04-19-2012, 02:32 PM
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Is that that Kai twit that jumps around like an idiot for ten minutes to actually talk about a gadget for 2? If so, I've seen a couple, and wouldn't watch again.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
04-18-2012, 08:26 AM
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A mess wasn't my intent, it just seemed a curious statement, saying Pentax can't take those mounts (without an optically corrected adapter, in theory) but implying that Canon could, by saying it's a universal recipient. Looking at the chart I posted, I was just surprised that it's such a relative handful of mounts in between Canon EOS and Pentax K.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
04-17-2012, 04:43 PM
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But Canon can't use Konica, Leica M, m43, Fuji or Minolta MD either? At least, their register distances are shorter than Canon's, so they must need an optical adapter, right?
Btw, found a handy chart of mounts sorted by register here. |
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
04-16-2012, 08:45 PM
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Ouch. Was it totaled? I always, always use the neck strap with my K-r, the only exception being if I'm laying on the ground with it for macros, or tripod work (and I put the strap on before I release it from the tripod! Yes, I'm paranoid :D). People like in the pic I commented on look like they think it's a fashion accessory, I've never understood that.
Fourth one after mine will be ;)
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
04-16-2012, 04:14 AM
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IDK about these people that don't wear their camera strap. Looks like an accident waiting to happen, especially in a crowded area like a convention.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
04-11-2012, 12:18 AM
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
11-09-2011, 08:27 AM
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Sony lost all of its DSLR production in the recent Thai floods, so I imagine we'll see even less of them as time goes on. I haven't seen any really recent updates on their situation, but it sounded likely that they would be out of the game for a year or more when it was first reported.
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