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Wanted to see D2x in the camera shop...they said NO (Rant)

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Hi D70,

Sorry to hear about your unfortunate experience but I think the store made a big mistake that cost them 5000.00.

If it makes any difference to you, I just looked at your work and it is awesome. I sure hope I can someday do half as good of work as you and your wife do.

Your site is an inspiration to me.

Thanks for sharing your site with us.
--



Melissa
catz
PBASE Supporter and
NAPP Member
Proud owner of a Nikon D2X
Still use the Fuji S2 for backup
 
That has happened to me before, and that was a store I never visited again. However, the opposite happened to me recently. I went into a store to look at the 105mm macro. The salesman asked me what I shoot so he could put the lens on a body I was familiar with. Well, I own a D100, a D1h, and a D2H, so I said D2H. He nodded, and pulled a D2X out of the case, and put the lens on it. I’m not even interested in a D2X, but was impressed with the focusing and bright viewfinder. I’ve since found out about the Hi-speed mode of the D2X, (I’m a sports shooter) and because he put the lens on a D2X, I find myself wishing I could justify the cost of that camera. Drool drool drool... However, I’ll most likely end up with a second D2H, and sell the D1h.

This is a store that caters to pros, and they know how important it is for people to handle expensive equipment before purchasing. I’ll be going into that store again soon, and this time I’ll take a CF card with me, and see if they will let me slip it into the camera.
--
Gary
Will Fly for Food

http://www.pbase.com/wingspar/nikon_d100

 
Thank you for your kind words...

I am glad to hear that our work is an inspiration to someone. That is wonderful. It makes me reliaze that all the money that I have shelled out over the years on film (Before going digital) was not for nothing.

Thanks again for you reply... And remember pratice makes perfect...or at least close to...
--
D70Photoguy
http://www.TD-Photography.com
 
This is just about the most mis-informed statement I've seen here in a long time.
--
David Garth
 
Robin Casady said:
Also, what exactly can you learn from handling a camera in a camera
store? I guess if you hand-hold while shooting, it would give an
idea of the feel in your hand and the location of the buttons, that
doesn't seem like enough to base a $5,000 purchase on.

Robin
http://www.robincasady.com
Click to expand...
This might be apples vs oranges. However, I think you are overlooking the obvious. What do "you" do when buying a car? Read all the reviews you can, go in the dealership and look at the car, plunk the money down and drive away? Wouldn't you like to sit inside, check the controls, or most importantly, maybe even TEST drive it?

--
Respect!
Artorius

'The brave ones were shooting the enemy. The crazy ones were shooting film.' - Norman Hatch USMC WWII Combat Photographer
 
I love these guys. They are usually competative price wise and will let you put your own card it whatever want and fire away. I have even taken stuff outside, but they know me by now!!!

I have even received thank you notes from sales people. One nice thing is they are not on commission, so there is no competition between the staff. Some know Nikon better, some Canon. Some medium format and so on. They are all very experienced photographers themselves, and it is not easy getting a job there. Most stay for many years.
Shooter2
 
Photoguy,

I'm sure that was really annoying. To add another dimension to this thread, allow me to take the perspective a retailer for a moment. (BTW - I am not one.)

If I don’t know you, you’re not a regular customer and you ask to handle one of the single most expensive items in my store I think I’d be a bit reluctant myself. Are you going to steal it? Will you leave oily finger prints on it? Will you drop it? Certainly there are legitimate worries if the retailer doesn’t know you. Many people walk in without any serious intention of buying a $5000 camera, are you one of them? Are you going to look at his D2X and then buy from “the lowest price” on the web? Will you want to mount a lens and shoot it? If so, can I still call it new? Or, is it now a demo model with lower value? All this risk for the small chance that this stranger who walked in my store might buy it. In Des Moines there may not be many D2X’s sitting on store shelves. And they may know the people who normally will buy a $5000 Nikon DSLR. The working Nikon pro's, newspapers, or wealthy, Nikon-shooting enthusiasts.)

Now, if you are a regular customer of theirs and they know you well, shame on them.

FWIW - I may still be a Nikon shooter because a retailer refused to allow me to handle a new Canon 1D MkII. I’d heard the Canon ergonomics were poor and my inability to determine this for myself caused me to postpone my buying decision. With the intro of the D2X I no longer have any interest in changing brands. :-) I guess it goes both ways.

Do not allow this to discourage you, the D2X is an incredible camera. Just find a new retailer in Des Moines.

Cheers,
JB
D70Photoguy said:
Hello,

I would just like to rant for a moment & Wanted to see if anyone
else has had this experience...

I went to a Local Camera store in Des Moines, Iowa (Christian
Photo). Where I was going to show my wife the new D2x + look at a
couple of pro lenses. (She and I run a Photography stuido and we do
mainly location work.) Since she has a partial say over if I spend
$5,000 or not...She wanted to see it. Well, needless to say, We
walked in. Sure enough they had one on the shelf in a box. I was
like great!
asked if I could see the D2x.

The lady said..."No, we do not let people see this camera. We have
had several people come in and they just want to look at it."

OK...isn't that part of the reason that people purchase equipment
at local stores? To let people look at the merchandise before
shelling out 5Gs?

It is the first time that i have ran into this. She was nice enough
to let me look at the 28-70/2.8 and th 70-200VR. I was just
shocked.... about the whole thing. My wife and I have decided that
it well be a long time before we purchase anything from that store.
(espically since they turned us away from looking at a camera that
we have been considering to purchase.)

Anyone else have a simlar thing happen?
--
D70Photoguy
http://www.TD-Photography.com
Click to expand...
 
Hi JB,

I think this is a tough call for a small, local retailer. I think they need to stock a demo model, let people handle it, load up a card, shoot some shots, compare it their own cameras or others in the store. If they are only going to stock a single camera, and only want to sell unopened boxes (and granted , I don't want to buy an even "lightly" used camera) then they have no advantage over the Internet guys. Exceptional service is there only possible point of competition - the product is a comodity by definition.

I bought my D2X from my local pro shop, but only because they matched the best legitmate net price (almost 10% less than list), and I wanted a local point of contact if there were any focus issues. Still it was a tough call because I had to pay the sales tax.
--
Michael
 
shooter2 said:
I love these guys. They are usually competative price wise and will
let you put your own card it whatever want and fire away. I have
even taken stuff outside, but they know me by now!!!
I have even received thank you notes from sales people. One nice
thing is they are not on commission, so there is no competition
between the staff. Some know Nikon better, some Canon. Some medium
format and so on. They are all very experienced photographers
themselves, and it is not easy getting a job there. Most stay for
many years.
Shooter2
Click to expand...
Yes, it is Pro Photo. How in the world did you guess that? Must have looked at my profile, saw Oregon, and decided I must be talking about Pro Photo. I’m on the south coast, but get to Portland a couple of times a year during the summer. Last summer I bought a used AF-S 300mm f.2.8 from them. Someone from here told me about the lens as he knew I was looking for one. It apparently had been on commission at the store for a couple of months, so knowing that I offered a couple hundred less than the asking price, and the guy didn’t even blink. As a bonus, that even the salesman didn’t know, was all the ND filters and a polarizing filter that were in a pouch in the case the lens was in. Lens was, and still is like new. Sharp as a tack. Really love that lens.

I didn’t know they weren’t on a commission. That and the fact that they are all photographers themselves does help for a nice non high sales pitch experience, and they have a lot of nice stuff there. I love the fact they have all those nice printers up and running. I looked at some 16x20 prints off the Epson 4800. Nice. Handles the B&W well too.
--
Gary
Will Fly for Food

http://www.pbase.com/wingspar/nikon_d100

 
Michael Zdanis said:
I bought my D2X from my local pro shop, but only because they
matched the best legitmate net price (almost 10% less than list),
and I wanted a local point of contact if there were any focus
issues. Still it was a tough call because I had to pay the sales
tax.
--
Michael
Click to expand...
Was that Service Photo? They had a used D1h on Ebay a long time ago that I bought. They were great to deal with.
--
Gary
Will Fly for Food

http://www.pbase.com/wingspar/nikon_d100

 
Agreed, I see both sides. As you know, service drives me to buy locally whenever the prices are not out of wack. If I did not have a strong local photo shop to work with I'd buy it all from B&H.

All the best, Michael. I hope you're doing well.

Cheers,
JB
Michael Zdanis said:
Hi JB,

I think this is a tough call for a small, local retailer. I think
they need to stock a demo model, let people handle it, load up a
card, shoot some shots, compare it their own cameras or others in
the store. If they are only going to stock a single camera, and
only want to sell unopened boxes (and granted , I don't want to
buy an even "lightly" used camera) then they have no advantage over
the Internet guys. Exceptional service is there only possible point
of competition - the product is a comodity by definition.

I bought my D2X from my local pro shop, but only because they
matched the best legitmate net price (almost 10% less than list),
and I wanted a local point of contact if there were any focus
issues. Still it was a tough call because I had to pay the sales
tax.
--
Michael
Click to expand...
 
I don't believe I've ever presented any evidence that I've purchased anything over then net and then not filled out the proper forms and paid the use tax. Perhaps these were just the musings of a of frustrated person (or so my lawyer has instructed me to maintain ...)
--
Michael
 
Yep, thought that kind of service reminded me of them. Looked at your profile and guessed. I statrted going in there when one of the Camera World employees went over there.( he was smart and saw the writing on the wall) Now Camera World is a sad pittance of what it once was. Ritz has really messed up that store and my local Wolf Camera. Both used to want your business. I have had a Wolf employee help me on a few events and thay did not seem very happy with the new management. They will not deal at all and could care less for your business anymore because they are frustrated that their hands are tied. They know they are overpriced and are not allowed to do anything about it. They seem to have little stock and offer to order it for you at inflated prices.

You might also try the Shutterbug chain. They are surprising for mostly consumer orientated stores. Talk to Jason (he is management and all the stores know who he is). He seems to have a good relationship with Nikon and Canon and sometimes can get things that are in short supply. He also wants to keep regular customers and will try to be competative on price.
Regards,
Shooter2
 
My dream was always to own a Contax, but my wallet wasn't to happy with it. Years ago, however, one reputable internet dealer had a demo AX for sale to a price that allowed me also to get a bunch of lenses.

I was jubilating when I received the box. MY Contax was here! With a pulse rate of 200 bpm and sweaty, shivering hands I unpacked it, only to find a big disapointment: The body was scratched, the control button was somewhere in the depth of the box, that whole thing was dusty as if it was stored in a barn for years.

Ok, I got it for a real decent price, but other dealers would have sold it as ugly, and not demo ... the Contax with all the lenses went back, and I stood with my trusted Nikons.

I understand the dealer. How many people go into a store just to look at a camera without any intent to ever buying it? And I've seen how some people treat the demo cameras (it's not theirs after all!).

However, just to take it in your hand to get a feel of it should be allowed.
 
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