[shuttertalk]

I've been a Canon film SLR user myself, and have a couple of lenses, but if I were to purchase a DSLR, I think I would go for the brand that would suit my needs at the time. What about you? Would you stick to a particular brand, and for what reason?

[StudioJ]

Good afternoon ST

It would depend on whether I already had invested in that brand (ie lenses) for starters, if so then it makes it a harder cycle to break out of. The way things are at the moment if you buy a DSLR its going to be hard for you to go wrong. The Canon & Nikon models are much of a muchness and both sides seem to be great performers.

[potplant]

Unless you buy a Pentax.... *ducks as rotten vegetables are thrown*

[Cailean]

*ducks as rotten vegetables are thrown*

It took me forever to understand why you would throw ducks as though they were rotten vegetables... Actually, I still don't understand why you would do that - but I do understand what you meant...

[Toad]

I suppose "technically" my brand loyalty is zero - I own Nikon, Canon, and Minolta cameras - but as Jamie says your choice of SLR body will dictate your subsequent lens purchases. (back door brand loyalty)

The morale of the story - when you are picking out a SLR body - don't look at the body as much as the lenses - that is where the bulk of your investment will turn out to be.

[StudioJ]

mmm yes the glass prison, then all you have to do is hope that you don't come in at the end when they decide to switch the lens mounts to a new style, thankfully its not that often.

[Don Schaeffer]

I haven't got the money to demonstrate disloyalty. My first love was a Miranda Sensorex. When I lost that some 20 years ago I replaced it with a very imperfect Nikan that never filled my heart. Then my son's Japanese in-laws gave me a Casio digicam and I thought I'd fallen in love again. Now I have a Canon A70 which I customized with a viewer that works like an electronic viewer and a wide-angle auxillary lens. I feel abosolute loyalty to Canon now. My wife has a Canon film point-n-shoot and we have a Canon HI-8 camcorder.

--Don

[dewy]

I have not really gotten my self into a 'Glass Prison' (I am such a good boy, haha) but I am thinking I will (when (if is not an option) I get a DSLR) I will get a Nikon F mount supportive body mostprobably a Nikon body (Hopefully a (listed in order of prefernce) D1x, D100, or D70)

[StudioJ]

So why Nikon, dewy?

[gd]

I would suggest that for the difference in price there is no need to get a D100 for a D70... D1x is an ok camera but even so some things it does are weird for the price you pay.

I just signed up a Nikon SB-800 speedlight.. it's very cool ,but as a result Ted's Camera Stores join Camera Action Camera House as banned-by-gd... a fate few stores want.

[shuttertalk]

oh, do tell the story/stories, gd...?

[gd]

Ok... GD doesn't need more invitations to yap off than that!

Basically, I'm a stickler for customer service... it makes me a difficult customer in these days of attrocious customer service.

Take camera stores for example.

Every body on this forum would know, well and truly that camera equipment is expensive. For some of us (namely me) a $100 flash card can set you back 6 months salary so, when I want to buy something, I like to have a conversation about it and then see if I really need it, y'know get some tips from an expert.

So, Camera Action Camera House... I bought my D70 from there, 70-300 f3.5-f4.5 zoom, lot of other stuff which cost me a fortune for me. And I wanted to add a 1Gb card. I was told by the sales guy.. "microdrive is faster and better than a Ultra speed CF Card"... sure it's more expensive but it's what you want.
Turns out it's not.. it's a moving part system and not faster than solid state.

At Ted's I walk in and want to buy a speedlight. I say "I want a speedlight".. before the ink dries on my question mark... I get sold the SB-50DX, sure a flash that lights things up, but no conversation, no specialist help, just some one able to escort me to the cash register. Now, the 50DX is only compatible with the D70 in one mode.. FULL BLAST... *sigh*... I bought a $3k (Aud, in March) camera and you just fling me the worst flash compatible with my camera for $500 (aud). So instead of talking me through the features and showing me the SB800 or SB600 is better thus allowing me to make the decision to pay more for it, they just signed me up.

When I had to make ANOTHER trip to the store to exchange, I was told 3-5 days.. it took 12... no service, no care factor and I had to chase them up AND spend more than I wanted.

For that, they are both banned.

So does anyone else have a camera accessories store I can turn to when I'm setting up my studio???

gd.

[StudioJ]

I know what you mean gd, the Camera House chain of stores of here is a drama, at one of them it is so busy that you wait 15 minutes on average to be served and they do it as quickly as possible, ring up to ask a question and 90% of the time it goes to a voice mail system which says that everyone is busy and to leave contact details to have them call you back.

You could try Baltronics or Michael's, if you are happy to do mail order Madsen's up in NSW (Wollongong) have great service and staff. I've used Baltronics in Sydney and Melbourne in the past and they may be a bit more expensive but they are professionals.

[smelly]

Saq, my fiancee, has this knack of being able to sweet talk sales assistants to the point where they offer him discounts on everything. I'm not quite sure how he does it, but time and time again he's walked out of stores with discounts on whatever he buys.

There's a Kodak camera store in Adelaide where we usually shop. They've got great service, very reliable, and are actually helpful with what you need.

Gd, your story sounds horrible. It sounds to me like the assistant that helped you didn't know much about cameras.

[gd]

yeah, I mean.. I'm a story teller.. I've done radio for a bit (a while back) and so I embellish where need be.. but still, the story is... she didn't know what she was doing in a store where you leave $500 deposit when you walk in. I think she was being trained, so ok I have some patience for that.. but still someone should be there sorting out people's needs not just escorting people to the cash register.

J, I'll check out the store you mentioned, I don't mind paying for service... in fact, I like getting service.. so if I have to pay I'll pay. Thanks for the tip!

[shuttertalk]

Hm... I'm still at a loss where the best shops/deals are in Melbourne. In the city there are like 3 or 4 major chains next to each other on the same street. However, during lunchtimes they're so busy that the salespeople basically give you the "walk to register" treatement as gd described.

In the 'burbs, your results vary on which store you go to, but generally they are willing to spend more time with you. There's one place called Kirk's Camera Exchange in Ringwood where my bro bought his camera... they seemed pretty cluey and prices were ok too.

[StudioJ]

For GD or anyone that is looking at things on a more professional level down the track, you are best becoming closer associated with at least one of your local "pro" stores.

[gd]

yeah, I definitely agree with that J... I've tried wearing off the shoulder numbers, some makeup.. even calling and breathing heavily and hanging up.. but currently my search for a store goes on.

I think I might try and find a Nikon store... as I think the one ST referred to is a Canon referrer (or the one next door to it I think)... but yeah.. I need some apprentice time with someone who knows what they're doing (not me) and I need some smoooze time with a store willing to tell me what's what!

The search goes on!!!

[StudioJ]

No wonder you aren't getting any results, you need to get yourself to a modeling agency not a camera store!

Nikon on Broadway is a great store, I had a look at the 200mm f2 VR lens when I was over ages ago but they're not down your way. Have you seen that lens? Very droolworthy.

The two I mentioned both deal in Nikon gear.

[EnglishBob]

I've owned 4 Kodak's (2 film 2 digital)
2 Canon (1 Digital, 1 film)
1 Fuji (digital)

No brand loyalty here, I just buy the camera that best suits my needs and more recently I based it on reviews and articles. Though now I have bought a Canon Digital Rebel and some lenses, so when it comes time to move on, I will probably stick to Canon or anything compatible to the Canon EF lenses.