Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/11/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Marc, I've seen a number of crowded photo/electronics stores in San Francisco and Singapore which proudly displayed a Leica M or R, but it seemed to be strictly ornamental: Better look for a real Leica dealer: They generally don't sell Walkmen. I hate playing "status games", but I have at times stooped to letting it be known that yes, I own a Leica or Hasselblad, in order to get proper help pronto. Gauche? Yeah, but it works. I assume you have none of those things to fall back on yet, so I'd suggest that you find the store's "Leica person" and start talking Leica first before asking to handle any gear. I think if it's fairly clear that you have been doing research into the M system (download the M6 brochure and learn the basics!), they'll start pulling equipment out of the showcase for you. But if you walk in off the street asking to see an M6 without qualifying yourself or looking wealthy, that's tough. I've been on the other side of the counter in the hifi world, and though I tried not to be judgemental, I suspected that someone didn't have the cash when they'd look at a $2000 stereo component and loudly proclaim "Two thousand bucks? That doesn't seem so bad-who's Linn Sondek?". No, the serious ones may not always have known the names, but they had clearly done some homework and asked intelligent questions. The only ones who were ever cavalier about prices tended to run into "money problems". The very wealthy clientele were actually rather careful about it-guess that's how they got rich. - -- Jeff Segawa Boulder, Colorado www.boulder.net/~4season Marc Talusan wrote: > > The biggest turnoff for me in the process of getting one was the attitude > of a number of the dealers I spoke to. One dealer refused to show me the > camera, claiming that it was a "high-ticket" item that is not usually > demoed or displayed. I wonder if he would have given me the same kind of > treatment if I had been over 40. Throughout the experience, I don't think > any of the four dealers I spoke to were really convinced that I was willing > to pay the money for the camera.