[Leica] Let's Hold the Future at Bay a Tad Longer

[scott at adrenaline.com (Scott McLoughlin)]

I'm pretty disappointed in the Wash, DC area shops
that I'm aware of.  I do like Penn Camera. If they have
what I want, they have pretty good prices on some
items, and I buy my chemistry there. The guys at
ProPhoto seem to run a busy repair business, have
a small but interesting inventory of used gear, and
they're very nice guys; also a nice Nikon repair shop
here in Tenley Circle. 

But the best selection of Leica gear I've seen is at
the Downtown Ritz camera, which isn't saying much.

Actually, I'm not all that much of a price shopper in
camera stuff or the rest of life. But selection and service
are kinda hard to come by. KEH doesn't have the cheapest
prices on used gear, but their quality and selection are
darn good, and in this regard, my transactions have been
hassle free.  I'll admit that with film, I am a price shopper.
I buy multiple bricks of the stuff from the usual sources,
and the prices are typically 50% retail, sometimes more.
Gosh, I with I lived in NY, and then I could just buy it
retail in B&H and feel better about it :-)

As for buying things online, I'm also an urban city
dweller who just doesn't like driving out to shops in
the burbs if I don't have to. I just don't "shop" all that
much in general. Of course, if PhotoVillage were in
suburban Wash, DC, I'd definitely make an exception!
But it's not :-(

I'm actually planning a little NY pilgrimage to visit
the retail dealers there, hoping to fondle and chat about
a large selection of good and hopefully pick up a few
items.

Scott

Buzz Hausner wrote:

>Sorry to hear about that Lea.  All along I thought the only good reason
>to live in the Boston area were our fine roads and drivers and the Red
>Sox!
>
>       Buzz
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: lug-bounces+buzz.hausner=verizon.net@leica-users.org
>[mailto:lug-bounces+buzz.hausner=verizon.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf
>Of lea
>Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2004 6:34 PM
>To: Leica Users Group
>Subject: Re: [Leica] Let's Hold the Future at Bay a Tad Longer
>
>Buzz,
>
>I find my local shops (in Kansas City) to be higher in darn near every
>instance than mail order...perhaps because the competition just isn't
>here like it is in your area. Bummer for us. I do buy large dollar items
>locally (2 10Ds for example) because if there's a problem I want
>face-to-face help. My local shops have cut way, way back on the supplies
>they carry in-house and that's a drag for people like me who get a bee
>in the bonnet and want to buy RIGHT NOW. Hearing, "I can order that and
>have it here in 7 working days" takes some of the fun out of buying.
>Also, I tend to buy things to try them out (new papers, gadgets, etc...)
>and when a shop doesn't carry stock it makes that impossible.
>
>I do find that I buy less when I buy mail order.
>
>Lea
>
>
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>  
>