B&H Salesman Interview: What Camera Does He Use?

[SuzyView]

I was reading a little insert in the "pdn Gear Guide" magazine last night and found this insert and I'm just hitting the highlights:

"ASK A COUNTERPERSON"

What's worth investing in new?
"Digital cameras. Although you can save a small amount on older, discontinued cameras, the technology of new cameras is so much better, and there's not much difference in price. Also, good lenses are best to buy new. You'll only save about $50 buying used lenses because they are in such high demand."

Which camera will give you the most bang for you buck?
"As of now, the Canon EOS 20D is less than $1,000. A lot of pros use it because it's a very good camera. The EOS 30D has a bigger screen, so for someone who's older or wears glasses, it's also very nice. Either of those bodies with a 17-85mm image stabilizer lens is a good buy. The Nikon D200 is in a higher price range, but there's a very high demand for it with an 18-200mm lens."

Are these particular brands you trust the most?
"The quality of Nikon and Canon cameras and lenses are the best. If you haven't invested in lenses yet, I would go with a Canon because its accessories are more avilable, and they have more in-between lenses and more options . . . ."

What camera do you have at home?
I have a Canon Rebel XT with a 17-85mm image stabilzer lens. I like it because it's not too heavy; it's light, small and easy to use."

How do you like that? A B&H counterperson has an XT out of all those cameras out there. I'm not assuming he's a great photographer, but hey, it's the largest camera store around and he has his choice.

GO CANON!:lol::lol::lol:

[Lightstream]

GO XT!!!!

That is a winning combination.. lots of people whine, complain and moan about the XT.

Put it this way.

I have a 1D. Pretty much representative of Canon's high end, at least the fundamentals and build quality. I have a 5D. Full frame at a price tag anybody can live with and a superset of the 20D/30D featureset and control set. I'm used to them - 200 frames a week (hobbyist shooter, not a fulltime pro) on each will do that to you. I love everything they can do.

And I still love my XT and 17-85.... that is an absolutely winning combo that I take with me when I don't need such a heavy camera but cannot live with the limitations of a point and shoot. So essentially that is my "P&S" rig. As a pleasant bonus, it seems to accept all the other goodies of the EOS system too..

We often forget where we start from....I try not to :)

[SuzyView]

Interesting insight there, and I think you are right. When I am not doing a pro shoot but have to take something with me, it's the 20D with 50mm 1.4. If I have a little more room, but don't want to take out the 5D, I take the 17-40. I don't have the XT or the 17-85, but if someone who sells the stuff says that's a great combo, you've got to believe it is.

[roli_bark]

... "the shoemaker goes bare-footed" ...

[Quad]

Camera sales people, that I know, are uniformily amused when people ask them that question.
When I went to school and sold to earn enough money to eat (ok buy chemicals and paper) I used Pentax 6x7 and Leica, people bought a nice SLR instead. People often seemed to ask what I used like that would tell them diddly squat.

[Ronald S. Jr.]

I've often thought about getting an XT with a 35 f/2, just to make a superb P&S. I think that'd be awesome.

[Belmondo]

I've often thought about getting an XT with a 35 f/2, just to make a superb P&S. I think that'd be awesome.Hmmmm. Giving me ideas on a useful purpose for my XT. Right now, it's just taking up space in one of the bags.

[saravrose]

The XT is my camera... y'all are giving me a complex....

[Belmondo]

The XT is my camera... y'all are giving me a complex....
I think we place waaay too much empasis on the camera body. I look back over some of my older images, and find my percentage of 'keepers' was just as high---maybe higher---when I was shooting my old 10D. I have no doubts that very few of my photos have been improved by using a pro body. Conversely, you should have no concerns about the quality of your images suffering because you are not. Frankly, the 1-series bodies are less forgiving, especially in the hands of a hamburger like me.

[SuzyView]

Oh, I don't know, you seem more like a nice rump roast to me. :);) Just kidding!

I think people with the XT are smart. They didn't give B&H all their money.

[Ronald S. Jr.]

I didn't either...lol. 8)

I am toying with the thought, now that I've got a big, hefty N, of grabbing an XT and a 35 f/2. I think that'd be awesome. Plus it'll cost me, what, $600? The best of P&S cameras cost way more than that, and their ISO performance stinks.

Genius. 8)

[Lightstream]

You folks are tempting me to do the same.. 35/2 sounds nice because it is small..

[Bamamike]

@belmondo
You are so right...
The body doesen't make the pictute
So far, if you do not make a difference between FF and APS-C
And some lenses do !!!

[Lightstream]

I didn't either...lol. 8)

I am toying with the thought, now that I've got a big, hefty N, of grabbing an XT and a 35 f/2. I think that'd be awesome. Plus it'll cost me, what, $600? The best of P&S cameras cost way more than that, and their ISO performance stinks.

Genius. 8)


Bbbut...buut.. the P&S can.. ZOOM! :D

[cdifoto]

Interesting insight there, and I think you are right. When I am not doing a pro shoot but have to take something with me, it's the 20D with 50mm 1.4. If I have a little more room, but don't want to take out the 5D, I take the 17-40. I don't have the XT or the 17-85, but if someone who sells the stuff says that's a great combo, you've got to believe it is.

Counter people aren't exactly upper class wage earners, no matter where they work. I'm not going to run out and buy another poorly focusing XT and kit lens with IS just because a salesman says it's a good combo.

[MDJAK]

Counter people aren't exactly upper class wage earners, no matter where they work. I'm not going to run out and buy another poorly focusing XT and kit lens with IS just because a salesman says it's a good combo.

Thank you for pointing that out.

The OP says the salesperson (actually, salesMAN in the case of B&H) has his pick. What a load of nonsense that is.

How many counterpeople make enough money to buy a 30k Hasselblad, let alone a 1DsMKII?

Even with the discount they get, they couldn't afford one.

And it's with much trepidation that I'll take on our intrepid Moderator Belmondo. While I certainly am in no position to disagree with his anecdote regarding keepers with his 10D, my experience was and is opposite.

I do agree that the 1 series can be less forgiving and takes a while to warm up to when used by an amateur like myself. However, once one gets used to it, it's more accurate metering, spot metering, much greater focusing accuracy and speed lend itself to more keepers in and of itself.

me

[KevC]

XT and 28/1.8 would be nice too... get sweet ringUSM with that!

[grego]

I've often thought about getting an XT with a 35 f/2, just to make a superb P&S. I think that'd be awesome.

And selling everything else? I need my insider info for betting!!! :p

[Lightstream]

XT and 28/1.8 would be nice too... get sweet ringUSM with that!


That's what I was thinking when I first got my XT :)

[Just Be]

The XT is my camera... y'all are giving me a complex....

I have a new XTi. Since when is this type of camera a P&S? I upgraded from an S2 IS to get my Rebel DSLR. I love this camera with my new lenses. It's far from a P&S to me.

[SuzyView]

I put up this thread because I have never been inside B&H, only drove by it before getting into photography seriously, and after spending an enormous amount of money there, was excited to actually get a quote from someone who works there. Yes, they don't make a whole lot of money, but the point was that this man's choice was a Canon and an XT at that. This salesman may be a terrible photographer or a great one. We don't know. But he chooses Canon and an XT, which is really a capable camera for himself. I don't ever pretend I know more than anyone else, well except maybe a real newbie :), but this man has probably sold more equipment than all of us have ever purchased, even Ronald ;). I would trust his word. And just because he doesn't have the more expensive gear doesn't mean he can't rave about it. Goodness! I wonder if those salespeople get dibs on the returned stuff.

[Moppie]

Iv generaly found Sales people to be some of the lest informed people I know.
So far in life Iv only found one I can trust, and he's my Father.

You don't actualy have to know anything to sell something, in some industries it helps, but in most cases all you have to do is make people think you know what your talking about.

[liza]

Counter people aren't exactly upper class wage earners, no matter where they work. I'm not going to run out and buy another poorly focusing XT and kit lens with IS just because a salesman says it's a good combo.

I'd have to agree with CDI on this one.

The counter guy said the 20D is the best bang for your buck, though, and I'd have to agree with him in that respect. I have access to an XT at work but don't use it, preferring instead to use my 20D and even my 10D. Guess I have a thing about buttons vs. a command dial.

[Belmondo]

All this discussion has inspired me to dig out my XT, stick the 17-40L on it, and go shoot some photos. Hmmm. Whre did I put those things?

[Just Be]

Iv generaly found Sales people to be some of the lest informed people I know.
So far in life Iv only found one I can trust, and he's my Father.

You don't actualy have to know anything to sell something, in some industries it helps, but in most cases all you have to do is make people think you know what your talking about.

I'm in sales. Been doing it for nearly 20 years.
I know alot of people in sales.
None of them could be successful unless they new there industry very well and gained the respect of their customers and built a solid reputation.

Now if you are strictly talking retail, well then there are plenty of people who don't know anything but the very basics. I wouldn't call many of them sales people though.

[Belmondo]

There is a school of thought in sales that says the secret to success is overcoming objections. There are techniques for doing that, and they're being taught to salesmen all the time. The truth is, salespeople usually spend far more time learning selling techniques than gaining product knowledge. This is painfully evident in retail, but also in some more specialized areas of selling.

Several years ago, Xerox developed a sales training course called 'Professional Selling Skills.' The thrust of the course was not how to sell Xerox machines, but how to overcome people's objections to buying Xerox machines. The techniques are such that they can be adapted to almost any area of salesmanship. When my wife and I owned and managed a very successful real estate office in Silicon Valley, Xerox PSS was mandatory for all our agents, and it worked.

The problem with retail is that training is expensive, and in most large operations like Best Buy, etc., the investment necessary to turn a clerk into a competent salesperson usually cannot be justified. Incidentally, a retail clerk who has product knowledge is only halfway there. Being conversive on a subject does not a salesman make.

[cdifoto]

Now if you are strictly talking retail, well then there are plenty of people who don't know anything but the very basics. I wouldn't call many of them sales people though.

FYI, B&H is retail.

[Moppie]

Several years ago, Xerox developed a sales training course called 'Professional Selling Skills.' The thrust of the course was not how to sell Xerox machines, but how to overcome people's objections to buying Xerox machines. The techniques are such that they can be adapted to almost any area of salesmanship. When my wife and I owned and managed a very successful real estate office in Silicon Valley, Xerox PSS was mandatory for all our agents, and it worked.


I learn something everyday!

The sales guys I work with are all VERY good at what they do, and have lots of experiance. But none of them have a particularly good understanding of the products they are selling. What they do understand is exactly what Belmondo has pointed out above, and they back it up with some basic core values of our service.
Quite simply they only need to know how to build a strong trust worthy relationship with the potential client. To get a deep understanding of the technical side of it they would have to do my job, which would leave them no time for doing sales.


There are of course certain industries where technical know how is very important for sales. But, they tend to be very technical industries, and the people doing the sales are generaly people from the technical side of the industry who look ok in a casual blue shirt.
But then thier customers are only interested in being sold a very technical solution, and build the trusting relationship based on that technical knowledge.

[steveathome]

GO XT!!!!

lots of people whine, complain and moan about the XT.

And I still love my XT and 17-85.... that is an absolutely winning combo that I take with me when I don't need such a heavy camera but cannot live with the limitations of a point and shoot. So essentially that is my "P&S" rig. As a pleasant bonus, it seems to accept all the other goodies of the EOS system too..

We often forget where we start from....I try not to :)


Spot on

[adam*]

I have a 350D but looking at price's i'd say that the 20D is the best bang for POUND :p

[JimAskew]

My favorite XT and lens combo is the with the Sigma 30MM f/1.4 which gives me a 48MM equivalent and with no focusing problems I might add.

[MDJAK]

Not sure what this thread is about any longer. Didn't go back and read it. Kind or surprised it was revived.

Last post got me thinking. I've been wanting a lightweight P&S for sometime now; want to stay Canon; but refuse to live without RAW.

Think I'm going to go with a 5D soon.

mark

[SuzyView]

I can't give up RAW either. Actually looking into APERTURE software to see if it's any better than what I've got. But the 5D is amazing.

[20droger]

All this talk about salespeople remined me of an old saying...

A salesperson is a person who has chosen to BS for a living. Believe accordingly.