Photo dealers, like cameras, come in a staggering variety of sizes, types, and quality grades. Whether they’re found in small, local camera stores, big department-store chains, discount houses, or mail-order companies, they all have one thing in commonthey’d like to make a sale.
At the elite end of the dealer spectrum are salespeople who know what they’re talking about, honestly want to help you get the best equipment for your purpose, take time explaining features and options, and have competitive prices. At the other end are quick-buck artists who are simply out to make the most profit in the least amount of time and could hardly care less about your long-term satisfaction or repeat business. Many dealers, especially those with the lowest prices, fall somewhere in between these two extremes.
What constitutes an ideal dealer? It really depends on you. If you’re generally in the market for new equipment and know exactly what you want before walking into the store, your most important criteria may be low prices, reliability and liberal return policies. If you expect your dealer to take time providing information and guidance, it may be well...