TOMMY WILLIAMS / L’Observateur / March 13, 1999

Some of you may have noticed that my articles don’t always follow a specific direction or pattern, meaning from article to another article. Oneweek I may write an article about film. The next week the article may beabout the “Return to the Land of Oz.”If you read my articles from week to week you know what I mean. In short,I kind of write or prepare my articles as a Baptist minister prepares a weekly sermon for Sunday services. Not that I consider myself to beBaptist or any other kind of religious minister. I normally write aboutsubject matter that is brought to my attention by way of conversations, experiences, or questions asked that current week. So, from time to time,many of you may notice an article concerning subject matter we have discussed on a one-on-one basis. (Now on with the article before myeditor finds another columnist.)Keeping all that in mind, someone last week raised a question about buying camera equipment over the Internet, via computer. In my own opinion,where you buy camera equipment sort of depends on your experience level as a photographer or your general knowledge of the equipment being purchased. This doesn’t only apply to camera equipment, but any type ofequipment or product. It doesn’t take much effort to get burned these daysby a salesperson, if you haven’t already noticed.

If you have no or a limited amount of experience with camera equipment, I suggest going to a specialty store, a store that primarily deals with the type of equipment you’re interested in purchasing. I say this because Ihave spent many years working for camera retailers, and sometimes you have to fit the equipment to the customer’s current and future needs, much like fitting a shoe on a person’s foot. Besides providing equipmentthat fits, a reliable specialty store can also serve as a continuous library of information on “how to”, how to achieve your photographic goals and help with any problems or situations concerning the proper functioning of your equipment.

As your experience level rises, on the other hand, the risk of purchasing equipment from mail order or via the Internet should lower. I believe thisis due to the fact that you already know what you want and have, hopefully, thoroughly investigated the equipment you’re trying to purchase. Here’s a good tip for purchasing equipment by way of mail order. First, if there is a particular piece of equipment you’re looking to purchase, such as a zoom lens, go to a specialty store and do a little homework. Then make your 1-800 call to New York or California. Secondly, always make your purchases by way of a credit card. It is thegreatest piece of leverage at your disposal to encourage a business to resolve customer product disputes.

Oh, before I forget, thank you readers for all the questions and inspiration.

It can get a little desperate at the computer keyboard at times. Good luckwith your next equipment purchase.

Back to Top

Back to Leisure Headlines

Copyright © 1998, Wick Communications, Inc.

Internet services provided by NeoSoft.

Best viewed with 3.0 or higher