Funny Camera Shopping

[scootermcq]

Went into a major chain camera store today looking for a point & shoot for the bride....

The sales rep is showing my wife a camera, the conversation is as follows:

Me: Do you have anything with a bit more reach?

Her: Reach??

Me: Well, the telephoto is only 54mm on that camera.

Her: No it is 10x zoom

Me: Well, the front says 5.4 to 54mm, so that is 10x, but 54mm is still pretty short

Her: That refers to the aperture.

Me: What??? The aperture is 3.5 to 5.6, those other numbers are the focal length.

Her: Oh, sorry... that is the equivalent of a 200mm lens

Me: If that is the case, why does it say 54mm on the front?

Her: You will have to ask Nikon, those numbers don't mean anything!

Me: Oh, I see, Nikon hides a 200mm lens in a camera, labels it 54mm and that way no one buys this super point & shoot camera and they can avoid all that pesky after sales customer service. They think of everything.

Her: Do you want the camera?

Me: Um, no... Have a nice night.

[nickbedford]

It sounds like you were basically picking a fight with a most obviously not very knowledgeable sales person.

Also, you know that a 54mm is equivalent to a telephoto on a tiny point and shoot sensor. I personally wouldn't be talking about focal lengths and apertures on cameras like that anyway. They're just made to point ... and shoot. They don't say "54mm focal length and 3.5-5.6 aperture" on the box for a reason.

I don't even know what focal lengths and apertures are equivalent to on a point and shoot over a DSLR.

Anyway...

[Sterling]

Sorry Scott, but it does sound like you just wanted to pick a fight. Really, that can be done with anyone in retail. Plus, what do you mean 54mm is pretty short. Compared to what? Isn't it equivalent to around 300mm on your D90?

[Izzy]

This is what happens when they hire Bimbette. Bet you a camera they would not hire me. Maybe because my breasts are too small

[Sterling]

Originally Posted by Izzy

This is what happens when they hire Bimbette. Bet you a camera they would not hire me. Maybe because my breasts are too small

What does being female have to do with it?

[scootermcq]

Originally Posted by Sterling

Sorry Scott, but it does sound like you just wanted to pick a fight. Really, that can be done with anyone in retail. Plus, what do you mean 54mm is pretty short. Compared to what? Isn't it equivalent to around 300mm on your D90?

Oh, you are probably right, as the crop factor does make it 200-300 equivalent. I did not think about that, and she did not help educate me through my brain fart. Actually, I was not looking for a fight, started as a simple question (legitimate) and went south from there. Probably would have not gotten on my nerves as badly if she had said crop instead of the numbers mean nothing and to ask Nikon why....

[Izzy]

Originally Posted by Sterling

What does being female have to do with it?

Nothing, but it is clear that the wind howls in this woman's head.

[nickbedford]

As a photographer I would have thought you'd already know that! (the sensor crop factor / bokeh-lessness)

[faeriegodess612]

I've worked in customer service for 6 years now. If this were me as the sales person,... my answer would be options. You'd get your choice of these two or any others I could come up with,....First I would try and figure out as much about it as possible. Either by getting a box and reading the box and/or manual to find out the specs,... or call Nikon myself, if the customer was willing to wait while I contacted them. Of course, never disappearing and leaving the customer to stand there and wonder where I've gone, and/or if I actually talked to them. I'd stand there with the customer while on the phone with Nikon.

I would never say something like " I dont know, you'd have to ask Nikon" Obviously they wouldnt put something like that on the camera if it werent there for a reason.

[UlpilotSC]

Originally Posted by scootermcq

Oh, you are probably right, as the crop factor does make it 200-300 equivalent. I did not think about that, and she did not help educate me through my brain fart. Actually, I was not looking for a fight, started as a simple question (legitimate) and went south from there. Probably would have not gotten on my nerves as badly if she had said crop instead of the numbers mean nothing and to ask Nikon why....

I bought my wife a little nikon p&s. She wanted something easy, pocket sized, and with as few buttons and options as possible. I was surprised at the "reach" the little thing has, even with a 24mm lens (coolpix s3100). We've been very pleased with it. There have been some focus problems when she uses it, but I think that's because of the eye-to-shutter release interface on her end. I haven't had any problem with it. It's decent in low light and awesome for fireworks. She got a shot at Disney World that I love, it's on my pc as wallpaper.