Dick Clark
26-Feb-2000, 02:09
This is really a comment, not a question. One thing to realize is that the USA market is where the BIG BUCKS are, so it shouldn't be a shock that we see high m ark ups from the manufacturer's official USA distribution/marketting apparatus a nd it's suppoorting deealers. Additionally, price differentiation is an economi c reality across all classes and types of consumer products. While I sense thi s Q&A forum mostly involves "starving artist" type photographers, some people ou t there do have LOTS of cash for gear. Keep in mind that not everyone is trying to jury-rig an 50-year-old piece of glass onto a 60 year-old-camera. Or put an other way, why does Schneider USA charge $2279 (B&H markup price) for a Schneide r 110mm XL? Because they (and B&H) can get it!
I also think much of the money issue boils down to priorites. While we all spen d money on photography, we also spend it on other things. How many of us drop $ 50 on diner and a movie with a special someone, are driving expensive vehicles, live in more house/apt. than we "need," decide to create and care for babies, h ave nice furniture and stylish cloths, stay in hotels instead of camp out, ... e tc? The answer is a lot of us. So it's not an issue of money per se, it's the priority we place on our photography vis-a-vis other areas of life.
Like for me, if it's a choice between a new Ethan Allen leather sofa, or a new l ens and a sofa from the thrift store, it will be the latter every time. I'll ea t Ramen noodles and even cut the beer budget to save for camera gear - it's that important!
Hope this helps!
T
I also think much of the money issue boils down to priorites. While we all spen d money on photography, we also spend it on other things. How many of us drop $ 50 on diner and a movie with a special someone, are driving expensive vehicles, live in more house/apt. than we "need," decide to create and care for babies, h ave nice furniture and stylish cloths, stay in hotels instead of camp out, ... e tc? The answer is a lot of us. So it's not an issue of money per se, it's the priority we place on our photography vis-a-vis other areas of life.
Like for me, if it's a choice between a new Ethan Allen leather sofa, or a new l ens and a sofa from the thrift store, it will be the latter every time. I'll ea t Ramen noodles and even cut the beer budget to save for camera gear - it's that important!
Hope this helps!
T