An exercise in frustration...

[Pete Watkins]

One more mention for Britains largest photographic retailer. I took my Pentax spot meter in to get some new batteries and the idiot behind the counter thought that it was a movie camera. HELP!
Pete.

[David Crossley]

< What's a local camera store? >

Badger's my favorite :-)


David Crossley/Crossley Photography....

[Robert A. Zeichner]

Thanks for the tip. My kids have just discovered perspective, and I no longer have my Dad's set of drawing instruments (he took them back :-). I've been looking for something beween the antique ivory-handled set we inherited from my wife's grandfather and the cheap-n-wobbly nonsense commonly sold in school stationers. I'll try the quilting fraternity.

I vividly remember the look on the salesman's face when I walked into the local (very good) camera shop and asked for a camel hair brush. They've never been called that here in Sweden, even in the days when they were made of camel hair.

Kern AG is still in business and is distributed by Swisstek. I bought one of thier ruling pens when I was in college 40 years ago and still have it and still use it every so often. I may have some spare Dietzgen and some Polish drafting stuff as well. Send me a PM of what you need.

[Struan Gray]

Kern AG is still in business and is distributed by Swisstek. I bought one of thier ruling pens when I was in college 40 years ago and still have it and still use it every so often. I may have some spare Dietzgen and some Polish drafting stuff as well. Send me a PM of what you need.

Thanks Robert. PM on the way.

[SAShruby]

E-site is my best local store . I find B&H expensive for amateurs. And Canadians.

[Ash]

Having read (and understood!) almost all of this thread, I'm not sure if I'm old for my age or I was well experienced in youth!!

[Jim Galli]

Just try finding a decent pair of compasses for technical drawing these days. The odd thing though, is that the local stores always seem to have sets of french curves alongside the cheap plastic protractors and 6" rulers. *Someone* must be buying them, but I can't think who.

Sir, we don't have a compass, but check out our new GPS!

[Maris Rusis]

I sometimes wander into the local to check out the latest in digital tripods, and digital camera bags.

[jetcode]

May I ask why we expect new people working at camera stores to know every innovation over the last 100 years in photography or be called "idiot" if they don't. I didn't know what a spot meter was either until I needed one. Are we expecting every new kid to be well versed with 25 years of experience in photography?

On the other hand why would someone be working at a camera supply store and not be interested in all aspects of photography? When I was young I was in stereo sales one summer and I can surely tell you that the folks a few doors down who had been in business for 25 years knew their equipment and I did not. Does that make me an idiot? Don't answer that! You're probably right with your assessment!

[Struan Gray]

Sir, we don't have a compass, but check out our new GPS!

With built-in mp3 player and email client :-)

I prefer to take a rutter and trust to providence and serendipity.

I'm a practical person, and I use the modern tools for work and play, but there's an elegance to the mechanical governer on a C19th steam engine that is missing from the sensor-AtoD-software-DtoA-actuator feedback loop in modern engines. Computer drafting has mostly lost the elegance of line that you find in classical drawings and etchings. We live in an age of dull efficiency.

I've put this on my Christmas list:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tools-Imagin...780677&sr=1-13