"CSC sales crash!" Misleading headline or not?

[jjj]

Here's an article on camera sales in the UK, specifically CSC.
To be noted is that the UK's biggest chain of camera shops also went under during this sales slump. As did the second biggest chain.

[Paulo Bizarro]

Interesting article. The situation described is pretty much similar to the one I am familiar with in my country, Portugal. In Lisbon, there are two main "serious" photo shops, that carry all the major brands.

In these shops, that I visit regularly, I have seen CSC gathering dust for a few years now, nobody buys them. It is still possible to buy say a GF2, or an EP-3... Recently, one shop has placed the Samsung NX system in a prime location inside the store, but the marketing is related to connectivity, not to photo quality. I don't see them selling in big quantities around here...

The main point I take from the article is the continuous confusion there is around CSC, and what they are for the average consumer. 99% of consumers are not enthusiast like many of us, or pros, so they just get confused when entering a shop and trying to decide. On top of that, a great number of sales persons do not explain things very well.

[bcooter]

Here's an article on camera sales in the UK, specifically CSC.
To be noted is that the UK's biggest chain of camera shops also went under during this sales slump. As did the second biggest chain.

I think it's misleading on the high end, accurate on the low end.

The thing about "good" high end mirrorless is the options.   In m43 the combination of the gh3/4 for video the omd em-1/5 for stills is probably the best single lens mount combination for advanced amateurs and pros and the sales numbers have saved Olympus' bacon.     

The Sony A7 and R broke new territory, though a little rough around the edges, the Fuji Xti looks to be a winner on all counts.

All of these cameras mentioned are ground breaking, have tremendous quality when "learned" to used properly.

The problem is fewer people are going to expend the effort or put faith in these little cameras.  They assume a 5d3 is a professional "big" camera and it's hard to change tradition.

EVF take some use to find natural, but once you get the hang of it, set the camera up to your liking, they are amazing.   I can shoot all day with a typical ovf, pick up an olympus and feel something is awkard.

Consequently I can use the Olympus for a day, pick up a ovf camera and feel like something is really missing.

It's just takes time to get use to them and I don't think what few brick and mortar stores that are left have the trained sales people to explain these cameras properly.

IMO

BC

[Manoli]

The thing about "good" high end mirrorless is the options.  

+10

Edit:
got a bit over enthusiastic ..

[Rob C]

Here's an article on camera sales in the UK, specifically CSC.
To be noted is that the UK's biggest chain of camera shops also went under during this sales slump. As did the second biggest chain.

What was the second chain, Jeremy?

Rob C

[jjj]

Jacobs.

[allegretto]

It's just takes time to get use to them and I don't think what few brick and mortar stores that are left have the trained sales people to explain these cameras properly.

IMO

BC

This! Brick and mortar guys respond to where the sales are easy and/or profitable. Further, with exception many are just order takers. The 18-50 demographic think "camera or phone" with little in between and need education with product in hand, otherwise "a DSLR takes the best pictures"

[Rob C]

Jacobs.

Thanks - I wasn't familiar with them.

The last biggish firm I bought from in film days was a company that later - I think - became Calumet; was it perhaps Keith Johnson Photographic, or a similar name? I think it was, because the confusion with peanuts still rings true as I think of it...

Rob C

[Rob C]

In short, the industry is being sold short at both ends: retailers who don't know their products and makers who don't do proper Final Inspection.

Okay, I'm not actively in any market, but if I were, the inhibition to buying anything such as a couple of shifter/tilters, when several changes of item seems to be the norm before a good one is found, would turn me right off. Where I am, nothing expensive is ever in stock, and changing anything post-purchase was ever very problematic: I could only dump my new 24-70 G Nikkor lemon by buying a 2.8/180mm af Nikkor, which here was more expensive, which seems to have been the opposite to pricing in the UK, where the 180 af was cheaper than the manual version, which I'd have preferred, but which was unavailable here.

Rob C

[Manoli]

I could only dump my new 24-70 G Nikkor lemon by buying a 2.8/180mm af Nikkor, which here was more expensive ..

Rob,
Off topic, I know, but out of curiosity what condition/how much are they asking for the 180/2.8 and why are you dumping the zoom - results below your expectations or faulty copy ?

All best,
M

[jjj]

Thanks - I wasn't familiar with them.

Both firms started with a single shop in Leicester and with oddly similar names too. And had shops directly opposite each other on Oxford street too
Not sure if it is like B+H and if I recall correctly, Adorama in New York which are run by different branches of the same family.

[MrSmith]

those new oxford st stores are expensive and they had a lot of staff in the jacobs store, not surprising jessops went they had too many stores (2 on oxford st) interestingly park cameras have a nice new store round the corner, its not a pro shop like teamwork but they have a lot of stuff from all the major small format players and it's a nice place for a browse unlike most camera shops.

fixation, teamwork and pro-center are still the best for service though, calumet are not in the running imho.

[Rob C]

Rob,
Off topic, I know, but out of curiosity what condition/how much are they asking for the 180/2.8 and why are you dumping the zoom - results below your expectations or faulty copy ?

All best,
M

No problem; the invoice for the zoom is dated 08/06/09.

NIKON OBJETIVO AF-S 2,8/24-70 ED      Base: Euros 1222.78;  IVA @16% Euros 196.64   TOTAL Euros 1418.42

Invoice for the 180mm:

NIKON OBJETIVO AF-D 2,8/180 IF-ED     Base: Euros 1272.29;  IVA @16% Euros 203.57   TOTAL Euros 1475.86

The problem as I saw it regarding price, is that in the UK the af 180mm was far cheaper than the zoom and also than the manual 180mm. I might add that my prices were new, and from a wholesaler! They used to list the Hasselblad 500 Series of the day, wholesale, at the retail price of in the UK. I actually saw a new 500 Series in a shop window here at twice the retail UK price.

Regarding the problem with the 24-70mm zoom. I was using it on a cut-frame D200 body, on my very heavy Gitzo, and even on the small sensor the thing didn't cover acceptably at any focal length, and I ran it through all of them at the different apertures each time. A very good example of the value of digital capture!

I had hoped for a portable zoom to use instead of my primes within the 24mm to 50mm range, and thus enjoy the added advantage of a 70mm which doesn't exist in the Nikkor range. The only reason that the swap was allowed to happen was that it was done very quickly, within a week or so, and I bought a more expensive lens; I was able to tell the chap in all honesty that G lenses (the zoom) wouldn't work with my F3, also bought from the same firm, as was much else. He took pity...

In reality, I was also paying the price of living in a place where almost nothing expensive was stocked, even then: had I actually seen the zoom before buying, it would have been a non-event however brilliant it might have been, which it decidedly was not - simply far too bulky and certainly hopeless for me without a tripod, which I didn't want to be saddled with for the rest of my life.

The 180mm has hardly been used, apart from shooting some close-ups of a flower; it appeared to be very crisp, so all I need now is a model. Long wait so far, since '09 when I bought it! One day. ;-)

Rob C

[Manoli]

Regarding the problem with the 24-70mm zoom. I was using it on a cut-frame D200 body ...

Ah -  the D200, the beginning of my return to the SLR world and consequent financial decay! The zoom was originally touted as a PJ lens, though I have seen many fine landscape photographs taken with it. I never felt at ease with it and it was cumbersome.  I tossed it too.

By sheer chance, I came across a mint 108/2.8 last week and bought it on the spot. Small, built like a tank and a classic. Given my fetish for manual lenses, it's switched to 'M' permanently, matched to an adapter and is going on one of the CSC's – now that the Nikon's have gone.

Thanks for the run-down,
M