Re: [Leica] Re: M6 correction lens - K&S

[Satish Kumar Krishnamurthy <satishk@tibco.com>]

I have been there only a few times, and my experience with them have also been
very good.  I think I know most of the guys you are talking about.  The last
time I was there, a couple of days ago, I think I ran into Walt though.  I
asked him something and he was shaking his head with disapproval, answered my
questions with a lot of attitude, and I didn't think what he said was right,
but he sure said it with a lot of conviction.  Since I did not like his
attitude, I walked away.  The other kind of negative experience I had was with
another guy, but it was during their sale days in June, and the whole place was
packed like a fish market.  And to his credit, this guy apologized to me later
the same day, and always makes it a point to be nice to me whenever he sees me,
to make up.

I haven't yet bought a Leica camera as that is beyond my budget as a beginner
(and that is why I am on this group, to learn), but I did buy my Nikon camera
from K&S, and I am sure glad that I did that instead of mail order, though mail
order would have been cheaper.  The camera that I originally got must have had
a short-circuit or something, as the batteries would last only a few days even
though the camera was "off" and not used.  The salesperson (Brad) gave me a
replacement and new batteries, and the second (replacement) camera had a
problem too, and he exchanged it again, and apologized that this had happened
twice, even though it was not his mistake that the cameras had a problem.  If I
had bought it mail order, and had the same problems, just the cost of shipping
(forget the effort and worries) would have easily gone over any savings that I
might have got in the original price.

Anyway, I am glad to know that others feel about Walt the same way, and can
avoid him in future and forget that negative experience.  And some day, sooner
than later, I would like to check out the other store as well, and will be sure
to look up the guys you have recommended.

- -Satish


Jim Brick wrote:

> Well... the folks at Keeble & Shuchat are the best. I have had a commercial
> account with them for 25 years, spent literally hundreds of thousands of
> dollars - easily close to .5 mil - and have had the best and most honest
> advice I have had anywhere else. And I have purchased plenty from mail
> order, specifically Calumet and B&H. Calumet has it all over B&H for ease
> and customer service. But K&S makes both look pale.
>
> That said, there is one old Swiss guy at K&S that should be avoided at all
> cost. Walt. Has a strong Swiss/German accent. Will tell you what you need
> and what you should do even though he has no clue. He is like a fixture
> around there and sells a ton of expensive P&S cameras. But don't do
> business with him. He is fun to watch however.
>
> For Leica stuff you should deal with Jeff Alford, THE K&S Leica expert,
> genuine nice guy, and the host for Brian Reid's "thank you" fund. When you
> go in for Leica, just ask for Jeff. But not on Friday, his day off. And ask
> for the discount. They will always come close to B&H or Calumet. It's very
> simple.
>
> For professional products (across the street - MF & LF) see Tim Schell or
> Ernie Visconti. They know their stuff and will always spend the time
> discussing your needs and help you work out problems. For digital (same
> location) see Don or James.
>
> For darkroom products, see Kelic, Eddie, or Ernie. All great folks.
>
> Like anywhere, there are great folks, mediocre folks, and downright crappy
> folks. It cannot be avoided. So it is best to know who you are dealing with
> from the get go.
>
> But the best advice is, don't try to do business with an attitude. Attitude
> tells a clerk that you are going to be a problem and he/she simply will
> close all doors. You will not get the benefit of the doubt on anything.
>
> Since you seem to have such a problem with K&S, I'll meet you there and
> introduce you to the owner, Terry Shuchat, the general manager John
> Clifton, their used camera guru Paul Wood (has had photo spreads in Leica
> Fotografie) and all of the other fine staff that inhabit the place.
>
> Just tell me when you want to meet.
>
> Jim
>
> At 03:30 PM 8/14/01 -0700, Herbert & Lee Kanner wrote:
> >I have a slight argument to make with regard to "take your correction and
> >subtract -.5 from it."  The argument goes this way: if I am comfortable
> >looking through the unmodified M6 viewfinder while wearing my glasses,
> >then I should be equally comfortable with a correction lens of the same
> >strength as my glasses.
> >
> >When I was buying a correction lens at Keeble and Shuchat (a mistake, I
> >might add.  They charged me $99.  The B & H price, I discovered too late,
> >is $72.), I simply looked at the distant scene through my glasses and
> >rapidly switched between my glasses and the correction lens to see if the
> >eye accommodation seemed to be the same.  The clerk objected, saying that
> >the lens had to be screwed into the camera.  He was so insistent that I
> >had to shut him up by telling him that I'm a physicist and know a wee bit
> >about optics.
> >
> >Change of subject:  The same clerk made me exchange two 3 volt lithium
> >batteris for four 1.5 volt silver oxide batteries.  They were intended for
> >the M6 and a Nikon FE2.  This guy insisted that the Li batteries were
> >wrong for both cameras.  I subsequently phoned Leica and was told that the
> >Li was preferred because of long shelf life.  I then phoned Nikon and was
> >told that they were both ok, totally interchangeable.  So much for the
> >wise guys at K & S.
> >
> >Herb
> >--
> >Herbert Kanner
> >kanner@acm.org
> >650-326-8204