Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site mhuxi.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!mhuxi!dsg
From: dsg@mhuxi.UUCP (GREEN)
Newsgroups: net.rec.photo
Subject: Re: Equipment reviews in magazines
Message-ID: <116@mhuxi.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 10-May-84 09:12:07 EDT
Article-I.D.: mhuxi.116
Posted: Thu May 10 09:12:07 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 12-May-84 07:34:17 EDT
References: <206@hou2f.UUCP> <261@pucc-i>, <110@mhuxi.UUCP> <1359@brl-vgr.ARPA> <457@opus.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill
Lines: 38

[]

Reviews of photo equipment in Consumer Reports are relatively useless.
It has always seemed to me that they were like the reviews of a couple
of bright High School kids who were given some toys to play with.  Their
review two summers ago of the photofinishing industry was a joke.  All
of their reviews are read by by people in the industry for the sole purpose
of finding something good to allude to in the Sales Promotion literature
sent out to the field salesmen of the Marketers, e.g., "Please inform
your accounts ( camera stores ) of the review of such-and-such equipment
in the January 1990 issue of Consumer Reports ... enclosed are some
excerpts from that review ... Good Luck and Good Selling, your V.P.
of Sales".

In my opinion, the best place to get accurate information is from the
manager or owner of a photo equipment repair shop.  You should ask
about a specific model or brand.   If you ask for advice as to which
camera to buy, you'll probably get thrown out ( "Whats better a NOKIN
ZZ or a NONAC SL8 ?).  But if you ask "What do you think of the ZINGER-3?,
in terms of durability?", you'll get an honest answer and a recommendation
to find a YEICA IIIg, in good used condition.  

If I were shopping for a camera ( which I'm not since I have at least one
good one of each format available, including a few classics ), I would
make sure I know exactly what format I need, what is the mostly likely
environment I will use it in, and what features do I need and want.
I would then compare that list against what is available, and buy
the camera at the most REPUTABLE dealer as close to my home as possible.

In my experience, the differences in features between equipment in a similar
price range is negligable, and all of the "Lens Testing" that will make
you think you've got the best piece of glass available will be for naught
if your photofinisher's chemicals are one degree off in temperture, or
if the lens on the printer/enlarger has a fingerprint or dust!

"No photographer is as good as the simplest camera" by ?

David S. Green   Bell Labs 201-564-2290   mhuxi!dsg