Visited the mother ship today

wt21

Hall of Famer
I finally had my first visit to B&H in person in NY. 2 blocks from Penn station.

WOW!!! It's like drool city. Visited the used desk, then the new desk. The folks there all seem to LOVE cameras, know their stuff, and really get into talking about them. Spoke with the pro desk manager. Nice guy (forgot his name, though).

I held the XE1 for the first time. It is MUCH more compact than the XPro1, and handles like a dream. I think I'll still resist, though, as I really want a good portrait lens. Which leads me to the Oly 75/1.8. I thought the lens would be much larger, but it fit and worked on my EPL3 just fine. The desk guys were also excited about the little lens cap lens I had on my EPL3. Now I need to decide if I want to get the Canon 135L or the Oly 75/1.8.

Dropped by and saw the Pentax Q -- so small! And that colored little brick Pentax is selling. I also asked about the EOS-M, just to see it. We all had a great laugh at the auto "focus."

I'm definitely going back there again (in the city next week). I think I might look around at any cool toys - bags, add-ons, etc. Not sure I can convince myself to pay the NY sales tax in person, so I'll keep buying online, but I might get some smaller toys/goodies there.

Visiting there has redoubled by appreciation of B&H. Absolutely my favorite store for photo gear.
 
You should have bought something - ANYTHING - a couple of lens caps or filters or LCD covers or something, just to see the whole coordinated system fly into gear. So cool.... And I'm not easily impressed by that sort of thing.

-Ray
 
You should have bought something - ANYTHING - a couple of lens caps or filters or LCD covers or something, just to see the whole coordinated system fly into gear. So cool.... And I'm not easily impressed by that sort of thing.

-Ray

Ok Ray, you talked me into it!

I just got in from the train, and I had an important buisiness meeting way downtown, so I only had like 30 minutes in the store, half of which was finding my way around, lol. I'll be back next week.

Have you shopped at the used desk? I like how the desk clerk sits with you, and some runner goes back and fetches the specific item. At the new gear desk, I had two bodies and three lenses on the counter, and the associate didn't even care. I've been to other stores, and felt I was being watched like a hawk with just one lens on the counter (I'm looking at you, out of business Ritz Camera). Very cool (of course, all the gear has a security tag, so its not going anywhere).

Someone had to lead me to the exit, getting out was such a maze!
 
I've never been to B&H. But from halfway across the world, I get a sense that this is how all businesses should be run. I'm a big fan of their event space, where they get a bunch of people to talk about photography and various aspects of it, from lighting, to setting up a business, to using PS, its an incredible resource for a beginner. These are our new universities really. I can't imagine how stuff like that directly impacts sales at B&H, but someone with incredible foresight and vision is working very hard to create a space that photographers all over the world can identify with. Follow that up with what is definitely the gold standard for customer service in the camera world, and they have truly created something quite spectacular. A retailer that straddles the best of both world, both online retail as well as a monumental presence in the 'real world'. I know this reads like a fanboy's dedication to B&H, but heck, I'm glad they exist.

In case one hasn't checked out their "event space" videos - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA2A7966A44E77011
 
I've been twice in the last couple of years. My husband made me walk there on a Sunday morning all the way from Central Park. I picked up the two Pentax lenses that I wanted and we left straight away because my husband is an accountant :( Last year we went to New York for my middle daughter's wedding and once again I made the pilgrimage to B & H only this time I'd pre ordered two Fuji lenses. My husband had not yet arrived in New York and so I had a free day but sadly, girls being girls, some conflict developed and tears were shed thus cutting short my anticipated perusal of the shop :( I picked up my lenses and left once again. One of these days I'm going there ALONE!!
 
So the long walk was penance for getting the two new lenses? HaHa!
I've been twice in the last couple of years. My husband made me walk there on a Sunday morning all the way from Central Park. I picked up the two Pentax lenses that I wanted and we left straight away because my husband is an accountant :( Last year we went to New York for my middle daughter's wedding and once again I made the pilgrimage to B & H only this time I'd pre ordered two Fuji lenses. My husband had not yet arrived in New York and so I had a free day but sadly, girls being girls, some conflict developed and tears were shed thus cutting short my anticipated perusal of the shop :( I picked up my lenses and left once again. One of these days I'm going there ALONE!!
 
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