First off it is necessary to distinguish between the shop that sells new photography gear from the 2nd hand one. The staff is not the same, hence the service that you will receive varies greatly in both shops.
From experience the shop that sells new gear offers quality service. I have in the past asked them technical questions and was always answered with patience and kindness. On the other hand, my needs are simple: I buy film, I pay and I exit. Hardly possible for them to go wrong.
I am a lot less satisfied with the 2nd hand shop. Simply put, I am fairly passionate about photography and shoot with old cameras exclusively yet I would not set foot in that shop again. I purchased 3 things there in my life and twice I felt taken advantage of.
I first bought a used 50mm lens for a reasonable 50 euros which I am pleased with. I then wanted to buy a plastic camera cover that was collecting dust with many others in a basket but for 10 euros each I declined. Am I saying he should be giving them away for free? No, but at a flea market I'll find one for 50 eurocents.
My second purchase was a "neutral density" filter. It's nothing fancy it's just a piece of glass you screw on the lens for long exposures. After what seemed like an age of going through his gear at the pace of a snail he finds it and suggests an outrageous price. I then tell him that I would like to know why this filter in particular is so expensive, seeing as a yellow filter from his shop costs 10 euros less. He then takes me for a complete fool and tells me that neutral density filters are a lot less frequent, a lot less in demand and hence more expensive! Even if this is the case for high end gear bought new, I fail to see how this has any impact on his end of the market.
Incidentally this reminded me that one of my favourite photography shops located in Cologne Germany named Gregor had just recently given me two green Hoya filters free. Again I don't expect this at every shop, but there is a world apart between this treatment and Brussels.
My third (and last) purchase is the one I am most dissatisfied with. I inquired about a fisheye that he was selling for 80 euros. I took two days to think about it and came back ready to buy. In the mean time the fisheye was in the shop window next to a price tag. On his way back to the counter he asks me in French "How much had we decided upon?" This is absolutely beautiful: the salesman is actually asking the client how much the object costs, even though it was in the shop window!! The price tag disappeared into his pocket and never resurfaced. The fisheye might have been on display for 70 or even 60. I will never know. I was foolish enough to tell him 80, whereas I should have asked to see the price tag.
I would advise anyone going to that shop to bear in mind that you are dealing with a very sly salesman, who might very well be selling something else than cameras. (Meaning his interest in cameras is purely incidental) Personally my trust in this shop is broken. read more
