Buying Lens

[rongwei82]

Recently just went to a shop and wanted to buy a lens. But was told by the seller that if only we want to buy then can try on the lens. If not, we can only take a look at the outlook. Is it true?

As in we cant fix on and try on the focal length, wideness etc???

 

[Octarine]

Leave the shop, don't return. Shops with such attitude don't serve customers. Have a look into Marketplace, Price Guides. You will find shops which are frequented and (mostly) recommended by many people here. Personally, OP and MS are my choice, trying a lens is perfectly normal there.

 

[SilverPine]

Canon showroom at VivoCity, you could try and test the lens and camera at demo area. If you have any lens you would like to try just ask for help. I thank other camera maker have the same arrangement also.

.

 

[pasay]

classic tell-tale sign of a "chop shop". :thumbsd: :sticktong

as previously mentioned, you can go to the camera maker's showroom (e.g CSC/NSC) to try out more lenses than some of those shops carry.

 

[weegk]

i would suggest going down to NSC/CSC to try out the lens . . . cos they won't pester you to buy and you can try all that you like . . .

Best of all, you can take your own sweet time and would feel 'pei seh' . . .

 

[photoart]

i think it's better to go to the service centers to try the lenses.

we must also understand the retailer's point of view. imagine if everyone goes to their shop to try all the lenses.

some people seriously do not have the intention to buy(esp when the lenses are out of their budget) but they just want to check the lenses out.

the sales people have to handle hundreds of people, must smile and be polite all the time(if not customers come on CS and complain of poor service)

those who are/were in the retail/service line will understand what I am trying to say.

 

[CamInit]

Yes, go to Canon Service Center (for Canon users) and get a feel of the lens you are interested in, and probably at the same time those you are curious about but know not going to buy any time soon. Like TS-Es and MP-Es. btw, some of their lens there might a bit dusty.

Shops like OP and SLRR allow you to try out the lens first, so bring your camera along and test for that particular copy until you are satisfied. Then buy. The downside is, they might have only a single copy so you can't exactly pick and choose.

 

[chillicutter]

It's really contradicting....

No buy cannot test. But no test how to buy?!:dunno:

Can you please share with us where is this shop?

 

[An drew]

Just say you want to buy. But if not satisfied with performance then don't buy. If you go to the more reputable shops then you will have less problems like this.

 

[pasay]

Just say you want to buy. But if not satisfied with performance then don't buy. If you go to the more reputable shops then you will have less problems like this.

If u say u want to buy, they will ask for ur money/credit card and ring up the sale before they even take out the item from their store room. Then after u test and find u dont like the focal length/aperture/etc, how to dont buy? U really think they havent thought of customers who plan to do that?

 

[candycaine]

If u say u want to buy, they will ask for ur money/credit card and ring up the sale before they even take out the item from their store room. Then after u test and find u dont like the focal length/aperture/etc, how to dont buy? U really think they havent thought of customers who plan to do that?

Sure, some shops are out to chop you.

If they ask for your money etc. before you even touch the goods then walk away.

But I'm quite sure a shop will be very much annoyed if you test for focal length and aperture. Maybe you've never tried a lens of a certain focal length- so that is not so bad. But aperture? Shouldn't you be doing your research first?

Plus, you don't have to make the shop staff open the box, unwrap the lens and let you mount on your camera for you to know whether the aperture is to your liking :sweat:

 

[pasay]

Sure, some shops are out to chop you.

If they ask for your money etc. before you even touch the goods then walk away.

But I'm quite sure a shop will be very much annoyed if you test for focal length and aperture. Maybe you've never tried a lens of a certain focal length- so that is not so bad. But aperture? Shouldn't you be doing your research first?

Plus, you don't have to make the shop staff open the box, unwrap the lens and let you mount on your camera for you to know whether the aperture is to your liking :sweat:

doesn't only have to be the aperture, can be a whole lot of other things. what i'm saying is that some shops wont even let you touch the item until after you've bought it. if i was very new to buying camera stuff and have researched f-stops but can't decide between, say a 50mm f1.8 and 50mm f1.2, i wouldn't be able to make an informed decision unless i test and see for myself, right? or are they going to make me buy both first, then after i've chosen, refund me back the other lens? reading about something is not the same as experiencing it yourself.

the very principle of "buy first before test" is what makes me wary of such shops.

 

[candycaine]

doesn't only have to be the aperture, can be a whole lot of other things. what i'm saying is that some shops wont even let you touch the item until after you've bought it. if i was very new to buying camera stuff and have researched f-stops but can't decide between, say a 50mm f1.8 and 50mm f1.2, i wouldn't be able to make an informed decision unless i test and see for myself, right? or are they going to make me buy both first, then after i've chosen, refund me back the other lens? reading about something is not the same as experiencing it yourself.

the very principle of "buy first before test" is what makes me wary of such shops.

If you haven't researched f stops, I doubt you'll be able to know the difference between an f1.8 and an f1.2, much less test for yourself.

Sure, reading about something is not the same as experiencing it yourself, but there should be a line drawn between testing a lens because you're a serious buyer and testing a lens so that you can tell the difference between an image shot at f1.2 and an image shot at f8. In that aspect, even though consumers have some sort of sovereignty, this is well, courtesy, no?

And yes, "buy first before test" is not the way to go. But until you hand over the money, what can they do? If they don't let you test the lens, assuming you are a serious customer, then obviously they don't want to do business with you. Just walk away. Nothing hard about that.

 

[rongwei82]

Thanks for all the advise given. But actually this shop is quite reputable as some of you might have mention. Cause when i ask to see the lens, the salesman is very willing to let me take a look. And when i say can i try it on my cam, he also got no problem allowing me to try it on. Its only when i say, " Ok, i want this lens but Its this a sample set? Hopefully is not a sample set?" Then he replied me: "that is not a sample set and we only allow customers to try it on their cam if they are buying. If everyone come and test and try, then all become used lens. And i believe no one wants a used lens." So i was puzzled when he say that not allowed to try it on and test. Cause i'm also interested in one more lens. So i ask if i can try it on. And he says that he can only bring out the lens to show me but not fix it on my cam to try out....:dunno:

 

[Atarandas]

Thanks for all the advise given. But actually this shop is quite reputable as some of you might have mention. Cause when i ask to see the lens, the salesman is very willing to let me take a look. And when i say can i try it on my cam, he also got no problem allowing me to try it on. Its only when i say, " Ok, i want this lens but Its this a sample set? Hopefully is not a sample set?" Then he replied me: "that is not a sample set and we only allow customers to try it on their cam if they are buying. If everyone come and test and try, then all become used lens. And i believe no one wants a used lens." So i was puzzled when he say that not allowed to try it on and test. Cause i'm also interested in one more lens. So i ask if i can try it on. And he says that he can only bring out the lens to show me but not fix it on my cam to try out....:dunno:

Sounds like a communication breakdown and you might have confused him when you mention sample set. Honestly shops don't carry around too many demo lens. Often if you try , they will open a new package and bring out the lens for you to test for a short while. Then they will put it back into the package if you are not buying. Such lens I wont consider them as demo sets la . In whatever circumstances always inspect and check the lens before paying. As long its in pristine condition I will be happy le , don't care if it's virgin new or relatively new lol

 

[Berkins]

I guess retailers in spore, even larger ones are not given display copies for customers to try the lens (have a feel of focal length, af performance, sharpness etc) The only place where u can do this is prob canon showroom at vivo.

Really miss those electronic chain stores in japan that have almost every lens out on display for u to try, from fisheye to 85 f1.2 to 400 f2.8!

 

[An drew]

Cause when i ask to see the lens, the salesman is very willing to let me take a look. And when i say can i try it on my cam, he also got no problem allowing me to try it on. Its only when i say, " Ok, i want this lens but Its this a sample set? Hopefully is not a sample set?" Then he replied me: "that is not a sample set and we only allow customers to try it on their cam if they are buying. If everyone come and test and try, then all become used lens. :

This sounds reasonable. If you become a regular they usually have no problem letting you try different lenses unless it is a 600mm f4. So far I have no such problem.

 

[Octarine]

Thanks for all the advise given. But actually this shop is quite reputable as some of you might have mention. Cause when i ask to see the lens, the salesman is very willing to let me take a look. And when i say can i try it on my cam, he also got no problem allowing me to try it on. Its only when i say, " Ok, i want this lens but Its this a sample set? Hopefully is not a sample set?" Then he replied me: "that is not a sample set and we only allow customers to try it on their cam if they are buying. If everyone come and test and try, then all become used lens. And i believe no one wants a used lens." So i was puzzled when he say that not allowed to try it on and test. Cause i'm also interested in one more lens. So i ask if i can try it on. And he says that he can only bring out the lens to show me but not fix it on my cam to try out....:dunno:

Simple misunderstanding, maybe also because you are new to the topic.
If you intend to buy a certain lens and want to have the hand-on test then the more reputable shops will allow this. But they will not agree that you try yourself through the entire shelf, finally having 5 lenses on the table. Maybe once you are regular customer it might be different. Personally, I had the pleasure to check 3 different lenses with MS Color before deciding for Tamron 17-50. I have tried 2 different lenses with OP (that's the shop TS is talking about. He send me a PM naming it.), no issue. I have seen other customers there testing 3 lenses and a flash.

 

[rongwei82]

Simple misunderstanding, maybe also because you are new to the topic.
If you intend to buy a certain lens and want to have the hand-on test then the more reputable shops will allow this. But they will not agree that you try yourself through the entire shelf, finally having 5 lenses on the table. Maybe once you are regular customer it might be different. Personally, I had the pleasure to check 3 different lenses with MS Color before deciding for Tamron 17-50. I have tried 2 different lenses with OP (that's the shop TS is talking about. He send me a PM naming it.), no issue. I have seen other customers there testing 3 lenses and a flash.

Haha, yup. Perhaps there's a mis-understanding here. Thanks for all the advise and recommendation given. But i guess i have no problem going back to the shop and buy stuff again as their prices and attitude towards customers is by far the best i've encountered. Its not the the 1st time i have patron them and i think in future i still will...

 

[Override2Zion]

If you're paying for the lens then I think you have the right to test. If they don't allow testing then just skip to the next shop. Prices nowadays are all quite competitive, sometimes I make purchases not based on the lowest price (when the difference isn't much) but on credibility and service.