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parkmoy

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David
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Just wondering wether or not it's worth taking my camera to the above?
 
I'm pretty sure people ask this question every year!
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Can you remember what answers they got?:lol:

I'm just wondering if it's worth the hassle.
 
If yur thinking of buying add ons i.e. lens flash then I would say yes. The sales bods will probably be the best folks to advise and give advice on what will work on your kit.

As the others have said take it everywhere its an extension of you.
 
Took mine just so I could play with some lenses - never took it out of the bag. The place was swarming today and TBH, cameras were getting bumped all over the place when walking the aisles because it was that packed.
 
specialman said:
Took mine just so I could play with some lenses - never took it out of the bag. The place was swarming today and TBH, cameras were getting bumped all over the place when walking the aisles because it was that packed.
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sounds the same as sunday them, it was mobbed.

I was wondering what they do about security, there's millions of pounds worth of portable gear in little more than a big hangar, security for this show must be a nightmare
 
Wack, some lovely, pleasent women on the entrances to welcome you in and a few skinhead security guards waling the floors - that's about all. Mind you, go on most camera manufacturer stands and the bodies are all tethered. Loved the fact on the Sigma stand the big telephotos were combined with old 35mm bodies... classy :)

there must be a fair few breakages though through the full-term of the show. I can definitely see some small cameras and camcorders being dropped at some point....
 
specialman said:
Loved the fact on the Sigma stand the big telephotos were combined with old 35mm bodies... classy :)
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And you couldn't test the AF on the biggest lens they had as the battery had gone on that particular film body.
 
specialman said:
Wack, some lovely, pleasent women on the entrances to welcome you in and a few skinhead security guards waling the floors - that's about all.
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I meant overnight, all those stands would take some watching.

I used to do the transport for a company that had a stand at the commercial vehicle show, as soon as the last punter was out the place got ripped down, there were 100s of people in there with no security checks on any of them.

They're constantly announcing on the tannoy not to leave anything of value unattended.

At focus the only thing not of value is the carpet
 
All that demo kit is pretty much written-off by the major suppliers...by the time 4,000 people have pawed at it with thier sweaty mitts, would you want to buy one of those lenses for full-price?
In the case of Nikon it goes into the loan-pool for major events like Wimbledon and the Olympics.
And if you want a loan-400mm for Wimbledon, get your bid in now...lol
 
I wouldn't bother, you'll have enough to carry by the time you leave without having toworry about your camera too
 
I was there yesterday and it was rammed until late on. I've tried taking it in the past but IMO its a waste of time lugging a bag round in a packed, boiling hot NEC.
 
wouldn't bother either, you'll need a drink, packed lunch and maybe a bag to carry anything you pick up unless you're ok with the fashion store stylee nikon bags that are everywhere :)

oh wouldn't bother with a jacket either, it's reasonably toasty inside :)
 
I went yesterday and always come to the same conclusion. Apart from the hands on of kit, it's a waste of a day.
Rip off parking which was miles away, hot inside, can't get near kit of interest without queueing or waiting for frazzled, disinterested assistants to spot you amongst the feeding frenzy and no great show discounts.
In fact there are £100s to be saved by an online search.
Apart from that - I enjoyed it :D
 
I took my camera on Sunday. It's worth taking if you're thinking of buying something at the show because you can test it out and play with it to make sure you're happy with it (and that it works!) :)
Couple of photos I took this year on my blog.
 
I took my camera along yesterday. Didnt take any pics with it but was useful to try it in a few bags.
 
Personally I think taking your camera to this sort of thing is a totally pointless exercise. The only excuse I can see is if you're going to get it cleaned, or are buying a bag. As for testing lenses, apart from going "Oh goodie, it fits" I don't really see what can be gained from the exercise, personally. If you haven't made your decision on which lens to buy, then I'd question the validity of shooting 5 frames at an exhibition as a means of deciding. That may just be me though - I know exactly what lenses I'd like to add to my collection, and in what order, so I'm only buying on price.

As for the skin-crawlingly embarrasing site of a group of (sad) men swarming around a model like flies round **** to add to their 'special' photo library, well, the less said the better. The icing on the cake was the guy at the back of the scrum holding a camera phone up, "oooh look, it's a real live girl!" Get a life!!
 
Leave your camera at home and fill your camera bag with your own sandwiches.

That is, of course unless you *want* to get violated for the price of a dry, tasteless sandwich.
 
Take it if you want to try kit out on it but don't waste your time trying to take pictures of models who aren't looking at you our any of the other 30 photographers you're in a suedo paprazzi press-scrum with and don't wear it around your neck like a piece of jewellery because if it gets broken you'll have nobody to blame but yourself.
 
I went on Sunday and was impressed with the show layout. Apart from a couple of hours in the afternoon when it became crowded I was able to access all the stands and demonstrations. The cafe was well overpriced with prices shown ex VAT. Prices of equipment varied and is worth doing some homework if you intend to buy. Is it worth taking a camera. YES
Here are a couple of unprocessed pics of models used in demo talks.



 
Mmmmm look at all those lovely shadows caused by the dozens of flashguns all going off at the same time.:lol:
 
I thought it was EG's new backdrop style..........
 
fazer said:
I went on Sunday and was impressed with the show layout. Apart from a couple of hours in the afternoon when it became crowded I was able to access all the stands and demonstrations. The cafe was well overpriced with prices shown ex VAT. Prices of equipment varied and is worth doing some homework if you intend to buy. Is it worth taking a camera. YES
Here are a couple of unprocessed pics of models used in demo talks.



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As posted earlier, I don't see any point in taking a camera, so I'm intrigued to know if I'm missing something. You took yours - are you sufficiently chuffed with your shots above to justify taking the camera? Out of interest what will you do with the shots (and any others you took)?
 
Yeah its so worth taking your camera everywhere !!! UNLESS you have a Cannon camera which are really bad and crap for nearly everything except throwing them at people you dont like.:)
 
I expect he will look at them from time to time, and have good memories of the day...
 
fraggle101 said:
I expect he will look at them from time to time, and have good memories of the day...
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:lol:

It's a trade show, nothing cool to really take a photo of other than for gearwhoring purposes, and a cameraphone picture of you playing with an 800 5.6 will look the same on facebook as one taken with your slr... lots of people take on the 'wear a camera to show you're a photographer' thing though and walk around proudly displaying just in case we ever doubted if they have a 70-200...


a friend last year took a single cf card so that he can check some of the images chucked out of the back of some of the demo cameras - it took sigma reps 10 minutes to figure out how to put it into raw mode....yeaaaaah that's why we don't buy sigma slrs ;) .
 
Marcel said:
Leave your camera at home and fill your camera bag with your own sandwiches.

That is, of course unless you *want* to get violated for the price of a dry, tasteless sandwich.
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You still smarting over that Chicken Burger? :lol:

I took my camera, but purely in case the opportunity arose for pics during the lunchtime TP gathering. It went back to the car after lunch. ;)
 
fabs said:
I took my camera, but purely in case the opportunity arose for pics during the lunchtime TP gathering. It went back to the car after lunch. ;)
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wanted to lock it away so the others wouldn't mug you for it so they could destroy the evidence/blackmail material? ;)
 
Waste of time taking a camera. Have never bothered and there were not as many models as last year, Was some strange young bloke in tight blue shorts too :gag:
Went yesterday (day2 ) and though it was busy i didn't think it was as packed as last year. Loads of delicious wedding album stuff to drool over and tasty Bowen lighting. Bacon butty was far too salty though :lol:
 
DDP said:
Personally I think taking your camera to this sort of thing is a totally pointless exercise. The only excuse I can see is if you're going to get it cleaned, or are buying a bag. As for testing lenses, apart from going "Oh goodie, it fits" I don't really see what can be gained from the exercise, personally. If you haven't made your decision on which lens to buy, then I'd question the validity of shooting 5 frames at an exhibition as a means of deciding. That may just be me though - I know exactly what lenses I'd like to add to my collection, and in what order, so I'm only buying on price.
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Disagree. The weight issue is on thing and how the lens handles in the hand, so to speak, is everything. Mind you, I couldn't get close to any of the stands so it was a pointless exercise in the end....

DDP said:
As for the skin-crawlingly embarrasing site of a group of (sad) men swarming around a model like flies round **** to add to their 'special' photo library, well, the less said the better. The icing on the cake was the guy at the back of the scrum holding a camera phone up, "oooh look, it's a real live girl!" Get a life!!
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I walked past this bit without stopping. Each to his own though I say - I'm not into fashion and model shooting so it's not for me but a lot of businesses that were exhibiting rely on people who do that kind of work. Let's not be too judgemental....

As for taking a camera in general, the first time I went to Focus back in 1998 with a university trip i got some cracking shots of people. Did some portraits and got a great shot of a clown that i subsequently sold to someone who loved clowns.
 
I went on Sunday and decided that I wasn't going to take my camera. I didn't regret that; there was nothing worth photographing and it saved me carrying it round all day.

A few on-camera flash photos of a girl that you're lucky to catch eye contact, just like tens of other photographers at the event? No thanks, not for me.
 
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