The Photographic Show NEC - question ...

About the photo show in NEC next month ...

Anyone any recent experience on whether retailers offer any descent discounts ? I'm not interested in loss leader type discounts for a few items, as I doubt in Pentax land there will be that many incentives (SRS apart) for us, but for genuine show offers.

In the special case of SRS, who are always my first option, do they tend to offer broad discounts or their rather in the style of their impressive offers on a few lenses as they do periodically ?

Thanks

Some good deals last year...I am pondering going this year. Always go to the SWPP show in London, but couldn't go, so Brum it is..

Need to sort out filters for low light photography and other accessories

I've been to the show the last couple of years, but I wasn't really shopping for kit, so didn't look in detail at the offers available. My impression was that there are some loss leader type offers, but no retailer I looked at had a discount on all stock. By the way SRS were not there either year. Maybe pm Chris on here to see if they're going to attend.

I picked up several sample packs of paper because my usual paper was becoming hard to find, so that was a useful exercise.

I mainly spend my time seeing particular speakers or attending specific workshops or presentations. Last year I went to a detailed presentation of the K1 by Pentax staff, away from the stand in a separate room. (It was enlivened by the presence of Peter Elgar of this forum)

I have visited the Disabled Photographers' Society stand both years. They sell secondhand kit and books to raise funds. The kit part is a bit like a jumble sale, but I did buy some books.

An enjoyable event, with something for pretty much everyone.

Thanks Steve. I've just checked and SRS are not there. Shame. I seem to recall they were when I went 3 years ago - may have misremembered. Seems Wex are not there either. I was rather hoping to pick up a lens on discount. Not sure there will be any other retailer for a discounted lens. I suppose LCE might ...

Still there is probably just enough retailers to browse through, though I don't actually *need* anything. Can't decide ... the cost of petrol and parking from Hampshire adds up. Maybe there are some talks over the four days that will be interesting ...

SRB have a stand with good prices for filters, adaptors etc. Also the likes of Manfrotto have large displays with discounts, ditto for Canon and Epson printers. Lots of peripheral stands for insurance, magazines, books, framing, courses etc often with discounts. Sigma and Tamron offer discounted prices on lenses but don't stock Pentax mounts there. Last year when the K-1 was introduced Nikon had a special show deal on the D810 for the same price!

It is a good plan to go with something in mind and stick with that to start, even if it is just to handle and compare; for instance I was able to discuss backpacks and tripods with a Manfrotto ambassador who really knew from experience in the field what she was talking about and that isn't something you can get in a shop.

Extract from the latest Ricoh-Pentax newsletter:

Coming soon! We're at the Photography Show from 18-21 March, at the NEC, Birmingham.

Meet the team on Stand D101, where we’ll have our extensive range of products on display. It’s your opportunity to try our award winning DSLRs; the K-1 and K-70, alongside the new KP. Our PENTAX 645Z medium format DSLR (also award-winning) will also be on demonstration. And of course, we have a range of superb lenses to tempt you.

Last, but not least, see our Theta 360 cameras, on stand and in the special 360 theatre at the show, More details to follow in our next newsletter.