in need of a hand

I’m sure all of us are appalled - and distressed - by the scenes of empty shelves in our camera stores.  Many shops are having to limit customers to just one body each, in order to stem the flow of ‘back-up’ syndrome, which can induce panic and the feeling that their existing camera might somehow suddenly stop working (SSW).  

Many of those afflicted have been know to ‘switch brands’ and in extreme cases ‘switch formats’ as they battle to shake off SSW.

It has to be said however, that the early morning crowds we see on our TV news programmes are not all photographers; some people, on seeing a queue outside a shop, feel compelled to join it, no matter what is on sale.

It’s important to bear in mind that not all of us are susceptible to SSW.  The need to buy more than we actually need, may be nothing more than a seasonal GAS attack (Gear Aquision Syndrome) - which usually occurs around the time of Photography Shows.

With this in mind, I have enclosed a link to a recent article by Robin Wong entitled Harsh Truths about Cameras, which may go someway to helping those who feel the need to buy a new camera.  It’s a thought-provoking - and in someways - an uncomfortable read.  But it may be of help to those in need of a hand.