[rollei_list] Re: Ritz Camera in Chapter 11

...and the situation as you describe David is an improvement how, exactly?
Actually there's still plenty of room for small shops that provide good customer service - only very few people with the skill set. Ritz was never about service, but an impossible combination of merchandizing & service. I find it ironic that it's their film processing that brought them down - I hardly believe it. Hunt's in the Boston area is still in business, and walking into the one in Providence, RI is different from any Ritz only in how much film you see behind the counter, and the still active chemicals isle. 

Elias


On Feb 24, 2009, at 3:12 AM, David Sadowski wrote:


The handwriting has been on the wall for conventional photography for
the last 10-15 years.  It's been only a matter of time before digital
photography reached a quality level acceptable to most people.

When you think about it, other than the sharpness issue, digital has
so many advantages of convnetional photography that it isn't even
funny.  For one thing, it's better for the environment.  For another,
in the long run, it's a lot cheaper.

The cameras can be made smaller and easier to use.  The pictures are
easy to view manipulate on a computer, easy to store, upload to a web
page or e-mail to someone else.

I worked in labs for many years and had many skin problems as a result
of allergic reactions to the chemicals used.  This could happen just
from touching lots of prints.

Digital photography has opened the field to a lot of people.  While I
am nostalgic about old cameras, old film and old processes, I don't
want to put down the new way of doing things.

Your friendly neighborhood camera store has almost entirely
disappeared now, and this process has been happening for a long time.
The old way was based on personalized customer service.  The customer
needed a lot of service, and the sales person was there to help.

Now, the "sale" is largely confined to the camera, which is a
commodity- the same item wherever you buy it.  It's expected that the
consumer will take it home and figure it out- little or no customer
service is needed.  Under these conditions, the little guy can't
compete and there is no need for the experienced person behind the
counter.
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