A (very) brief and personal view of the Camera Retail Industry: the awakening. [View all]

[AndyS]

I have been involved in photography since 1969 and peripherally for a decade or so before. Way back in the mid '50s I had an older sister who was partial to pin ups so when I was too little to recognize that genre I was recruited to produce it with a Bakelite Brownie camera.

In the late '60s photography saved my sanity while serving in the Army which lead me to pursue an education in the craft. A Master of Science later I was intent to set the world on fire with brilliant imagery but found that the only jobs offered were sweeping the studio floor for $3.25 and hour. That and weddings. I'd rather shoot crime scenes.

I found myself in a camera store behind the counter adding my part to a two income one child family. A would be artist become teacher and salesman. Thus began my journey through the world of photo equipment sales, a trek that's given me a unique perspective on the business side of the craft.

Prior to the 1970s photography fell into two categories: Kodak “you press the button we do the rest” and the esoteric pursuit of “I press the button and do everything and I mean EVERYTHING else myself”. Cameras came from two sources; the local drug store, catalog or anywhere else George Eastman could market his inexpensive products and a specialty store tucked away in some obscure location with a staff that spoke a different language of legendary lens designers and mythic camera makers. The latter was a most expensive place to buy and the only place to get a 'real' camera. It had to be expensive because it was low volume sales to a specialized market. This was the retail world I was introduced to. Everything the store sold had a 20% or more markup. From the smallest accessory to most expensive large format camera. Only the top end equipment was on the shelves because that was the clientele it catered to. The world of f-stops, shutter speeds, ASA film speeds and hand held light meters. I had a wage and was free to sell whatever the customer needed without regard for profit or pressure.

Then in the mid '70s a wondrous thing happened. Canon introduced the AE-1. The first mass marketed entry level 35mm camera with interchangeable lenses that AUTOMATICALLY set exposure! The average human could take pictures without a slide rule! Flash photography without a guide number and formula playing ASA against distance to get an f-stop! Canon backed up the technology with a marketing campaign that overwhelmed any possible competition. They single-handedly created the 35mm hobby market.

The available market grew from a few nerdy artist types to just about everybody. Ads appeared in every kind of magazine, not just the Photography rags. At 20% markup it was a golden age of local camera stores. From behind the counter I could really match the customer to the best product for their needs and skill level. No pressure to sell one item over another or add on sales, just make the experience the best possible for aspiring newbie photographers knowing that everything I sold was top notch quality and they would come back to me as they grew in experience. I didn't make sales, I made customers.

For a guy like me it was heaven!

Part 2 follows.