Support your local camera store

I got my new camera the other day, the super duper, latest thing, Nikon D850. I sold my D810 and bit the bullet. Really wanted this one, the do everything camera. Wildlife, landscapes, even cuts your lawn. Is it wrong to want the best?

I was on the wait list at Samy's but one salesman said it would take a month and the other one said two months and I started to get a little scared. Samy's is great, I even have a credit card there but I wanted the camera yesterday and didn't have the intestinal fortitude to hold out for too long.

meandering walkway, los jilgueros

So just for the hell of it I called my neighborhood camera store, George's, where my pop Amos Sommers has been buying his Hasseblad cameras since they opened maybe sixty years ago, and got on their wait list. Cost a hundred refundable dollars. Lo and behold, their salesman Patrick got on the horn the very next day and told me they had a camera for me. Amazing since there are about 4000 people around the country on continuous wait. But they had 10 come in that very morning and I was number 10 on the list. Hot damn! Didn't even have to put any money down.

I ran up to Samy's Orange County and got my deposit back. Or a promise of one anyway, they are sending a check. Couldn't stand the wait, immediately drove to Clairemont Mesa and after a fill up at Tommy's Burger ran next door to George's and the deed was done. That's the only problem with George's, the place is too close to the chili burgers so George's sometimes gives me mild indigestion.

I have worked with Larry and Jim and the boys at George's from their days at Calumet and before that North County Camera. Great guys, I could not be happier. Larry even set the date and time and put the strap on the camera for me.

Haven't had time to really put it through its paces. They flipped the mode and iso buttons, added a joystick. More megapixels, focus peaking and stacking, the latter stuff probably things I will rarely if ever use. Incredible focus acquisition and speed, truly a camera that can do anything and everything.

I am teaching Pat a little about the D810 so we went to Los Jilgueros Preserve this morning and shot around for a few minutes.

My first impression is that the viewfinder is incredibly big and bright. Pictures I took yesterday seemed dark and I think it is because of my not being used to the new viewfinder, which is fooling me about proper exposure. There will be a learning curve but not a huge one. Might even have to look at a histogram or two.

I am looking forward to putting it through its paces and getting familiar with it. Going to take it out bird shooting as soon as the weather allows. I feel very happy with my purchase. Thanks, George's Camera!