denny_edwards

<p>People like Dan Lovell make me glad that I'm no longer in the business. I had the privilege of calling many of the top photographers in the USA my customers and friends. A career in photography is about much more than dollars and cents to many of us.</p>

<p>In my businesses, we stocked virtually every camera and lens made by Nikon, Hasselblad etc. We also stocked almost every worthwhile accessory. Everything was displayed in our large salesfloors. We offered free delivery via our trucks in the Greater Pittsburgh Area. We also extended free credit to all businesses. We had some customers who would come in, buy an expensive lens, use it on a shoot, and return it a day or two later. They were the same ones who would go to Saks Fifth Ave and buy some expensive clothes, use them on a model shoot and then return them.</p>

<p>I spent 45 years running two photographic equipment supply houses in the Pittsburgh area. The reason that both eventually had to close their doors was partly because our efforts to give the absolute best service and treat every customer as a friend apparently wasn't worth paying the PA Sales Tax on items that they could get out of state without the added 7%.</p>

<p> Denny Edwards</p>

<p>Marc,<br>

All of the good guys in Pittsburgh went out of business. I helped Wolk's, Penn Camera, Squirrel Hill Foto Shop whenever they got into trouble. We supplied them with merchandise at cost to help them keep their doors open even if they were competitors. We were a close knit community.</p>

<p>Good to hear from you, Will, I remember you well. We had some good times, didn't we?</p>

<p>I wish there was a place here for some of us who have been involved all of our lives in marketing professional photographic equipment. I spent 45 years managing professional photographic equipment businesses. I would love to connect with some of the old timers who remember what a terrific business this was to be involved in during the glory years of traditional photography. We considered our customers to be our extended family and advising them and taking care of their needs was more important than turning a profit.</p>

<p> Denny Edwards<br>

Kadet Photo Supply<br>

Photographics Supply<br>

Pittsburgh, PA</p>

 

ROR (Residual Oil Remover) is by far the best lens cleaner. When used with micro fiber cleaning cloths there is nothing better. In tests by Hasselblad, they found that this product actually improves the light transmission qualities on the lens!. NASA also uses it

Gitzo tripods are well designed and use excellent alloys. Because of the collet locking mechanism on the legs, they tend to jam up in adverse field conditions. (With the exception of the ones designed for that purpose and lock from the top. The collets can be completely dismantled and the threads and fiber locking pieces easily cleaned, however. Gitzo originally designed and manufactured their tripods to support German machine guns. After the war, they needed to find a new market, which was the photography industry.

I have sold thousands of Bogen/Manfrotto tripods. The only one I've ever seen with a crooked leg was because someone drove a car over it!

Tiffen Optical has a complete line of "Hollywood Effect" filters that address many special effects including

varying degrees of soft focus. They used to be know as, "Hollywood's Secret Weapon"

I was involved in the photographic equipment equipment industry from 1958 till 2003. Most of that time was spent as General Manager, Operations Manager and Vice President of two of the largest professional photo equipment supply houses in the USA. Both were based in Pittsburgh. I had many years of dealings with Burke and James. I recall many interesting conversations with George and Hans over the years. George had an outside salesman who called on me monthly during all their years in the industry. His name was Tony Sabatino. He was a small, very well dressed man with a pencil thin moustache. B&J (As we knew them), was a highly ethical and extremely competent supplier to us and our customers. If any of you would care to discuss the "Golden Age" of the photographic equipment industry, I have a website at: www.freewebs.com/dennyedwards