Bermingham Cameras, Dublin
What a Customer service…
I have always thought that the Bermingham Cameras shop on Burgh Quay in Dublin is one of the best camera shops in Dublin. Many times, I heard about their professional knowledge and got some recommedation. Sounds good? Not any more. I have just changed my opinion on this shop and their staff after I paid a visit there this morning. Believe me, I won’t come back there any soon, if ever.
I went there to buy some lens filters for my older 35 mm SLR. That was probably to much for the guy behind the counter to cope with. They didn’t have the typ of filters I was looking for, so I asked him for other type, the screw-on filters. He handed me the circular polariser without a word. I didn’t ask him more, because he was clearly being bothered by me. And didn’t even try to hide it. How can I say? Well, the friend of mine who has been there with me, ask the shop assistant behind the counter what does the circular polariser do. The tone of the answear and the expression on his face was clear – something like piss off and leave me alone…
I was looking for some coloured filters and circular polariser 62mm in diametre, but I won’t buy anything from someone who act like this. In fact, he is there to help you and he’s acctually getting paid for that. I didn’t dare asking him once more…
I am interested to buy a digital SLR, and I want to be sure that I can use my older lenses with the new digital SLRs without any malfunction. God, I should know before I asked…. ”Not properly”, was all he said. Just like this. N advise or some sort of explanation. Just two words… I haven’t had any other questions, because I knew I won’t get any helpful advice from this guy. He was clearly bothered by me. Why not, I am only customer.
I left the shop with disgrace. Honestly, I wasn’t angry at all as one would expect, but I was really dissapointed. I have always had good opinion on this store and their service, but that has change this morning. I cannot understand, someone like this working in the store, helping customers. If somebody ask me where to buy camera, I won’t be recommend this store. Not even to my enemies.
Guess who will not come to this store again…
Coffee Society, Dublin
I’ve been drinking coffee for years, and there is nothing worst than start the day with disgusting cup of coffee. That is something you don’t want to have first thing in the morning. It just ruins the whole day not to mention how frustrating the day can be than.
I live in Dublin, where there is a dozen of coffee shop chains, including some famous one and some local. But not all of them do nice coffee. It may seem that I am picky, but I just really like nice coffee – that’s it. And that is why I almost all the time buy my coffee at Coffee Society.
As far as I know, Coffee Society has three shops in the Dublin city. One on the Camden Street, one in the city centre on Liffey Street and one in Ranelagh (if you are lucky, you might meet some Irish rugby players there). The reason I like Coffee Society is simple – they just know, how to make a nice cup of coffee. More important, they make the coffee from the blend, specially made for them. Isn’t this a good reason?
I’ve tryied all other coffee chains here in Dublin, and only one or two can compete to Coffee Society. It’s not just about the coffee itself, it’s also about how the coffee is made. If I order latte, I don’t want a cup full of foam. And believe me, this happen all the time. Why they have a selection of coffees on the board, when they do them all the same way?
So, if you are in Dublin looking for a really good cup of coffee, find one of the Coffee Society shops. You’ll be surprised with the taste of their coffee, and you’ll always get what you have asked for.
Just a bad lie…
About a month ago, I have read an article on the internet. It was on the Czech news website and the article was about the prime minister of the Czech republic, using the government aircraft for the personal flight to Innsbruck in Austria for his skiing holidays. The Czech republic is my home country, and this only shows more politics arrogance towards the people already disgust with situation on Czech politic scene. And it really pissed me off as I have no faith in this Government anymore.
According to the news, the prime minister was on the way back to Prague from the official visit of Bulgaria, when he landed in Austria where he stayed for the weekend, skiing in Sölden, near Innsbruck. He was asked to explain the whole situation on one of the parliament meetings few days after by his fellow politics that also advised him to pay for this personal trip.
The explanation from the prime minister to the whole situation was the most ridiculous I have ever heard. What a bad lie… The reason for the landing in Innsbruck, as he said, was very important meeting with the Czech ambassador in Austria. That wouldn’t be strange at all, if the ambassador’s office was not in Vienna, almost 480 kilometres away from Innsbruck (Prague only 270 kilometers). And here comes the funny part. According to the news, the ambassador drove from Vienna to Innsbruck to meet the Czech prime minister and than, just after that meeting he drove to Prague.
Isn’t that strange??? Why they didn’t meet in Prague where they both were heading in the first place? Simple. Someone just needed a camouflage for the skiing holidays in Innsbruck…
Your Camera Does Not Matter…
I was browsing the internet for digital SLR cameras the other day when I came across an interesting article about how the type of camera doesn’t really matters to take a great picture. Basically said – buying better camera will NOT improve your photography.
That caught my eye and kept me reading the whole article. I am an amateur photographer, for whom the photography is just a hobby. I am using the 35 mm SLR camera Nikon F65 and an Olympus digital compact camera. I am quite happy with both of them, and they served me very well. I have take some nice pictures on my Madeira Holidays, and I like them a lot. As many people these days, I was thinking about upgrading my 35 mm SLR to the digital ones. I did some research on the web, and found one, that I would be happy with. And then I ended up on that site…
I would probably have digital SLR by now, if I wouldn’t read that article. There is no camera that will improve your photographic skills, because the most important component of the camera is the one few inches behind it. And that is truth. It’s a photographer’s eye, patience and skill that make the image. I knew that already, but same as some people I thought that I really needed upgrade my tools. But I didn’t.
At the end of this article was an image gallery link. I couldn’t believe that these images were not taken by one of these professional cameras. They were actually taken by standard digital compact that you can buy for €250 in every camera shop. Similar to one I have. And that was quite a shock for me.
I’m going to hold on to my current cameras bit longer and I am going to try all the features that these cameras offer. And believe me or not, most of the standard digital cameras has a lot of features to experiment with and that will result in an improvement of your photography. I will be posting some of the images here, so don’t be afraid to make comments.