[SEL] engine pictures

[P. Johns]

Dear visitors;

Before buying from one of those bargain places, get the San Francisco
District Attorney's phone number first; you'll need it. The main tip - here
or anywhere - is to see the store's return policy. It will almost always be
for 'store credit only.' That means you have to go to the store and buy
something else from that same crook and if you aren't in town, that's too
bad.

Just one trick they used was to have lenses in three price ranges. If you
actually looked at the lenses, you would see they are all the same. The
sales person would size you up and show what he thought was your price range
and show you that one. Try asking to see the most expensive, look at it
closely, then ask to see the cheapest one. They probably won't even show it
to you and accuse you of wasting their time or just plain tell you to leave.
If you do buy, NEVER let them wrap it for you; look at it before you leave
the store.

Adolph Gasser is an old line camera store that pros buy from, but they may
not be the cheapest. Honesty isn't free. You may want to try Ritz Camera in
the Stonestown mall; there are two higher end department stores and lots of
places for the ladies to spend money too. My wife walks over there for
exercise and it costs at least a hundred dollars per trip.

If someone steals your camera, I can take you down to 6th Street and we can
try and get it back from one of the hock shops, but don't go there alone. It
may be hard to spot the thieves in the City, but when at the cable car
turntable at the wharf just look at those nice apartments on both side of
the street. Those are public housing projects. Some of the most expensive in
the world (our China Town has a more expensive one) but the chances of
someone living there having a criminal record is pretty good. What a great
city! You live at the Wharf for free, or you live a couple of blocks away
and pay thousands per month. I guess it's all OK because those taxpayers
have lots of money to spare.

Enjoy your trip.
Paul in SanFran