eGroup Meetup Anyone up for a Meetup at the NEC Photo Show

[Phill D]

Just wondered if there was any appetite for a meetup at the NEC Photo Show this year and if so what day is preferred?
Maybe Ian could work some magic and get us a special preview session of the new EM1 mk3? or is that likely to damage our wallets too much

[Ian]

14th-17th March

Thanks Phill!

Ian

[Phill D]

Good idea to put the dates in Ian, doh why didn't I think of that!

[blackfox]

My wallet is already damaged beyond repair ..LOL not sure whether I’m going or not this year though due to limitations brought on by my heart failure

[MJ224]

My intention is to go on Monday 16th. I stay at a hotel on the Sunday evening...

And am quite interested to see the Mk 3 and its spec......…….:-)

And be good to meet all on the day..

[Ian]

It's Julia's birthday today we're on ur way to Paris Just having a coffee at the Eurotunnel terminal while the car charges up.

The show seems like a long way away but it creeps up on you

Ian

[sapper]

Get you."Off to Paris" indeed:-)
Not sure what day but I am up for a meet, after I have put in my cameras for cleaning ETC.

[Phill D]

Monday works for me too.

[Melaka]

Could do Monday but would only go if the 150-400 or another new long lens was on show. We're heading to France via the Chunnel on Sunday but for work, not a birthday!

[timboo]

Unfortunately I am away for my birthday that weekend. One year I will actually make it 😃

[jonesy]

I'm going one of the weekend days, most likely the saturday as the trains are better.

[Grumpy Hec]

Currently not sure I will be going this year. Perhaps if the MkIII is on show then maybe just to drool at that, even though it is going to be beyond my retirement budget. I also do my own sensor cleaning now so will not have that mad dash as soon as the show opens to have any chance of enjoying that excellent service we enjoy from Olympus. If I do go it will probably be the Monday.

Hec

[drmarkf]

Yes, I’ll be there just on the Mon and Tues, and I’m up for a meeting unless any key presentations are on then.

I had both my M1ii bodies serviced and cleaned gratis under guarantee in Oly Portugal a few months ago, so there’s less gear cleaning to be done, although I’ll bring some lenses.
Panasonic were also offering a free gear cleaning service last year, so that’ll be worth considering too.

[Phill D]

Didn't see the Panasonic cleaning service last year! they were particularly useless in the discussion I had with them and I certainly could have done with their cleaning service after the **** their lens dropped into my camera! Can't believe they didn't offer it. Olympus on the other hand were superb and couldn't have done more to sort me out. Will definitely use Olympus again this year hopefully just for a routine clean though.

[BDennis]

I may go on the Tuesday as it is my day off. Are week days any less busy than weekends? Last year the Olympus stand was really busy on the weekend and although I handed my gear in really early for cleaning they seemed to have lost track of it when I went to collect it. I actually thought they had lost my Em1mk2 and the helpful lady in the stand seemed very concerned about it but eventually it was found and rushed through the cleaning. A bit of a scare although I'm sure Olympus would have sorted something out if the worst happened!

[drmarkf]

Certainly last year the Monday was quieter overall than the Sunday, but there was a big queue from right at the beginning for Oly cleaning on both days.
You’re allowed to have up to 3 items (bodies, lenses) cleaned per day, and if you’re there for more than one day even if you arrive a bit late on the first day they were letting you drop stuff off on day 1 as long as you didn’t want it back until late on day 2.

[Tram]

I'm going on the Monday with my daughter, she is hoping to buy an E-M5iii at a show special price.
Got a couple of bits to drop off at the Disabled Photographers stall and want to buy a Photobook or at least a code to order one.
Hope the RockyNook book people will be there again too, few titles i'm interested in.

[drmarkf]

I may find an M5iii hard to resist, too, depending on the right deal and maybe a trade-in price. Some places are listing them already below £1k.
Maybe we should try to negotiate a forum deal...

[Tram]

Its worth playing the various dealers at the show off against each other
All keen to do business so more than happy to try and beat prices or perhaps include a spare battery
Also if they are offering double cashback or similar deals take a snap of the advert
Sometimes the companies don't seem aware that these inducements were made and photographic proof is very handy

[drmarkf]

Good points, thanks.

[pdk42]

I'll probably be going. Mon or Tues. I can be flexible.