Does my nametag say 'psychic'?

[Ahbugger]

This guy was quite a dick and clearly thought himself far above a mere salesman like myself, mostly though his defining characteristic was that he didn't seem to know his arse from his elbow. Unfortunately I was unable to read his mind and find out what the hell it was he actually wanted so he was fated to leave unsatisfied...

SC: Hi I’m looking for a compact DSLR

Me: Sure, do you mean a compact system camera or are you thinking more like a bridge camera?

SC: No a compact DSLR.

Me: Oh sorry! Do you mean a small bodied DSLR like the Canon 100D?

SC: No but there’s no point anyway because you don’t have them. Which stores have them?

Me: 100Ds?

SC: No I don’t want that I want a compact DSLR.

Me: Look I’m not sure what you’re after, 'compact DSLR' isn't a term that is usually used. If you can give me a model you're after I can search local stores for stock for you.

SC: Well I don’t know what I want do I! That’s why I came to a shop but this is pointless because you don’t have what I want. Which stores have them. I know Lumix make them.

Me: I’m not aware of anything that they make which could be described as a ‘compact DSLR’ except for their range of compact system cameras.

SC: No! Compact D-S-L-R! Can’t you tell me which stores have them?

Me: Unless you can tell me what you want I can’t search for it. Either tell me a model you are looking for or tell me whether you are after a compact system, a bridge or a small bodied DSLR. If you want a bridge or a DSLR we have stock here or if you want a compact system then I will find a store with some suitable stock for you.

SC: No, I don’t know, just tell me… no never mind maybe I’ll have more luck on the internet. HUH! I will just have to look on the internet since you’re not going to help me!

Me: That’s probably best.

Customer storms out.

[Teskeria]

What the hades is a dslr?

[dalesys]

What the hades is a dslr?

Done Stuffed Logic. Really!

Digital Single Lens Reflex (camera)

[XCashier]

It kind of sounds to me like he doesn't really know what he wants, needs or even how anything works. But rather than let everyone know that he's a he starts spouting off a lot of jargon, thinking it makes him sound like he knows what he's doing. To those who really do know what they're doing, it has precisely the opposite effect.

[NecessaryCatharsis]

Or that he was sent shopping by someone who actually knows what they wanted, and didn't explain it to him properly.

Either way, good luck getting better answers from google when you absolutely refuse to do ANY CLARIFICATION to the person/Internet search trying their damnedest to help you

[MoonCat]

I hate people who use a term that either doesn't exist, or they don't know what it means, and when asked to clarify all they do is yell things like, "Well, YOU'RE the expert, you should know what it is!" Most of the time if you do figure out what they want, it turns out they're using the term incorrectly or it's called something else entirely.

[PastryGal]

Compact DSLR *snorts* He may as well be asking for something like a compact Crew cab Chev Silverado, shit don't exist.
I recently upgraded to a Nikon D3100, loves it! Had a Canon S3IS before and it wasn't really compact but not as big as my new toy.

[Dadeo]

He was probably looking for this:

http://www.henrys.com/Compact-DSLR-Overview.aspx

[Ahbugger]

He was probably looking for this:

http://www.henrys.com/Compact-DSLR-Overview.aspx

Nope, it might be pedantic and boring but those are not a DSLRs in any sense of the term, the 'SLR' bit refers to a mechanism which is present and imparts certain features and quirks. If the camera does not have the mechanism then it is not an SLR no matter how similar shape the body is or how many features it shares with SLR cameras.

The cameras in the link are compact system cameras, I did suggest that he might be looking for this type of camera but he insisted he didn't want one, in case he was getting his wires crossed I also mentioned micro four-thirds which (as it turned out) only led to more shouting.

[Mike Taylor]

It sounds like he's looking for a Compact System Camera. Indeed, Panasonic does make one under the Lumix brand. The most common example in my area is the Sony NEX series, although we've sold ones by Olympus and Samsung as well.

[Lovecats]

"Does my nametag say 'psychic' ?" No, mine says psycho