Bay Area people, where do you shop?

[robscomputer]

Hi,

It looks like there is a great amount of San Fransico Bay Area photographers on this board. I wanted to ask where does everyone buy their items locally? I typically order anything more expensive than $100 from BHPhotovideo.com but for smaller items go to Keeble & Shuchat in Palo Alto (http://www.kspphoto.com/) They are pricy but I haven't found any other shop near by that has a good selection of items.

Any other places in the Bay Area, hoping closer to the East Bay?

Thanks,
Rob

[fish]

Hi,

It looks like there is a great amount of San Fransico Bay Area photographers on this board. I wanted to ask where does everyone buy their items locally? I typically order anything more expensive than $100 from BHPhotovideo.com but for smaller items go to Keeble & Shuchat in Palo Alto (http://www.kspphoto.com/) They are pricy but I haven't found any other shop near by that has a good selection of items.

Any other places in the Bay Area, hoping closer to the East Bay?

Thanks,
Rob
If I have to buy locally, I go to K&S or San Jose Camera. I buy almost everything from bhphoto.com, unless I have to have it now.

[Dee]

If I have to buy locally, I go to K&S or San Jose Camera. I buy almost everything from bhphoto.com, unless I have to have it now.

I bought my camera and compact flash at Frys, along with some memory stick and compact flash holders that I snap onto my camera strap. I've bought all my Sony cameras there -- last time I got the 5 year extended warranty, having learned my lesson with the 707.

I got a memory stick cleaning stick at a camera shop in the mall.

[ian408]

Hi,

It looks like there is a great amount of San Fransico Bay Area photographers on this board. I wanted to ask where does everyone buy their items locally? I typically order anything more expensive than $100 from BHPhotovideo.com but for smaller items go to Keeble & Shuchat in Palo Alto (http://www.kspphoto.com/) They are pricy but I haven't found any other shop near by that has a good selection of items.

Any other places in the Bay Area, hoping closer to the East Bay?

Thanks,
Rob
B&H Photovideo, K&S or San Jose Camera. Increasingly, I have found San Jose
Camera lacking in just basic stuff. Probably K&S more often than SJC.

Ian

[dkapp]

I'd have to say K&S or Calumet in San Francisco. San Jose camera was always just too rude for me. I couldn't bring myself to give them any money.

B&H is the best for price.

Dave

[luckyrwe]

Funny thing about BH. Be sure to have a few things that you want to buy and compare the carts before checkout. I wanted a $23 grip and shipping was $8. Then I wanted a stroboframe and flash cord and shipping was $12. Then I put all three in the cart and shipping was $5.80!!! Weird. I also like that I can check the order statius when I buy online.

Local camera stores have been driven out of business by Walmart. And don't even think of asking one of those folks about the depth of field on the 18-55 lens. Customer service is gone.

[Andy]

... unless I have to have it now.

is there any other way to have something??? :lol3

[fish]

is there any other way to have something??? :lol3

If it comes down to either going to fry's and getting it now, or paying $50 to have it overnighted from bhphoto, I'll grit my teeth and go with bhphoto (since I pay no sales tax anyway).


Pardon the vulgarity, but Fry's sucks ass. They are a last resort. I will never buy anything from them if I can get through other channels. Have you ever tried to return anything to Fry's? Stand in line...talk to someone who neither speaks your language, nor knows anything about the product, nor has any authority to approve the return...finally get it approved...watch four different colored forms get printed out...get a copy...go stand in line. repeat. On top of that, most of the time, returned items are labeled with a "QA" stamp so you can avoid buying them, but not always. I've bought a few things that looked factory-sealed, but turned out to be either DOA or missing critical items like cables, and then had to stand in line...well, you know the drill. Never ever EVER buy from Fry's if you can avoid it.


I'll drive the extra 30 miles to go to K&S for camera stuff. As far as SJ Camera is concerned, it's closer than K&S, just don't expect to be able to ask a bunch of n00bie questions. You go to SJ Camera to buy, not to shop. If you need a canon bit NOW, you go there. If you want to know the difference between a Canon 24-85 whatzit and a Nikon 32-55 gizmo, forget it. Do your research online first.

And then there's Los Gatos Camera Center, with perhaps the most annoying jingle ever known to humankind. And you get to hear it over and over and over and over when you call. Fortunately, they price everything at MSRP (and sometimes MSRP +10%) for those Los Gatosians who feel like they must buy locally, even if it means choosing from a poor selection and paying too much. I don't get it.

So...yeah. bhphoto...overnight. :nod Or K&S, if I have to have it before overnight. :lol3

[ian408]

Pardon the vulgarity, but Fry's ...

I'll second that by saying they if you want to pay by check or god forbid,
write "see photo ID" on your credit card, you will wait while Moses is
summoned from the mountain to get an ok--even if he/she is standing right
behind your checker. I swear, they have more people checking the checkers
than helping the customers.

Unfortunately, if you run out of ink for your printer at 8pm you don't have much
choice but to go to Fry's :wxwax

Ian

[fish]

Unfortunately, if you run out of ink for your printer at 8pm you don't have much choice but to go to Fry's :wxwax

So don't run out of ink. Most printer drivers include utilities to watch the ink levels. When you need to buy a cartridge, buy two.

And then there's OfficeMax, with their instock guarantee. :thumb

[ian408]

So don't run out of ink. Most printer drivers include utilities to watch the ink levels. When you need to buy a cartridge, buy two.

And then there's OfficeMax, with their instock guarantee. :thumb
No kidding. I was doing a large print run and well, I screwed up :cry Jump on
the bike and jet down Arques. Boom! There I am!

Ian

[Aaron Wilson]

I had a comcpact flash card I returned 3 time and then just got my money back.. I think they took the same card in back re-packaged it and handed it back to me.. lol

I have been buying through WOLF... the pleasant hill shop on contra costa is always very help full to me. 90% of the time I buy it from them on line then bring it into the store for the ins. plan (the one on line is not the same). On line it's newegg or who ever has what I want for the price I want.

[Steve Cavigliano]

Hi,

It looks like there is a great amount of San Fransico Bay Area photographers on this board. I wanted to ask where does everyone buy their items locally? I typically order anything more expensive than $100 from BHPhotovideo.com but for smaller items go to Keeble & Shuchat in Palo Alto (http://www.kspphoto.com/) They are pricy but I haven't found any other shop near by that has a good selection of items.

Any other places in the Bay Area, hoping closer to the East Bay?

Thanks,
Rob
Rob,
I picked up my 20D kit, a 85mm F1.8, the Tamron 28-75mm F2.8, 322RC2 grip head, Lowepro Computrekker backpack and the EX580 from San Jose Camera. About $3300 worth of goodies in the last 50 days. Good prices (about the same as B&H, but with CA tax :cry ), fairly large selection, really close to me and they take AMEX. I like to use AMEX for camera, lens and accessory purchases. They offer price protection and they double the mfgr's warranty :wink That means I get a 10 year warranty on the Tamron :lol

K&S does have a better selection and they do have a Rental Dept. But, they don't take AMEX and their prices are a bit higher. Must be due to the high rent in Palo Alto .....lol

I have to agree that Fry's SUX :puke1 I did break down and buy a 4GB microdrive there. Only after the they tried to tell me that a PCI drive was a microdrive :rofl Ya gotta love those knowledgeable salespeople there. I believe at least 1/2 of their salesforce would be capable of working at a 7-11, or a Taco Bell, with only a few months of training :lol


Steve

[Sam]

Ok, sounds like we all have had very similar experiences. I have purchased a fare amount from San Jose Camera, because 1. They are about a mile from my house. 2. Price is near B&H. 3. I can have it now! 4. If there is a problem I can get it taken care of now without any additional $ or time contacting a remote seller. THe negitive of this store is the sales staff doen't seem to be very enthusiastic, or friendly.


K&S, I have dropped a few dollars here as well. Good product selection, the best I have seen in the bay area. Staff has always been friendly and helpfull. Down side is thier pricing is higher than San Jose Camera, or B&H, and they won't price match.

Los Gatos Camera: I recently embarked on an investigation to find the best way (read high quality) to have photos reproduced on paper. I had 4 photos done, and I am having the same 4 done at Costco. I wll compare these and my inkjet to see what the difference is. Initially the 4 Los Gatos Camera did were very good, better detail then my ink jet. Colors were a litte off but not far enough to concern me at this point. Black and white seemed a little sepia toned (But, again very acceptable) rather than sharp B&W. I wll go back and talk to them, and see if they can determine the cause. Could be my original file. Plus side here was the staff. Very helpfull and friendly. I felt very confident that any color, detail, or printing issues can be solved. Liked the staff's enthusiasm!

Current investigation also includes mounting and framing all this photo stuff.

Sam

[Aaron Wilson]

Where is K&S? Never heard of then or san jose camera... but then I usually will not drive more then a hour for a part unless I really need it like that day and can't wait 1 day for the store to transfer it in from another store. Or I over night it from off the web.

[ian408]

Keeble & Shuchat is on California Avenue in Palo Alto (290 California).
San Jose Camera is at the corner of Hamilton and Winchester in
San Jose.

Ian

[fish]

San Jose Camera is at the corner of Hamilton and Winchester in
San Jose.

Ian

Actually SJC is in Campbell.

[robscomputer]

Rob,
I picked up my 20D kit, a 85mm F1.8, the Tamron 28-75mm F2.8, 322RC2 grip head, Lowepro Computrekker backpack and the EX580 from San Jose Camera. About $3300 worth of goodies in the last 50 days. Good prices (about the same as B&H, but with CA tax :cry ), fairly large selection, really close to me and they take AMEX. I like to use AMEX for camera, lens and accessory purchases. They offer price protection and they double the mfgr's warranty :wink That means I get a 10 year warranty on the Tamron :lol

K&S does have a better selection and they do have a Rental Dept. But, they don't take AMEX and their prices are a bit higher. Must be due to the high rent in Palo Alto .....lol

I have to agree that Fry's SUX :puke1 I did break down and buy a 4GB microdrive there. Only after the they tried to tell me that a PCI drive was a microdrive :rofl Ya gotta love those knowledgeable salespeople there. I believe at least 1/2 of their salesforce would be capable of working at a 7-11, or a Taco Bell, with only a few months of training :lol


Steve
Great to hear a good experience from SJC. I haven't been there in years but should stop by and check them out to compare. Of course money is tight so maybe I shouldn't take my wallet with me on the trip. :)

Rob

[ian408]

Actually SJC is in Campbell.
Then it's fraud :D They should be Campbell Camera :rofl

Ian