Do you shop in town or in-ternet?

[Doctor Zero]

Amateur Photographer, a british weekly (!) photography magazine, has reported in the past about the demise of the small and local photographic store. Indeed I have noticed it walking around. The rise of digital has only accelerated this (said in a neutral tone!). Furthermore, often buying over the internet is cheaper...

My question therefore is, where do you buy? New or secondhand: do you go into town or to your computer? And do you feel you (or, we all) should support your local shops? Or do economics matter more? Is it old-fashioned to try and hold on to a local shop where you can just walk in and see what's there? Note by internet I mean both the bay but also ordering from a shop over the net.

I realise this could degenerate in a mud-slinging match about the decline of the small shops in general, the rise of out-of-town supermarkets, globalisation, nuclear versus wind power and genetic modification and cloning - but that's not the point :) This isn't Michael Buerk's "Moral Maze" (for those fellow Radio 4-addicts), so just your thoughts on the photo-side of things.

Me? Oh well... I picked up a 35 'cron (pre-asph) for £410 on the bay, which was a bargain not to be missed. I do always look at the shops, though, and have bought bargains I've seen. So it depends, I guess the more expensive it's likely to be, the cheaper a source I'm likely to want to find. Within the limits of trustability, of course.

Cheers,

Doctor Zero

[bmattock]

My choices are limited, living in a small town. Raleigh is the nearest city of any size, and even there, the selection of 'vintage' cameras and lenses which I prefer are not in abundance. My town does not even boast a single 'chain' camera shop, so I have no real options. I buy just about everything via the Internet.

On the other hand, I recently learned about the existance of a small camera shop in Goldsboro, not too far south of me. The owners are members of my photography club, and very nice people indeed. I recently drove down to get some fixer when I needed it in a hurry. So, I will do business with them whenever I can, not because I have anything against the big box stores, but just because they're nice folks and I want them to survive - if I can help, I will.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

[dmr]

For film, almost exclusively in town, in person.

For equipment, big purchases I prefer in person.

I have bought 3 rangefinders via the bay in the past year. Only one was exactly as described. One implied good condition but needed repair. Another was an out and out lie, but for the price I paid I kept it for parts.

I'm very soured on the bay due to this. :(

Every once in a while I will order by mail/phone/net, but if I can't get something locally I'll wait until I travel to someplace where I can.

[wlewisiii]

Both :)

Equipment (new or used) is on the net. Here, trusted sellers like Yuri @ Fedka, and occasionally ebay are where I go to.

Film & chemicals are bought from my FLCS even though many times (4x5 sheet film, Diafine, etc.) what I want is a special order and the price is higher than it might be online. OTOH, add in S&H and often times the prices are competitive. They do a good job on my 120 C41 precessing so I really don't want them going byebye.

William

[peterc]

My current photo equipment has come from a number of sources.
My three Nikon SLRs and my Fuji dSLR were bought in bricks and mortar shops. My lenses for them were about 50/50 shops and the big auction site.
My three RF cameras came from three different sources, ebay, private sale and a shop.
Generally I prefer to be able to inspect photo equipment (particularly the big ticket items) before shelling out the cash, but I did buy an SLR body (since traded away) on ebay and it was fine.
My main passion in lenses is old (pre-AI) Nikkors and I've found myself increasingly going the auction route. Stores generally are looking for 5 to 10 times what I pay online, so I figure even if I have to buy two before I get a good one, I'm still ahead. However, I did get my 105mm f/2.5 (with hood) for &49CDN in a store.

Peter

[dostacos]

Most of the Bricks & mortar shops in Los Angeles are either:

don't have used equipment
don't carry more than point and shoot
their digital stuff is retail PLUS 10%
or big chains like SAMYS


I do go to two smaller shops FREESTYLE in Hollyweird [45 miles one way] and FOTOHALL does all my developing and 4X6 prints

both also have good selections of film and darkroom equipment as well as lighting equipment. Neither carry Bessa's only one carry's FILM cameras [photohall might have some Rebels BUT all I see them showing are digital Nikons and Canons ]

Even the larger "mom&pop" stores like CAL's in Costa Mesa don't really carry used anymore.

In conclusion, cameras on the net, film mostly local, developing local

[ClaremontPhoto]

The two 'camera' shops in my small city don't even sell cameras any more. They have reinvented themselves as wedding studios.

So I do it on the net and go to a specialist such as Robert White.

Having said that I don't buy a camera every week. I've bought just three cameras over the past 12 years.

Next will be: 'Where do you manage to buy film?'. In about five years we'll see that one appear here.

[back alley]

used cameras & lenses over the net, some ebay but mostly private deals.
when i bought a new bessa r + 2 lenses, i bought locally.
i buy film & chemicals locally.
camera bags have been local and net.
accessories, like filters local & net.

i would buy it all locally if it all were available but i have yet to see a canon p or 6l here in town. i did see a couple of lenses here but they were pricey and in poor shape.

[dr.kollig]

Cameras, lenses I buy in person, hunting them down second hand somewhere in Germany. Supplies depends, certain things I order in person or by telephone in Cologne or in Mainz and pick it up, others I order from Fotoimpex in Berlin or just pick up from the Foma store in Praha/Prague. So all business is done with shops I have al least been in person. Prices: it is like good customers get good prices. Could be cheaper a few euro on the Internet, but do they give you nice calenders, out-dated film for free or greatly reduced and most important trade-in? Best service award would go to Hamburg for free tea....

For bike parts I try to get as much as possible in shops but I found it more difficult and have to order on the internet more often. O.k. certain things like Rapha bike wear or Agent Provocateur under wear can not in shops in Germany...

Wolfram

[mac_wt]

I buy even my film online. The local shop doesn't have much choice and the price is easely 25% over what I pay online.

Wim

[wierdcollector]

Once in a great while I buy from a local thrift shop or pawn shop. From yard sales/ flea market/ auctions (all three drying up of cameras lately) when I can. Ninety percent seems to be from eBay, both cameras and big orders of expired (ok for me so far) film.

[Nikon Bob]

I live in a small town and have managed in the past to get most of my photo gear by private sale or second hand at retail shops. I like the idea of being able to handle it first. The second hand retail route is almost gone here now for film cameras anyway. I have bought some gear by mail order. I do not do the big site on the net. Film is not a problem,yet, and I buy at retail outlets that have the cheapest price for what I want. It is a tough choice and sometimes economics win and sometime not.

Bob

[darkkavenger]

Living in the center of Prague ... it's clear that for me it's local stores! :D

I go there now and then (twice a week) to look at things I can't afford and sulk off in the corner, or to spend a good 300$ when the wage arrives and i've no big expenses during the month ;)

[Mackinaw]

Both. The nearest big-time camera stores are 230 miles south of where I live. When downstate visiting family, I'll always stop by and pick up B&W film (Ilford) and chemicals (Rodinal). The more exotic films, like Efke 25, I purchase on-line.

Jim Bielecki

[peter_n]

Both. There are two fairly good stores in Boston, Newtonville Camera and Levine's and I have bought from them. Most of my stuff comes from the internet however.

[rbiemer]

My preference would be to buy everything locally but that's not possible in the small town I live in. There is no camera store. I buy most of my film locally. Cameras, lenses, and acessories I get on-line or by snail mail. There are two stores in Ithaca--25 miles away-- but their selection of secondhand(or even interesting new) gear is poor and getting worse. They still have a good but basic selection of B&W papers and chemistry.
Rob

[Dave H]

Gear mail order from either FFordes, Richard Caplan, or Robert White.

Darkroom materials mail order from Firstcall, Nova darkroom or Silverprint.

Film mail order from Mathers.

Hang on a minute there's a pattern developing here. Local shops are now glorified computer shops who price film and materials so high it makes you think that they dont want you to buy it at all !

[remrf]

All of my film cameras,lenses and related gear came from Ebay. I have been screwed only once. I buy film locally for the most part and there are still two pro labs in town for souping my large and medium format color film and chromes. 35mm usually goes to my local Walgreens. I did buy 50 sheets of 4x5 Ektachrome on Ebay and am just running out of it now. It was about 1/4 the retail price and was not expired but those deals don't show up very often.

My flcs closed a few years ago and the only "pro" shop in town is in the process of drying up as we speak. I woud love to trade with them more often but they pay 1/4 of ebay prices when buying and charge twice what I can get it for online when selling. And they have an attitude which I don't care for much. As an example when I first reentered the LF field I needed a 4x5 film holder to test the Omega view camera I had just purchased on the bay. They wanted $25.00 for the single film holder they had in stock. I now have 21 of them and paid an average of $5.00 each on Ebay. None of them new but everyone in good working order.

I bought three of the four digitals I have owned locally. The prices for new items was not that much different local or otherwise.

[Bobbo]

I shop online at keh.com and at forums like this one. I personally prefer it to stores. Most stores I go into have staff that know less than I do (isn't it their job to help me?), and the staff usually gets snotty with me because I go look at the beat-up F3 and Nikon S2 on the in the back instead of the D70 and Digital Rebel XYZ (or whatever) up front with a billboard for it. I passed up a Pentax MX for $30 one day because the staff was snotty in a store...it still sits there a year later. To buy camera bags I check locally, but if somebody in the store even looks at me cross-eyed, I'll just check the bas to see how they fit and then go on ebay and get a bag through one of those cheap stores that sell $180 (at B&H) for $110. If the experience isn't hassle-free, I won't pay the extra $30 over the price I would get online AFTER shipping and however much on sales tax.

Forums are my preferred method of buying and selling. I don't deal with ebay, I meet new and interesting people, and I get more for my stuff than I would selling to a store with a rude staff.

Are there nice stores? Yes. I just seem to not go to them most of the time. Try the local ones until they tick you off. At least give them a chance...

[brightsky]

The last time I bought camera equipment locally was during the 1970's when I lived in New York.

For the last 5 years, every piece of equipment has been purchased used with the exception of 3 lenses. Sources have been real stores with a website and forums, with one or two items on eBay.

I try to purchase film in bulk from B&H, but don't hesitate to get several rolls at the local Walgreen or CVS when I have a coupon and they have something decent in stock.

I have not bought anything of consequence at the one local photo shop because the prices are higher than any source mentioned above and the equipment was not in as good condition as anything I've bought online.

I realize most local shops cannot match prices of the "giants" on new equipment, but they cut their own throats with higher than average prices on used stuff. Oh, and the majority of sales staff get bored real quick if one doesn't make a fast decision and sale, which irritates the heck out of me so I don't even look anymore.

[RML]

When I'm looking for gear (which is not very often, lacking in funds) I tend to keep an eye open here on RFF and on eBay. I sometimes drop in a shop or two here in Amsterdam but find the prices redicilously high, generally 50-100% on top of the price I'd see on eBay. So, I don't buy in local shops.

I sometimes buy a thing or two at the annual photography market in Doesburg, Holland, but then I have a really big market where I can compare prices and test the gear.

Shooting mainly digital means that I no longer buy any film anymore. Saves me on developing as well.

Local shops were never my first choice after I found out how hugh the prices are there, how poor the service generally is for a "one-time" customer and how totally not serious they take me when I show up with a FED-2 or similarly cheap camera.

[doubs43]

I buy both ways. Friday I received a Pentax H1a with 55mm f/2 Super-Takumar lens that I purchased on ebay for $35 (including shipping) and it only needs new seals. Well, it can use an external cleaning too but that's not a big deal.

Yesterday I took two rolls of Walgreen's Agfa 400 film to the store in Macon and had them develope the negatives only..... no prints. I buy from them when I can and my stake in their store just may rise after yesterday's visit. The owner showed me a Canon VT DeLuxe that is in pretty nice condition and fully functional. It had a crappy Steinheil 35mm f/4.5 lens on it but I'm only interested in the body and I'll be dickering with him on that.

He also showed me a Leica M3 DS with collapseable 50mm Summicron lens and a meter. The body is in very nice "user" condition with a few marks but no dings or dents and it was CLA'd last June by Peachtree Photo in Atlanta. It's smooth and quiet and everything works well. They will be selling it on ebay and I'll let everyone know when it's to be sold. Probably early in the New Year.

Walker

[Mister_Hat]

Almost exlcusively online, these days. There used to be a number of small photo shops in the area, but they've gone out of business of business over the past ten years.

[flipflop]

online...we have one pro lab in Tallhassee and I get my negs developed no prints...4 bucks a roll...they do a nice job compared to walgreens or walmart...I try not to buy film or anything else there as its like 7.50 per roll of ilford delta..

[RJBender]

The owners of small stores complain that people visit to handle the merchandise and ask questions but never come back to buy. The conclusion is that the visitors are ordering online for a lower price without sales tax. I understand their gripe, but how much is 30 minutes of the sales clerk's time worth, $15 with benefits?

Why not charge for explaining the products' features and go online in the store to help the customer place their order? People might think twice and decide to buy from the store. :p If the store got a commission from the online dealers this idea might work.

The small stores that are doing fine in St. Louis have a good selection of used and rental equipment, a good lab and customers such as schools or govermental agencies.

R.J.

[losta]

I live very close to New York City. I can be at B&H in less than 1 hour and I do shop there as well as Adorama, Photo Village, Kurland and a few other NY shops. I also often buy locally from Camera Wholesalers in Stamford, CT and KenMar Camera in East Williston, NY. I also buy and sell on Ebay and have sold sold several items through fredmiranda.com. I also order from Norman Camera online.

[RJBender]

I've ordered from KEH Camera (http://www.keh.com/hmpg/index.cfm) for the last 19 years and highly recommend them. I bought a refurbished digital camera from Beach Camera (http://www.beachcamera.com/shop/SearchResults.aspx?mnm=&cti=3200) in May 2004 and was happy with the transaction.

R.J.