camera shop in zurich

i'm visiting zurich in early june, would like to know if you can recommend me some shop there selling leica stuff (both new and used one). thanks!

You should go to Foto-Video Ganz, Rennweg 26, just off the

Bahnhofstrasse, and to Koch Optik, which is on the

Bahnhofstrasse, near the Paradeplatz. Both are very reputable

Leica dealers, and the have many used Leicas, also rarities at

top prices.

Most cameras have had a CLA and are guaranteed. Ganz also

has other shops in town, one is in the main railway station, also

with some used cameras.

I bought my IIIf with an Elmar 3.5, complete with everready case

from Koch Optik, with a CLA, and this for 780 CHF (450 USD), in

1993. It has not failed me since.

There are also other shops, but I do not recommend them as

the price/quality is not OK, or they only have restricted experience

with Leica.

Give us your feedback when you have seen them!

You can try Foto Baeren Optik, Loewenstrasse 57 near the main railway

station also, and as Sebastian said, Foto-Video Ganz, Rennweg is very

good. Personally I don't like Koch Optik, I find them arrogant. I

wish you nice days here in Switzerland.

I second the postings about Foto-Ganz on Rennweg. I have dealt with

Hr.Crivelli or Hr.Yee and both are quite competent with all of the

Leica line. I can also recommend Foto-Bären just a few blocks over.

Hr.Kaul is the person to deal with here and his service is

outstanding.

 

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If you are coming from America, or most anywhere else in the world

for that matter, I cannot advise you to purchase any equipement in

Switzerland. The prices here are among the highest in the world,

though cheaper than the UK. The only circumstance that I have

purchased new gear here, was when I bought serveral pieces of Nikon

gear in NYC, shot with it for almost a full year, and then traded it

in here in Zürich and getting back every penny. (That should give

you and idea of the tremendous cost savings in NYC and the immensely

high prices here.)

 

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Should you decide that you want to buy something here and you have

thrown reason and common consumer sense out the window, then Foto

Ganz will offer you 10% off if you pay with cash and 5% with c-card.

If you then subtract the minimal tax (at least that is cheap!) of

7.6%, then you will probably find that you have still paid c.33% more

than the best prices available for non-gray goods in NY.

 

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BTW If there is any product that I must have quickly, I simply make

the drive to Konstanz, Lörrach or even Stuttgart, buy the product,

pay Swiss tax, get back my German tax and return home after 4 hours

or so, a few hundred clicks on the car, and have STILL saved $! This

philosophy is applied to all electronics, white goods, as a matter of

fact, I don't even do much grocery shopping here. :-)

 

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Best to concentrate on the beautiful sites and clean cities and shoot

with gear that you have purchased elsewhere!

I fully second Reto on all of his recommendations. Would add Koch on

Bahnhofstrasse, too, though. They sometimes have stunning prices for

fast selling used gear. Then there is another place for used and new

Leica, Voigtlaender and Hassy equipment: Camerastore on

Hottingerstrasse. Enjoy your stay and make sure to visit the

Photographic Collection of Kunsthaus and stop by at the Scalo bookshop

specialized in photography and arts. Cheers.

RETO, We recently moved to the Swiss border near Konstanz and have been unable to find photography stores which sell 35mm (looking particularly for Canon EOS 3). Are also looking for places that sell Fuji Velvia slide film.

 

We've heard that you have to be careful about dealing with totally reputable dealers in case of future problems.

 

Can you suggest some such dealers in that area?