scribble.wymer Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 I recently moved, and i was wondering if anyone knows of any good camera storeshere in canada? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vick_ko Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 Where in Canada are you? What are you looking for? most cities: www.henrys.ca Toronto: www.vistek.ca Ottawa: www.cameratradingco.com http://www.ginnphoto.on.ca/ Alberta: http://www.mcbaincamera.com/ Alberta: http://www.vintagevisuals.com/ Victoria: www.camera-traders.com Vancouver: Lens and Shutter, Kerrisdale Cameras, Leo's Montreal: http://www.photococan.com/ http://www.simonscameras.com/ http://www.camtecphoto.com/english/home_eng.html Enjoy! Vick ...Vick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nanette Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 Calgary also has a Vistek and they also have The Camera Store. McBain Camera is in Edmonton and they will match any price in Canada (I think Vistek and The Camera Store do too). In Victoria the big cameras stores are Lens & Shutter (also in Vancouver) and Kerrisdale. The other shop in Victoria that was mentioned in the previous post is more or less a used camera shop but they have lots of good stuff there too. Of course you can always order stuff online from virtually anywhere. B&H is always good, even with the exchange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawngibson Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 >>Any good camera stores in canada? No. Downtowncamera in Toronto is best in my experience last few years, but there's no such thing as a good place to find things at a reasonable price, if you compare to, say, Adorama. 8Elm used to be great, but I've not been there since I went digital. Henrys has turned into Microsoft; and Vistek is (and always was) worse. Toronto has become a very sad place to live if you want a camera store to call home. Alt Camera is gone, Broadway is gone (thankfully subsumed for the most part by Downtowncamera) and Henrys has gone from being a "decent" place to go if you have lots of money, to being somewhere to avoid unless you have lots of money to throw away and feel like being treated like an ape by a pimple-faced weasel who knows as much about photography as I know about quantum mechanics. Shawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawngibson Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 Strictly personal opinion, based on my own experiences in the last 12-15 years! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_m3 Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 www.cameracanada.com has competitive prices, more so than Vistek or Henrys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
photojim Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 http://www.donsphoto.com if you live in Alberta, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba. Eight Elm in Toronto (at Elm & University) is still a good store (I don't shoot digital :) ). Not the cheapest, but some very interesting products in stock. They actually stock 4x5 film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary_watson Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 Though the selection varies, www.harrysproshop.com is a great source for new and used, especially used. Brian, the owner, is honest and very accomodating.I agree with Shawn re: Henry's. Smart staff tends to leave 'em quick but friends who worked there always gave me deep discounts on used gear since they felt the mark-up was unconscionable. The few remaining indy shops are struggling in TO, thanks to online sales and discounters like BestBuy. I truthfully don't think there's much gas in the tank of old style full-line photo retailers like Henry's whose maniacal expansion suggests desperation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee hamiel Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 I've bought from Henry's with no problems whatsoever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawngibson Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 So have I, many, many times. And there are a couple of people still there that I am upset to have made my remarks, in light of their working there. But when I deal with them, they have not been the problem - Henrys has become so 'by the law' driven in it's policies, that it has no understanding of the 'spirit' anymore. I am no longer even a valued customer there. When my name comes up on the computer, what I have spent is irrelevent to the person, be s/he decent or not...because the management at Henrys has become completely bottom-dollar and customer-untethered (for want of a better term) driven. I went in about 6 months ago with a mint 15mm/2.8 AIS Nikon...with the bill...from where I had recently purchased it...I could not use it to trade for a 303SPH (plus cash) because my drivers licence was expired!!! They would not accept my identity as 'Shawn Gibson' even though half the people there knew me at the time and I have been in their computers/books for many, many years. This is after purchasing an 85/1.4 Zeiss from them less than 2 weeks previously...I understand Anti Money Laundering very well (on an educated yet superficial level), because my boss writes half of the legislation for it in Canada. Henrys has no clue what they are doing. That was the last time I will ever go to Henrys. Sadly, Shawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee hamiel Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 Shawn Go get a current license:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawngibson Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 LOL I don't ride anymore...and I would be nothing but a dangerous threat in a car (I suck!). But I will have to...or a passport. Least then I don't have to write the test...haha. Shawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawngibson Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 Let me clarify: I walked in with my photo health card, my SIN card, a cheque with my address, a recent paystub, my birth certificate (i.e., all this stuff I always carry)...the RECEIPT for the lens..and the expired licence. It was not good enough for them...I can understand the AML aspect if I was a stranger...but I have been going there for years! Even my BANK works according to the spirit of the law regarding these things. Shawn (I am all for AML regulations, by the way...just with a bit of common sense, please...) Heck I lived at Dundas/Church until a month ago...which they always knew because half the time I would 'be back in 5 minutes'...with whatever (bill, gear, money, etc.). Henrys has taken that approach with EVERYTHING in my recent experience. I am not a number, I am a free man. Oh wait, they got that part backwards... I better shut up now, this is approaching a level I find uncomfortable. I don't like saying bad things, but since it's photography, it's obviously close to my heart... Shawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawngibson Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 Obviously, my experience is pretty unique, and my frustration is that of someone who has felt betrayed - if you are considering Henrys...by all means do so...there are indeed a few people there I miss. Shawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff_lesergent Posted July 16, 2006 Share Posted July 16, 2006 <p>Probably the best photo equipment store in Canada is The Camera Store in Calgary: <a href="http://www.thecamerastore.com">http://www.thecamerastore.com</a></p> <p>I would avoid rip-off places like Vistek or Henry's, unless you have lots of money and the patience to explain to the staff what a camera is...</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bipin_pillay Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 Calgary -- The Camera Store; definitely one of the best Ottawa -- GINN ; also excellent Vistek -- The worst in CANADA. Henrys -- Overpriced in some cases Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_g5 Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 I wouldn't recommend buying from Kerrisdale Camera in Victoria. From my experience staff will tell you there is nothing they can do if you spend thousands on a camera or lens that comes loaded with faulty technology. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now