Photo Stores in San Francisco

[terry_mctigue]

Hi, Am travelling from Australia in 2 weeks. Could anyone recommend a camera

store in San Francisco for buying eos lens, preferably with website.

Thanks

Terry

[jrh]

www.gassers.com

[john_r._fulton_jr.]

You might want to drive just a short distance down the peninsula to Palo Alto. <a

href="http://www.kspphoto.com/activepages/main.html">Keeble & Shuchat</a> Photo is

quite good. Telephone

+1-650-327-8996.

[tbelleza]

calumetphoto.com

[KenPapai]

I agree above -- the only good camera store I've been to in SF is Adolph Gassers (on 2nd between Mission and Howard). It's handy to me--that location. Others mentioned above have a good rep too.

[gdanmitchell]

<p>I'll second the recommendation for the Keeble and Schuchat stores in Palo Alto. They are

a 5 minute walk from the Caltrain station in case you are riding the trail down the peninsula

from San Francisco.

 

<p>website: <a href="http://www.kspphoto.com/">Keeble and Schuchat</a>

[fourfa]

you'll pay full retail plus 8.25% sales tax at all these stores. you'll probably be able to buy mail-order from B&H and have it shipped to SF, and likely save a bundle. Just FYI.

[Spearhead]

You can negotiate with some of the clerks at Keeble & Shuchat. They know the B&H price, and I've gotten them to match it or come close.

[fourfa]

really? hasn't worked for me in the past. good to know.

[chinoloco93]

Keeble & Shuchat in Palo Alto is good. San Jose Camera in San Jose is cheaper then K&S most of the time, but the guys who work there are always grumpy. Adolph Gassers and Calumet are in the City itself.

If you can get over night shipping, Adorama or Amazon still might be cheaper since the sales tax is so high. Avoid the dealers in Fisherman Wharf if possible. They might have good prices, but I don't know if they are authorized dealers or if they sell Gray Market. They will Wheel and Deal though if you want to try to get a bargain.

[Brad_]

I enjoy going through <a href= "http://www.bearimages.com/web-content/

index.html">Bear Images Photographic</a>, just a few blocks away from Keeble and

Shuchat in Palo Alto. And always get -5% off canon stuff. A really interesting store, though a

bit disorganized.

[Spearhead]

Andy, you have to pick the right clerks. Some are open to bargaining.

 

Bear is terrific, a bit farther from the train station.

[wgpinc]

Calumet has a big photo retail outlet in the Mission District of San Francisco. Gasser's (Second Street near Howard) prices are retail outlet - a little higher than mail order of course and their inventory is limited. They have a pro film department downstairs and a good rental counter. Sales staff are decently knowledgeable. Two other good stores in the area are Seawoods in San Anselmo and Reeds in Walnut Creek (both have some good used Leica inventory usually as well as dslrs). Good Luck,

[paul_sauer]

My opinion is Calumet (part of a nationwide chain of pro stores) is the only good photo store left in San Francisco -- they have stuff in stock and prices that are not that much more than B&H. Gassers may have been good at one point, but it's quite sleepy now and feels like it's lost in time.

 

As other posters have said, you will pay 8.25% California sales tax on any purchase.

 

If you can B&H or Amazon to ship to where you are staying.

 

If you want to gaze at a bunch old used film bodies, you can look in the window of Discount Camera (the name is a misnomer) on Kearny and Market. The window has become a bit of a museum.

 

Do not come to SF expecting incredible bargains on equipment. Come to TAKE photographs and come to eat!

[gdanmitchell]

"San Jose Camera in San Jose is cheaper then K&S most of the time, but the guys who work

there are always grumpy."

 

And they won't negotiate. I thought they were going to throw me out of the store one time

when I mentioned the notion. I still shop there for some items though since they are quite

close to me.

[phyrpowr]

For a hoot, go down to the water, Ghiardelli Square/Fisherman's Wharf area, and just walk by the camera shops with one slung over your shoulder, they come running out at you

 

Don't buy there though

[greg_tan]

" San Jose Camera in San Jose is cheaper then K&S most of the time, but the guys who work there are always grumpy.

 

Man, I thought it was just me. I went there once to buy the 17-40 and they wouldn't even put it on a camera so I could check it out. Every camera store I have ever been to has been kind enough to do that.

 

As a side note there are about a million photo stores across the street from Fisherman's wharf. I am absolutely positive the stuff they sell from Canon has to be grey market/refurbished or both. The prices are dirt cheap, but I guess you would be SOL if something did not work. If you look hard though they do have some hard to find stuff like the old Canon Pro1 with the box and everything. It's comical how they try to sell you stuff. They definitely have their routines down "... hello my friend, for you we have special sale..." LOL.

[jeff_conrad]

I'll second the recommendations of Keeble and Shuchat, Bear Images, and Calumet. Gasser are another possibility, but they are far from what they once were. I tried negotiating with San Jose Camera just once, on an item for which their price was quite high. The response I got was downright hostile, so I've never been back. This happened many years ago, so they may have changed (though from others' comments, it doesn't sound like it).

[mpalmquist]

My first choice would be K&S, then Gasser (though It's been a couple years since I went to Gasser's and it was for large format equipment) K&S has always had 'decent' prices, very knowledgeable and helpfull staff, and the best local selection of mid to high end canon gear.

[chinoloco93]

BTW.. most of the Bay Area is 8.5-8.75% sales tax now. Sales tax on a $1000 lens is 85-87 bucks. Overnight shipping often is only $30-$40.

 

Dan, Greg, Jeff, the only time the guys at San Jose Camera smiles is when you leave the building so they don't have to do any work. I swear, you have to pass a grump test to work there.

 

If it makes anyone feel better, none of the guys at the Fisherman Wharf are authorzed Canon dealers according to the Canon Website. I am sure most if not all their products are Gray Market. Its the only way I know it can be that cheap.. in a tourist trap.Oh well...

[jim_larson1]

Funny. . . I was just down there tonight! (spare time on a buisness trip).

 

I did not inquire prices. . .but I noted an amazing similarity in stock. Lots of 75-300 lenses. One or two 70-300's. More than a few 90-300's! Occasionally some flavor of the 70-200. (a few 4L-IS's, a few 2.8L-IS's). Everyone had a 35-80. Nobody had a 85/1.8 :) One dealer had a few 24-105/4L's.