Detroit shops for medium format (TLR)

[mbetea]

Well this is the third time I tried buying a TLR online and get the

shaft. "Apparently" this one seems to have gotten lost in the mail.

Whatever, I'm just about done doing anything online. Does anyone know

of any shops around the Detroit area that has a decent used stock of

medium format, perferably tlr's? So frustrating sometimes. Thanks.

 

matt

[robert fox]

Don't know exactly what you are looking for, but you can try the Shutter Shop on Main Street in downtown Milford, MI .....

[feroze_momin]

Try the following stores:

1. Nathan Camera. Woodward Avenue

 

2. Adray Camera. Dearborn and Troy

 

3. Century Camera. Woodward Avenue. Royal Oak

Good Luck!

F Momin

[m_.]

why don't you ask for online payment option and ask for insurance and tracking information? I have bought and sold so many items online and never had any lost items (okay, once when the seller decided not to purchase a tracking code so he paid the money back).

[mbetea]

Feroze-

Where is Nathan Camera? I went searching for them a couple weeks ago. From their address, they should be right on Woodward right before that school. But all I see there is a couple vacant buildings and an art supply store. Century, I'll have to go back and look. I was in there a few weeks ago, though not looking for anything MF, so I didn't notice.

 

This last one, he sent it USPS, I don't know how yet as he hasn't gotten back to me about that. Previously when the camera didn't show up after a week and a half I asked him and he gave me some insurance number, which you can't readily find anything out from that number. I have no idea why he wouldn't use $0.50 of the $15.00 he charged for shipping to get tracking info. Not to mention $15.00 for some kind of low rate service from USPS seems a bit pricey to me. I've shipped a few cameras and computer equipment costing a lot more than this camera, so I have an idea of what shipping should cost. He had perfect feedback and sold only camera equipment.

 

Sorry for the little rant, but thank you guys for the help.

 

matt

[m_.]

I did suspect that the package is in that guys garage rather with USPS. You can't deliver apackage that is not there in the first place. If you pay with a credit card, I'd cancel it and never talk to the person again.

[jay_.]

Matt: Tom Nathan closed his store recently, I heard he was going to Law School. About the only place in Detroit with any selection of used gear is Century on Woodward north of 13 on the west side. They've been around for ages, the original owner passed away about a year or two ago and his son Kenny runs the shop now. Kenny (he's the sort of portly guy with grey balding hair)really knows his stuff having grown up in the biz. Unfortunately their prices are usually off the chart IMO. Back in the day there were many good camera stores in the Detroit area, especially Lobby Hobby which was on Woodward just north of 6 on the east side. For its day it was like a camera superstore. For some reason they went out of business in the 70's.

 

Your best bet for TLR stuff is www.keh.com. You get 14 days no questions asked to return the stuff for any reason and pay only for shipping. If you keep it there's a 60-day warranty. They've got a so-so selection of Rolleiflex, a decent number of Yashicamat, and a *ton* of Mamiya TLR gear.

[dennis_oconnor2]

Matt, I'm up in Saginaw and I speak TLR fluently... Drop me a line at

doconnor@chartermi.net if you want to chat about it... I have soem suggestions...

 

Denny

[mark_erickson]

There are a number of reputable companies that sell TLR's. The above-mentioned KEH, Koh's Cameras, Midwest Photo Exchange, Pacific Rim Camera a just a few. Check their reputations on the "Recommendations" section of the Photo.net community. You may pay more, but I view it as paying for transaction reliability and the exchange policies offered by better used dealers. What brand TLR are you looking for?

[david a.]

Another option you have is to try across the border. Turn Around Camera had some TLRs last time I was in. I can help you find it, if you wish.

[chris_henry1]

Matt,

 

Good luck finding a shop anywhere that has TLRs period, let alone a good stock from

which to choose. FWIW, when I lived in Detroit, in the late 90s, they had a pretty

good number of shops around town. There was one near the Institute of Art, and two

more on upper Woodward, Century being one of them. There was also an odd little

shop over in Grosse Pointe Woods that had a junk-shop atmosphere, but piles of old

cameras and accessories. They even had a website. Can't say if they are still there,

because it's been awhile, but the staff was friendly and well informed.

 

As for mailing costs, all I can say is that they have gone up. Insurance easily can

double the cost of sending a parcel by first-class or priority service, and the

difference between parcel post cost and first-class is often less than $1. Packaging

can easily cost $4, for a simple box and some packing peanuts, so a total of $15 for a

parcel is common and reasonable. Registered mail can double transit times, even

within the same city (I know that from experience). If you want tracking, ask for the

parcel to be sent FedEx or UPS, or ask the sender to add USPS Delivery Confirmation.

Most commercial shippers won't buy it if they already have insurance purchased, as

the package will already have an insurance identifier. (Why spend even more when it

doesn't get the package there any sooner?) The USPS ingeniously markets delivery

confirmation to make money, and to calm the nervous.

[feroze_momin]

AS mentioned in the above posting by Jay, Nathan camera is now closed. There is a photorama show at the Holiday Inn in Southfield (on Telegraph Just south of 696) this coming weekend. Usually there are many TLRs available although I have never bought any equipment from the show.

F M

[dave schlick]

first stop lossing hair over this....if he sent it USPS insured, you will be covered ok.. i have great luck with the post office.. they do loose stuff once in a while but rarely, and it all takes time... a week and a half you should be seeing it any day.. but it takes about that long on long journeys.. he should have the reciept and with it he will know if you have recieved it.. as they will record where and when it was delivered.. and have a copy of the signature on file at the post office.. get the correct number and go to the post office, and ask how long you have to wait before you can collect insurance.. im not sure if he gets it your you get the money... if he has good rating (over 98 percent) then you wont have to worry... he has to take care of problems to keep that good of rateing.. but again you must be patient.. if you want three day service you have to pay extra for it.. but again all insured parcels sent thru the post office are entered upon delivery and he and you will both know when where and to who it was delivered.. but you may need to go to the post office to get the info.. ... you will either get the camera or a refund.. most people are very buisy right now, and are overwhelmed with all the buisness from everyone spending the money the borrowed from the cheap interest rates.... good luck dave...