Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Medium Format / Film / Digital Backs – and Large Sensor Photography => Topic started by: simplify on July 10, 2008, 12:53:39 pm
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This is a little off topic but you people will know best. I just moved to San Francisco and I am looking for the best camera store in the city. I am located in Nob Hill, so something close would be nice. It would also be good if they were a Phase dealer, since I own one and may want to demo some stuff related in the future.
Thanks,
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I believe the only real Phase dealer as far as sales in the city is Calumet on Bryant St.
They also have a rental department. I would talk to Bob Tamura there. He is the "pro guy" in the store there. It is a lot easier to deal with a big company like Calumet if you have a good relation ship with someone there and Bob would be the guy.
Pro Camera on Minnesota St is a great Rental source as well.
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In addition. I think the best camera store in SF is not in SF but in Palo Alto, a half hour to the South.... Keeble and Shuchat.
Also down in that area is Bear Images. They handle Phase.
http://www.bearimages.com/bearimages.com/Digital_Tools.html (http://www.bearimages.com/bearimages.com/Digital_Tools.html)
Just a little knowledge to throw around. Pro Camera which is out by me used to be a Samy's from El Lay. I think they have the best rental dept in the City.
For an old time very well equipped camera store, Adoph Gasser on 2nd is the place to go. Both for still and video/motion. Historically their prices have been high.
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Most of the places have been covered. Since you are shooting with medium format and Phase One, I would rank them:
1) Bear Images in Palo Alto
-- give them a call, talk to Diane to get on the mailing list for their Phase One seminars, etc. Let her know that you are a Phase One owner and what your interests are. She can answer many P1 questions, since she owns one herself and shoots studio fine art.
The owners are very experienced with Phase One as they have set up archive and studio projects all over the world.
There are full-line Phase One, Mamiya and Canon digital dealers. They still have NIB Contax gear.
2) Calumet (18th & Bryant)
They have all the studio gear, film, paper, bags, small parts, etc. you might need in a shop that is "local". I haven't dealt with their pro digital people in a few years. They are helpful, but clearly not as knowledgeable as Bear.
3) Keeble & Shuchat in Palo Alto
Probably one of the last full-line photo dealers in the Bay Area. They have two stores:
a. Consumer - Canon, Leica, Nikon, Olympus, Sony digital cameras, books, tripods, etc. If you need it, they probably have it.
b. Professional - Medium & large Format, Hasselblad, Mamiya; Hasselblad & Leaf digital; studio gear, used equipment & rentals.
The prices are retail, but if you are a professional and build report, they do offer concessions.
As for rentals in the City, I'll defer to the above posts.
Hope this helps.
NGOphotographer
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Awesome. Thanks for the great advice. I am sure I will check all of these guys out. Its all about how a place feels to me, and the energy the people carry.
Thanks,