TheGoodGrief
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Upload & Sell: Off
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I'm really fortunate to have a couple nice options in my area. Pro Photo Supply has a nice selection of new equipment, and frequently has good used pieces come through. This weekend, I went in and tried out Canon, Sigma, Tamron, Tokina, and Zeiss lenses. It's my primary stop for my digital stuff, and I'm not alone - the place is busy! They have a good processing/printing branch, as well as a rental shop.
While the selection is nice, some of the staff seem disinterested at times, and it has a cold feel to it. Some work on aesthetics would go a long way, but they're the biggest digital game in town, and I don't think it's driving the customers away; it's just not comfortable. The processing side feels much better, but they don't have to contend with storing all the product.
For film equipment, I check Blue Moon Camera first. They don't seem to revise their prices very often, so there will be items on their shelf forever with ridiculous tags on them, but they have a nice array of large format cameras at decent prices. I see lots of customers there when I go, and they keep it well staffed. They never forged into digital, which is noble, I guess.
The shop space is small, but cozy, and has a nice feel - wooden floors, typewriters lining the walls, hardcover photography books on display - not unlike walking into a used book store. I'm afraid that analogy is too accurate, if you know what I mean. If anywhere can support it long term, it might be Portland.
Citizen photo is another good film-centric shop. I haven't been there since the shop moved, but prior to the move, the workspace was cluttered and the staff was short and terse. I've only been twice, so the sample size isn't great, but there isn't anything I need from them that someone else in town doesn't do. There isn't much for sale, but still worth a look if you like rare used equipment. Their game is in the processing and printing.
In general, I really appreciate having high quality shops in town - especially those that specialize in different things. I still order some things from online sources, but to be able to go into a brick and mortar shop and try out 8 lenses before making my decision made a great difference for me.
One minor complaint, which I'm hoping doesn't come across as whiny, is that in some analog shops, I've felt a bit of a "you're young, so you couldn't possibly know what you're talking about" attitude from time to time, which soon loosens up after a bit of talking. It doesn't really bother me much, but I imagine it would turn off some other customers. For a business that's facing a lot of challenges already, scaring off future business is a risky prospect.
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