Beware of buying your photo equipment at big box stores. A number of my SAIT photo students have had problems with photo equipment they purchased at Future Shop, Costco, Best Buy, London Drugs, WalMart and the like.
These aren’t dedicated photo retailers and they sell consumer-grade equipment.
Typically the sales people don’t know enough about what they are selling, or how it integrates with the product line of the photo manufacturer. One day you will need extra lenses and other accessories. Does the box store have the electronic cable release you need for your night photo class? I doubt it. Some of the problems I have heard about are:
- up-selling people something they didn’t need like extra lenses and cheap UV filters
- selling crappy accessories like plastic tripods that don’t fasten the camera properly – lots of complaints on this one
- malfunctioning cameras that no one knows how to deal with when you bring them back
- lousy and rushed service overall – they tell you what you want to hear
In Calgary the prices at the independent photo retailers will usually be lower than the box stores without even asking.
A couple of years ago I was in the market for a high-end compact camera to take on vacations. It was advertised on sale in the weekly big box store flyer for $499 to $549. When I got to the photo store I was thinking I’d have a closer look and if it was a lot more than $499, I’d turn around an buy it at the other place. To my delight, I was told the price was $482! Even less than the “on sale” prices I had seen in the flyer that morning. Plus, I got a whole load of extras thrown in for the store’s Christmas promotion. I didn’t even have to ask if they’d match the box store price. The lesson I learned that day was to trust my photo retailer for the small, as well as the large purchases.
Incidentally, my favourite photo retailers in Calgary are:
These retailers also give back to the local photographic community by sponsoring student photo exhibits, trade events, and participating in city-wide photography festivals. And, they will give you a student discount if you ask, so don’t forget your ID.
When was the last time Future Shop organized a book signing for an up-and-coming local photographer?
Visit and support your local retailers and get to know one or two sales reps a bit. The next time you are in the store they will remember you and you will have a wonderful time spending your money. It’s a lot easier to part with your money if you get a higher perceived value for it and have a learning experience while you’re at it.
So before you go loading up your credit cards at the nearest mall, head out to your local independent photo retailer and discover a whole new community of experts on cameras, lighting, printing and more. And get yourself a good tripod while you’re at it!
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