Stopped by to grab a few rolls of 35mm film for an old Olympus I found of my dads on my cross country trip. Got a roll of Kodak and two disposables(for less than most stores Ill add) brought up that my lens was cracked and the father offered me a perfect fit lens for $100 which is honestly not a bad deal. Especially considering the convenience, went back and changed them out in my hotel! I dont think the place is a tourist trap, not sure why a few folks had any kind of negative experience. This father son combo was extremely helpful and Id recommend this place to anyone in need!

This place is amazing and the owner and his son were awesome to say the least. I brought my wife to check out a lens and we ended up walking out with more than what we had originally came for. They did an amazing job fixing two of her lenses and the knowledge my wife walked out of their without asking was amazing. Honestly I dont care if prices are more expensive than online since that will always be the case but the hospitality the owner and his son gave my wife was worth every penny spent. I would definitely recommend this place to my friends especially someone who isnt afraid of spending a little extra cash.

The owner is a wealth of knowledge and passionate about cameras. I was visiting from Los Angeles and stopped in to look for a lens for my Nikon FM2. They have a wide range of options and I left with a great macro zoom lens, I couldn’t be happier with my purchase! I went back a second time to purchase 35mm film, which was on the pricier side than what I found on amazon but I was already in store and could shoot with it the same day. The cost of film stock is definitely going up these days so they do charge a competitive price but all in all I highly recommend this store if you’re looking to buy vintage lenses in good condition.

The shop owner is a con man with no knowledge of what his products are actually worth and will charge you 4x the price. On top of that if you do buy something don’t expect to get your money back he will not refund your money. Avoid coming here if you’re looking for anything film related . There’s better options in the bay area if you’re looking to buy cameras, lenses, and film.

Scam, rip off, tourist trap.Sold me a cheap, scuffed, USED lens hood for $39 without packaging or a receipt. The exact same lens hood goes for $0.79 on AliExpress and $6 on EBay brand new. They also tried to pressure me into buying a UV filter.Beware that all purchases are final. You can attempt to exchange for something else but only according to their bloated prices.Im all for supporting local businesses, but this is abhorrent. Do not trust these people. Avoid them like the plague.

HUGE SCAM. maintenance of camera parts but terrible customer service: they use your lack of knowledge on cameras against you and charge you excessive amounts of money for things that are much cheaper different places. RIP OFF!!! and the main seller wasn’t wearing a mask and spitting all over us. TOURIST TRAP!!!

The owner there was very aggressive and kept trying to rush me and my friends out of the store even though we were buying the camera, and on top of that the film he put in the camera (which was an extra $15) all had light leaks so all the film was destroyed and the camera prints out the photos poorly so now I have to take it to a different store to get it fixed and get new film. Would not recommend.

Be carefull, this guy is a THIEF!!!!He sold me a 128 Gb memory Card for cameras for 54 $!! I was not aware of the real price before I checked through internet and Amazon. Real price is around 25 box. RUN AWAY!!!!!And of course, he was telling me that it was a great offer...DO NOT TRUST this shop, just run.Fred

A professional and wonderful store.I arrived after I had arranged my arrival about three weeks before landing in San Francisco.I ordered a camera and lenses and they were waiting for me in the store until the day I arrived.The prices are the same as those advertised on the net and even cheaper.A nice salesman named Dar greeted me and the shopping experience was excellent and professional.An hour after I left the store I had already taken pictures white the equipment Id bought.Thank you Camera Zone

They totally took care of me. I love this place.

Such great service. Family run business.

Stopped by to get some disposable cameras and ended up getting up charged about 40% of what I could have from an online retailer.

I had a friend visit from out of state and she is a camera gal so she brought her camera to take pics of them traveling. When in San Francisco, thieves broke into her rental car and stole her camera lens. Feeling bad about what happened, I was quite afraid that I wouldn’t be able to find the lens she had or something better so I decided to help her out. I found the exact same lens but the dude in the counter offered me an upgrade for almost the same price! Great service and it made my friend’s day!!! Thank you y’all!

I was urgent need a camera’s battery charger because I forgot to take it during my trip (yeah I was stupid). They asked me $65 for such a tiny stuff (which was not more than $20 online)! But I have no choice at that time. If you are not extremely urgent like me, you’d better try to find somewhere else.

Way overpriced, no refunds, no reason to shop here. Avoid.

Scam. I was trying to get camera stuff for gf but price was triple what it is online. Music too loud, they rush you. All the usual trappings of a con.

This Thursday (8/27)I ran across the street from Jing Ying Gift Shop, we need compressed air and they saved my day! Now Ive met a shop neighbor and look forward to getting the items I need for the photoshoot projects we will have going on at our shop. Thank you Resh!

This is a COMPLETE AND UTTER SCAM.

This is a fabulous shop, and they are located next to the best parking on the Embarcadero - 655 Beach. The prices are some of the best around, offering some tourist items and a lot of camera equipment. Locally owned by a friendly family or decades, this is a real find!

This place is great, I know what your thinking come on its smack in the middle of all the tourists but let me tell Dar and his father know there stuff. They are very professional and fair with their pricing. I had some questions regarding Sonys new g master lenses. Dar walked me through all of them and made me feel at ease with my purchase. I love the fact Im dealing with locals and not a big box store. Pure professionals, they are my go to Sony retailer.

Do your research. I trusted the guy at counter. He totally did me dirty. Avoid avoid avoid. SCAM SCAM SCAM. I have the receipts to prove it. Karma is coming for you.

Bought a polarised filter and a wide angle lens. Fantastic price. Customer service brill. Was served by a chinese man who really knew his cameras (and was a fantastic salesman). All the best in tour new premises in Chinatown.👍👍👍👍

Hello everyone out there looking at this review. This is my second time going to this GREAT store. The first time I bought the Canon 5D II . Right away I was greeted with a hello and how can we help you, I love that from a local and family business. My second time was just a few days ago to pick up the new Canon 5D III and again they were very warming and the service was fast and great. Yes they asked if I needed anything else but at the time I couldnt afford anything else. Just know in a few weeks I will be back there to buy more and Im spreading the word about Camera Zone. Great Store for anyone and they have it all. Thank you Camera Zone and the Great staff that is there.

Just totally ripped me off. Was looking for a Macro lens and the one they demonstrated looked the part and did the job. Threw in some extras as well to make it seem like they were doing me a good deal. Get home to find out its a $20 lens you can get off Amazon which I just paid $170 for. More fool me but just be warned.

My experience was excellent with Camera Zone SF before I even entered the store.I knew I was looking for a Canon Rebel series camera but wasnt sure which one to get. I emailed the store asking some questions and explained what I needed in a camera in hopes of making my decision easier when I showed up.Dar (the manager) was very fast to answer my questions in great detail via email. We went back and forth 4 times.When I finally made it to the store he remembered me immediately.Dar as extremely helpful when it came to helping me pick out a new camera. He even stayed open late to accommodate my schedule.I recommend Dar and his family owned Camera Zone SF store to anyone looking for a new camera or accessories. They are extremely knowledgeable and have a great selection in stock.I cant wait to go use my new Canon Rebel T5i. Thanks Dar!

I used to buy all of my camera equipment online because I couldnt find a local store with reasonable prices and good customer service. I was referred to Camera Zone by a friend thats had good experiences here.What a find! Everything you want, nothing you dont. The rep lets you test the gear hands-on, great prices, go home with your purchase instead of waiting/paying for shipping.

Ive dealt again, recently, with Dar and Camera Zone for two camera purchases. As always, excellent service (and among the first in the Bay Area to receive the latest Canon and Sony gear). A very good store and a great family to do business with. I remain 100% satisfied.

They take advantage of the high volume of tourists and will gouge you whenever the opportunity presents itself. I allowed myself to fall victim by not asking for pricing on the particular neutral density filter I purchased. Upon stating that I wanted the filter, the man behind the counter proceeds to scratch off the price tag and ring me up at $93 and change for a neutral density filter and a plastic cap for my Sony a7 body.It was a blatant move to hide the listed price of the store and take advantage of my aloofness. That is my fault. The insult to injury is that ***ALL PURCHASES ARE FINAL***. This is for good reason, as their business model of gouging when possible couldnt happen because the products would be promptly returned. This is truly a situation of buyer beware.I was in a hurry and made a purchase on a whim. Do your research and do not fall victim to this nonsense. This shop made a mortal enemy for $40. This type of business practice will cost them dearly. Hope it was worth it.

I went here for a passport photo. Very inexpensive and the owner is very helpful and knowledgeable about the passport application process. Also appreciated that he let me take a few pictures until I was happy with the result. Printing took less than five minutes.

We were just in San Francisco (Two weeks ago) on the last leg of our 15 day vacation when I dropped my camera Panasonic TZ70 on the pavement outside a restaurant . I spotted Camera Zone from our open top bus and headed straight there after our tour. ( having used my phone to continue taking photos). I was greeted immediately and after explaining my problem, the gentleman checked out the damaged camera.A replacement camera was the best option and I got the same one ( different number in the UK) at an excellent price. Upon my return home, I contacted my travel insurance to claim. I was asked for a damage report which I requested via email to the store. A few hours later, I had a fully written report! It was a personal, well written and covered everything I needed. I can highly recommend Camera Zone! It is conveniently located, easy to find and good set up within.

Very helpful and knowledgeable. The products bought were the best prices compared to online.

Went here today (2/25/2016) and bought a Panasonic LUMIX camera. The guy (neat beard well trimmed) was very nice and and did not over sell me and he was well informed about his product line. I had an idea of what I was looking for and willing to spend ahead of time and he did a great job keeping the price of the camera, lens filter, and extra battery all under the price I was willing to pay. I highly recommend going here but know what you are looking for ahead of time and buy from a camera shop and not a big box store. Thanks - Boston, MA

This is completely my experience.I was really happy making business with Camera Zone SF. I bought a Nikon D7100 and I am very satisfied with this store.I was in touch with Dar and he helped me to let me know if they have the camera that I am looking in store or not and also kept the Camera on hold for me for a day.Highly recommended.

Wish I had looked at the reviews here more closely, this shop is just a tourist RIP OFF... The staff seemed nice enough, and I thought they were giving me genuine professional advise as a non camera savvy person. How wrong I was, they completely shafted me with overpriced out of date camera that I subsequently found should have been half the price I paid.A painful lesson, dont make the same mistake - Dont shop there!

This place seem to have competent people working there, unfortunately the place is a scam. They will sell you outdated products at outrageous price levels despite that they seem to be having 50% price drop status at all times? Do yourself a favor, check prices on amazon before even bothering walking inside this store. That is if amazon still has those old items in stock, places like this exist only to exploit naive tourists.

I found Dar via CL. They had a special on the RX100, and it was a good offer I thought twice about, because so many times, things that are too good to be true arent. Here was an exception, and Dar save one for me and was really good with communication and is a nice guy in real life. I made my way to their shot in the pouring rain, but it was worth it! Thanks Dar!

Recently purchase a Fuji XE-1 and 18-55mm lens. Their service was excellent and very customer friendly. Will definitely call on them again.Nice to find a local business who provides service and prices to rival online retailers. Buy local and enjoy personal service.

What a great shop! The friendly, helpful camera shop is one of the losses we have suffered due to internet incursion that is most to be mourned. But this place restores my faith. Nice people, low pressure but knowledgeable. I would return.

I am VERY remiss in giving this excellent review as I had lost my notes from a long road trip I took in 2010. I mistakenly left my camera charger in a hotel in Malibu, CA and did not discover it till staying in Frisco. I panicked and called Camera Zone. Lo and behold, a yong man named Dar came to my hotel, bringing a couple of different chargers with him to match up with mine. What a fabulous rescue! He also brought a car charger, which I did not know was available and an extra battery. He was so nice I could scarcely believe it. He would not accept a tip and just wished me a lovely vacation with lots of good photos. I still find it hard to believe even after 2 1/2 years have gone by. This is one caring company, believe me. I live in Orlando, FL and have never before experienced this! If hes still with the company, he is definitely the man to see!!!

I purchased two Sigma lenses for my NEX 7 from Dar at Camera Zone. The prices were well below the major online retailers. Dar was great to work with. I wasnt able to go to his store so Dar dropped off the lenses to me at my work. The transaction was super easy. Im very happy with my purchase and will always consider Camera Zone when Im in the market for new camera gear.

Just picked up an a6300 and two lenses. Great experience and they let me test as well. Prices were very competitive, lower than Amazon so was able to save and get great service!Will buy from these guys again. Thank you!

I responded to a Craigslist advertisement offering excellent prices on new Nikon D800s. I was surprised at the good pricing - much lower than other stores, and equal to or lower than ads for slightly used D800s.The seller, Dar, was very helpful both by email and phone. The purchase (cash only) was quick, and Dar was very helpful in answering all my questions, in addition to allowing me to conduct a thorough check out of the camera before completing the purchase. Nikon has had some problems with early D800 units, and I wanted to confirm that these issues had been resolved in this camera. Dar was well aware of the reported problems and was happy to let me confirm that the issues had indeed been resolved.All in all I was quite happy with the experience, and I would purchase from Dar again.

DONT BUY THERE. TRAP! They sell products for many times more than you can find in any world known website or local store. I was a victim. I bought a product that I discovered later that was overpriced and came back in following day to return and be refunded. The attendant refused to refund and became very rude his tone and being very sarcastic. Dont be a victim. I hope authorities take some attitude about this place.

Excellent, friendly staff. Competitive prices.On the surface, this may look like a tourist camera store (based primarily from their location), but they very much cater to the professional community too. Ive had a very good experience with them.

What can I say. Amazing staff. Excellent service. Highly recommended if you live in San Fran or are just visiting and need any gear. I cant thank you all enough!!

In SF from 30/5 - 2/6. went into store and bought a second camera battery, and charger for our Aussie devices, and a memory card. great, helpful service and great price. thanks guys. appreciate all your help.

Straight up lied to me about the returns. Bought a Fujifilm X-T3 which is a great camera but to complicated for the type of photography my son is doing. They will not return it even though its unused.

Best prices for new equipment in the entire Bay Area, let alone the City. Dont waste your time going anywhere else if you want to get it new. They even have the highest in demand gear you cant find anywhere else. I dont know how they do it, but you wont be disappointed. Ask for Dar.

Do not purchase from here, owner is a scumbag, I went in to buy a fisheye lens for my Sony a6000, the guy sold me a wide angle converter which is a crap quality fish eye for $200, that you can get on amazon for $30. Lens quality is terrible, was an Absolute rip-off. When looking at the reviews you will notice that they are either a 1 or 5 star, they are falsifying good reviews.

Purchased a Nikon D810 Brand new for much less than Amazon or B&H Photo.Easily saved a few hundred including the taxes. Dar and staff were very nice. Clean place, lots of equipment.Only the parking is a bit difficult (but then again anywhere in SF is not easy). Certainly will hit up Dar for my next purchase. D810 ROCKS!

I have purchased several cameras and lenses over the years, and will happily continue to do so. Dar has been very responsive in all correspondence, and their prices are hard too beat! Recommended.

Thank you Camera Zone for my new Sony a7R II. I have been looking everywhere in stores and online, nobody had it in stock and available to purchase, but you Camera Zone did! I even purchased a few Sony Zeiss lenses to go along with the camera for a wedding shoot I have next week. Will be back for sure to get more equipment.

CHARLATANS! STAY AWAY!!If I could give this place 0 stars, I would.1- my 10 year old bought a trinket, gave a $20 bill and was swindled on the change. He did not check, and I realized too late.2- My husband, who does not know the price of medium format film, paid $260 for what should have cost $100.3- THE FILM THEY SOLD WAS EXPIRED.Mind the reviews, this place is trash.

Do some recearch before you buy here. Bought a gopro hero 7 Black with starterkit (extra battery, selfie stick and memory card). The starterkit was 150 dollar and he sayd youre cheaper off this way. Boy was i wrong. Hé gave me a cheap 24 dollar selfiestick with a 10 dollar battery and a 20 dollar memory card. So if you can count thats not 150 dollars.

Ive had some great and terrible experiences with framers in CA, but this one was the absolute best. The price was exactly within my budget, the order was completed early, they offered delivery for a $30 fee and it looks absolutely perfect.

Im happy with my Fujifilm x100S. Bought it here brand new for a GOOD DEAL. The price was very reasonable. Cheaper than elsewhere, even Amazon. Recommend.

Dar is awesome.Good Prices, Honest service. Cant say anything bad about him.Highly recommend.

I have been purchasing cameras from Dar for several years. Included in this is the Sony A7R and the Sony Nex 7 as well as Zeiss glass for these cameras. Dar has been very responsive to my inquiries and his customer service is top notch. I have referred my cousin to him as well as one of my close photography friends who is VERY picky on where he buys his equipment and he has been more than satisfied. Highly RECOMMENDED!!!

I found Dar on craigslist, he had a list of Sony items for sale. Price is about 10%~15% cheaper than eBay or Amazon, plus you get to do local pick up, and you get a receipt. I couldnt make it into the city to pick it up, so Dar agreed to meet me at another location for pick up. Great price, great service, great product. Thanks.

Dar met with me locally since I lived quite a bit away from SF.... and he personally delivered Sony A77 kit that I had purchased. He was awesome to work with. Thanks, Dar!

Closes at 7 instead of 8 in winter months but they still let me in well past closing time to purchase some film. Would absolutely come back.

Ive bought a couple cameras from Dar. Always has the best deal and goes out of his way to make sure Ive got what I want when I want it. Give these guys a shot before you go to B&H or Amazon.

I bought a Canon SD 850 IS here for about the right price, but the guy definitely over-charged me for the extra battery and 1GB SD card. (Next time Ill be more careful!) Prices arent outrageous for the central location in a tourist trap.

A gentleman who worked there immediately helped us out with a broken UV screen on our camera. He had to pry it away and clean the lens with blasts of air. He was an expert, saved our camera and the UV lens was very affordable.

Bought another camera from Camera Zone; their prices are even lower than the best online price; Dar, the owner greeted me personally and cordially; always a pleasure for me to deal with them; Just have to drive a bit but camera can be gotten and inspected the same day, no hassles; highly recommended, Again!

I found Dar on Craigslist, while looking for a lens for my Sony NEX-7. At first, I was a little cautious, as his prices were lower than any other legit camera store in the bay area. This is always a red flag for me, as most stores have about the same prices plus or minus a few dollars.Turns out, he is for real and so is his store.The experience was great, the price was what he quoted, he provided a receipt and I will buy from him again.

This place is a gem, they do great work, and the service never disappoints. Rock on Camera Zone & Art Gallery.

These guys are crooks and expertly prey on innocent people! The item they sold us isnt even on their website. BEWARE!

Awesome shop. I was visiting San Francisco to take pictures and my memory card failed. Helped me out and got my camera back up in running in no time

I recently purchased a Canon 430EX II Speedlite flash and got a really great deal and top notch customer experience !!!Dar (sales manager) was so helpful & very professional and took the time to explain the features of the flash vs the old model ... Highly recommend this family owned business !You will be happy and save $$ too ....Happy shopping at Camera Zone & Art Gallery !!!

Guy at the store was very rude. Almost get offended that i did not want to buy. Lol

Tried calling today to see if they had the Phottix Odin flash triggers in stock and could not have found a less helpful, or more rude associate. I have been trying to locate the items locally and had called 3 other stores in San Francisco area and found the others to be extremely helpful and polite until I called Camera Zone. Terrible customer service not worth your time to deal with.

I am new to photography, and wanted a new vintage lens for my camera. Im new, but Im not stupid. The guy in the shop was friendly at first, but when I told him my budget was smaller he completely changed his tone and became super rude. He started pushing me aggressively to buy his lense for $100, a great price. I left because I really thought the way he treated me was disgusting. Oh, and I found the same lense for $25 elsewhere. So thats how far his great price goes.

Have learnt the hard way that this place is an absolute rip off. Do not shop here.

Extremely helpful and accommodating at a more than competitive price point. I am very satisfied with my purchased and the overall experience.

Thank you for the wonderful service Dar! You too will be happy that you visited or called the Camera Zone. A local camera store that can provide you with the products you need at a very competive price.

This is the only worst experience i had in otherwise a beautiful San Francisco over a weeks time. Man the guy at the counter for the SD Cards is so rude, racist and used fowl language. ABUSED us. This is by the only experience i want to forget in the USA. Shame on U.

Dar at Camera Zone & Art Gallery delivered top notch customer service, I purchased my Canon 1dx(a 6,000 camera body) here and the transaction went very smooth. I recommend that anyone who needs gear at the right price check out Camera Zone & Art Gallery.

Disgusting treat. Thw guy shouted at me while chewing his breakfast. Rude and arrogant.Never going to be back, I rather spend my money somewhere else. Originally went for buying a GoPro and will advise them to remove this shop from their official retailers

I bought a Nikon D800 and a Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 lens from Camera Zone and I am extremely satisfied with Camera Zone, in particular their service. I worked with Dar over email and phone to verify some questions and he was very responsive and patient with all of my questions. I was a bit hesitant only because their store was in SF and I live in San Ramon and I didnt feel like trekking out there with my sick wife and 2 little ones. Dar offered to meet me at Starbucks in Danville, as it turns out that he lives there too. This saved me tons of time and also money. Their prices were better than B&H and I was able to see the product before I bought them. I would recommend them (Dar) to anyone.

If you want to save some money on new equipment, call Dar.Quick, fast and as promised merchandise.

Rip off artists. If they will sense you are not camera savvy they will screw you over on prices without remorse. They will also trick you into using cash so nobody can use chargebacks against them. According to them credit card fees are 13% per transaction, which they will gladly add to your bill. RIPOFF !!!!

These folks were very helpful finding an empty lens box I needed for my lens. Thank you!

Love this place,Im a local....born n raised I used to go to bestbuy...to get my gear...honestly...f ..bestbuy...Dar gave me all the help I need also answered all my question...got a d5100 lens....even got my boss to get a d7000 from them...simple answer great place to go to get your gear...n a actual person who knows what there doing...hit up Dar...dean......thx...Dar....

Got a great deal on a new Canon 7D Mark II. Thanks DAR!

They sell cheap Chinese crap that does not work, and do not accept returns. They offer store credit, with 25% restocking fee. Terrible business never shop here.

DO NOT GO THIS RUDE SHOP.Extrmely rude guys. These guys treating me like a jerk, I just asked price of selfie stick cuz mine was just broken, they told me $15 at first time and then when I try to purchase it, then told me $25. I knew that selfie stick is less than $10 at Amazon. with pretend laughter, I told them you told me 15 and now it is 25, ok, I dont want it. too expensive then the guys voice was start to increase. there are two products! I told them I didnt see, anyway I dont want it (frankly speaking bit frastrated at this moment) the the guy start to yelling on me youre rude!! I dont want to sell anything to you!!! get out!!!Who was so rude? It was beginning of my family travel to San Francisco, and he gave me really bad impression on San Francisco.DO NOT GO THIS SHOP!

Thats the same place that sold a $139 Olympus point and shoot camera to a friend of mine from Australia for almost $400. When I went back to talk to them about the unfair sell, all they kept saying was it was free enterprise and they could sell merchandise for whatever price they wanted. Called the city about them and they are being investigated. Dont pay them with cash. Just dont shop there unless they are willing to give you a refund or exchange and check the price in front of them.

Great store....great selection, helpful salespeople, what can I say?

I am an amateur photographer and always looking to increase my collection of lensesI have now been to Camera Zone 3 separate times now to buy lenses for my sony nex 5n. Each time ive emailed them to see if what I was looking for was in stock and see what their prices are. Each time, Dar has emailed me back quickly and I have been amazed with the experience.He takes the time to talk through the pros and cons of each lens im interested in, which each time has confirmed the research i have done prior to going in. On top of that the prices i have received are as good or better than everywhere else.With great prices and great service, they make it really easy to keep my purchases local and I will always check with them first for all my future camera needs.

Im having so much fun with my GH4. Thanks Dar! Your awesome!

Disgustingly bad experience with the store owner when we enquired about a GoPro camera model that they didnt have. We left on the spot.

I visited the shop twice and each time it was completely different experience. The first day I dealt with the owner’s son who was genuinely nice and helpful and second time I spoke to the owner… The owner seemed to be very friendly straight from the beginning – judging from the body language.We wanted to buy Canon 70D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lense. The first day son told us to check the internet and if we found better price they would match it. So we had a look and found the camera for very cheap price ($700). Next day when we came to the shop we showed it to the owner and he started going on and on about that was not a legit website and that they would not match the price. So we asked why they did not mention this the day before. To be honest I did not even expect they would match the price. What I did not like is that they could not be honest or specific straight from the beginning or at least apologize when they made a mistake. The owner topped it off when he kept talking over me and did not even let me finish my sentence. When I asked him: “Would you let me finish?” to which he replied: “No I am talking. This is my turf and I can do whatever I want”. What went on afterwards was just terrible (from both sides as I got completely angry).The point is if he knew how to deal with customers than I am sure we would have found a way and I would have left with the camera and lense and paid him couple/few thousands of dollars, but his behaviour and in matter of fact behaviour of his daughter, who just starred at us as if we bothered her instead of greeting us and asking what she could do for us, was just terrible.

I think the best testimonial is to tally my major purchases from Dar and his familys camera shop:Canon 6D camera + EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM (kit) lensCanon 600EX-RT speedlightCanon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM lensTokina 17-40mm f/4 AT-X Pro lensSigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM lensSigma 30mm EX DN lensSigma 19mm EX DN lensSony SEL35F18 lensSony SEL55210 lensSony SEL50F18 lensSony FDA-EV1S electronic viewfinderAll this was purchased ~2 year period, the last purchase being the SEL50F18 (a replacement for one I gave away) about 2 months ago. Suffice it to say that Dar has a got a bit of my money, heh. :PBasically, B&H and Camera Zone comprise about 95% of my photographic equipment expenditures. B&H necessarily so because they carry every nut, screw and whatzit-without-a-name under the photographic sun. But I go to Dar when I need to get the best prices on my major pieces of gear.If you live in SF, you definitely need to talk to Dar. If you live in the Bay Area, Camera Zone is worth the trip.

I purchased my Nikon MB-D12 battery grip (for D800) from Camera Zone. Overall experirnce was great !! Customer service, email replies and returning phone calls, just outstanding.. very professional. Love this place. will go back to this store for future needs. Price was much better compare to B&H, Adorama or Amazon. This item was and still is is on backorder almost everywhere. Mr Dar (owner) had this item in stock and he gave me good deal .. Thanks to Dar for providing outstanding customer service ! I highly recomend this place.

This place has amazing prices even compared to online deals. I just purchased 3 Zeiss lenses from Dar at camera zone and I still cant believe how good of a price I got them for.Im saying this as a near professional photographer who has spent nearly 20K on photography equipment, owned more than 30 lenses and more than 10 bodies, and is constantly hunting for deals on photography equipment online. I scour craigslist, slickdeals, fatwallet, camera deal blogs, and more. You name an online source of hot camera deals, and Im on it. In fact I even know someone who works at Sony and who gets employee discounts on Sony lenses.Despite all of that, Dars price was STILL better than any other option that I could find after 2 weeks of dedicated deal hunting! Before today, I had never purchased a lens or camera at a brick & mortar store, ever. But I have to say Dar has convinced me that the internet isnt the only place to get a hot deal.So if you want a great deal on camera equipment, do your research online, and then visit Dar and hell make you a deal you cant turn down.Oh I should also add that Dar let me spend 30 minutes in the store testing out the lenses before purchasing and didnt hassle me at all. He just left me alone and I probably could have spent an hour if I wanted to. He didnt even try to upsell me on accessories, which is where I assume hed make a profit! Incredible!! This whole experience makes me believe in the concept of an electronics brick & mortar store.Thanks Dar!

I went to Camera Zone with the confidence from good reviews. Turned out my personal experience there was a fiasco. I told Ray, the store owner, that I was looking for a camera which takes good photos of the northern lights. He asked me what was my budget, I told him 2K. He brought out some consumer cameras; I asked for Nikon D7000. He brought out one with 18-55mm lens; I asked for one with 18-105mm. Cost was $100 more than at Calumet, Fireside Camera, and Best Buy until 1/6/13. I asked what made the difference, he said the later has a video capability. I asked where was the infinity focus, he said in the Scene mode. I told him I also needed a macro lens that takes good photos of snowflakes. He brought out one that I dont recognize. The demonstration was terrific, why the names of the different states on a five dollar bill was magnified so sharp. I never could have seen with the naked eye, let alone known that the states are on the bill. I asked him if the discount was still the same if I came back the following day. Answer was no. So, I bought the mysterious lens, camera kit, and a tripod for a subtotal of $1,828. Additional two remotes, two batteries, and one 16 GB memory card brought the total price substantially well above my 2K budget. Note this every one out there, a lens cleaning perk is given. I suppose my business was so drummed up that I was given additional perks that included one year extended warranty, a little vivitar camera case and a plug converter, which I dont need, but he gave anyway.During unboxing at home I found out the camera has no infinity mode in the Scene mode, the monitor cover was missing, and the tripod wobbled. I searched online for Nikon with infinity lens and found out Costco has D7000 with 18-200 kit for $1,499.99, only $100 more than the 18-105 mm. The kit includes a 5 year extended warranty, a nylon bag with leather trimWhen I googled Digital Advance to find out about the macro lens, there was no official looking website, but only one which appears to be a personal website maintained by someone named Kim. Customer reviews about the product (Digital Professional Lens Digital Pro HD Series .48x58mm DSLR MC AF Professional High Speed Auto Focus Deluxe Super Wide Angle Lens with Macro) are all appalling BEWARE! BEWARE! BEWARE.

I purchased my Nikon 24 mpixels D3200 + Nikkor 35mm F1.8G + a couple of UV filters from Camera Zone just yesterday. This is a brand new camera which is hard to find in local stores. Internet prices are at a level of MRSP or higher. So, a priori, I wasnt expecting to get a decent deal ...until I ran into a little ad on Bay Area Craigslist which led me to that store. And it has been very positive experience. This is a family owned business. And they were very helpful and friendly. Most important they have the best prices which beat anything one can find on the Internet. I wish I know how they manage to stay profitable with that low margin :-) I will certainly recommend them to everyone!

I bought a brand new Fujifilm FX 35mm f/1.4 lens from this place. The salesperson named Dar is very helpful. The price beats internet price and with local pickup. Im looking forward to buying more photo equiptment from this place. The next one will be Fujifilm x-e1 camera kit to be available in November.

Great experience getting a camera from DAR. Couldnt be happier.