Calling Maryland Folks

[Gluck]

I am new to Dlsr's and am looking for some good camera shops in the Baltimore area. I live near Columbia. Thanks!

[Jon]

Rick (CoolToolGuy) had a thread about a year, year and a half ago for a possible MD-DC area meet-up at his favourite in Balt. Search should turn it up. Toward DC there's Penn Camera. Most of my stuff comes from B &H or Adorama though.

[Gluck]

Sorry, but I cant seem to find it

[milleker]

Off the top of my head the only ones I know of are Service Photo in Northern Baltimore city (http://www.servicephoto.com/) and Severna Park Photo in Severna Park between Baltimore city and Annapolis (http://www.severnaparkphoto.com/). I've dealt with both at one time or another and they're very reliable.

As for Penn Photo, I thought I heard that they had to close their doors. I may be incorrect, but i'm unable to find anything about them on the internet.

Edit: Keep in mind that theres a nice Canon rebate promotion going on! :)

[Gluck]

Thanks, I just picked up a XTi and am looking for some accessories and what not now.

[Jon]

Penn Camera's very much alive. http://www.penncamera.com/ Their site lists their Laurel store as well as two Cooper's Camera stores in the Baltimore area - guess they bought them out.

Rick's thread is here (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=117495). Cooper's Camera.

[milleker]

Ahh, glad to hear they're still in business. Gotta support the local guys when you can so I dont mind paying a little more, I save shipping and get it immediately. But when online is almost 1/2 the price on a lens than local (quite often) I can usually muster up the patience and wait for the UPS guy.

Penn Camera's very much alive. http://www.penncamera.com/ Their site lists their Laurel store as well as two Cooper's Camera stores in the Baltimore area - guess they bought them out.

Rick's thread is here (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=117495). Cooper's Camera.

[CoolToolGuy]

If you are in Columbia, the Penn Camera store in Laurel is probably closer than either of the Cooper's Camera Mart stores. Since Penn Camera acquired Cooper's, the Camera Mart stores have much better inventory, and the buying power of Penn Camera, but they are both fairly small stores with limited hours. I go to Camera Mart in Hamilton because it is close to home and I know the staff, but the Penn Camera stores are better overall choices at this point. I think they will undergo some changes in the next year or so to improve them.

Service Photo caters more to the professional, and still has a lot of film and developing supplies, in addition to the digital gear.

Have Fun,

[Gluck]

Thanks, yes the Laurel store seems to be the one nearest me. I would imagen that the prices are a little more then online as well.
Are there any local clubs in the area. Or any place that one could take a weekend class?

[CoolToolGuy]

Actually, you may be pleasantly surprised by Penn Camera's prices. In many cases they are very close to the B&H price. There are some exceptions, and if you establish yourself there as a repeat customer you can occasionally bargain with them to get closer.

Check Penn's Web site for classes - they do have some.

Have Fun,

[12345Michael54321]

I'm not going to knock Penn's Camera, or Service Photo, or any of the others. I've lived in Maryland for a long time, and have made purchases from most of the better local dealers, at one time or another.

But if you live in Columbia, MD, and you're looking for camera gear, the best place to find it is probably B&H.

If you live in Montana, and you're looking for camera gear, the best place to find it is probably B&H.

If you're from Bulgaria, and you're vacationing at Disney World, in Orlando, FL, for a week, and want to know where's a good place to buy photo gear while you're there, the answer's probably B&H.

Yes, sometimes a local store will come close on price. Sometimes the local store will have just the item you need. Sometimes this, and sometimes that.

But day in and day out, for the overall best prices, and the overall best selection, the local store probably falls short of the giant NYC mail order option.

I know it just feels "nicer" to frequent a local shop, get to know the sales help, be able to drop in and chat about photographic equipment for a while, keep the money in the local economy, etc. I get all that. I truly do.

But unless it's something that I need same day, or a piece of rental equipment, or some $1.98 thing that isn't worth mail ordering for $1.78 + s/h, I seldom shop locally for photographic gear anymore. And when I do buy locally, I don't kid myself that I'm getting the best deal, or seeing the widest selection, because usually I'm not.

[CoolToolGuy]

I love B&H, and I have a long history of ordering from them - over the phone as well as Internet. But technically:
But day in and day out, for the overall best prices, and the overall best selection, the local store probably falls short of the giant NYC mail order option.


Don't try to get anything from Friday night until Saturday night, and they do have quite a few extended shutdowns for holidays. Used-ta-was that you could place an order on the Internet during these times, but now all you can do is look until they open.

As mentioned previously in this thread, I enjoy the face-to-face, and will pay a little more for it. I also love B&H, as they (and others) have forced the Brick & Mortar folks to trim their prices. None of the stores in the MD area are anywhere near ideal, but I'm glad there are some around. :D

Have Fun,

[12345Michael54321]

Don't try to get anything from Friday night until Saturday night
Yeah, but it cuts both ways. Don't try visiting Cooper's Camera Mart or Service Photo on a Sunday; they're closed. Whereas B&H is open for business on Sunday, having observed the Sabbath from Friday night to Saturday night, instead.

I agree with you about it being nice that some local camera stores are still around.

[Jon]

Penn Camera's open Sundays.

[12345Michael54321]

I just checked. Some are open, and some aren't.

http://www.penncamera.com/locations/

[Jon]

My local one is - that's what's important. It's only downtown DC of the "Penn Camera" that aren't. And I expect that as Cooper's comes more fully under the Penn umbrella, they'll stay open too.

[CoolToolGuy]

Penn just took over Cooper's, and IIRC they put some money and effort into one of their VA stores at the same time. Meanwhile, the Camera Mart stores still have 10-5 hours, and no Sundays. I think a good move would be get out of Hamilton and move that store to White Marsh. With Laurel on the south and White Marsh on the north, they would have two good Baltimore area locations near I-95, and White Marsh can draw from the north to Delaware. The shopping center at the Greenspring Station store is also a 10-5 center, and they need to be open at night. I hope they do something soon.

Have Fun,

[Chris R/T]

Actually, you may be pleasantly surprised by Penn Camera's prices. In many cases they are very close to the B&H price. There are some exceptions, and if you establish yourself there as a repeat customer you can occasionally bargain with them to get closer.

Check Penn's Web site for classes - they do have some.

Have Fun,

How are Service's prices compared to other people?

[CoolToolGuy]

How are Service's prices compared to other people?

I have never been able to pull the trigger on anything of significance from Service Photo. Frankly, they usually wind up pi$$ing me off with arrogance before I get to that point, or they don't have what I want in stock.

That's not to imply that I haven't been exposed to arrogance from others, including Penn Camera. But for some reason I haven't been able to hook up with them on anything.

Have Fun,

[Chris R/T]

Thanks.

I was just wondering because my girlfriend lives literally 3 blocks from them, maybe I'll stop in sometime and see what they're like.