a good photo shop in Chicago ?

[jalafer]

Next week I'll be bussines travellig to Chicago. I will spend the week end in the city, so I woul like to do some photo shooping there.
Can you recommend me a good photo shop in Chicago ?

[Danny Boy]

Calumet Photo

Here is the website:

http://www.calumetphotographic.com/ctl?PAGE=Controller&ac.ui.pn=home.Home

[Seamless]

You don't indicate where you will be staying or spending time, but here's a few I found worth visiting.

Downtown is Helix Camera (several locations), staff I think largely more capable than any Ritz/Wolf location I've visited. Helix often hosts equipment-specific or technology focus workshops. They've long specialized in videography.

In the Wrigley Field neighborhood, on N. Broadway near Addison, a good small shop is Triangle Camera, enthusiastic about customer work (they rent time in their darkroom, and have classes).

My favorite is Central Camera, right in the downtown ("Loop") on S. Wabash near Adams (block or two south of Palmer House Hilton, and a couple blocks from the Art Institute, and the Chicago Architectural Foundation where you can arrange for walking tours). It's an old-style shop, with one center aisle and stuff crammed all the way up to the ceiling and tucked away in the mezzanine. Lots of vintage stuff (they buy and sell used) and special-purpose stuff. Many of the staff have been there for years and know their product lines, respect professional photographers, and encourage students with discounts (they draw from the Art Institute and Columbia College, particularly).

Check out the new Frank Gehry concert stage in the Millenium Park; not sure if next week they will again erect a tent to start laser finishing the surface joints of the humongous new steel mirror finish "jellybean" in the park (right above the skating rink and restaurant, and close to the new video towers fountain) which is between Michigan Ave and the lakefront.

Jay Giusti

[cmM]

Calumet Photographic (as mentioned above). They carry a lot of equipment, and they have reasonable prices, and most importantly, knowledgeable salespeople. I bought a lot of stuff from them.

It's on cherry Street a little south of Diversey ;)

And there's another Calumet in Bensenville (a little smaller)

[jalafer]

Thank you all !
I think I wll be in a hotel downtown, so I'll try Calumet and Central Camera.