How far do you travel for photographic equipment?

I just drove through thick traffic in Cleveland. 240 miles round trip because there are few camera stores nearby with anything in stock.
The near empty retail stores inventory has shipped out for internet orders.
I almost purchased a very impressive looking $250.00 Benro supa dupa monopod with head online.
Not owning any of their products. I really needed to see and feel the total monopod quality and locking collars first.
Thats a lot of money to gamble.
Unfortunately the Benro supa dupa required too much rotation (in my opinion) to eventually secure the slipping carbon fiber sections. The locking collars have rubber rubber grip that moved a little when tightening.
Wow. Glad I drove to the retail store anyhow.
The $179.99 Sirui P-204-SR monopod locking collars easily and quickly secured the aluminum sections with a quick 1/4" turn.
It was raining so the road trip was just okay.

150 miles one way for me and it may soon be further as it seems stores are closing fast these days.

Zero for me. Anything new is on-line. I haven't stepped into a photography store in probably over a decade if not 2 decades. For anything new, there is no reason to go anywhere as a box is a box whether it comes for a photo shop or if it comes online. For anything used, it's local, maybe 20~30 miles. Anything farther would have to be something phenomenal. Figure if your driving 250 miles you have to add in the cost of a tank of gas to the cost of the equipment your buying.

3.7 miles... to the local FedEx Print & Ship center.

There is a camera store about 6 miles from where I work. I try to buy from them to support their business.
The employees are friendly and will let people handle just about any type camera or lens on hand.
Also a rental department that does a brisk business. It's fun just to browse around the store.

If not for this store I'd say my travel distance would be kept to 20 miles (one way). But it would have to be
a pretty good camera store for me to travel that far.

The only decent camera store
Anywhere near me is 70ish miles away, and even then they rarely carry what I buy or can get it nearly as quickly as I can online. I wish it were different but it’s not. Shoot I would open one myself if I thought it could survive in today’s world.

I’ve been a loyal BH customer for 20 years or so now.

Either 7 miles to the Post Office, they don’t deliver mail where I live, or about 75 feet to the front gate to meet the UPS or FedEX truck. Nearest good camera store is Samy’s camera, about 70 miles away, I ordered my most recent camera purchase from them.

Before Covid broke out I have also traveled to the Camera swap meet in Pasedena California, about 70 miles away and not far from Samy’s Pasadena store. There used to be a Ritz camera store at the nearest mall, that has been gone for maybe 20 years.

There simply isn't one near me. I'd have to drive to Manhattan 420 9th Avenue to actually put my hands on anything That about 8 hours round trip.

The total trip cost $21 for fuel.
Some photo stores charge a return/ restocking fees. The website for one camera store closer to me in Michigan charges 15% return / restocking fee.
Paying approximately $26 return postage for a large item. Plus a return / restocking $37.50 for a $250.00 purchase would be too much money to take a chance on not liking an item.

vision35 wrote in post #19222343
The total trip cost $21 for fuel.
Some photo stores charge a return/ restocking fees. The website for one camera store closer to me in Michigan charges 15% return / restocking fee.
Paying approximately $26 return postage for a large item. Plus a return / restocking $37.50 for a $250.00 purchase would be too much money to take a chance on not liking an item.

Times have changed. Restocking/return fees are yesterday's way of doing business.


Adorama has a 30 day refund policy minus shipping charges. Details are at
https://www.adorama.co​m/help/returnPolicy

If you join their VIP360 program you get free two day shipping, free drop and spill protection and a 60 day return policy.
https://www.adorama.co​m/g/VIP360

B&H also has a 30-day return policy minus shipping charges.
https://www.bhphotovid​eo.com …Center/ReturnEx​change.jsp

You can also rent products to try them out and if you like them, purchase them from the rental company for the price of the used gear. I've done this a couple of times through:
https://www.lensrental​s.com/
They're easy to deal with and their equipment is always in excellent shape. They also have a program you can join where you get free shipping in both directions on rental gear.

When I lived in Springfield Illinois I would check the Craigslist in Springfield, Decatur, champaign, Bloomington, and St Louis each day. I kept a slush fund for surprise gear purchases so I could take advantages of bargains that would present themselves. It might mean a 200 mile round trip but I saved as much as a couple hundred bucks on each of my L lenses.

Since I first posted to this thread I found that the store 6 miles from my work has closed. And another one of their stores has closed also.
This chain of camera stores is Samy's Camera. So that leaves two of their stores left that I could travel to. But each is 20-25 miles away from me.

When I first began digital photography 12 years ago, I visited Samy's store often, and bought a lot of gear from them. Always a good experience.
But I can't see myself driving 40-50 miles round trip to visit their store. Although I may use their mail-order services.

I didn't realize any Samy's were still open? Shame how few are left, but at least they survive.

Remember Calumet? It was a juggernaut in camera stores at one point, similar to Samy's. with a range of it's own store branded products. Recently it's entire remaining assets sold for a price that the mind how low it was. It's amazing what has happened.

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #19223402
I didn't realize any Samy's were still open? Shame how few are left, but at least they survive.

Remember Calumet? It was a juggernaut in camera stores at one point, similar to Samy's. with a range of it's own store branded products. Recently it's entire remaining assets sold for a price that the mind how low it was. It's amazing what has happened.

My first job out of school, I worked for a design firm and one of my jobs was to take photos of items for the patent artists using a 4x5 Graflex. I'd have to head over to Calumet Photo about once a week for supplies.

Rockbrook Camera has locations in Omaha and Lincoln, Ne which is 100 to 125 miles from where I live. Sadly they are down to just 2 locations.