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Category: Photography Stores & Services [Edit]
545 Meridian AveMon-Fri. 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Limited selection, but it is a very nicely run family business.
They were all welcoming and informative. Prices were better than the bigger stores. It's great to be able to get good prices locally, instead of having to deal with the nuances of ordering online.
Sensor cleaning....while you wait!
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Got my first camera here in 1984 before a class trip to the Grand Canyon (Minolta Hi-matic F) - and its "new battery" died about 2 minutes before we started our descent. Thank heavens in 1984 the hotel there carried every camera battery known to man... then some. "Awesome... Except some sketchy things..." is how I'd describe Kamera Korner back then when it was on Bascom.
Dad, the uncles, and their fleet of Nikons, used to both curse and kiss these guys. They'd alternately solve mysteries for pennies, and remedy nonsense for fortunes depending on the tides... or something.
Flash forward to 2008-9 and I've found they've moved to Meridian and I'm digging back into the family treasure trove of film cameras.
So I've had great luck there... WORKING WITH THE YOUNG GUY.
Sells me the right stuff... I have a blast talking about "dream film cameras" and stuff. No complaints.... until (duh duh DUUUUHHH... ) I bring in a (camera type removed to conceal my identity) for a-fixin'.
Quote for $75... $20 down. 3x the value of the camera... but what the hey - who can really put a sentimental value on an old Japanese rangefinder.
Two days later I'm called... "It's gonna be a mantle piece... bricked... corroded... P.O.S...." Crestfallen, I pick it up.... first off... it seems to be in worse shape than when I left it off. Shutter doesn't fire. (It was at least in no-battery shutter set to set speed mode when I dropped it off).
After the repair guy came out and told me this-n-that, he figured that the shutter release bushing he put in still needed breaking in. Lo and behold - push a little harder and it worked. He did a hell of a lot of work, actually... before he declared it a "brick"
So I left... $20 in...
Then I realized he had it in the wrong mode all along to test the auto exposure. I set that mode outside... WHAMMO - It all worked.''
NO... It wasn't working before I brought it in... I don't know what he did except "clean up corrosion, replace switches, and replace wires".
So I'm amazed that he coulda charged me $75 but he didn't even have enough werewithall to check the manual on the internet to see how the f$$kin camera was SUPPOSED TO WORK.
So how do I rate him? 1 stars for incorrectly reassembling the DP-2 finder to dad's F2 wrong in 1977 and F$$$ing up his slides from Mexico? 2 Star for not knowing how to operate common Japanese rangefinder that can be had on EBay for $30-$50 and has sold more than 10million but at least sticking to cleaning it up?
No... 4 stars for astronomical dumb luck, good prices, and the good sense to hire a kickass young sales dude who keeps all those old fossils from turning the place into a morgue.
PS... It's YAshica... not yaSHIca....
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I am taking a photography class at and the professor suggested that we find a place to get our prints.
While I was researching places on yelp I found Kamera Korner and was excited that they sold used equipment. Maybe I could get a used SLR that will do all the things I wish my current camera could. I wake up early and get all my errands done and then anxiously head over there.
1st on my list is a tripod. I ask a lady about them, selected one, and then casually ask what the return policy is. She questions why I would want to return it. I honestly tell her that if I find something better for cheaper I will want to return it. She says they do not give refunds. I explain to her that I do not want to have to drive back if I do not end up finding another one. She tells me that I need to shop around beforehand because it is non returnable. I do not normally buy stuff that is non returnable so I leave and head to Fry's.
Fry's selection is deficient. They have one that I kind of like but the display is the last one and it is missing a leg extension. At this point I am thinking, "I guess I have to go back to Kamera Korner but I really don't want to drive all the way back there. If they allowed returns I wouldn't have to back track and I could just go home." I decide to look for another store.
I am so glad I did not go back to K. K. because I found Wolf Camera on Meridian! The guy who helped me was so totally awesome. He honestly wanted to help me and went above and beyond. He offered to call other stores for additional items I needed that they did not have in stock, and spent time to talk shop with me. Also, Wolf Camera has a price match guarantee. It is my new favorite store! I cannot wait to spend all my money there.
I sincerely urge Kamera Korner to rethink their exchange policy.
I would come here on and off for darkroom supplies and film but their prices were a little too high for what they were selling and so I switched to online shopping for my DR supplies.
I didn't return until I bought a very nice medium format TLR off of craigslist that had been neglected over the years and had issues with the shutter release. Being someone who can fix most things I took the face off of the camera and quickly realized that the issue lay in the film crank and in a complete lack of lubrication. Since I'm new to the area and have never needed to take a camera in for repairs, I figured KK would be the most practical place to go.
I was wrong. Hoping to speed the diagnosis, I explained to the dude what the trouble was and what I'd discovered when I looked inside. He didn't say a word but after 5 minutes of me wasting my breath he told me that he wasn't going to look at it because now that I had taken it apart I had made the issue worse and it was probably going to cost way more than I had paid for it to fix it... and that I had probably only paid $50 for it anyway....
I was stunned and a little confused. Was the issue that I had voided the warranty on a 40 year old camera? Or that I didn't seem like someone who would want to pay too much for repairs? Or maybe the issue was that they didn't actually know how to fix it, but instead, like I had done, were hoping to poke around and find a simple problem that they could then overcharge me for? He was right about one thing: there was no way I was going to spend a dime with them.
Luckily, because of this experience, I was able to do a proper search for a real repair place and found International Camera Techs in Mountain View. The guy has been fixing cameras for 40+ years and has serviced the likes of Ansel Adams and others. Also, he is up front about his prices. He was able to tell me everything that was wrong with my camera and how much it would cost to fix it. Not to mention he was a great guy. Customer service/ competence/ good attitude? What a concept!
Good place to buy stuff but if you ever have to sell anything they rip you off.
Sadly, all the hasty lens switching through many trips and dinners resulted in my Canon 30D with dust on the sensor. Not just a little dust, but noticeable chunks of dust on most pictures of horizons. Cobber L had recommended this place to me to get my sensor cleaned. I went over the weekend while doing errands.
I arrived at 1:30pm and they said they could get it done by 5pm that day. I asked a few questions and the woman was very helpful. The place is a fairly small place with a decent assortment of lenses, tripods, kits, lightboxes, bags, and flashes and diffusers. They unfortunately rent very little so it's back to Keeble & Suchat for me for rentals.
The cost of sensor cleaning is $65 which seems a bit high but I'm very happy with the cleaning as my pictures are spotless once again. The workers are friendly and willing to help and despite the somewhat steep price, they do quality work with a smile. That's surprisingly hard to come by these days.
People thought this was:
I needed a usb cord for my digital camera to replace the one I had lost and a friend of mine recommended these guys. They did'nt have a cord and sold me a cord reader instead. Problem solved.
They have lots of supplies for conventional cameras and also do repairs. Pretty cool little shop and the only one close to downtown that I know of. I wish I still had some of my older cameras.
The butcher says yes.
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I've bought several cameras, bags and other gear from the Korner back when they were at their old location. Larry's a real personable guy, and Bob is an expert when it comes to taking apart cameras and fixing them.
There isn't any camera shops anymore. Buy a camera from Best Buy and it breaks a few years down the road you think they're gonna have a Bob to fix it? Heck no, they wouldn't even have a Chuck.
SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESS.
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The salesperson here has been very helpful the last few times I bugged her. They are a small store, so I ended up getting supplies somewhere else. However, I like to check to see if they have what I need here first since they are so darned nice (and close by).
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This place is awesome! Friendly, knowledgeable staff, unique cameras, and camera repair. I could geek out and talk about cameras for hours, to know the ins and outs of each camera and it's features. I did just that at Kamera Korner. Ok, not hours, but a while. I went in to get my camera repaired about a year ago (and it still works great), and ended up learning more about my camera and others in it's class (G7 Canon).
GO HERE for your camera needs. They are so nice and helpful!
What? You don't want my money? OK, I'll be back!!!!
I brought an adapter ring for my Oly E510 recently. What it does is to allow me to use my old Zuiko lens from the good old film days on the DSLR. These are some good glasses that's been sitting in a box with my trusted OM2s for a long time. 35mm f2, 100mm f2. But when I pull out the 100mm I notice there's some dust inside, a pretty noticeable speck!
Although I know it shouldn't affect anything on the focal plane but I just want to get it cleaned, if it's not going to cost much.
"how much is it to clean a lens?"
"What's wrong with it?"
"got dust inside"
"let me take a look"
"Don't worry, it's not going to show on the picture, no need to clean it."
"really! thanks!"
Hey, they could have just take my money and clean it but they are being honest and not taking my money for something unnecessary! Good job guys!!!
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When I first came to this place I heard many good reviews. The people who worked there are nice and they have a cute dog that runs around and enjoys getting pet by any incoming customers. I first came here to sell an item of mine that was barely worn down and worth a lot more than he gave me.
Then someone I know brought their camera here and ended up coming back damaged by $300 dollars (damaged cost was estimated by Keeble & Shucht and official Nikon repair techs)!!! Bob, the owner, offered a check for $6-8 for the damaged he cause at $300. Then his wife came and offered him $100 to leave the store alone! How desperate can you get? I mean, you broke something and you know you did the customer wrong... so FIX IT. All I know is that if I wanted my $1,400 camera fixed I won't be taking it to this place. Because it'll end up costing me more than I started with.
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SO...
If you have any clue about me you will know 2 things.
1. I love to take millions of pictures.
2. I have gone through about 6 cameras.
So the other day Patrick and I stopped by here. He has been telling me about this camera store for like a year now, However whenever we decided to go, the store was always closed. Just our luck. So on this sunny day I feel all the stars were aligned that night because FOR ONCE we got there while it was open. aha. I had just purchased a camera the night before a simple point and shoot at best buy. So when we came in here I wasn't really looking for anything. Patrick had to buy some 35mm film and I well, was browsing. Until I looked down
There it was a Sony cyber shot (i believe its called) looking shiny and new (only it wasn't) sitting in the display case for a measly $55. WOW.. this couldn't be serious. It was. hahah.. So without hesitation I asked what was wrong with it and the clerk said nothing. So I bought it. For whom I didn't know.. all I knew was it could either be a back up camera or a replacement cam for my mom since her other one was stolen. I even debated giving her my brand new camera and keeping this one I had just bought. However I think once I purchase a photography camera this store and I will be well acquainted. Its a great spot.Check it out!
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we had to check our old school canon to make sure it was a-ok to use for a photo class .. sadly the cost of repairs greater then the cost of buying a new camera ... *sad face* i mean the shutter or aperture was off .. and it would have cost about $140 .. dang! at least they were truthful :]
they have tons of photo paper, b&w film, and tons of other stuff!
i wan my own private dark room now ... too bad i don't have room :P
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As a new photography student, I've been searching Yelp for the best places to buy photography supplies. Kamera Korner and San Jose Camera and Video were the two on my list of stores to try.
Just as I came in to Kamera Korner, a guy greeted me and asked if I needed any help. I had a list of supplies so I was just going through it as he gathered what I needed. He was very helpful and it was much appreciated.
The thing that turned me off was the pricing. I know photography supplies are generally pricey, but I was able to get the same Ilford photo paper at San Jose Camera and Video for $49.95 whereas Kamera Korner sold it for $69.99. I'll probably go to both businesses depending what I want. Oh, students get a 10% discount if you mention it to them.
I would only come here if I were desperate.
I managed to get water in my Canon zoom lens on Thanksgiving Day by accident, so the automatic focus no longer worked. :-(
However I wanted to use it on a trip that I was leaving on soon, to India and Australia, so I needed to get it repaired and fast.
Adolf Gasser in SOMA, San Francisco, said it would probably take 2 weeks to repair (with no guarantees) and Wolf Camera on Van Ness, San Francisco said it would take 3 weeks (they were going to send it away).
I found Kamera Korner on Yelp (thanks!). They said they could fix it in a week, so guess who I took my lens to for repairs? :-)
I got it back 8 days after I dropped it off (and might even have been able to pick it up a day earlier).
I paid a total of $90 (including a $20 deposit). I wish it could have been less expensive but at least it was much cheaper than replacing the lens.
The staff are friendly and they seem to know their stuff (I was getting interested in the second hand medium format cameras they had for sale). They also have lenses for rent / hire.
The only downside is that they are in San Jose (I live in San Francisco). They should open a store in San Francisco! I'm sure they would get a lot of business.
If you don't own a car they are a short taxi ride from the San Jose train station, but it is a long train ride from San Francisco, so a better solution is to use a Zipcar (I have done both).
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They have hippie straps if you're into that sorta thing.
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I'm a bit accident prone and have dropped my digital camera too many times. The swivel display screen has been taped together, my zoom will no longer "zoom" and the camera body that holds it all together wants a divorce.
I brought my sick camera into Kamera Korner last Tuesday. Larry told me that he's never seen such a damaged digital camera that still worked. He said that I need a "Mira-proof" camera. HA!
They require $30 deposit upfront that is applied to the total repair cost. My camera is ready today, one week later for a total of $110 (minus the $30 deposit).
I highly recommend Kamera Korner for their knowledgeable customer service and quick turnaround. Thank you!!
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I bought an old Canon A-1P SLR camera from ebay to later find out that it had light leaks and a trigger mechanism that controls the lense's diaphragm was bent. So I brought it over to Kamera Korner. They were very helpful and friendly and fixed all my camera's problems, I also found a rare lense that i wanted. All in all the bill came up to about $170, considering the lense alone was $85, I think the price wasn't bad.
They also have a great selection of used lense filters and other accessories like bags, lense hoods and straps. I must warn you though, you have to check if the lenses are scratch free and the threads aren't bent because they have a no return policy on used filters. Not bad for the only camera repair facility around the area.
Superb.
The BEST repair shop in the area now since Apollo Camera Repair closed shop years ago, and Horizon Electronics skipped to Nevada.
They still service the Canon EF 400mm F2.8 non-IS. Shit, even Canon CPS won't touch it anymore!
Even though they couldn't help in the end, they did their best to help me repair my Leica. No charge after all was said and done.
They have a cool selection of used equipment. I found my coveted EF 35mm F2.0 used at their store...for $30 less than BH photo. Impressive.
Very VERY cool store. Unfortunately not too many places like it across the country, let alone in the Bay Area. if you are a photographer, you have to check them out.
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Their prices are fair and I usually buy my film here. But I always feel like I'm being duped for whatever photography supplies I buy since I'm a klutz in the developing room.
If you drive too fast, you'll probably miss this place. Parking is almost always easy.
Hooray to them for moving away from the corner of the Burbank Theater. (Ew, adult movies in public.)
I spent $200 there today. I was like a kid in a candy store. AND THEY HELPED ME! I have never been to such a friendly, knowledgeable photo store.
I'll be going back soon enough for more darkroom supplies, and I'm sure I'll be dropping another $300 or so there in the next month. God bless them and their large stock of goodies.
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I got my first Nikon here! They are so helpful and their supplies are wow.. it makes me look in awe at all the stuff............
nice..... =)
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I took my camera in for cleaning and was really impressed by the people working there. Out of all the camera shops Ive been in around the area these people actually knew the gear and were pleasant to chat with.
They have a lot of older film gear if you interested in picking one up second hand.
They are also one of the few places I know that carry things like medium format film and can actually help you pick what film you need for your situation.
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good place! we need to keep places like this in business. good selection of used equipment, but you have to check weekly.
camera FIXED! i think that's what's most important.
and it was way cheaper than i thought it would be, that too very important.
it took quite a while to get it repaired, but i was forewarned that it would take that long.
overall i'm satisfied!
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An excellent camera store with affordable supply prices, knowledgeable repair center and friendly staff behind the desk. Film price is reasonable. I typically buy Tri-X 35mm rolls in 36 for around $5 each, not including tax. The store also sells used camera equipment at a decent price. I recently bought two lenses for my PZ-1P (Takumar 135mm 2.5, SMC Pentax-A 28mm 2.8) for under $200. A great buy! The best thing about buying camera supplies here is that they offer a student discount on select items (film, paper).
Pluses: Great prices, used camera equipment, student discounts, knowledgeable and friendly staff
Drawback: New location is not as frequently passed by traffic as their previous location; only people who are familiar with this place will be able to take advantage of what this store has to offer.
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what great service. i was in need of a 58mm lens cap, called in and they had one for my canon. drove down there, but the place had closed by then but the lights were on and people were inside. i knocked on the window, man opened the door, and let us in. i was able to get the cheapo $5 lens cap, and even got to mingle and pet the dog.
checked out the website and this place has some decent lenses for pretty good prices... if amazon wasnt so easy i would end up buying here more!
but i will be back!
The service department wasn't quite sure what the problem was with the camera, but they were still very friendly and professional. Because of that, my rating for them doesn't change. I still will go there for my supplies.
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I have been going to Kamera Korner since college when it was located near San Jose State. The staff… Read more »
today i had my first kamera korner experience... it made me want to take photo classes again. they have an extensive selection of darkroom equipment and supplies as well as cameras and accessories.
i was able to find a very nice used zoom lens for my newly acquired used digital slr for 95 bucks.
the service was nice and informative.
I decided to take a step backwards -out of the digital world and back into film. I wanted to get back to basics and get dirty again in a real darkroom instead of photo shopping the shit out of everything on my computer. I went back to school and they suggested Kamera Korner for my supplies for the class. I had not taken a photo class in over 15 years and after all the drinking I have done since then my memory and knowledge of photo had faded. I went in with my list of stuff to get. The staff was super helpful and patient with me. They showed and explained the different options with the papers and films. There was no arrogance or attitude which I remembered from photo stores in the past. I forgot my student ID card but they still gave me a discount.
on x.mas day, i was a clumsy fool and dropped my fisheye lens 4' onto hardwood floors. i practically cried in mid-air. amazingly, the embeded lens hood was the only contact point when impact happened. i figured, since it didn't land on the actual glass, i escaped a $500 lost.
not exactly. turns out, the auto-focus doesn't work.
next thought was sending it to canon for repair which would mean serious long down time from my fisheye and most likely a huge bill. not acceptable.
decided to give this shop a try. spoke to the owner who was very knowlegable of my lens right off the bat and explained to me of the possible scenarios of why the AF is not working. he was very honest in telling me that he may not be able to repair it and it may need to go to canon for repairs. recommended me to bring it in and he'll look at it.
luckily, he was able to repair it AND was repaired fast!
$90 was the final price with lens in hand on the 5th day. not bad!
the rest of the store is great too. lots of accessories such as tri-pods, paper, umbrellas, lens cleaner kits, etc., in this small store. not any used lenses for canon dslr's and probably nikon too (double check on that). mostly used film lenses on display and used film cameras too. a few medium formats.
i'll definitely be returning here for repairs and/or other things.
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the people are nice, but they carry only the cheapest shit to cater to the SJSU students so I really can't ever find anything I want to spend my money on unless I really need some developer or film. Also all their used equipment is at least 40% overpriced - go on eBay and see for yourself... I am still going to give them a chance to repair my camera - we'll see how they do there...
I like Kamera Korner. I stop by usually for whatever film or other photo-related consumables I might need on the fly. Some of their prices are almost as good as the online shops, others are a lot more expensive. Overall, I think their prices are fair for a small local business and I appreciate the fact that the people working their don't have the bad atitude that seems to come with many camera store employees.
As an aside, they don't take American Express or Discover.
I purchased a LCD screen for my digital camera off e-bay and had them install it for me. I sat on it and the screen was all messed up and the camera was loose. It was roughly $60 for the screen and $60 for installation. I found a manual on how to install it myself, but I was too scared to fuck something up so I had them do it. $120 for everything, I shoulda just gotta new camera. Oh well, they did a good job on it. No complaints, just that repairing a LCD screen costs a shit load.
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Very few places do in house repairs on cameras, even fewer will repair your miniDV camcorder.
My canon GL2 started giving me the "remove cassette" error on playback. Took it into these guys and in 2 days it was working again, and for a very reasonable price.
I was first introduced to Kamera Korner back in the day when I started taking black and white photography (best class ever!!) at San Jose City College. Kamera Korner is the place I go to for all of my photo needs like photo paper, film, and developing equipment. The staff there is always friendly and they usually have what I need in stock. Customers also get a discount if they are students. If you need a one-stop shop for all of your analog photography needs, this is the place to go.
Can't really praise this place enough. I came here as an out-of-towner needing an old-school, Hasselblad-style neck strap in a pinch. I called a few places and visited Wolf Camera, but only Kamera Korner had them- used and brand new! I even found other, great, bargain supplies (contrast filter, brayer, darkroom stuff) that floored me because of their relative cost in addition to just plain availability. Their used equipment were in great condition and I would have loved to just stay there the whole day and poke around their used and vintage cameras, which, again, were priced very fairly for the condition. They even honor student discounts! The staff were friendly and laid back and didn't wince once when they saw my Kiev.
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Extremely nice people and knowledgeable! Bought a bunch of used filters for some lenses and some were low as $5! They have good old film cameras, as well as some digital. I might come back to purchase and old film slr =]
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Category: Photography Stores & Services
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Category: Professional Services
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