Nestled inconspicuously beside a beauty product wholesaler, in a corner of an industrial estate off Bonnington Road, Calumet is one of the best places in Edinburgh for photographic kit and advice.
The range is excellent, with a good selection in-store and a much wider lineup available for quick delivery. It's primarily aimed at pros (which I am most certainly not) so there's a lot of high-end names on show, covering cameras, lenses, studio kit, lighting, stands and other accessories.
But Calumet's own-brand stuff is very decent and affordable, and is my primary reason for going there. For example, I needed a set of wireless flash triggers and didn't fancy laying out £300+ for an all-singing PocketWizard setup. Calumet's basic own-brand? £40.
Now the downside: It can be a little intimidating. I've never once been in there when the customers have outnumbered the staff - most often it's just me. A couple of times, they've actually seemed quite confused to see someone not wearing a Calumet polo shirt.
That said, once they get their bearings, the staff are exceptionally clued up, friendly and helpful. They're patient with my dumb questions and very candid about things like value for money. You really get the feeling they're personally passionate about photography and have used the kit in anger, not just in training.
They also run courses on various aspects of photography, from landscapes to lighting and portraiture. There's even one called 'boudoir', which I can only assume is for aspiring property photographers.
The net result is that, unlike Jessops, there are good reasons for coming here rather than just buying kit online. In the Age of Amazon, that counts as praise. read more