Rude staff. Walked in on a Saturday 4:08 apparently 8 min post closing. Though there where people in the store. Told to leave and could not even look around for 5 min. I'll take my business to B&H. Cheaper and no attitude. I'd rather support local business for my Nikon and Leica gear but not at the cost of their elitist attitude. read more

Sold a used Gitzo tripod to me that was more expensive than buying a new one. Devoid of warranty the product fail only after 3 months of light use. As much as I would love to support a local and brick & mortar stores, this is a black-eye. I definitely learn my lesson.... read more

I really don't know where to start but I guess a 5 star rating is fair enough to acknowledge the staff of Camera West for their professionalism and attention to detail. I got my first medium format here (Walnut Creek store) and up till now I can't help but be amazed with the service and quality of camera equipment that they have coming in and out of their store. I have always thought about how it would be like working for Camera West, you know, just being inside the stockroom and handling those vintage Leicas and Rolleis. The guys there don't hang out at the back store room though, they are out on the show room floor to make sure the customers are well attended to and ensure they are happy with what they need. I vividly remember the day I took my Mamiya RB 67 medium format home. Dan not only sold me a classic workhorse from the past era of photography, he actually introduced me to another dimension of my hobby where I had the opportunity to learn some vital concepts of manual photography. Next to that is my Pentax 6x7. I can't believe I got another medium format! I was so happy with my purchase because I knew that the people in Camera West will be there to answer all inquiries I will have about this camera when the time comes. Literally, every time I go there on my days off I would sometimes hang out and just chat with whoever is working that day. You can browse their extensive collection of classic and modern camera equipment and even try it out yourself if you wish. For the most part they may be busy attending to customers, but rest assured, everyone will have the opportunity to be entertained, just be patient and don't hesitate to ask for assistance. Now, after another 35 mm. Canon purchase from their store I think I am ready to upgrade from my 20 D to a 5 D Mark II. I know I can purchase this camera on-line, but instead, I would like to give my 100% support to my local camera store. I feel confident that the staff of Camera West in Walnut Creek will be there to serve my needs years from now, long after my 5D is obsolete and a Leica is much needed to fill the void of emptiness in my photographic desires. Take note, this specialty store also takes in "trade-ins" where they will appraise your used personal equipment which you may apply towards a purchase (or they can either send you a check). Whatever your needs are you will surely be happy with Camera West in Walnut Creek. Make sure to have some change for metered parking, I usually hang out there for about an hour, depending on what available "goodies" they have for that day. Ron San Ramon, Ca. read more

My favorite camera store, best in the country for my money. I may be a little biased seeing Dan is one of my closest friends, however personal bias aside, if you love photography and cameras this is the place. I have been buying cameras from Dan for over 10 years now, and have loved every purchase, so he will never steer you wrong. The selection at Camera West is incredible, it is hard to leave the store, makes me want to empty my bank account :-) I got a chance to meet Hal when I visited last, great guy as well. I live in Michigan and buy my cameras in California, must say something about the store and people. read more

I am an amateur photographer with a Nikon D90 who recently had a lens issue and went to Camera West for help. The expert in the store figured out what was wrong and adjusted the camera settings, cleaned the lens, and gave me the best advice so that I could capture my daughter's last high school lacrosse game. I am now looking forward to photographing my daughter playing in her college lacrosse games playing for UCLA. read more

I have been wanting to know how to use my strobes without using a synch chord for a LONG time. Today I was finally given a little lesson by Emily who was kind enough to show me how, along with the use of a couple of Pocket Wizards. She was so patient, good-humored, knowledgeable, and helpful. I was tremendously grateful for her wonderful customer service and expertise. Thank you again! read more

I recently attended a 'Photographing Flowing Water' workshop with Richard Herzog of Camera West Walnut Creek at the Blackhawk Shopping area in Danville. I received helpful information and time to practice shooting the water at the water features. I didn't really know how to take good photos of flowing water before the workshop, but I learned enough to get some good shots! Thank you for the workshops being offered at Camera West! Cathy Haas of Salinas read more

Today I enjoyed 3 hour Macro Photography Workshop at the UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens with Richard Herzog from Camera West. It was good to learn some techniques and equipment used in this type of photography. I think it's to have hands on workshops for a variety of photographic topics. (This REVIEW was submitted Cathy H, of Salinas, CA) read more

Dan and crew are totally awesome! They take their time to explain pros and cons of various cameras and lenses, are very knowledgable regarding photography, and dedicated to helping photographers - pro and aspiring - to be as good as they can be. The store is clean and bright, with good inventory and a good location; always can park right across the street. Prices are very competitive and fair, and they will take trades at a reasonable price. Beats going on-line; at Camera West you will benefit from the personal attention and dialogue between photographers. read more

Pretty much the best camera shop in the Bay Area with knowledgeable staff. The staff are all photographers and they are very knowledgeable. Whether you are shooting a point and shoot or ultra high end digital medium format, Camera West has you covered. This is where working pros and enthusiasts should shop. read more

Robert was a tremendous help. He went over and above to help me with a CF card that wouldn't work, and even gave me suggestions for capturing a particular shot. I'm not used to sales people freely and kindly volunteering more information than absolutely necessary. I'm hoping to upgrade my camera soon and will definitely go to Camera West to shop. read more

The nice folks here went the extra mile to get me a critical part on an urgent basis. Thanks!

This is a terrific camera store! I have been using my Canon SLR for years on the automatic setting and have not been entirely happy with my photographs. I had a one-on-one lesson with Michael yesterday, and I learned so much. I now understand how to adjust the settings on my camera to get the best photographs possible. The lesson was well worth the money, and Michael is a wonderful and patient teacher. I have also stopped into Camera West for other things a few times and have always had excellent service. read more

I recently bought a Nikon D7000 and have had problems with focusing and general operation of this complex device. The owner's manual, plus another 3-inch thick volume by Thom Hogan, were helpful but only up to a point. I heard from another D7000 owner that Camera West gave 1 on 1 consulting, so signed up. I had my first session with Michael yesterday and learned more in that hour about my camera than I had spending way too much time reading the manuals. This is an outstanding, invaluable service Camera West provides and I can't recommend it highly enough. This was my first session, but not my last. read more

Excellent service. Personable and knowledgeable staff who are very willing to spend the needed time with inquiring customers. Very good selection of fine photographic equipment. On-line shops and BestBuy can not beat this place. This is my preferred place to buy my gear. read more

We enjoy shooting pictures and it's fun to see them actually come out. I'm still learning more each time I use my camera, A nice label for me would be a novice. My Nikon D70S does makeup for my title and then some. I took my camera in for cleaning after 61/2 years to Camera West, which was our first visit. I don't see well so this is something I personally have to leave to the professionals. First Robert took care of us. He was very helpful showing me some functions on my camera. The actual cleaning was done by Dan, the manager. Both my wife and myself watched on as Dan was cleaning my camera and explaining what he was doing. No egos here just good helpful service. Both these gentlemen where very patient with us. Earlier other sales personnel were asking my wife if she needed any help as she was browsing. Our experience was very good and I'm sure they get very busy at times so patience is also required by the customer, judging by some other negative reviews, We would recommend Camera West to our family and friends for any of our camera needs. read more

This store is excellent. I was working with Robert and he really did help me make an educated decision. I went in thinking that I would be buying a Canon 7D and through several questions and getting a better understanding of my goals, determined that a Nikon D600 would be a better choice. These guys are not a Best Buy and they actually employ people who know about and stand by the products from camera bodies to lenses, and accessories, etc. They specialize in high end camera and imaging and for them to work with me was amazing. I am a novice but wanted to buy a camera that I would eventually grow into as I suspect this will become a big time hobby for me and my wife as we purchased this camera for our first baby due here in a couple weeks. I would highly suggest these guys to everybody for the fact that they are knowledgable, honest, and take the time to work with you to make the right purchase. Save yourself the trouble of going to Best Buy because those people don't know ANYTHING about cameras at all and are just there to open the case for you to look at the equipment. Thanks again Robert! I look forward to taking some classes with Michael! read more

We are so lucky to have a high-end shop like this right here in town. When it comes to buying a beautiful camera, I'm just not comfortable with taking a gamble online -- or dealing with the chaos of the big box stores. Over the years, I've bought two cameras at Camera West and the team has always zeroed-in on just the right solution for my needs. And it makes me happy to support such a wonderful business! read more

Very knowledgeable staff who can really help you with purchase decisions and direct you to places and ways to improve your photographic skills. I am a very frequent return customer. read more

This guys know their shit! I went in to find a new lens not fully knowing what i needed and they helped me find the best lens to fit my budget without any pressure or judgment! Plus they have seminars and workshops which seem really useful! Overall a great high end store that only cares about helping people create great photographs read more

One of the worst purchasing experiences EVER. At any type of retail store. I came in to buy a lens and when I swiped my card it came back declined. I called my bank and was told that the purchase went through fine and the money had been taken from my account. The guy, DAN, was completely unwilling to help me and accused me of nothing short of being a fraud and trying to rip them off. After spending an hour (or longer) on the phone with my bank and trying to convince DAN that his store took my money and owed me something (at least the acknowledgment that an error occurred) I was forced to leave with my bank account missing over $500 and no merchandise, apology, or anything of the sort. When I walked out I actually felt like I did something wrong because of how rude an insensitive this guy DAN was. Clearly I had no control over the situation as all I did was walk in and try to make a purchase. But to DAN,, I was a criminal and he made sure I felt that way when I left. He told me over and over how people try to pull this stuff all the time. I tried showing him my online banking page (thank you iPhone) and he accused me of using a doctored up PDF (because, clearly I sat there on my phone doctoring this PDF to show the exact time/date/amount of the purchase so I could steal a $500 used lens). I even offered to give him my login credentials for my banking site so he could login and see for himself, and at least acknowledge that an error occurred on their part, but nope, he wanted no part of it. In his eyes I was a criminal and did not deserve anything from him. I highly recommend going somewhere where the staff is, at the very least, respectful and polite and willing to help when there is a problem. With all the access to this type of equipment online and elsewhere there is no reason to have to put up with this treatment. Do yourself a favor and shop elsewhere, make the trek out to Oakland and go to Looking Glass, or shop online......anywhere but here. STAY AWAY, it is not worth your time. read more

I went to Camera West yesterday to look for a tripod and to inquire about lenses for my Nikon D7000. The sales person (older Asian guy) was very arrogant and condescending. I mentioned to him in the beginning that I'm new to the world of DSLRs and that I only have a two lenses - an 18mm-200mm that came w/ the camera and a 35mm f1.8 lens that I purchased from them a few months ago. I told him that I find the prime lens was faster & sharper than my zoom lens, but sometimes I'm too limited when I can 't zoom because there are instances when I can't get any closer to my subject. So I asked if there was a lens he would recommend that would be a good compromise between the two that I could use as my everyday lens. He then started drilling me w/ questions like "Do you even know what an f-stop is?" When I said that it has to do w/ the aperture, which determines the amount of light that gets in he then said, "What else?" So I said it affects depth of field also. He proceeded by asking, "So what's the difference between f2.8 and f11?" At this point I felt I was being put on the spot because he kept on asking me all these questions. He said my answers are partially correct, but I should do my homework. He even said, "I suggest you go to the library and read up more." I was simply taken aback that a sales rep would respond to a customer this way given that I already mentioned that I'm relatively new to photography. Anyway, it was a totally bad experience for me. They have nice products, but you have to know what you want already before stepping into that store. Otherwise, they'll make you feel inadequate if you ask questions. read more

I've never done a yelp review, but this place was SO GREAT that I had to spread the word. Camera West has the most helpful, friendly employees I've ever come in contact with. I brought my canon in on a random Tuesday afternoon, and when I walked in, multiple employees greeted me. Michael asked what he could help me with, and even though he had a few cameras out that you could tell he had been working on, still stopped to inspect my camera and help me immediately. I asked him to 'tune it up' a bit and he happily obliged. Instead of waiting there, I ran a couple errands and not more than an hr later, Michael called to let me know that he had cleaned everything, and suggested that I get a new filter (mine was stuck on and had a haze underneath it) and a new sd card (mine was falling apart). He advised me to buy a filter elsewhere, knowing that he could sell one to me but that it might be expensive. He absolutely kept me in the loop the whole time and had some great suggestions. When I went to pick up my camera the following day (even though they had it available for me the same day), I met another very friendly employee who rang me up and explained a few more pointers. All of this- for just $30 for the new sd card. They didn't charge for the cleaning or any other other services! The shop is beautifully laid out, clean, and welcoming. The people there are incredibly friendly, helpful, and knowledgable. I will definitely come back here for any camera needs in the future! read more

I purchased my wife a high-end Canon camera for Christmas, 2016. In casually looking it over, she decided it was more "camera" (larger, more prominent) than she wanted. We brought to back to return it in mid-January. The staff looked the Canon over and agreed that it had not been taken out of the box, or used in an way. Despite that fact that the small, obscure policy statement on the wall says there "may" be a restocking charge, we were advised there would be one, even though staff agreed the camera had not been taken out of the box, much less used, and was available for resale. At this point, my wife was having a good engagement with a sales associate regarding a Leica. When I protested the imposition of a stocking charge on the Canon, I was advised that they had not had a sales manager on site "for months." When I advised that was not the customer's issue, they then called an offsite manager who "agreed" to the restocking fee on the new purchase, not the exchange. First, there was no need for a restocking fee on the Canon, as it had never been used. Second, to levy a restocking fee on the Leica, negates the whole point of a restocking fee, much less the fact that the policy (in very small type, tucked away on the wall), said such a fee "may" be levied. If you buy anything at Camera West, make sure it is what you want; you will be charged for changing your mind, regardless of circumstances or stated policy. Customer service here is just another revenue stream. We will never be back. read more

I purchased my wife a high end Canon for Christmas. Upon opening it, she decided that it was a larger and more prominent camera than she wanted. We went to exchange it within the 30 day return period. The policies on the wall say there "may" be a restocking fee. We exchanged the Canon for a Leica; in our case, the only question was how large the restocking fee would be. Store employees confirmed that she had not used the Canon and it was suitable for sale; the only "restocking" was to put the box back on the shelf. After protests that they had not had a store manager "for months," the salesperson called someone who agreed to only charge the 15% restocking fee on the Leica purchase. This totally negates the concept of a "restocking fee" as the Leica was bought off the shelf. This was just a blatant action to maximize short term revenue at the expense of the customer. We acted in good faith, store management did not. We will not shop here again and I advise others to be very careful regarding their purchases. read more

I purchased a $400 tripod from them in November. Less than a week after that, the manufacturer offered a 25% discount on the item. That meant almost $100 savings. I hadn't even used the tripod and had all the original packaging so I thought they would help me secure the savings. Their response was not at all customer oriented. Rather than refund my purchase and let me re-purchase the same item to secure the rebate, they said all sales were final. They said it would be money out of their pocket. I don't understand their unwillingness to work with me to find a way to save me $100. I have been in their store before and made some other purchases. The staff seems very knowledgeable. However, like others, I have found that I have to wait for service and that they are not always customer oriented. This has definitely left me questioning whether or not I would consider doing more business with them in the future. Interestingly, after I contacted the manufacturer, they readily agreed to honor the rebate. read more