service was high quality even though it was clear the staff member who began my transaction was being trained! my photo was taken by a male, in the back area of the studio, lighting was great and there was an x on the floor for me to stand on! staff member let me look at the photo, fix my hair in the restroom etc. and retake it, i was not rushed at all and my want for the photo to be changed was not met with hesitation. the American photos were 15 bucks for the 2 small squares. staff was clearly knowledgeable on the requirements. for the kiwi photos, while they were not knowledgeable, they told me on the phone in advance that i would need to bring in the info, i brought it on an index card and they were very appreciative and used all of that info to get the photo right. for non american documentation come prepared with all of the requirements for the photos printed out or written down so you can hand it to the photographer. the kiwi photos were 30 dollars in total, which included the 2 hard copies, and the staff taking the time to get the digital copies prepared and emailed to me. for what it is worth they also were not disrespectful about my immigration status or passports and were just curious about it. nothing but kindness in regards to that. staff was sociable and i chit chatted with the female manager for quite a bit!! i got in my email the photo edited down to the correct dimensions aswell as the raw photo under the circumstances there was an issue with it for them to edit it further. staff made it clear they do not store images and they only hold them for 24 hours. whole process took about 45 minutes for the whole service. only peice of constructive criticism i could offer is that a veteran came in to get a medallion headshot edited and printed and wasnt offered a vet discount! i would totally use their photography services again. read more

Johnson Camera - photos purchased, american requirements on bottom and kiwi ontop - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Syracuse, New York

One of the best camera stores around. Lydia has given me many exceptional deals on cameras and lenses. And has always considered my trade-in's. They have a lot of stuff. You just gotta look around to find what you want. read more

the D850, but the other Nikon available, the D7500, was older and less technologically advanced. There is also a dearth of camera stores in my area of upstate New York, and this store was the closest seemingly decent store. They have a great website. The store was crowded when I entered, and that gave me time to look around. The telescopes were amazing, but the camera display left a lot to be desired. Finally a woman behind the counter asked if anyone needed help, and I said that I did. She asked me what I wanted, and I told her that I wanted a Nikon DSLR. She asked me again what I wanted and I repeated that I wanted a Nikon DSLR. She commented that she wasn't "putting it together." Now, I wouldn't expect someone on the street to necessarily know what a DSLR is, but a person working in a camera store??? Ridiculous. I repeated what I wanted, and she said, "Oh, you want a used camera." I assured her that I wanted a new one. She started to say something completely inconsequential, and I cut her off and tried to explain what I wanted. She have me a holier than thou look and continued her mindless ramble. Of course she'd lost the sale at that point. So I said that I'd order directly from Nikon and walked toward the door. A man hollered to me and said something about the D7500 being newer than the others and that the last time he'd sold one of those was months ago to the police department. What relevance the police had regarding my purchase was beyond me, and his information was factually incorrect. The D7500 was introduced in 2017 and the D780 was introduced in 2020. I continued to walk out. I left home this morning intending to buy a camera body, a medium zoom lens, and a few extras. And I'm ordering them directly from Nikon as soon as I post this review. I'm sure they won't cry too much over a lost $3,000 to $4,000 sale. read more

Customer service was terrible, the woman was on her phone for so long taking a personal phone call while there were multiple people waiting to get helped. Super unprofessional and when I asked to get my camera repaired she barely took a look at it and said there was nothing that could be done. Wasted so much of time I will not be returning! read more

Literally do not listen to a single 1 star review. These guys are awesome. My grandfather gave me a 35mm Canon A1 and I was looking for places that I could get film developed in and around Syracuse. There were other places, but the speed and quality that Johnson does it with is sublime. You drop your roll on a Monday and they either call you or send you an email to pick up your prints on Friday. Simple as can be. I also found an old Konica camera at a local antique shop, whose shutter was stuck open. I came into the store with it, showed it to one of the gents working there, and he was able to fix it in just a few seconds free of charge! To say that these guys know what they're doing is an understatement. Overall the people at Johnson Studio & Camera are the ones that you should talk to if you have any questions or concerns regarding anything photography. Plus their selection of 35mm and 120 film stocks, along with their used film cameras and lenses are always fun to check out. These guys are the best. (Attached photo is for proof that yes, I've done a LOT of business with these guys) read more

Johnson Camera - All of the rolls of film I've had developed here - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Syracuse, New York

I brought in a camera I'd purchased from them a few months ago to get a refund. It was a brief purchase because I needed an SLR at the time. Now that I found the one I was looking for elsewhere, I wanted to get my money back. I brought it in and I was told that no one except the owner can issue a refund. She was on a meeting at the time so I decided to wait. An entire 2 hours later, she'd finally finished her meeting and when I inquired about the camera, I was told they "didn't have the cash" to cover the refund and they said I should come back another day. An absolute waste of my time and money. I'll be selling the camera elsewhere. read more

Very friendly and attentive staff. Their selection on hand was a little limited (mostly Nikon and Canon stuff) but they worked diligently to find alternative solutions to what we wanted to accomplish. If I lived locally, I'd definitely visit again. read more

I stopped in to select a Nikon Telephoto lens for a gift and found exactly what I was looking for. Prices were very reasonable.

Very nice helpful and knowledgeable had to get a battery for a Nokia had it in stock and they tried fixing the old one.

Very knowledgeable staff. Friendly. Great selection of photography material. Highly recommended. read more

I flew in from Atlanta Georgia and forgot my Canon 5d charger. They hooked me up with one and it was very reasonably prices; and they were extremely nice. I wish his place was in Atlanta Georgia. I will definitely come back here if I'm ever in Syracuse again. read more

Yesterday, (Friday, Dec.8 2017) I discovered that instant cameras (that you purchase at a drugstore) need a minimum of 1 week to get processed. Well, I have an assignment due Tuesday for school in which I needed to have pictures from my disposable camera developed and printed for. I googled this online and initially found a developer in Kansas, but would have had to overnight the camera and prints both ways, and would not have received my prints until Tuesday, the due date. My sister researched photography places in New York State and found Johnson Camera. She called them, and the woman she spoke to was very understanding and empathetic, even though she didn't know us. Even though it was off their usual schedule, for a very fair fee, they agreed to process my photos by Monday. When I dropped my disposable camera off, I was surprised by how understanding and kind the nice woman who helped us was (I believe her name is Lydia). This was my fault for waiting to develop my camera so late in the semester, but I was not judged at all. Well, guess what! Instead of sending me my photos on Monday, I received them two days early, this morning! They are great quality and I will now be able to complete my school project without having to rush Monday night. I cannot thank them enough for their help and genuine patience, kindness, and quality in their service and products. If you need photo work done or photo equipment- please check them out. read more

I read previous comments and was concerned to even call this business, however, I was pleasantly surprised when I called and spoke to a VERY friendly women who was eager to answer my numerous questions even with my toddlers yelling in the background and her needing to repeat herself. I am in the market for an upgrade on my camera and I look forward to stopping in to and picking their brains on new gear. I WILL update with how the experience goes, but so far so good! ****update***** I visited the store and was warmly welcomed and a helped by both the owner and her associate. They were very friendly and knowledgeable and really helped me narrow my choices in cameras. I really enjoyed it, I will go back! read more

My history with Johnson Camera goes back about forty years: this is where I bought my first Mamiya RB-67, my enlarger and most of my darkroom gear, film and chemistry. The Syracuse area had a number of fine photographic stores back then: Hendricks, M&Q, North Plaza, Johnson. Today only Johnson remains. They still have a fair inventory, particularly for accessories like bags, and they seem to base much of their business on telescopes and related items. If you are looking for a specific item and want to see it in person, I would be inclined to check them out. What I cannot recommend is their black-and-white processing. I dropped off a roll of Ilford Delta 100 for processing and printing; I asked the gentleman who took the film for an approximate cost, and he gave me a ballpark of $10, which is about right. When I picked up the order, there was an additional $7.50 charge for hand processing. I did not dispute this, because I fully understand the work -- but it was a bit disappointing to get an inaccurate quote. What really bothers me is the workmanship: the negatives have a 1/8" wide mark on the film base that runs parallel to one edge; it looks like a roller mark of some sort. The negatives were not cut square, but at odd angles, and were not sleeved but stuffed in the folder unprotected. Worst, it appears that whatever developer was used (I am inferring T-MAX RS, based on the manager's later attempt to steer me toward it) greatly increased the contrast index of the film, compared to a more appropriate developer like Ilfotec DD-X, D-76, or HC-110. RS is a very active developer, and at a given temperature requires much less processing time -- to the point of either increasing the time (and contrast) or risking uneven development. From now on I'm back to doing my own processing. read more

The camera selection is good and the knowledgeable staff were very helpful. I have called and stopped by many times and they have no problem taking the time to talk me through my options and functionality of the cameras and other equipment. I also got a lesson on my new camera and it was awesome! Will definitely be back for another lesson soon. read more

My mother was a faithful Longtime customer and when you had to move,she wanted to turn in her camera......JOHNSON took advantage of her!!! $40 for a Camera she Paid over $800!! Shame on you Johnson!!! Anna T. read more

Stopped in to pick up a battery for my DSLR, staff on the phone was helpful and knew exactly the part I needed as well as the issues around compatibility with that particular camera. When I stopped into the store the staff person at the counter was helpful and found the part right away. It was cheaper than I had expected (about the same as Amazon's price). The store appeared well stocked and was clean. I'll be back again. read more

Decent selection of film, knowledgeable and kind staff. If you need something definitely check them out.

The woman who works the front desk is rude and condescending. The camera repair man is always on vacation and has a total inability to fix equipment. read more

I had a great experience here. Had a project with an unusual lens problem with specific time and $ constraints. Couldn't find anyone else who had the lens I needed. They found an affordable rental solution and were super helpful. I was happy to support a local business instead of a big box store to boot. read more

Was here a couple years ago and was impressed with bag selection and how nice and helpful the people working here were. This time I was very disappointed. The bag selection was half of what it was but more importantly the gal working here was just not nice. Perhaps she was just having a bad day but time & multiple yelp reviews will tell us that. read more

Johnson Camera is a professional shop with great equipment and knowledgeable support. This is a small privately owned shop, which is extremely rare in this era of big box discount stores. They offer a wide range of services and are usually working on some project for another customer when you walk in the store. What might appear to some as rudeness is simply the transition time that it takes to switch from detailed production work to customer service mode. Once you have their attention you will be very happy with the level of service and attention they are able to deliver. I encourage support of this valuable business, incredibly their prices are in line with on-line retailers when you add the service, experience and and hands on support it's a clear win for me. read more

I called Johnson camera looking for white screen paper to do a last minute photo shoot of a piece of furniture. I have a good camera but wasn't sure how to make things turn out professional. Lydia was very helpful and took the time to talk me through my options to get set up on a budget. I ended up coming in and doing a lesson on lighting and camera set up and then was able to use the studio for a couple hours to get all the photos I needed. Lydia is setting me up with everything I need to set up my own studio for future photos at a great price. She even spent some time reviewing some photoshop techniques to clean things up afterword and offered to do the post processing on a few so I could get them out right away. I would highly recommend them. read more

Still waiting for a response. I leave for vacation tomorrow and I need Fuji picture cards. I'm at work so I can't call. It was a simple question. Do you have the memory cards. An update. I did get one card but lost a bunch of pictures. Is there a way to retrieve them from the card? read more

As a newbie getting into the photography business. I was guided to Johnson Camera by a friend. I was greeted warmly and immediately asked what I was looking to do specifically. I worked with two wonderful, knowledgeable salespeople. I was not pressured to buy anything. Johnson Camera works with you as an individual. I can't wait to go back and purchase my first camera. read more

Wow! I'm not sure the reason for the bad review! We have know the Johnsons for years. Lydia is usually at the store when you call or go in. She offers advice about cameras, such as what to do when a mirror inside my film camera broke, as well as making fixes inexpensively. I walked in one day with an old and semi broken down Nikon FG, and she fixed it promptly and well. Johnson camera also develops film, and I like that it is the same price at local drugstores but takes less time and is done onsite, therefore supporting local buisness. Also, they sell film and camera equipment. The stock of digital items looks good, although I personally only shoot analog. Overall, Johnson camera always has been as great as it gets! Keep up the good work Lydia and Johnsons! read more

I have had only one "indirect" experience with this company. A good friend of mine purchased an expensive camera from this business for his wife as a gift. Although I do not recall the exact reason, his wife either did not like it or did not desire a camera for the gift at all and he simply wanted to return it unused. This business would not let him return it so he was stuck with a very expensive camera that they did not want. I have never seen my friend angry as I did that day and I haven't seen him angry like that since his encounter with this business. I am now in search of a telescope and willing to spend $1,000+ and although this business has telescopes, based on my witnessed experience, they will not be included in my selection of retailers. read more

I was directed to this store from a co worker that has delt with them for several years. After reading a few reviews i was not sure what to expect. From my personal experiance it would seem that this is one of those situations where only those that are upset with their experiance have taken the time to write a review. I have been in the store several times and have interacted with a couple people there including Lydia. Everytime i've gone into the store it has been a great experience. They keep the store very clean and have a good selection of equipment for everyone from beginners to professionals. So far they have had every piece of equipment that i've been looking for (camera back pack, 10 stop nd filter, remote shutter control, and multiple lenses) and at a fair price. The staff has been very helpful and have answered all of my questions, both in store and through email. They also have on site photo printing that i havent tried yet but will soon. Overall this is the only place within a great distance that is exactly what i have been looking for, it is a family owned and operated business with very helpful people, great gear, and just about all you could ask for in a local camera and photography store. read more

I bought a cannon T3 rebel the other day from them and they were wonderful. I have decided to take up photography but did not have any idea what camera to buy. The gentleman and woman(owner I think) spent an hour with me to help me decide what type of camera I wanted. They were not pushing me towards any particular camera just explained the differences and helped me narrow it down. They were professional and pleasant and I can't recommend the place enough. This is how stores use to be before the big box stores. Oh and I did compare and they were cheaper than best buy!! read more

I love the people at Johnson Camera, and wouldn't buy elsewhere. They have given me invaluable advice and help with photography and astronomy. They truly care, and will spend as much time as you need explaining whatever you need to know. read more

They have always been extremely good to me over the last 20 plus years. They are a family owned business. Quick turn around for printing. Great customer service offering advice when asked. read more

Phoned to ask a simple question, guy in back ground yells "tell him to come in if he wants to know". Guess I'll stick to Ra-Lin for my camera gear. read more