Where do I begin? My fist experience with Kaimuki Camera was in 2007, looking to buy some Canon lenses and other equipment. The person behind the counter was a rude as they get. I Went back a few years later figuring maybe their social skills and customer service improved, it was horrific again. I ended up buying all my new equipment from B&H online, no hassle. Went back for the first time today to look at the possibility of looking at their printing capabilities. At first, the older gentleman was very helpful assisting us with our question regarding pricing. We asked for a price sheet, unfortunately they didn't have one for clients or customers, just a sheet to show you over the counter. I asked, "may I take a picture of your pricing so I can have to review later?" He agreed, until his female co-worker overheard and took the sheet from him and rudely said, NO! They verbally tussled a bit in front of us and the lady got her way and did not allow for me to take a picture of the pricing of prints and sizes. She went on to say how expensive she is, repeating that several times rudely. She demeanor overall was combativeness and unhelpful. She made you not want to give her any business at all. This was typical of my previous experiences at Kaimuki Camera. Their lack of customer service, attitude, unfriendly disposition is off-putting to say the least. They do seem to have a decent printing operation, but I'm not willing to give this company my business based on this experience and all my other encounter with their staff. I would not recommend. read more

Store Lied & Tried To Scheme / Scam Me Long story short, I called the store to verify if they had what I wanted in stock including extras just in case. I show up the next day and all of a sudden they "sold the last one" and tried to get me to purchase the items separate with a more advanced lens that costs $400 more than what I was planning so they can make more money off me since I was wearing my military uniform. The man mentioned to me that starting in June they're gonna be adding tariffs which will drive prices up so they're holding onto their inventory, on purpose to make more money off people. Horrible business tactic to try and lie to customers to make extra money. I will not be shopping here and will never recommend anyone else to come here also. read more

Kaimuki Camera - Door is locked, knock to be let into the store. - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I've been using my iPhone as my main camera for the past few years, but for an upcoming safari trip, I needed something with more zoom capabilities. Convenience, portability, and being lightweight are really important to me, especially when traveling. I'm more of a point-and-shoot type of person and wasn't interested in learning the complexities of a high-end camera. After researching various options, I visited Kaimuki Camera based on a recommendation from our travel guide and my interest in checking out their Canon selection. Neal and Patty were incredibly helpful and welcoming. They spent a lot of time with me, offering thoughtful recommendations and patiently teaching me how to use the camera. The camera I ended up purchasing was the same model they suggested -- and it matched the top choice from my online research. I'm excited to practice with it and feel confident knowing I can return for additional lessons from Neal if needed. I also found their prices to be fair and competitive. Overall, it was a great experience, and I highly recommend Kaimuki Camera! read more

Terrible shop. No one is helpful they are clueless. How do you call yourself a camera shop then not be able to assist with any camera issues. They wouldn't even take a look at my camera. Skip this store and go to Best Buy, they are so much more helpful! And nicer! read more

Knowledgeable staff and very nice ! Go see them first! Big selection of accessories. ........... read more

The day I 1st hold the box with my Sony a7iii is the day I felt like I'm in a cloud 9! Heavenly feeling indeed! And the first thing that goes in my mind, is a camera bag. A camera bag to help my baby secure from dust & a comfortable cushion when it sits on the corner. Since KC is closer to where we live we made a trip and try to find a bag for my baby the next day. An old Asian guy in his 50's came to open the door for us. Greeted us with a friendly vibe & showed us the hand sanitizer (of course, for safety precautions, it's a new normal thingy folkx, duuuhh). A nice gestures from them & a welcoming vibes will surely be a good transaction later on. And to make it short, yeah, we purchased a $49.95 + tax KATA lite-437 DL bag. Asked him if my Sony a7iii with kit lens & extra lens will fit this and he answered Yes with confident. And looking on the inside of the bag it seems like, so I felt so happy with the purchase I made not until we got home & tried to put the camera inside. When I put the camera with the kit lens attached on it, it fits right but not with an extra lens! I can feel the frustration so the very next day first thing in the morning we drove back to the place, explained what happened & trying to exchange for the bigger bag & then suddenly both of them almost shook their head synchronizingly. I never even returning the bag & ask refund. All I want is to exchange the bag with a bigger space inside and is willing to add an additional money for the cost to that. So I guess they don't want business from me. And I can assure you that they will not receive any amount even a single penny from me. I planned to go back in there to buy some accessories but that's it, I rather drive half an hour to Aiea despite the traffic I will cross to & check Pro Camera Hawaii next time. Not only that, I even purchased a camera strap from them too! So inconsiderate! My only advice to those who are planning to purchase anything in here is that, ask for their return policy first. These folks need somebody to educate them on how to run a business ayt. Or maybe hand them down about the customer care policy. Anyway, be careful before you purchase anything in here, or else you'll end up like me stuck & regretted so much on my purchase (insert sad face). But other than that they'll welcome you & answer your queries regarding photography as much as they know. Mahalo for taking time to read my review & HAPPY JUANDERING fellow yelpers! @hello.juanderpinay www.juanderbandit.world read more

Kaimuki Camera - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Do not go to a big box store to buy your camera or accessories. Buy them at Kaimuki Camera. Knowledgable and friendly staff. Reasonable prices. Very service oriented. They know and understand what they are selling and can/do offer excellent advice on your needs. read more

I wanted to use my Nikon to take photos of Honolulu Festival fireworks. I hadn't used this camera for a while and was saddened to see the charger was broken, I was glad to find Kaimuki Camera (on Yelp, of course). First off this this a lovely, thriving neighborhood with lots of mom and pop shops and eateries. It's worth the trip just to visit the hood. I felt a little bad. I didn't have a mask with me and the sign in the door said please knock and please wear a mask. The nice gentleman was cordial dispute my rudeness. I showed him the battery and asked if he had a charger which would work for my battery. He did. He took the time out to demonstrate and show me it would work and explain how to use the functions. It's a nice charger the will handle a variety of batteries. It even has a USB port and a plug for a car lighter. A charger. Seems like a small thing, but it's wonderful to me that we have a independent store who can handle such needs so quickly. I will be considering Kaimuki Camera for my next camera purchase. read more

Looked online for a Canon RF 28mm-70mm F2 and it was sold out everywhere. Amazon didn't have it. B&H didn't have it. Nobody online. So I checked on Hawai'i and Pro Camera said they sold theirs last week. I lost hope until I called Kaimuki Camera and Patty said they had one in stock. Since this lens is sold out everywhere on earth I expected to pay more than what it's sold for. Luckily for me I didn't. Patty told me the price and even showed me the B&H print outs of their pricing. Knowing what the going rate was it was in line with what it's being sold for. She was extremely helpful and we made small talk about her business. She was extremely knowledgeable about Canon and I appreciated her suggestions on equipment. Great experience and I will be back. read more

Kaimuki Camera - First time ever I received a Canon bag when purchasing equipment which was cool. - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

They do custom photo art/portraits from snapshots. I called for info on a camera bag. She recommended to bring camera in for a fitting. Luckily I found a parking spot in front of the store. Parking options: $0.25 coin meter or gate pay parking. Both were across the street. Bring a mask because you must wear a mask to enter. The store is small and filled with Canon accessories. My camera was too big for the bags offered and one option was too big. The shop owner makes custom work, he was creating a photo portrait from snapshot. He gave advice on how to present the portrait with a wreath. They have a portfolio of previous ones that you can see. read more

I've learned my lesson about supporting small local businesses FIRST before doing the Amazon, Worst Buy or mainland route. Kaimuki Camera had exactly what I was looking for which was a point and shoot digital for my daughter. Patty and Neal came through and with a price that was equal to a large mainland dealer on the east coast. Neal took his time to explain what the camera did and all of the controls and pointed out some really good buttons on the body that were great for travel photography. While my daughter has an iPhone she doesn't like the images or the ergonomics of the iPhone as it is, well, a... phone. They specialize in Canon but it didn't matter to me as a Nikon glass owner. The goal was to get something that was more camera like and small. Knowing that Neal and Patty are a Canon shop I might even consider switching to Canon knowing I have a "real" local shop to work with rather than online... needless to say it was great to buy from someone that knows what they are selling. My father was a small business owner and always had to support folks that ordered direct from the mainland because his prices weren't near what they could get from the mainland even with shipping. What he provided was local expertise that you couldn't get from the mainland and someone that asked a lot of questions to make sure you ordered what "you" needed and not necessarily what you "wanted". At the end of the day, my money went to a local family and not some nameless corporation just to get the cheapest price and that is always worth paying a little more...which I didn't :-) read more

After buying my Canon EOS 6D from Kaimuki Camera, I needed a cable to connect my camera to my computer to transfer picture files. Camera had the cable I needed. I didn't need to wait for it to arrive from Amazon, like I'd on previous occasions. This small shop has had everything I've needed and some things I didn't know where available to me. This enthusiastic couple are a fountain of photographic information. You can get pamphlets or brochures on photo expositions and classes on Oahu. The latest is PACIFIC MEDIA Arts at Chaminade University in May. There's something for everybody in this offering. read more

I go to Kaimuki Camera for any and all of my photo printing work; fast, reasonable in price and - for me - very patient and friendly. I have not bought any equipment from them but will look into lighting set in the future. One thing is the parking: yes, I know it's Kaimuki and fortunately I have been lucky in finding street parking; and occasionally I "borrow" a stall from the other business around the area (much mahalos ... I also don't take advantage). I know they can't do anything about it but just thought I'd give the yelpers a heads up. read more

Kaimuki Camera has been in business as long as I have been alive. And I have been born and raised in Kaimuki. With that said, this mom and pop business is a fixture in Kaimuki town and has been around longer than most businesses on Waialae Avenue - besides Kaimuki Chop Suey. I have been here on a few occassions where I had to find a good camera, since I had a camera and it was being a ditz. I needed a new camera and I couldn't just get anything. I thought Kaimuki Camera would be the one that'll get me the right one. I thought I was doing the right thing, until I stepped into the door. Previous Yelp reviews had got it right. The customer service does need a major attitude adjustment and I just was blind sided by the rudeness that I experienced the few times I was there, on separate locations. Once you enter the door, the counter was right there. The store is very small, so there was not much room for their goods. Perhaps, they had a storage area somewhere offsite? Maybe that's all they were selling in the store? I looked to me that they were doing old school photography, complete with the tripods for the heavy duty cameras and associated parts and gear. For me, I needed a digital camera - no muss, no fuss. I probably could just get one at Wal-Mart, if I wasn't so lazy. This place was the closest to home I could get. Oh well, the way I was treated, I would be better off at Wal-Mart. While I am not trying to be a professional photographer, I understand the need to ask questions from qualified experts. To get the response I did on a few occassions I was there did not justify me to return for another round of rudeness. I'm sure they have longevity to Kaimuki, but this is ridiculous. Yes, supporting small businesses is good and all, but I rather just spend my money elsewhere. D- read more

With friendly and knowledgeable staff, always looking to help. This is without a doubt my favorite local camera store!

The BEST service is at Kaimuki Camera! Pat and Neil have been doing our Christmas cards for the past 20 plus years. They do it in-house so it is quick and I appreciate the help in design. They are super nice and they have many regular customers that they address by name. They are experts and trustworthy. I won't go anywhere else for my pictures and camera needs. Thank you read more

I've gone here three or four times, each time regretting it. Each time hoping that I could feel good about giving my business to this locally owned camera shop. It pains me to give this stinging review, but I tell all my friends to stay away from this place. On two separate occasions, I was completely ignored. When I asked for assistance, they actually seemed annoyed, and gave me curt and unhelpful responses. These are the owners who treated me this way. One time they actually did treat me like a customer, that was when I asked to see an expensive lens. They were also incredibly rude to me over the phone. Twice I called asking if they had a certain item I was looking for. The first time, the lady responded with, "Have you been to our store?" "Yes.." I said. "So you know we have a big wall of stuff." "Right.." "Come down and look for it there, we have a lot of stuff." And she hangs up. Me sitting there, mouth hanging open--I don't remember if it was in disbelief or if I was going to say something. Another time after asking a brief question, the man quickly replied with, "Uhh we're really busy right now, come to the store I have to go." and he hangs up! My final experience, I went into the store needing a light stand. I asked about the weight capacity of one they had in stock. The owner asks me, "Oh, it doesn't say on the package?" "No, nothing here." I say, handing it to him. "Oh.. well, that information is on the internet you can look it up there." This was before everyone had smartphones and 3G. Sooo did he expect me to buy it without knowing this important piece of information? Or go home, look it up, then come back?? These guys get my all time worst service award. Both husband and wife. Thank you for excelling... below and beyond my worst expectations. read more

I recently went to Kaimuki Camera to purchase a new camera, I was pretty excited and I tend to be the kind of person that buys on impulse. I walked into the door to see if they had the Canon Camera that I wanted to buy in stock. The gentalmen behind the the counter was helping someone else at the time and decided to check out the rest of the store while I waited for him to finish up with customer that he was working with....Well I waited for about 20 mins and the guys never even acknowledged that we were there or so much as say Hi, be right with you in a min. It was like we were not even there. I hate that shit !..would it kill them to at least say Hi? I mean how many people walk in there ready to spend a grand or more on a camera ? So long story short, I ended up leaving and the gentalmen never even said thanks for coming in or oh sorry do you guys need anything?? Screw That !! I decided to go online instead and get better service from the comfort of my home. If you go there good luck getting fair customer service ! read more

They are NEVER getting another dollar of my Canon needs. EVER! I just walked in the door from buying a 35mm lens and realized I actually wanted a 50mm (yes I know that sounds idiotic but I'm not a pro and just bounced in on a whim from Coffee Talk and dropped $628 in 5 minutes without them having to put in any effort into the sale). So immediately upon realizing this mistake I call them back to ask if I can come right back and exchange it for the other lens plus any difference. They act like they have no idea who I am or when I came in. I WAS JUST THERE BUYING THE LENS! I'm speaking to the woman who just sold me the lens and she doesn't remember me. She says 'come back so we take a look at it' like in the time I left I went on safari shooting card after card of images. I say it's still in the box but she repeats herself as if I have no idea what the standard procedures and protocol are for fair product exchange. I'm about to walk out the door to drive back to them and they call me back saying 'Hi. We spoke earlier...', NO, we JUST spoke, 30 seconds ago. They then say, 'Sorry. My husband says we can't take the lens back, he showed you the pricing sheet when you were in here'. WTF!?! I know you did, between two different 35mm lenses. I'm telling you I bought the wrong one 10 minutes ago and want to exchange it for the 50mm. She repeats herself but places the decision on him. I'm shocked. Literally in awe. I sit quietly for a moment in amazement. Dumbfounded. I sign off the call with 'Fine. I'll take my business elsewhere'. Not that I believe they care. Are you serious? ARE YOU SERIOUS!?!? I was proud to give a local, mom and pop shop, in my neighborhood more money than buying off Amazon or Best Buy or wherever... but now, now you will never get an ounce of my money. Not a dime. Not only that but I will make sure if any of my friends in the creative world here in Hawaii or abroad (and I know many) need any camera equipment that they definitely don't go to Kaimuki Camera. Take you needs to Hawaii Camera, Lighthaus Camera, anywhere. They don't care about customers, and obviously not about them returning Out! read more

I'm all for supporting local and family owned shops so I'm a little sad that I have to write this review. I walked into the store knowing I wanted to purchase a lens cover, but was also curious about the flashes and tripods they carried. Being new to photography, I immediately told the salesman that I'm a beginner and asked what they recommend for flashes. That's when his mood shifted. He handed me a flash without saying a word and just stood there. It was so awkward. TLDR; Go somewhere else, this guy's an asshole. read more

Trust the one-star reviews; go to this place only if you are in an emergency to pick up an item or just want to check out some items before you buy on-line. (haha) They have an attitude that they don't need your business and customers are "Stupid", I differently will not give them my business! my money are just as good around the world that I don't need to spend it here!!!! there's a reason why they are still "small business" after over 30 yrs. in the same location. Adios Kaimuki Camera! read more

I've always gone to Pro Camera Hawaii, but figured I'd give this place a shot since it's much closer to home. Unfortunately, it wasn't a good experience and I won't be back. Pro Camera is still worth the drive. read more

I read a lot of negative reviews about Kaimuki Camera on other review sites, saying that the owner/employees were rude and unhelpful. I did not have that experience at all. They went out of their way to help me find exactly what I was looking for, and were very courteous. Now, they don't have the largest selection - they didn't have step-down rings or achromat lenses for example, but as far as Hawaii goes, they are the most well stocked camera shop on island. read more

Owner operated store with high end camera supplies. While maybe not the place to buy your point and shoot low end camera the staff is knowledgable and helpful. Went there with some family. The staff was attentive, helpful, and ver informative. At no time were they dismissive about questions from us as amateurs or impatient with us. All questions answered and good advice given. I will continue to be a patron of this establishment. read more

"I don't advertise" were the words out of the owner's mouth when I told him I called FIFTEEN different stores (battery bill, home/office depot, office max, best buy, costco, ritz, pacific camera, hawaii camera rental, the list goes blah and blah and on) looking for a particular canon battery and he was one of two stores who had it. The other was a big box store who sold the battery for $74. Kaimuki Camera? $60! That's as good as the best prices I could find on the internet. I needed the battery for a Magnetic Moments event tomorrow, so Kaimuki's awesomeness is a HUGE deal. and the owners are so knowledgeable about their stuff. It also should have been a tip-off that out of the 15 places I called, over half recommended me to Kaimuki Camera--by far the most referrals of any place. I am so glad I found this place! I'm coming back for all my camera needs :) read more

Always go here to get my camera equipment, if you want to support your local mom and pop store, this is the place. they mostly carry Canon stuff, but they have most of the high end pro equipment. if you can't get i here i ordered it online. you got to park in the public parking or on the street. Neil know his stuff and i like going there to hang and buy a camera or two. read more

DO NOT SHOP HERE! These people are very dishonest. I bought a Fujifilm NP-95 battery from Neil, one of Kaimuki Camera's owners. I was charged $57.99 plus sales tax ($60.72 total). I came home and double-checked the NP-95 price at Fujifilm dealers in California and New York. PopFlash, a small Fujifilm dealer in Thousand Oaks, CA, charges $34.95 for the NP-95, with no tax and free shipping. B&H Photo, a 'superstore' in New York City, charges $34.95, no tax and a little over $5 for shipping. I immediately called Kaimuki Camera and spoke with Neil's wife, Patti. I said that I was shocked at the difference in price and that I would bring the battery back for a refund right away. She relied, "All sales are final," and immediately hung up on me. I called back and spoke with Neil. I explained that he had overcharged me by $23.04, not including tax. I asked him to please allow me to return the battery for a full refund. He said: "All sales are final." I told Neil that it seemed short-sighted, to upset and lose customers by overcharging. He repeated: "All sales are final. That's been our policy for 30 years." I said that I would contact Fujifilm Hawaii, Fujifilm North America, and the Better Business Bureau and that I would also post a complaint at Yelp. Neil replied, "Good. You do that," and he hung up. I'll never go back to Kaimuki Camera. read more

Very helpful owners who were willing to answer the myriad of questions I had as an intermediate level photo/videographer. Lots of good little pieces of equipment in stock on the shelves read more

I am a professional photographer and it is hard to find a store that sells pro camera and lighting equipment on the island. That said, Kaimuki Camera is still NOT the best place to go. I'm a long time customer here but will provide the public with an honest review. I find the owners (the only ones who work there) impatient and unwilling to assist their customers. (They will size you up when you walk in the door, trust me). On one occassion the owner bent over the counter and told me a secret--they "can't waste their time helping ameteurs and non-regulars" I was told. (How's that for customer service?). Also keep in mind that they only go out of their way to place speical orders on lens, bodies, etc for "only our regulars" they said. (what is everyone else, chopped liver?). Try it--go in and ask for help, assistance or information about any of the products. Neil (the owner) in particular won't give you the time of day. His wife is kinder but both will give you very limited information on an item and very poor service. IF YOU ARE NOT IMPORTANT TO THEM (in terms of their business) they will ignore you or at best not treat you with the same respect and equality they give to others. It's sad to say, but you may be better off ordering online. If you don't believe me, read reviews on other non-yelp sites. Five star posts are written by their friends and "regulars" but many give one star ratings-- There is a consensus of their having "terrible customer service." Several complain that the owners hang up the phone on them when they call, but this has not happened to me. On the upside, their prices are similar to that of www.Amazon.com. They know this is their competition. (Kaimuki Camera also often closes the store without warning so do call before you go to make sure someone is there). If you absolutely need something immediately this and Lighthaus and Ritz Camera are the few options you have. read more

I went in yesterday to purchase a Manfrotto tripod for mounting a spotting scope. I had an idea what I was looking for, so I didn't ask for help initially from the lady behind the counter. She approached me asking if I had any questions. When she found out I wanted the tripod for a scope, she proceeded to tell me the tripods would not work with a scope. I told her I intended to buy the appropriate head, but she continued to argue with me, being quite hostile and pushy about it. When I told her the purchase was to be I understand I was not going to be spending big money on a camera or lens, and therefore I might be viewed as a less desirable customer, but that is no reason to be nasty. If you plan on approaching a customer who is minding their own business, you had better be ready to help with whatever he / she came to your shop for, or be prepared to lose business. I notice I am not the only person who has had problems with this woman, and it seems other reviewers find her more helpful than the guy she works with. That said, avoid this store unless you have no other option. With all the online options, there is no reason to even bother with Kaimuki Camera at all. read more

First of all, I'm from out of town and it seems there is no large store oriented to professionals on the island. These little, privately owned stores are all that's available. I was looking for a cable release for a film camera and they were the last shop in the city to try. I called and he said they start at "about $12". I also asked if they had 67-72mm step up rings. He put me on hold and came back informing me he didn't at the moment. A couple days later I went in to get the cable release. They had a few to choose from from $15-25. When he was ringing it in, he asked if I was the one who called earlier. After informing him I was, he asked me to wait a second, then pulled out the 67-72mm filter ring I was looking for. It was $15, which was also a reasonable price. I was glad he found it because I was starting to stress over not being able to find one. Parking's a real pain though. We had to loop around about 4-5 times then eventually I stopped in a loading zone and my wife waited in the car for me to do the in-and-out. read more

I've tried to like Kaimuki Camera, and although they've been helpful at times, overall I'd have to say they need to work on a few things. To me it comes down to customer service, selection and price - and in that order. Service is fine. I was neither impressed nor disappointed with their level of service. They've been able to answer most of my questions and have generally been helpful, but on occasion it just seems like they can't be bothered or would rather be chatting up their preferred customers. All sales final policy which I found disappointing after an item I had purchased was missing a part (not crucial, but still). Selection is good enough. I'm a Canon guy so I don't know about other brands, but they seem to have pretty much all the essential gear and other accessories. Unless you have specialized needs they'll probably have what you're looking for, which is amazing considering how small the place is. Price is not bad considering they're a mom and pop run business with no internet sales. You're not going to find any killer deals here better than what you'll find online, but if you need it now and want to support local business then it's not a bad deal at all. My only gripe is they did gouge me on a particular item I bought, but that was pretty specific. Bottom line: decent shop, fair but not great prices, customer service could use some work. If you know what you want and need it now, you'll probably walk out a happy customer. If not, well your mileage may vary. read more

Went to buy a new point and shoot camera for a trip next week. They sell mostly Canon and Olympus cameras, no Nikons. Ended up getting a Canon S110. Overall, a good experience. I just wish there was closer parking. read more

I wandered in the store several years ago and found the owners extremely knowledgeable and helpful. I've been back whenever I needed camera gear. The husband especially knows his stuff and when ever I took his advice things became fruitful. Several times they went out of their way to get something I needed or even pointed to another store if they didn't have it. I am amazed that some found the owners unfriendly. I've never had that experience with them either in the store or on the phone and I've never seen them treat anybody like that. I find it very odd. From what I've heard, because of the tsunami in Japan most camera manufacturers have either stopped production or limited it because the part companies in those areas have been severely damaged. read more

Kaimuki Camera is my go to place for when I need printing on a foam board, which is maybe 2-3 times per year for work. Neal (not sure if I spelled his name right) is really nice and very knowledgeable. He gets the job done perfectly almost every time. there was one time that I didn't place the order for that was too large, but that may not have been his fault. When I brought it to his attention, he fixed it right away. Kaimuki Camera also sells other things like cameras (of course, but the more photography kind than small point and shoot), lenses, camera bags, lens bags, stands, etc. read more

I always feel I should support local and support mom and pop shops but there's a reason why Kaimuki Camera is still pathetically a "small business" after over 30 years. I also don't typically write reviews but I just had to share my awful experience so that others in search of a camera store don't come to this one. First: They are never open on time! How unprofessional is that? I came in 2 times this week in the morning before heading off to work to find a new 35mm lens for my camera. Their store hours CLAIM to be from 9:00 AM but I stood outside until 9:15 with NO ONE to be found. I came in again the next day and waited until 9:07 and this older-ish couple maybe in their 50s finally came in to open up shop. Second: I've read a lot of reviews of the rude, nasty woman (probably the wife of the owner). And yup, I can definitely attest to those reviews. Does she not care about customers? Does she not care about her seemingly dying business? Obviously not because she spent the next 10 minutes belittling me. She definitely had an attitude that customers are "stupid" and was shockingly condescending. Don't come here! Usually local businesses are friendly families but this disgustingly had the worst customer service I've ever experienced. STEER CLEAR!! read more

Great little camera shop in kaimuki business area. Family owned and operated. Very knowledgeable and gives great advice. It's tucked away among some of the stores so you might end up missing it if you're not paying attention. Although the store is a little small and cramped they have quite a selection of various equipment. Sorry Nikon Pentax and Sony shooters but they specialize in Canon cameras and equipment. They do however stock great camera accessories like tripods, monopods, filters etc. What I liked most about the store is that the owner is very helpful when it comes to asking for advice about lens selection and general photography advice. Also, the pricing is very competitive (read here :very reeasonable prices:) It might not be bargain basement cheap but they price their lenses and accessories fairly. Personally I picked up a few lenses and accessories from them and will continue to shop here. A few others mentioned that some of the employees are rude and unhelpful but in the numerous times I've visited I've never been disappointed with the service. For the record I usually go when they open on my days off. Quick Tips: - They do not give phone quotes so its better to stop in. Do call to make sure they're open because sometimes they open a little late. - Kaimuki area is notorious for not having anywhere to park. You can find pay parking next to the Bank of Hawaii Building or metered street parking in the street next to the Goodwill/Salvation army. - If you have any questions about lens selection or are a beginner photographer like me don't hesitate to ask. His advice is pretty spot on. read more

My grandparents and I made a trip to Kaimuki Camera to shop for my birthday present since we were in the downtown area. As long as you know the address, you should be able to find it easily as it's located on the left side of waialae avenue if you're going up. The yellow sign isn't that hard to miss. Make the first left after the shop, and park at one of the meters. Be sure to feed it at least maybe an hour and a half (chances are you'll have to wait to be helped after the customers who are already there). The owners (i believe it's a husband and wife) are pretty friendly. The husband was a little more likable though. I went in looking for a macro lens for my canon rebel xsi, and only had to wait about a minute or so even though he was helping some other people. He showed me my two options for a macro lens, and I tested both out. The prices weren't toooo bad, although I'm not an expert on camera equipment prices. I liked that he went back and forth between me and the other customers to give us all equal assistance. In my opinion, he would just be wasting his time if he just stood there watching me test out the lens. They weren't pushy with sales, but did recommend a few accessories such as a UV lens protector and case for my lens. I know they were recommending them for my benefit more than their own. The woman didn't really have a sense of humor. My grandpa is quite the joker and she seemed to be getting annoyed with his humor. Oh well, not everyone can take a joke! Overall, I rate this experience ****/5. I'll be coming back here for my next purchase. read more

I went there despite all of the reviews because I had to check it out for myself. I did feel like I was being ignored when I first walked it mainly because there where what appeared to be two "preferred" customers talking to the lady behind the counter. They had the expensive looking canon gear, humongous lenses, photography vest, bag carrying, etc etc that made them look like the pro types. And there I was in my slippers, shorts, and t-shirt looking to buy some cleaning equipment for my Nikon camera. Though I have to say the lady did acknowledge me with a kind smile. So while I waited I browsed around the store and they had stuff other stores don't. After finding what I wanted and staring at the product for a few minutes she came over and asked if I needed help. I told her what kind of camera I had and what I was looking for. Seems like they're more canon people and she said she wasn't familiar with Nikons, so she had to bring out this binder and look up the proper cleaning equipment for my camera. Once we found it she happily bagged up the items and made the sale. Friendly, I guess. Really bad customer service? Maybe...I didn't deal with the guy owner everyone on here hates. The experience was enough to make me want to come back if needed, but not want to come back if there were alternatives. Oh well...I guess that's just the way they are. Kinda sad really. If they put any effort into helping out all their customers equally, and maybe stocking up Nikon items then I'm sure their business would greatly increase. I'm actually going to go there today and I'll write up another review if anything changes. read more

Though this place is a little on the expensive side, it is still locally owned and owners are friendly. I've been going her since high school. Its really out of the way from ewa beach, but if I need back up, wanna just sample new gear, then I'm there! They have a good variety of tripods, always stocked on necessities and gadgets. I paid $80 for a battery charger when I came back home to the islands, and really didn't mind, everywhere else at the time was out of stock or you needed to order online. Great place for canon heads, and right across coffee talk! read more