We used to go here a lot prior to COVID and the fire. My husband purchased a couple of cameras and…read morewe would get our film developed here. Always had good experiences for the most part. We recently got back into film photography, so we decided that we wanted to hit up Central Camera to purchase some film, see about development services, and just look at their general stock. We waited about 15 or so minutes at the film counter and no one came over. We knew what we wanted and weren't looking to have some lengthy conversation. I was going to buy the five-roll box of Portra 400 and my husband was looking to get a few boxes of different black and white films to try out. We were really looking forward to purchasing today from a local business (and honestly, we'd probably purchase this amount of film + development monthly), but just being completely ignored was really frustrating. I don't mind paying more for film or for cameras or for development at a local shop. By going to a local shop, you are paying for their product curation and the person experience and not just being a random name printed out in on a packing slip. I don't expect to have my ass-kissed the entire time I'm in a store, but at least some acknowledgement of our presence would have been great. And if we were standing in the wrong spot to get serviced, some direction about where to go would have been great too. Move film and cameras to the same side of the store. That way your employees can stay behind the counters and still service guests who are interested in different products without having to zig-zag across the store. If someone is looking at a used camera for a long time, it would still allow the team to service more quick serve guests without neglecting one or the other. When we were there, guests and employees were bouncing around from counter to counter and it just looked completely inefficient for everyone. I would set it up as on the left is register, film/photo pickup, and then cameras. On the right should be Central Camera merch, Photo Booth, and bench. Keeps your repeat/quick serve guests closer to the front of the store and the more engaged customers towards the back.

this spot was a GOD SEND i recently bought a film camera from somewhere and didn't know how to use…read moreit. went to this store to get film and a battery for this camera and to maybe have someone look at it and show me how to use it. the staff was great and very smart on camera equipment/ knowledge. they have a large selection of various film. the staff showed me how this camera works (it's from 1965 only a year older than my mom lol) and i'm very happy with what knowledge and products they had to offer. they offer cameras and other various equipment as well. stop buying film from walgreens which is a mega cooperate giant and come to this human owned business instead highly recommend this spot 10/10 will definitely be back

I have bought 4 or 5 new Leicas from Dan. Great advice, great service and nice selection of…read moreaccessories as well. The only place to go for Leica! He also has beautiful leather bags!

Great selection of new and pre-owned Leicas. Dan and Scott were both very helpful. For a working…read morecamera or to add to a collection, Tamarkin Camera is superb.

Brought an old point-and-shoot camera to them. They got back to me in the original estimated time…read moreframe and were extremely kind throughout the whole process. While I did not go ahead with the repair (old camera, wasn't worth it), the proposed pricing was fair. Overall a great experience!

Yes. Good service - had my camera checked and then fixed (on-off switch stopped working). Took a…read morebit longer than originally promised, but got done in time for a trip.

In November 2024, I paid $350 to repair my Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II lens (valued at $2,500). Bill…read moredemonstrated it working in his shop, but it broke again within days with the same issue. I returned the lens on November 25, 2024. Bill acknowledged the failed repair and promised to fix it at no charge. Over the next year, Bill kept my lens and never returned a single call. I visited the shop at least five times and called periodically, too. Each time he seemed anxious and irritated by my persistence, promised to call, and then didn't. On October 29, 2025, I delivered a demand letter with the building's security guard as a witness. Bill tried to make me sign a receipt stating I'd received cash before actually handing me any money and after I declined his offer of writing me a personal check. After I finally received the $350, he forgot he was still holding my lens and had to search for it. He appeared confused throughout the interaction. Multiple recent reviews describe nearly identical experiences: repairs failing immediately, equipment held for months with no communication, one customer calling police after seven months, another told "I gave up" after four months. Bill was once regarded as the best in the city, in fact, he repaired my equipment perfectly back in 2005. But now it's clear he can no longer handle repairs or manage his business. TL;DR: Repair failed immediately, took one year and a legal threat to get my money and lens back. Bill forgot he had my lens during the final exchange. Check the other recent 1 and 2 star reviews showing the same pattern. Find another repair shop.

The kindest man helped me with my film camera. It ended up being a simple fix, but he didn't charge…read moreme anything. Despite a slight language barrier he was very knowledgeable, kind, and helpful. I highly recommend!

Fast efficient easy and no appointment! Can't beat that…read more Don't drive here bc it's downtown Chicago and hard to find parking unless you want to pay for the meter or garage it or Spot Hero it. I got my 3 cards of fingerprints for work in 20 min. And it was nice they saw me at 4:30pm when they close at 5pm. Thank you!

Quick, easy and no appointment required. I've used this business a few times for fingerprinting and…read moreLiveScan as well as passport photos. They are a one stop shop. Credit cards do have a small fee, understandable given that otherwise it would be built into the cost. Costs are reasonable. $15 for fingerprinting. Affordable and fast. They helped me fill out my paperwork too and double checked everything. Recommend.

Maps says it's at 401 EAST Ontario. It's actually 401 WEST Ontario. Very nice staff. I dropped…read morein to get my Gratical fixed and they did it in 15 minutes.

From the owner: Zacuto makes, sells, and rents high quality, USA-made filmmaking accessories and creates Emmy Award…read morewinning original content for the web. The Chicago location focuses on renting high-quality equipment to local filmmakers. Check out our rental specials! Plus, when you check-in on Yelp, you get a free Zacuto t-shirt with your rental.

I hired Jill to complete a shoot of headshots for me a few months ago. I was very satisfied with…read morethe services she provided and her work. She was professional, on time, her photography skills were excellent, and the price was reasonable. I would consider using her again for future headshots or other photography services. *This is an actual review - "not fake".

Our company was traveling to Chicago from all over the states. We wanted to have photos taken for…read moreour website and social media platforms. Jill was able to work with us on extremely short notice, which was greatly appreciated. She is very professional but easygoing, which put everyone at ease. From the first email and phone call she has been very patient, understanding and was willing to go through all the photos until we were completely satisfied with the final choices. We couldn't thank her enough for all her time.