I had been having problems with a Nikon D300 camera and a Nikon 80 to 400mm zoom that we had bought at the Mike's Camera in Park Meadows about 2 1/2 years ago. A friend was getting better pictures with his point and shoot that cost about 10% of what our equipment cost. After he got much better pictures of a rare bird in SE Colorado in July, I took the camera and lens into the Mike's Camera in Boulder, as it is closer to our home. When I got there the place was packed and it looked like I was going to have to wait quite a while but Brian, one of the salesmen, excused himself from the person he was helping and asked just what I needed. I told him the basic problem and he pointed me upstairs to the repair desk, saving me a lot time waiting in the wrong place. He said he did that because he thought that might be that case. I went upstairs to the repair desk and in a couple of minutes I was waited on. I didn't have my receipt with me but after the guy behind the counter ascertained that I had bought the equipment from one of their stores, he went into the computer and found the sales records. Turns out the lens (and camera) was still under warranty so he wrote up my complaints about the poor focus and autofocus and sent the lens to Nikon. I left town for a couple of weeks and on the day I returned, Mike's called to tell me that the lens was back and to come and get it, no charge. When I picked up the lens the next day, it was explained that Nikon had replaced some autofocus sensor or something to fix the slow autofocus, but the focus problem itself was the filter that I had bought with the camera on the recommendation of the salesman in Park Meadows. Nikon said the lens passed all their tests w/o the filter and flunked all their tests with the filter on. That didn't please me very much as Mike's had recommended the filter. I went downstairs to talk to Brian and explain the problem and he got Tito the manager who then apologized for the failure of the original salesman to get it right, gave me full credit for the filter I had originally bought (even w/o the box) and of course sold me another filter. I went for the best one they had and he gave me 20% off the price of the new filter before crediting the old one. He also told me that the salesman in Park Meadows (I'll spare him and not name him) will get a refresher course in Nikon camera's and compatible equipment. I asked Tito if he would give me the same deal on a new filter for another lens I bought at the same time as the camera body and the 80 - 400mm zoom and he said he would. I went back a week or so later to trade for another new filter for the other lens after using the long lens with the new filter and although the pictures were noticeably sharper, I had a different problem with the lens. I was getting a strange code on the display (something like FFe) and the camera wouldn't shoot. I showed it to Brian who immediately knew what the problem was and fixed it. Nikon had changed some of the settings on the lens when they worked on it and Brian knew exactly which setting on which ring to fix. Mike (I think that was the name of the manager on duty at the time) gave me the same deal on a new filter as Tito had and I left as a pretty happy camper with the camera working much better than when this all began. I'm very happy with the service I got at the Mike's Camera in Boulder. read more

I am hopeful that this get's back to the man we are writting this about. We never use this type of format to communicate but we have chosen to not only write directly but to also post a 'review' online. We, ( My life-partner and myself ) have been customer's of Mike's for almost 6 years now. We have purchased one camera, a number of lenses and many accesories to go along with some photo finishing during this span. We have been happy with our experiences much of the time and are happy to deal with local buisnes when possible. But one of the people we have been most appreciative of over the past 2-3 years is a man named Ron Steadman. Always attentive, caring, and patient. recently he has become less available as before and we have come to learn that is due to his added responsibilities as an assistant manager. Still always there to say hello, help when available, ask how we and our families are and even so much as to hold the door for us as we enter or leave the store. Earlier today we witnessed what a blessing he is to not only us as customers but also to his staff as he came to the defense of one of his employees. We had been there to pick up my girlfriends prints from the day before and needed to look into printing more. We sat at the self help kiosks that Mike's allows customers to use when the hour of drama took place. As we sat looking through images we were quickly aware of a rather beligerant man 'Going Off' on one of the women who work in photo finishing because his prints were not done. He was rude and a number of times 'Cut Off or Interrupted' her as she tried to explain an issue with the printer on this day. He stormed off in a huff. As we were about to finish our work, ( Almost 45 minutes later ) he came back. It was Mr. Steadman who met him with the news that it was to be a few minutes later for his prints. He became increasingly angry and demanded a manager, to which Mr. Steadman explained that he was speaking with one. Each question Ron Steadman was faced he was both patient and respectful BUT also gave direct and honest answers that this customer was clearly unhappy with. After handing the order over to this man just a couple minutes later the man searched out what we can only believe was common 'sympathitic thought' within the Mike's staff, ( at the sales counter ). We saw him leave after a few minutes of 'Chatting' with another Mike's employee while the same time we witnessed the women from earlier emerge from 'hiding' and being supported by Mr. Steadman. He, ( Mr. Steadman ) was professional through it all. Through the ranting and anger, through the curses and attitude, Just as too was the woman who first had to deal with this customer. We again have always felt that Mr. Ron Steadman is not only helpful and patient with customers but today we witnessed first hand how he can be both professional and respectful to customers while at the same time supporting and deffending his staff! We are ever more commited to patroning Mike's Camera! Sometimes the customer is NOT ALWAYS RIGHT, and as we witnessed today sometimes it takes a special indivdual to to treat all parties fairly and come to the right conclusion. James Goeringer and Tawnie Graves Louisville Colorado read more

I went to Mike's to have a metal panel enlargement made of an unusual outdoor photo. The photo lab person I dealt with was Erica, and her dedication and commitment to my small project was exemplary. From our initial talk on the phone, she could tell that I was struggling with choosing a size for the print, as their metal panels come in certain sizes, all of which differed from the aspect ratio of the image I had. I emailed the image in and she said she would generate a few alternate croppings and email them back for my review. Not long afterwards, I received her email with 6 choices to choose from. Thanks to her good eye and initiative, 1 of the 6 was a more aggressive cropping that removed some prominent elements from the image. I realized that her suggested cropping would make the final product even better than I had first imagined, as it would bring attention to the more abstract nature of the image (which is actually the whole point of this particular image). The next step was a visit to the store, where she showed me a proof of the cropped image, printed on paper matching the target size (12x18). This was to insure that the greater enlargement still had enough sharpness. I approved the proof and prepaid to get their 35% discount (which ended 2/13). From talking with her, I had confidence that she would closely shepherd the image through the whole process to make sure it looked its best. I received a call barely a day later that the print was done and had turned out terrifically. I went in and picked it up a couple days later. It turned out spectacularly!! I gave it to my friend (who had taken the photograph) as a surprise gift, and he was really impressed with how well it looked (especially since he hadn't seen it any larger than his laptop screen). I was really happy with the level of service Erica provided; one can go to many merchants without getting that kind of attention! I will be back to have one of these metal plate prints made for myself. read more

I am not typically the person that will write a review of a store but I feel that I must put something out there for Mike's Camera. I have been a Mike's Customer for 13 years now and have never had anything but good service. I too have my own business and I am sure that very much like the owners of Mike's would like to stay in business by making a profit. This last review by A.B who is complaining about the fact that he was quoted $25.00 for shipping and yet could do it himself for $8.99 should really find more value in his life, I am sure that the post office provided a box for him, packing materials and actually packed it for him as well! My guess is rather that he had to do this himself and handed it to a clerk over the counter who put a stamp on it and threw it in the outgoing mail bin! If you are able to fix or ship something yourself and you cannot afford to pay someone to do it for you then maybe you should just stop complaining and do it yourself in the first place. I am not saying that Mike's Camera is always perfect, I did have an issue with a service but rather than remaining faceless and griping from the comfort of my own home I grew a pair and addressed it with the store manager (I believe it was Jen) and together, face to face we came to a solution that worked for both of us. It is sad that in this day and age people are not willing to address issues with anyone but would rather just talk behind their backs. I guess that social skills are just not what they used to be. Having my own business I like to take care of my own customers and usually have much more success when they are willing and able to bring any problems or concerns to me personally rather than under some fake online name. Keep up the good work Mike's Camera, I will continue to be a customer so long as you continue to have a face and be willing to listen! read more

This place is a rip off. Do not let them do any repairs on your cameras! I took them two Sony cameras, one was a point and shoot the other a DVD camcorder. When I checked them in for an estimate I was charged $35 for each camera to be looked at. However, I told them what was wrong with the cameras before they even inspected them. It was obvious from just turning the camera on what the problem was because the camera diagnosed itself. After waiting over a week I got a phone call from them and they said they had taken the cameras apart and found out what the problems were. Ironically it was the same problem that the clerk wrote down on the initial check in paper. I was told they couldn't repair them and they had to be sent back to Sony. The shipping cost would be $25 per camera and that the estimate was $200-$325 per camera to fix. I was also told because they had to take the cameras apart and internally inspect them they would have to keep my $35 repair fee. Needless to say I sent the cameras back to Sony at a shipping rate of $8.99 per camera (this was express shipping with insurance and delivery confirmation). The repairs only cost $105 for one camera and $88 for the other. I would be very weary of having Mike's Camera look at repairing any equipment, let alone trust them to be fair and honest with you. Stay away from their repair department!!! read more

Regarding the posting from 02-16-13 concerning a student who received a 'Death Stare' and SD card from the staff at Mike's I can only say - Grow Up! I have been a customer of Mikes' on and off for over 10 years. I have never felt any 'Death Stare' from the sales or customer service staff. In fact in each and every visit I am greated with politeness and an eager attitude to 'Serve Me Best'! If as a photo/video student he does not know what the hell he needs for his camera the sales staff can only sell him what he asks for, this they delivered to him. I had a situation last year in which I asked for a lens cap, and I asked for the wrong size. Once home I realized my mistake and the staff at Mike's were more than happy to exchange it for the correct one. This was my fault just as this young man made the mistake of asking for the wrong product - Not Mike's Fault. Not all cannon camera's use the same memory. I encourage any and all of my friends to go to Mike's, yes they may be a bit higher priced then Best Buy but they offer knowledgable advice, and are always willing to help! This young photo/video student needs to grow up in a hurry or the real world will eat him alive without his mommy and daddy covering up his self inflicted troubles. Mike's Camera is the best!!! James read more

I have been going to Mikes Camera since I moved west from Pennsylvania. When I go in to the shop, I feel that I am with the best of the best. I am always greeted at the door and am directed to the area of the store I will need. This week when I went in, I was told to go upstairs to consult with the crew who could help me with the framed print I had brought in for their advice. I met Krystal, Brice and Shane. Each of them was so interested in my problem which involved adjustment of the photo, color enhancement and repair of the frame. It is a special photo to me and after a consultation, I felt I was leaving it in good hands. The next day, Krystal called and told me it was ready. She also said she was delighted with the results. Brice had brought up a realistic color improvement after reprinting the photo...Krystal and Shane remounted the photo and repaired the frame. After showing me the results and having heard my delight with it, they wrapped the entire piece very carefully and carried it out to the car. Such professionalism is important in this business. Film and framing requires and expertise that few of the laymen have. Thanks to all three of you and to the management for an excellent and valuable business right in the middle of Boulder. read more

It had been awhile since I went to Mike's but I needed to have some test prints made of photos I'm entering in a show so I knew Mike's was the best local place to go for quality prints. After getting the prints and realizing I needed to tweek them some, I decided to have 2 of the photos printed on metal but had questions about the aspect ratio and the sizes Mike's offered. After realizing it was too confusing trying to communicate accurately via email I went to the store and Winn met with me. It was my lucky day! He is extremely knowledgeable, very patient and very, very helpful! The size I needed for one of the metal prints wasn't doable at this location due to the size of the saw that's used to cut the metal, so Winn offered to look up phone numbers of companies in Boulder that could cut it for me and said I could then bring it back and the folks at Mike's would round down the edges and have it back to me in the time frame I needed. He then helped me select mats and frames for 2 other photos that will also be entered into the show. I was thrilled with the service and attention he gave me! I'm definitely going to come back to Mike's more often when I need to have any prints done. The prices are extremely competitive and the service, impeccable! read more

Mike's Camera Boulder does not disappoint...once again... From our initial encounter with Brittney, which went something as follows: US: Hi, we need HELP!!! Brittney: (Huge smile) 'I've got PLENTY of that!!!!' We were encouraged and not intimidated to ask for assistance with our Christmas photo card order. Brittney was the ultimate fun, kind, professional, PATIENT assistant we could ever have imagined. She spent sooooo much time trying to download our phone photo with small pixels to her computer, I thought she would be there all night! Eventually it all worked and she never let us feel as though she was condescending to us and our requests and 'silly' questions. Somehow she made grainy small pixel photos come alive and CRISP! Brittney is a huge asset to Mike's Camera. We have used Mike's in Boulder since the tiny store on Pearl in the 80's. We have always been treated with respect and professionalism. This continues to this day, some 20-30 years later. Our ages seem to blend well with the younger staff and it is a 'win-win' for all. Please keep up the individual service with the smiles and willingness to go above and beyond (as Brittney). Brad and Suzi H. read more

I took Photography 101 and 201 with Winn Robbins and I couldn't have had a more spectacular experience. He was an excellent instructor that knows an incredible amount of information. In 101, he broke down complicated topics and made them easy to understand. He filled in a lot of gaps I had been missing and gave wonderful demos of what he was talking about. I feel like I got so much out of this class and it made me so excited to get out there and practice using my camera. 100% recommend this class!!! Photography 201 was definitely more technical and had less people in the class so it felt really personal. Winn had us contributing to the discussion and went in greater depth about ways to improve your photos. He described tools you could use (ex., histograms, picking the right lens, etc.) and where to find certain settings on each of our cameras. He answered specific questions about problems we were having and openly problem solved. This was definitely a more advanced class but was still very welcoming and educational. I definitely want to take more classes and have been recommending them to my friends! read more

My Name is Jeffrey Cox. I am an author and international Motivation Speaker. Yesterday my wife and I had the pleasure of visiting Mike's Camera in Pleasant Hill to generate some Mothers Day photos. Even though the store was busy with clients we were immediately approached by Abby and and offered a seat in front of a computer to review our images. During the next 15 minuets or so Abby would "check in" with us to make sure all was good. At one point we encountered an unusual issue with our cell phone retrieving pictures and Jordan came out to personally assist us until the issue was resolved. Both Abby and Jordan were amazing. In the end Amelia "put a bow" on our visit as she happily rung up our purchases . I wish to share with all that the personal service my wife and I received from Abby,Jordan,and Amelia is the same customer service I teach worldwide. I only hope that half of my students worldwide are as good as the staff at Mike's Camera...I highly recommend Mike's Camera Pleasant Hill,Ca. Sincerely, Jeffrey Cox Author of "Contagious Passion" read more