Good selection and they had what I needed in their 5 levels. Plenty of parking in the lot, with attendant for movement of cars if needed.

I've been going to Samy's for about 10 years now. I've never had a bad experience and always come out feeling like they earned my business. The team is amazing and always offer great service and solutions for keeping my investments in great shape. Highly recommend this place for anyone who is hesitant but wants to buy any kind of camera or equipment. They are extremely knowledgeable and patient with all customers. From camera equipment to lighting products, I've always been well taken care of at Samy's. Trustworthy, reliable, professional, and overall a pleasant experience. Thank you for all the solid years of service. read more

Whether you are a rank rookie with a basic DSLR or entry-level camera OR a pro that uses a more advanced camera, you need a shop you can count on when something happens to your gear. I was shooting a job for a client and was using my Canon Mark II 6D with my 24-105mm lens. The client kept replying some of the photos were not sharp. So, even though I did some basic troubleshooting I decided to take the lens to Samy's to make sure my equipment was properly working. Richard who is on the 2nd floor and he new trainee completed the analysis and discovered the issue was not in the lens or the camera but most likely from a filter I was using. This was great to get a professional opinion and best of all Samy's offers an analysis or check free of charge. I returned to my home studio and as Richard suggested slapped a new UV filter and things seem much sharper than we I took it in. read more

BEST EXPERIENCE WITH BRENDEN! I needed a camera for an upcoming once in a lifetime 6 week trip for an African safari as well as the Northern Lights. Two of my photographer friends recommended the same camera to me so I went to Samy's Camera on their recommendation to get help as I'm a complete beginner and had no idea what I needed. Brenden spend around 2.5 to 3 hours with me over 2 days to help me choose a camera as well as lenses (1 to buy and 1 to rent). He was very patient and knowledgable about which camera and lenses would be best for the purpose I had. He showed me the differences between lenses and discussed the differences between the cameras that were suggested. He was never pushy and I never felt like he was just trying to sell me something, it truly felt that he only had my best interest in choosing a camera and lens. Not only did he help choose everything I needed but he went ABOVE AND BEYOND and looked for rebates and coupons to apply to my purchase, he called his manager Ray over to see if one of the Black Friday deals would be applied to the camera. They didn't know that day if it would but said they would know in a few days and that they would do the best they could to help me. True to their word, Ray called me later that week to tell me that the deal would apply to the camera. I purchased the camera, a lens, card reader and cards with future discounts applied which was extremely helpful to me as I was going to be gone when the deal started. When I asked Brenden if I could just get a case off Amazon (hoping to save some money), he said that I could but the quality may not be as good. He then walked me over to an isle with camera bags and gave me one as well as a cleaning kit for free which after being so overwhelmed by this investment, I felt that kindness very deeply, they did everything they possibly could to take care of me. Danny in the rental department was a pleasure to talk to and he set me up with a pick up date for the zoom lens I was going to rent, explained the policies in case anything happened to it as well as answered my questions and told me the lens would come with a case for safety of it. When I first walked in I was so nervous about making such a large investment in a professional camera but walked out feeling that it was well worth it. I spent over 6k but the knowledge and kindness of Brenden made this overwhelming experience a joy and I'm confident I have everything I need to capture amazing photos and memories. Without Brenden, I wouldn't have had everything that I needed and I'm abundantly thankful to Brenden, Ray and Danny for providing a heartwarming experience and truly caring about their customers. I can't wait to go back and show the the photos from my trip! Thank you Brenden, Ray and Danny! read more

Becareful with purchasing from this place. The salesman sold me Ronin-SC for $300 without telling me it was a non-refundable item. First off I would have never purchased if I knew I couldn't get my money back if I couldn't get this item to work! My receipt specifies what items are non-refundable or non-exchangeable and the Tripod did not fall in that category. After purchasing the item I went through multiple tutorials to get it to work and the item was faulty and would not work properly. I finally gave up & brought the item back the next business day. The salesmen and manager were no help after spending $1200 in this business. I had to call my bank to dispute the charge. I recommend purchasing from a business with better customer service with a legit return policy and you don't have to deal with shady salesmen read more

Samy's Camera - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I recently drove from the ocean into Hollywood to visit Samy's camera as it's the only "brick and mortar" camera store left in greater LA. I really wanted to give my business to someone other than Amazon but I hadn't had satisfaction at Target, Best Buy, or the few other stores that have previously offered "better" cameras. The salesman at Samy's could just as well been selling used cars for the care and attention he did not give me. I arrived at the store with a carefully researched list of 4 "bridge" cameras. Saleman showed no interest in exploring what I was looking for, had no input on any of the cameras or any others that I might consider. The store only had one of the four cameras in stock and the salesman showed no inclination towards ordering any of the others so I could compare. He told me, "They're all pretty much the same." BUT, I'm a female with a smaller grasp, and considering this camera for a trip to Africa. Little things like the grasp and weight matter and this person offered zero help and zero interest. So, unfortunately, for the brick-and-mortar stores out there, I ended up ordering my two favorite cameras from Amazon. How do I know they're my favorites? Only from reviews - not from my personal experience or a salesperson's advice. So I'll try them both and return one to Amazon, and another shop bites the dust. read more

In the last 2 months I have attended 4 or 5 webinars by Samy's for various photography topics and brands like Sigma and Nikon. Due to Covid-19 they are online which is great since I don't live close. Easy to join, easy to follow along, they are well run presentations with great guest speakers and tons of tips, tricks, and photography information. I have attended a portrait photography class, travel photography, landscape photography, and both basic and advanced camera features for Nikon DSLR cameras. If you are in to photography I suggest you check out the class schedule and sign up for their classes. If you need Camera equipment and accessories you can search their website and talk to great representatives for ordering like Rob. He helped me with a Sigma promotion during the holidays and got me a great deal on a Sigma art 24-70 f/2.8 lens. Good service and follow up on my order and delivery. read more

I need to give much praise to Richard Rivera. Richard is a manager at Samy's and helped me out when I had an advertising photoshoot and needed a v-flat cut down and it was an emergency for the photographer and the client (and we all know that is not an actual emergency, but it's Hollywood, so we get it done). I was handed a box cutter and a ruler and a sad realization that I was going to ruin this v-flat. Along came Richard who cut it down for me. He was so kind and his help was what customer service should be but often is not. I loved talking to Richard and will ask for him directly next time I am in there. On the shoot day the photographer forgot some random film that was discontinued. I called Richard. He sourced this film for me! And checked if any new shipments were coming into the warehouse. He found a substitute for me and organized a fast messenger service to my location. I worked for a magazine in NYC for YEARS and no one has come close to Richard in any way. He was on our team and is an A+ person. read more

Purchased 3 cameras and equipment from all of Sammy's businesses. I keep going to all of them looking for true assistance and general friendliness. Who wants to shop at a place with bad attitude sales staff? The only one of the 3 stores, here, Pasadena or Santa Ana, that is nice most of the time is Santa Ana. That's fine, but I hate to have to only depend upon that one. read more

I went to Samy's to get a tripod today. I always try to buy from a local business rather than Amazon or Best Buy when I can, but experiences like today make me wonder why I even bother. The staff at this location just seem really cold and like they'd rather talk to anyone else on earth but me. The vast majority of tripods don't have a price on them which adds to the frustration. Normally, my experiences at the location in Pasadena are pretty good but I don't think I'll ever bother coming to Fairfax again. If the one in Pasadena doesn't have it, I'll just buy it online. read more

I was able to view Kristen Ryan's take on shooting Landscapes Far & Wide. She was very detailed and produced images with all the meta data showing on the image, so we could relate/learn how she captured the incredible images that she has captured. While I understand that it is very hard to be a presenter with these videos, I believe she will get more relaxed as she does more. At the end, you could see when she was interacting with others she was more comfortable. Highly recommend this for beginners and pros alike. While I have over 50 years as a professional photographer, I still found myself captivated with her work and how she captured it. One thing you come to learn on your journey to master photography....is that it never ends... there is always something to learn. Congratulations Kristen, I look forward to your next video Jer read more

Samy's Camera - Something I captured - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Los Angeles, California

five star without the old dude at the fujifilm section who have too much of his opinion

My first visit to Samy's was made wonderful by a great selection of gear and great customer service. The salesperson named Mary who worked on the main floor was a LIFESAVER. Patient, kind, incredibly thoughtful in her suggestions, and went above and beyond to make sure I had everything I needed. Even after I had purchased what I came in looking for, she answered some additional questions for me that literally saved me hrs of research I would have had to do online. I cannot say enough good things about this employee. Give Mary a raise! I am sold on Samy's because of this experience! Cant recommend enough! read more

Love the customer service here. Does not get better. Best prices and service for all things photo. Richard the photo lab manager and Danny the rentals manager always are SO helpful and friendly - wouldn't take my business anywhere else! read more

Samy's Camera - Best service ever From my man Richard - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I don't have anything negative to say about my experience. NOT ONE THING. I've wanted to buy an R3 or something similar but have been putting it off because it is a pretty hefty cost. I needed a new lens, flash, and pretty much a new setup entirely. Living in LA for a while now and working closely with photographers, I've known Samy's is the best for selection, customer service, repairs, etc., so that is why I chose to come here. SURE HAPPY I DID. All the above is accurate, and I felt really comfortable making such a large purchase here. It wasn't just a transaction, the quick "in and out" feeling I get at places like Best Buy. I feel like my purchase came with a team of people to help me with any questions. Thank you, Samy's! And special thanks to Brendan for all of your help! read more

Greg on the 4th floor went above and beyond! Helped out a ton. Helped me pick out some quality items for a good price. Thank you!

I have been using Samy's Camera for over four years now. I always deal with Christy and she is a GEM. Whenever I am ready to buy new equipment I reach out to her and she truly goes above and beyond for all her clients. I've never had a bad experience with the gear I have received or the shipping/service. I met Christy years ago at a WPPI show and haven't looked back since. I have now purchased 3 different camera bodies from them and multiple lenses. Christy makes every purchase flawless and simple. Her knowledge and kindness is unmatched by any representative I have dealt with at other companies. Speaking with her is like talking with family; she is definitely considered family now. :) Samy's Camera has my loyal business for many years to come! read more

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Fast, friendly service from the experts! If you need reliable advice for audio, go see John or Damion in CinemaWorks. They did a great job explaining the features of a variety of Zoom recorders to me. I ended up getting the H5 and it is excellent for my needs. read more

I went to Samy's today, and I spoke with a salesperson named Dana. She took in my old camera as a trade in a new canon 28-70 lens. I feel she really provided great customer service. She gave me a fair deal on my old camera and a very good deal on the new lens. Before I went to Samy's I spoke to other camera stores, but none provided the service I got at Samy's. read more

Took in my Leica camera to get some advice and the Leica Mann was out for the day but good man David who is across the counter was kind enough to give me advice and help me navigate through and instruct me how to use my camera efficiently so big shout out to good man David who is over there at the Fuji film counter so thank you thank you for being a true professional and kind enough to give me some advice on how to use my camera better.... This place has a crew of two professionals so if you need to buy a camera and get some advice this is the place! read more

Samy's Camera - Best place to get a Leica Camera - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Came here to test out a flash for my camera. They not only didn't have any AA batteries in all of their four floors for me to use, but they told me I needed to buy batteries from them in order to test out their own tester product. Multiple salesmen gave little to no effort in helping and they couldn't really care less about making a sale with me. Happy to give my business elsewhere to a mom and pop shop that actually gives a shit. Will not be returning, nor recommending them to my photography colleagues. read more

I went in today for film that, according to the website, was in stock at this location. When I asked the associate for it, he rolled his eyes and proceeded to tell me that the website was incorrect as if I should have known, made me feel like I was wasting his time, and like dirt really. I could sense he was stressed out, because it was quite busy, but I would have understood just fine had he been nicer about it. A simple "sorry for the mistake, but not in stock" thing would have sufficed. I understand the website may not always be up to date. It happens, not big deal. I was quite shocked to be treated this way at Samy's since I've been a loyal customer for about 15 years now and it's never happened. The vibes were off. read more

Do not recommend I'd rather order online & wait. No one here knows where anything is even though their website shows it's in stock. read more

I'm only giving this place 2 stars because the print quality is generally good. I mainly come here to develop film. First off, sorry, but the people that work in the film dept, the lights on, no one's home. Maybe it's because I'm from New York where things are precise and the margin for error is a lot less. Either way, the turn around time for film is like 5-7 days which is a pretty long time. I suggest only going out of necessity. If you have the time, I would try to find a different place to drop off your film. read more

I've been a customer of Samy's Camera for a while. The Fairfax location is the ultimate retail photography experience. They have almost everything. I've gotten nothing but great deals on all my Nikon gear. Huge selection of quality pre owned lenses and bodies. All the top camera brands like Nikon. Sony. Fujifilm. Canon. They carry all the major premium accessory brands like. Tenba. Think Tank. SKB. Pelican. Peak Design. Manfrotto. Etc. They will match online pricing so why not support them. I try to purchase everything from them. They are such a valuable resource for photographers and hobbyists read more

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I'm truly grateful to have a world-class Samy's camera store within walking distance of my West Hollywood portrait studio, which has an awesome camera repairman and a Leica Hub! WOW. And I will forever appreciate the Pasadena Samy's where I bought my first DSLR and rented lenses for years until I could afford to buy my own. And since the COVID slowdown, I finally feel valued as a female shooter. Thanks, guys ;-) As a Leica professional, I've looked to Leica brand ambassador Rika Roshanian for assistance on more than one occasion. He is patient and knowledgeable and has solved many digital menu mysteries. Thank you, Rika. And thank you, Samy, for maintaining several brick and mortar locations and for providing priceless customer assistance to Angelenos. read more

Always my go to camera shop since the mid eighties. I'll be their devoted customer till forever. Expect expert advice and a full selection of quality products. Used and new. I don't know if a better place on the west coast. Rental department requires good insurance or a credit card to cover the full cost of the value of the equipment. FYI read more

Recently I took a vintage 1972 Olympus OM1 camera for repair. The Repair Department took the extra time and effort to keep me informed when a part was difficult to locate. The team is efficient, professional and a pleasure to work with. Thank you! read more

This is the only store I go to. Been here a handful of times, and it's always amazing. Clem, Juan, and Jason really make the place what it is. The customer service, and their patience with everyone is amazing! Thank you for everything guys, this review was well deserved!!! read more

Samy's Camera - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The best camera store in Los Angeles California. When it comes to cameras and lenses there is not anything they do not have. If you are looking for video equipment They have it. Looking to put a studio together they have the lights you need and grip equipment. Looking for film they have it. read more

I came to Samy's in search of a used camera with a macro lens. I was pleasantly surprised by how large this store was. It has multiple stories depending on what you are looking for. I went to the 3rd floor to look at new and used cameras. Scott helped me pick out a camera that was in my budget and a lens that would work for me. We discussed differences between mirrorless and DSLR cameras. I did not feel like he was selling to me at any point. He provided me with the information and allowed me to make a decision. I am very happy with my decision and Scott's help. He welcomed me back with any questions and I feel like he genuinely meant it. Great experience overall. read more

More of a question to other patrons of this store: Why does the biggest camera store in the largest media city in the world always looks in disarray? I really want a good camera store to stay in business, but at sammy's shelves and displays always seem halve empty, a lot of clutter etc. Is this due to today's low margin/online competition in the camera industry? I would still expect for a big camera store in Los Angeles todo well... Any alternatives in town? read more

I've been a loyal customer of Samy's Camera for as long as I can remember, beginning when I first became invested in photography and videography during elementary school. To this date, it remains my go-to camera store, serving as one of the ONLY places whose employee's opinions I trust. Recently, I purchased a brand new Sony camera, and all employees involved in helping me with the purchase (including Michael and Daniel) were wonderful. They sat with me for over an hour as I hemmed and hawed over what lenses and bodies I wanted, having answers to every question I could have asked. They also let me open up boxes/try everything before I bought it so that I could be sure I wanted it. Now, this is nothing new; Samy's has always been incredible at what they do. In the past, they have swapped out cameras no questions asked and even allowed me to open multiple boxes to determine which cameras would be defective out of the box before I chose one to take home. They also DO NOT try to upsell you. Ever. On my most recent visit, they even encouraged me to buy the cheaper lenses I was looking at because of my budget and what best suited my workflow. Everything is super transparent, and they will not hesitate to outright call certain lenses/camera brands bad if that's genuinely how they are. If I had to find a fault with Samy's, it does not have a loyalty program nor sufficient parking for its customer demand. But given how incredible everything else is, I have zero hesitation it suggesting it for all your camera needs. read more

as a self-proclaimed amateur photographer for both digital and film -- samy's is always my go to place. for film development, printing photos, camera repairs, and upgrades (+ more) samy's has my back. i'm always looking for an excuse to go to samy's! if you're looking to buy a camera, go to the third floor and ask for michael ! read more

Ken is very helpful and patient! Enjoyed learning some basic tips from him on my new camera. Honestly this was a much better experience than when I went there the last time. Im new to the area so this is the only shop I know. It's kind of sad but i wouldn't necessarily recommend coming here if you're a beginner/family "photographer" as some of the sales folks are a bit arrogant when it came to asking some basic questions and almost seemed offended that a "beginner" was even buying stuff from them. (Honestly, I went in just to a buy a camera lol, I don't possess any sort of skill to make a career out of photography as so many talent folks out there can!) read more

This review is on the repair department, and the person to help me out was named Richard.  Brought my 2014 Fujifilm X-T1 to get the sensor cleaned, he examined it, used a rocket air blaster to blow the single large dust particle out.  He couldn't get it out on the first go-around, however, he tried multiple times.  Clean sensor after a few minutes.  The place and Richard could have easily taken my money, however, the place is honest and the person is honest.     Big fan of Samy's camera.   I have also bought numerous other items from the store.  The place has yet to let me down.  Great employee, great place. Thank you Richard. read more

Best service I've ever received! I was working an event in Los Angeles and needed a repair on a lens. I came here after being highly recommended and I'm so glad I did! Roland in repairs was so patient, funny, knowledgeable and kind. Garland at security was so welcoming. Every staff member I came across was willing to help! Thanks! Anytime I need anything camera related in California I know where to go!! Thanks!!! read more

Samy's Camera - Working his magic, fixing my lens! - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Rude and dismissive. Told me to bring in my camera so they could see it if I wanted to sell it (they couldn't give a quote over the phone), and when I drove out there to bring it in (mint condition Olympus Pen-F that cost close to $1,000 brand new) they told me they don't buy mirrorless digital cameras. read more

I walked into Samy's very distraught because while making a student film, we dropped our school's very expensive camera. I was referred up to the top floor to see Larry and ask if he may be able to help. I am so so grateful to Larry Leyretana. He is incredibly patient and so knowledgeable about all things camera related. He took the time necessary and fixed our problem. He was brilliant and made the whole experience so much better. I could not recommend the staff at Samy's more. They are helpful, attentive, and really go out of their way to do what they can. read more

Shooting my first BIG event and came in here for a new lens and to rent a flash.. this was the most pleasant experience from my phone call prior to coming in from the moment I walked out the door. Brenden was very helpful/accommodating, as I had no clue as to what lens to pick out, & it was in my price range! Then I went down to the rental dept to reserve a flash and Daniel went above and beyond to help me figure out the perfect flash for my needs. He genuinely cared about my concerns and made sure I understood how to use the equipment properly and made me feel comfortable using this new (to me) flash... HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS LOCATION. The people that work here truly care about their job and the art of photography. THANK YOU SAMY'S! read more

Samy's Camera - Samys #1/best employee - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Los Angeles, California