Feedback on Shops in San Francisco Bay Area?

**Graham Patterson** · 23-Dec-2005, 15:31

The best place in Berkeley is Looking Glass (Telegraph at Oregon - nearest BART would be Ashby), though their equipment inventory isn't high. Consumable supplies are decent, and they still provide darkroom rental. They have a small web site at http://www.lookingglassphoto.com/ The staff is generally young but practising photographers. They are open Sundays, which doesn't apply to the big SF stores. For a small operation their prices are competitive. Certainly cheaper than travelling to the city or Palo Alto if you are on the east side of the bay. If you are looking for something specific, call first these days.

The Santa Clara photo fair is a mix of private dealers and store-front names. Camera West and Midwest had tables at the last one, for example. It was a crush. The next one is Jan 21st - http://www.photofair.com/ The Hayward events are smaller - http://camerabooks.com/custom.aspx?id=23 .

**Merg Ross** · 23-Dec-2005, 22:29

For best selection and a knowledgeable staff Keeble & Shuchat would be the best choice. Gasser's was good years ago when Adolph was helping Ansel set up his darkrooms. Looking Glass has been around for over thirty years and what Graham has said about them is true. I buy a lot of my supplies from them in an effort to support the local shop. I would make the effort to visit Keeble & Shuchat; Palo Alto is in the Bay Area.

**CXC** · 25-Dec-2005, 11:30

Everybody at Gasser's seems to be moving in slow gear. The upside is that you can talk to them for a very long time. One guy even took his own camera out of his backpack to discuss with me, one they don't stock.

Calumet is just the opposite, with everyone running around like crazy, seems kind of disorganized and over computer engineered at the same time. But they have a lot of accessories and bags and such. And a nice big parking lot (that's all we care about here!).

My limited experience with K&S has been short of wonderful, but I will differ to the large positive chorus. Don't they have a reputation for particularly high prices?