Feedback on Shops in San Francisco Bay Area?

[Jimson]

Can someone provide me feedback on camera stores in San Francisco? I am interested in finding a good pro shop there and I am wondering who has the best selection and the most knowledgeable sales staff? I am especially interested in feedback on salespeople since that can make or break a store for me.

Morgan

[Wilbur Wong]

There are two pro shops in San Francisco. Adolph Gasser has been established for over a half a century. I don't know if Saint Ansel purchased from them in the early days. They are at 181 2nd Street.

Calumet has a retail store at 18th and Bryant Streets. Both of these stores have customer parking which is important in San Francisco. I have not had a bad experience at either of these stores.

If you let us know what you are shopping for, you might get more specific feed back. View cameras of what size, new, used, lenses, film, processing, chemicals etc.

[Jimson]

I'm looking for a wide variety of things. I shoot all different formats and I am basically looking for a well stocked shop with good prices and friendly, well informed sales staff.

[steve simmons]

If you consider Palo Alto in the Bay Area try Keeble and Shuchat.

steve simmons

[Allen Quinn]

I'll second Keeble and Shuchat. It's an easy drive from the city 'cept during the Christmas season...(:

[Scott Davis]

I'll put in my votes for Keeble & Schuchat and Calumet. I've always gotten good help at both stores, and for new stock, both have excellent new inventory, and a phenomenal stock of film, paper and chemistry. When I was out there last in October, neither one had anything much in the used department.

Gassers is hit or miss with the sales staff, in my experience. Some of the salesmen are great, some just have a greatly inflated opinion of themselves and therefore a diminished opinion of you. Also, Gassers has some really outrageous prices on used gear - they wanted $1700 for a black Hasselblad 50mm C T*. Granted, it was in excellent cosmetic condition, and had the plastic bubble, but c'mon... that's almost what a comparable condition 50mm CFi FLE goes for!

If you're looking for used gear, there's supposed to be someplace over in Berkeley somewhere that has a decent inventory.

[Jack Flesher]

A third for KSP (Keeble and Shuchat Photography). They have a far larger selection than Calumet or Gassers and far more knowlegable sales staff.

Be advised there are also two stores for KSP -- across the street from one-another.

[Jimson]

I don't think I can make it to Palo Alto. How's the sales staff at Calumet?

[John Kasaian]

I've been to both Calumet and Gasser's. The sales staff have always treated me well and there are LF "specialists" at both stores. I haven't been to KSP yet but I'll certainly put them on my list next time I'm in Palo Alto.

Be warned: the prices are going to be very "San Francisco" although the last time I was at Gassers they had some older equipment and one of the kits---a Graphic View I, was awfully tempting. Very little used stuff at Calumet but lots of accessories like filters, etc...

If you're looking for film in formats bigger than 4x5, I'd call ahead(either store) before making the journey just to be on the safe side.

There is a photo "swap meet" at Santa Clara thats been going on for years(I've never gone to it, though) but I've heard its the place if you're into esoteric LF junque. Maybe someone from the bay area can comment?

[Bob Salomon]

There is also an extremely well stocked store for pro and digital in Palo Alto, Bear Images.

[Graham Patterson]

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]

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]

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?