Camera West - Palm Springs — Attraction in Rancho Mirage

Updated 7/5/2018- 3 stars for selection and aesthetics. Last time I came in was a very nice experience. Today not so much. I don't appreciate walking into somewhere intending to spend money only to be made to feel like an idiot and then get ignored. The gentleman who "helped" me today could use some lessons in communication and normal decency. I came in today looking for a lens hood for my 50mm prime lens. I looked around for a moment until I was greeted by this man while he was finishing helping someone else. He asked if I needed anything particular and I told him. I also told him the reason I needed it was that I was having trouble with lens flares in my images. I had been trying to do back lit golden hour stuff. He scoffed and said "the lens hood won't help you, you just need to wait until the sun goes down more." and he went back to helping the other person without another word. I thought he was coming back to me, and when I realized he was not, my son and I left. It was all great advice. The delivery however, I did not care for. He made me feel stupid and I really didn't like that. I came all the way from Bermuda Dunes with my 5 year old in 107 degree heat. I will not be back. BTW I am in the market for some lenses this year, and a new camera body next year. The guy who helped me last time I came in was Adam, and I wish he had been there today. :( Here is my old review about his service, and I gave him 5 stars:

Adam helped me with an old Minolta gifted to me recently. He showed how to load film (gasp!) And hooked me up with batteries and a lens cap. Even new film good for landscape shoots!! He also recommended a developer when I'm ready. I also recently got a Canon rebel T6 and plan on going to Camera West again for lenses. They have a great selection and it is a beautiful shop too. I a feel blessed to have such wonderful people to consult in person with all my photography needs. Thank you Adam!...

Came in to pick up sensor cleaning supplies and a USB-C cable for charging. I was informed that they did not carry USB-C cables which wasn't a big deal. They also did not have wet cleaning kits for the sensor and instead offered to clean it themselves, not bad. They cleaned it on the spot without having to leave my camera and come back later which was awesome. Paid $50.00 for the sensor cleaning and the results were pretty dire. Its a shame I didn't shoot a test image in the parking lot. I went out to Death Valley and shot a lot of landscapes. As soon as I started editing I realized what a project I was in for. You can see streaks from the swab they used and large debris in the upper left corner extending to the middle of the frame. I compared the new images to ones I shot the day prior to the cleaning. They removed one large piece of debris but replaced it was several smaller pieces and streaks. I called and talked to the manager they told me to come back in which I cannot do since I live in New York. Now I'm here editing and my frustration is growing as I clone stamp large pieces of filth out of my images. They would not give me a refund after offering to email them the before and after pictures. This location also tried to tell me that the debris is probably due to my zoom lens but the lens never was removed from the body of the camera nor would a lens zoom generate this amount of debris on the sensor. Long story short my shoot in a national park was ruined and I'm out $50.00 but now I know that if I want something done right I should continue to...

I went into Camera West at an agreed upon time of 10:00 a.m., but the guy who was supposed to help me wasn't there and wouldn't be back till 2:30. So we had to drive all the way home with our tub of gear and back again . Sure enough at 2:30 the guy we wanted was there! Sean is his name. Very sweet guy, who was willing to help. See we were selling off the very last bits of a photography studio. He took the time to test every lens and camera, despite their age. We settled on him taking 3 lenses and 2 separate lens hoods. None of the accesories interested him. He presented me with a check for $240. Less than the price of just one of the lenses I was selling. But what could I do? I'd exhausted Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist and Nextdoor (places where I had sold all my expensive lenses and camera bodies for very fair prices). I just could not shake these last 3 brand new unused lenses and hoods. So while I was happy to get something, they sure like to take an enormous, healthy percentage. I will reshoot and relist all the leftovers and keep pining away until all the remnants of my photography studio are gone. I recommend Sean and Camera West despite the big...