Southeastern Camera — Local services in Raleigh

Every time I have visited Southeastern camera - whether that be to purchase film, a new film camera, or shopping for a gift for someone else, the employees have always been so so helpful. The man who helped me during my first visit was very kind, experienced, and easy to talk to when I was choosing my first film camera to purchase. I never felt as though I was being sold to as he genuinely cared about my needs and what I was looking for. He brought out multiple different cameras for me to hold and try out which he absolutely didn't have to do. He also showed me how to load my film and how to work my film camera and then offered to take a picture of my siblings and I on the first frame which was definitely a moment I'll always remember!

Since that day, I have been back to help my brother buy a camera as a gift for his girlfriend and even then I can attest to their experience and guidance. The same man who helped me the first time helped my brother and brought out several film cameras for him to test out and hold. He was super helpful in the decision process and my brother left feeling like he made a well-informed purchase.

I have also sought out Southeastern camera's services for a repair on my Canon AE-1 Program that was making a strange fluttering sound when you'd take a photo. They explained to me what would need to be done and I dropped off my camera for them to work on it. Although I was anxious about leaving my camera there in a pool of other cameras (it was a gift from my grandad's good friend who no longer used it), the clerks at Southeastern Camera either called or left voicemails at any chance of an update on my camera.

After about a week and many lubricating treatments, my camera was ready for pickup. The cost was only $20! This was super refreshing since I didn't know if it was $20 per lubricant application or for the overall service. Either way, any time I or my brother have bought cameras from the store, they were either fairly priced or cheap (still good quality).

Overall, l'd absolutely recommend Southeastern Camera. I have never had a bad experience here and always feel like I can come to them for help with any photography needs. I do plan to start getting my film developed here instead of mailing it, which I am...

Bought a used tripod here to hopefully be able to use with just a phone. The tripod seemed to work fine in the shop with absolutely nothing on it, and then out in the field and in application, as soon as you'd touch literally anything or anywhere on the tripod, it would start collapsing on itself.

I didn't drop everything and jet back over here immediately the next day, or week, because life is going on and well, if I order something from AMAZON, I have a whole THIRTY DAYS to just drop it at any Whole Foods, or a myriad of other locations for MY CONVENIENCE.

Well, whoever I was being 'helped' with on my return made sure to mention that it's a 5? 10? Day return policy. Guys, this is why local businesses are failing left and right. I tried to help out a local business, because at the end of the day, if I can get the exact same thing for cheaper or on better terms for my use, delivered to my door, that's always going to be the better option for me. Manufacturer controlled pricing prevents you guys from selling me the same R100 Double Lens kit any cheaper than anywhere else, and that gets delivered to my door, with apparently a better return policy and overall customer and customer service interaction.

We won't be back. The return was honored, reluctantly. I have no problems letting you guys know here that had you NOT honored the return for selling me a faulty product, I would have gladly contacted my credit card company and had the charge removed. So, you would have been out the money anyway, and then I'd be keeping a faulty worthles product too.

So, maybe learn how to deal with customers better, keep some P E R S P E C T I V E about the current business environment you're operating in with regards to places like Amazon, and better luck next time! I'm about to get real into photography too and probably spend a few thousand on equipment! Could have been with you guys! Definitely...

There was a situation that occurred that has made me choose this store as my default go-to camera shop in Raleigh, here's why.

I recently went to shoot a wedding, I needed a lens with a low aperture (f/2.0) so I could get as much light in as possible. They gave me two options of lens, one which was a motorized focus, and one that was a manual focus, I chose the manual focus.

I went to shoot the wedding and quickly realized I should've chosen the motorized AF lens, the action at the wedding happened a lot faster than I anticipated, which meant making time to pull focus manually was almost impossible.

I was told beforehand that I had five days to return the lens, a few days passed and finally on the last day eligible to return, I had decided that the lens simply wasn't what I needed. I left work at 5:00pm and had one hour to get to Southeastern Camera to make the return. Then traffic happened, RDU in rush hour set me to where I wasn't going to make it there before they closed.

6:05PM I pulled up to the shop. I saw Pat and Sue in the parking lot and they unlocked the shop and still let me make a return after explaining my situation. I can with full assurance say I won the "Worst Customer of the Day" award on the spot, and I'm sure my photo is on their wall of shame with my name in giant bold letters.

But if I can say, this shop is the best that Raleigh has to offer photographers. Pat and Sue were OUTSTANDING in how they bended over backwards to help me in my situation. I HIGHLY recommend that you do business with this shop if you're a photographer in the RDU area. I certainly plan on doing business with them again, and I will make sure to never be "That Customer..." again.

Thank you Pat & Sue, y'all...