Camera Concepts & Telescope Solutions — Local services in Town of Brookhaven

Just wanted to say THANK YOU SO MUCH to Jeff, Gene, Erica, George & Maria at CAMERA CONCEPTS & TELESCOPE SOLUTIONS located at 85 Main Street, Stonybrook, NY!!!! I went to Stonybrook yesterday to get a solar filter, for my telescope and ended up not only getting the filter, and a few helpful gadgets(Telrad finder scope & a Helio Pod)I had a wonderful experience. I was greeted by Jeff and was welcomed to the store with telescope in tow and was introduced to Erica, Gene & George. For about the next hour and a half Jeff explained a wide variety of things to me...telescope basics, star hopping, starmap, explaining the different parts of the equotorial mount and their purposeses, taking apart the telescope to put in case and putting it back together and so much more. Gene & George also offered great information and tips. He was knowledgable, kind, patient, funny and so enthusiastic that I was "over the moon happy" that I found the store online and took the ride there. It was so worth it!!! It was alot of information to absorb and he said if I have any question at all to just call, he truly meant it and for that and all the time spent with me, I am grateful! Erica was great too, I spoke to her on the phone before I headed there, she was very helpful and sweet! Last night they happen to be having a viewing of the Sky. They had pizza and refreshment at the store before heading outside. There were a had full of telescopes and binoculars set up at allow all those who showed up to view the night sky. I met Maria before we headed outside and she was also very nice and friendly. She was the roaming photographer along with George taking pictures of everyone enjoying the night. It was great! The enthusiasm is so contagious that I couldn't wait to get home and get my telescope back together and go look at the moon. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL OF YOU! I encourage anyone interested in telescopes to visit...

Good place to go if you're looking for slower, personalized, small business customer service.

I brought one roll of film to be developed here, having previously used online services and wanting to support a small business. I thought the price and wait time might be less too which wouldn't hurt (online biz was around $20 and 4-5 business days). The price was slightly less but the turnaround was a lot more (2+ weeks). They didn't tell me the turnaround until I had already handed over my film, at which point I wasn't going to ask for them to discard all of my information and give back my film. At the two week mark I called to ask for an update on when I might expect the scans, and the person who I spoke to rudely said "they told you when you dropped it off." Then I was put on hold, and they came back to say "your film was already developed, we'll get the scans to you today." Two days later I still hadn't received the scans and had to reach out again to ask for them, at which point they sent them (with the files having been uploaded the day I originally called), and told me I could pick up my negatives. When I went to pick up the negatives, it took 15 minutes to get someone at the register to get them for me.

The pros: The scans were beautiful, it was nice knowing I was supporting a local business The cons: It took much longer, the cost was around the same as online

If you're looking to go in store, buy a camera, and speak with people who know a lot about the equipment then it's a good place to go. If you're just looking to get one roll of film developed, probably not the...

I had purchased a used MEADE LS6 telescope online and when I received it the handbox did not work making the telescope useless. I tried ordering a new Autostar III handset and prepaid for it from Camera Concepts through PayPal. Due to the Covid pandemic the Meade factory in Mexico was closed and Jeff from Camera Concepts kept me informed as to the delays. Finally Jeff suggested that I bring the telescope in and have Dan (his technician) take a look at it. It was worth the hour drive to do so and I felt so comfortable with them as professionals that I left the telescope with them. Two weeks later I received a phone call telling me that they managed to get my telescope to work. Jeff did the honorable thing and refunded me the difference through my PayPal account. I was pleasantly surprised that the refund amounted to as much as it did as he already had my money and could have charged me anything and I would not have been any wiser. What a pleasure to have found a knowledgeable professional...