The Camera Shop — Local services in Traverse City

The owner is very friendly and knowledgeable, plus they seem to have a great inventory. However, I didn't have a great experience with them.

One of my cameras ended up with some dust/debris inside. Feeling like I should take it to a professional for a cleaning rather than attempting it myself, I traveled the hour out of my way to bring it to The Camera Shop. When I brought in the camera for cleaning, the young man at the desk first didn't acknowledge me standing there for the first few minutes (the owner was chatting with an older woman concerned about having too large of a camera case). After awhile, the young man turned to me and asked what I needed. When I explained, he acted as if a camera having dust inside of it was an impossibility and told me that it would not be worth the repair cost to fix the $600 camera. He looked through the viewfinder and didn't seem to notice the black flecks that were visible. I was really disappointed as I thought this would be an easy fix for them and a win/win for all involved. After I insisted the flecks were there and were not the crosshairs (looking for myself to confirm I was not crazy), he then offered a cleaning for $60. The owner then finished up with the customer he was helping, acknowledged the cleaning and that was that. I thought the problem would be solved with some expertise and tools.

I came back when they said it was done, paid, and left--unfortunately without checking the camera, as I naively trusted in the experts to have helped. When I pulled the camera out again, though, a quick look through the viewfinder confirmed that the flecks of dust/debris were still lodged in the camera. Feeling really defeated, I resolved myself to having to buy a new camera body and that I had paid $60 and two trips downtown TC for nothing. When I got home, however, I realized that the flecks had moved slightly, and that tapping a cleaning cloth against the mirror moved the particles even more, but did not remove them entirely. I am now buying a camera cleaning kit to try and clean the camera myself, perhaps where I should have started.

Overall, I'm feeling a little down about the whole interaction. I had wanted to support a (somewhat) local store, but after this, I don't think I...

Highly disappointing experience on only one level and yet it is the most important for a small business: customer service. I went into The Camera Shop and was helped almost immediately by a man. My initial purpose for going in there was to buy a lens cap for my Canon DSLR, he was super helpful. I also wanted to look into buying 2 lens cases and a new camera strap and I love helping the small businesses and local economy. I asked him about the drone sitting on the counter and although I didn't plan on buying it, he definitely peaked my interest. I then asked him about GoPro cameras which they do not sell. I said that I wanted one because I was a cyclist and wanted evidence of being harassed by car drivers. This guy proceeded to go off the deep end with his opinions on how all cyclists are a**holes, they don't pay taxes, they don't have any rights AND they are supposed to get off the road if riding adjacent to a bike path... um, no they don't. I'm ok with someone sharing their opinion of how they hate cyclists (I get it all the time) but not when you are representing a business, he went on and on and would not quit! He was incredibly unprofessional!. This guy was completely out of hand and should've stopped well before I finally gave up and walked out without my purchase. The facts he was spewing were so incorrect. I really want to help out the small businesses but they MUST RELY ON THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE because the internet is MUCH CHEAPER. I posted about my experience on my Facebook page and was encouraged to post on yelp & google too. This man had no respect for human life and spoke about his altercations in his travels to and from his home in Leelanau County. He said they disobey all traffic laws, I bet he never speeds in his truck and whether or not all cyclists obey the law, all drivers don't obey the law either. We're both equally guilty. I'm not local but I was born and raised in TC and come back every year for the NCF and to put my hard-earned money back into TC's local economy. I will never shop there again and will use my local camera shop where I live and continue to find better prices on...

When dropping off my photos I was treated very well. I needed restoration on a photo. When I picked them up (after I had called to inquire if they were ready after not hearing from them) I went to my car and looked at them. I went back in to speak to someone and the young man that waited on me was extremely rude and patronizing. He offered to get the manager but I said no. I told him my concern was that the girl in the photo looked like a cartoon. I guess they don’t check with you before printing. He suggested that I try to see if I could do any better. 🤷‍♀️

Update: my husband went in to see if he could get an explanation/better customer service. The first person that waited on him (same one that treated me poorly) treated him the same way. He requested the manager. The manager told him that the price had been negotiated with me (did NOT happen) and that I had agreed to the cheaper service. He said I had been told that the higher quality restoration would be well over $100. That conversation never happened. When I dropped it off the gal that took them was there alone. She said she had no idea how much it might cost and said that someone should reach out with more info and that it would take 2-3 weeks. The reach out never happened. I dropped the picture off on 8/28. I called THEM on Thursday, 9/18 to see if there was any update. I got a call back saying it was done and that the restoration “turned out quite well.” As you can see, it did not. We were not offered anything to resolve this issue.

Don’t bother banning me. I would never come to this store again!! I hope people read the reviews of this business before going there. I’m assuming the young man that gave very poor customer service must be the owner’s relative as he’s mentioned in almost every negative review I...