RFI: Any good camera store in San Francisco area?

In article <gp86q09mtruu2qn0r7m89u72u2494ghbr1.DeleteThis@4ax.com>, Richard <>
wrote:

 > I'll be visiting California next month from Europe and would like to
 > buy either a Nikon 500 or 600mm. lens, especially with the dollar at
 > an all time low.
 >
 > Any suggestions for a good reliable camera store where I could get
 > one, even if they have to order it in advance?
 >
 > Either that or I'll order one from B&H and get them to send me one to
 > some hopefully reliable hotel address (not my best idea!).
 >
 > Many thanks,
 >
 > Richard.

Loads, gasser, Keeble&Shuchat, Bear Images, Looking Glass, Reeds,
Camera's West, Monterey Bay Photo are a few.

--
To reply no_ HPMarketing Corp.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: RFI: Any good camera store in San Francisco area? 

Richard wrote:
 >
 > I'll be visiting California next month from Europe and would like to
 > buy either a Nikon 500 or 600mm. lens, especially with the dollar at
 > an all time low.

try calumetphoto.com .
they will have availability and price,
and also the store number and location.

 >
 > Any suggestions for a good reliable camera store where I could get
 > one, even if they have to order it in advance?
 >
 > Either that or I'll order one from B&H and get them to send me one to
 > some hopefully reliable hotel address (not my best idea!).
 >
 > Many thanks,
 >
 > Richard.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: RFI: Any good camera store in San Francisco area? 

I live elsewhere in the state but am in SF frequently. Offhand I cannot
think of any stores in SF itself that would likely have that item in stock
as there is not a lot of demand for those lenses. I would check this link
http://phonebook.superpages.com/yellowpages/C-Photographic+Equipment+&...pplies+
and contact the stores to see if they stock these long lenses or would have
to special order. If you can get to LA contact Samys or BelAir Camera
stores. With the Euro the way it is if the big mailorder houses in the US
will ship to Europe I would deal directly with B&H, Adorama etc. as you will
be charged in dollars on your credit card but pay in Euros at home.
 >> Stay informed about: RFI: Any good camera store in San Francisco area? 

"Dave Herzstein" <dherzstein.TakeThisOut@juno.com> wrote in message
news:41A34EC9.4E2FB05D@juno.com...
 > Richard wrote:
 >
 > Buy it from B&H and have it sent to your hotel. The savings will pay
 > for your airfare!
 > -Dave

Betcha a Buck B&H won't send it to a Hotel.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: RFI: Any good camera store in San Francisco area? 

Jim Phelps wrote:

 > "Dave Herzstein" <dherzstein RemoveThis @juno.com> wrote in message
 > news:41A34EC9.4E2FB05D@juno.com...
 >
  >>Richard wrote:
  >>
  >>Buy it from B&H and have it sent to your hotel. The savings will pay
  >>for your airfare!
  >>-Dave
 >
 >
 > Betcha a Buck B&H won't send it to a Hotel.

If you add the hotel address as a secondary address to your credit card,
then they probably will.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: RFI: Any good camera store in San Francisco area? 

Richard wrote:

 > I'll be visiting California next month from Europe and would like to
 > buy either a Nikon 500 or 600mm. lens, especially with the dollar at
 > an all time low.
 >
 > Any suggestions for a good reliable camera store where I could get
 > one, even if they have to order it in advance?
 >
 > Either that or I'll order one from B&H and get them to send me one to
 > some hopefully reliable hotel address (not my best idea!).

You may want to call B&H and explain what you need. There may be a way
that they can ship it directly to a local Fed Ex office for you to pick
up. Note that the shipper MUST request that the package be held at Fed
Ex for pick-up without a delivery attempt, the buyer cannot do this.
What you would do is the following:

1. Register the hotel address as a legitimate "ship to" address for your
credit card.

2. Order from B&H, using your hotel's address, making it clear that you
want them to authorize Fed Ex to hold the shipment at the Fed Ex
location with no delivery attempt.

3. Hope that Fed Ex doesn't send the package out for delivery, ignoring
the instructions to hold it, as they often do.

This works only with Fed Ex, not with UPS.

As to camera stores, there are no discount stores in the Bay Area.
Keeble and Schuchat in Palo Alto is your best bet in terms of them
having the item, or getting it for you in advance. You can take the Cal
Train there from San Francisco (exit at the California Avenue station in
Palo Alto and walk about two blocks west).

Address: 290 S California Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306
Hours: Open Mon-Sat
(650) 327-8515
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.kspphoto.com/" target="_blank">http://www.kspphoto.com/</a><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: RFI: Any good camera store in San Francisco area? 

"bmoag" <apquilts.RemoveThis@pacbell.net> wrote in message news:<7CJod.25682$6q2.7532@newssvr14.news.prodigy.com>...
 > I live elsewhere in the state but am in SF frequently. Offhand I cannot
 > think of any stores in SF itself that would likely have that item in stock
 > as there is not a lot of demand for those lenses. I would check this link
 > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://phonebook.superpages.com/yellowpages/C-Photographic+Equipment+&+Supplies+Retail/S-CA/T-San+Francisco/" target="_blank">http://phonebook.superpages.com/yellowpages/C-Photographic+Equipment+&...pplies+</a>
 > and contact the stores to see if they stock these long lenses or would have
 > to special order. If you can get to LA contact Samys or BelAir Camera
 > stores. With the Euro the way it is if the big mailorder houses in the US
 > will ship to Europe I would deal directly with B&H, Adorama etc. as you will
 > be charged in dollars on your credit card but pay in Euros at home.

No, they are all in Piqua, Ohio.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: RFI: Any good camera store in San Francisco area? 

Steven M. Scharf wrote:

[....]


I've purchased stuff when I'm on the road, and have FedEx deliver to the
hotel on a regular basis. Did one last week. I suppose there's no way
for the e-tailer to know if I'm some sort of scammer, but they didn't
ask nor refuse.


--
jer email reply - I am not a 'ten'
 >> Stay informed about: RFI: Any good camera store in San Francisco area? 

"Bob Salomon" <bob_salomon DeleteThis @mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:bob_salomon-4D4C99.11321223112004@news.isp.giganews.com...
 >
 > Loads, gasser, Keeble&Shuchat, Bear Images, Looking Glass, Reeds,
 > Camera's West, Monterey Bay Photo are a few.

Gasser's, in San Francisco, has lots to offer, but don't look for bargains.
Reed's in Walnut Creek is a good store, too, and may offer a better deal
than Gasser's but still nothing like B&H. Keeble & Shuchat in Palo Alto is
the best browsing store, and the staff can be very helpful, but still no
bargains.

If price is important (and when isn't it?), the B&H route is worth the extra
effort to get it shipped to the hotel. Check with your credit card company
now and and find out what they require to enable this purchase method. The
product will be the same, but you'll get maximum advantage of the currency
exchange rates (credit cards always exchange at international bank rates
rather than store rates).

Bob in Las Vegas<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: RFI: Any good camera store in San Francisco area? 

"Jim Phelps" <Jim.Phelps.TakeThisOut@MI.Com> wrote in message
news:cnvmu1$td8$02$1@news.t-online.com...
 >
 > "Dave Herzstein" <dherzstein.TakeThisOut@juno.com> wrote in message
 > news:41A34EC9.4E2FB05D@juno.com...
  >> Richard wrote:
  >>
  >> Buy it from B&H and have it sent to your hotel. The savings will pay
  >> for your airfare!
  >> -Dave
 >
 > Betcha a Buck B&H won't send it to a Hotel.
 >
They will if you pay with cash, or an international money order.....Probably
not if you pay with a credit card......<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: RFI: Any good camera store in San Francisco area? 

"Bob Salomon" <bob_salomon.DeleteThis@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:bob_salomon-4D4C99.11321223112004@news.isp.giganews.com...
 > In article <gp86q09mtruu2qn0r7m89u72u2494ghbr1.DeleteThis@4ax.com>, Richard <>
 > wrote:
 >
  >> I'll be visiting California next month from Europe and would like to
  >> buy either a Nikon 500 or 600mm. lens, especially with the dollar at
  >> an all time low.
  >>
  >> Any suggestions for a good reliable camera store where I could get
  >> one, even if they have to order it in advance?
  >>
  >> Either that or I'll order one from B&H and get them to send me one to
  >> some hopefully reliable hotel address (not my best idea!).
  >>
  >> Many thanks,
  >>
  >> Richard.
 >
 > Loads, gasser, Keeble&Shuchat, Bear Images, Looking Glass, Reeds,
 > Camera's West, Monterey Bay Photo are a few.

But, you'll have to pay an 8% "sales tax" on anything you buy in the state
of California.....My advice is to buy by mail order from B&H or Adorama in
NYC, and have the item(s) shipped to your hotel management. You can do this
if you give yourself lead-time, and pay by money order and snail
mail.......Not only will you save the sales taxes, but the prices of those
two establishments beats anything you can find in San Francisco, too.......<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: RFI: Any good camera store in San Francisco area? 

"Steven M. Scharf" <scharf.steven.RemoveThis@linkearth.net> writes:

 > As to camera stores, there are no discount stores in the Bay
 > Area. Keeble and Schuchat in Palo Alto is your best bet in terms of
 > them having the item, or getting it for you in advance. You can take
 > the Cal Train there from San Francisco (exit at the California
 > Avenue station in Palo Alto and walk about two blocks west).

 > Address: 290 S California Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306
 > Hours: Open Mon-Sat
 > (650) 327-8515
<font color=purple> > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.kspphoto.com/</font" target="_blank">http://www.kspphoto.com/</font</a>>

From old memory it is closer by drive time from SFO to Palo
Alto than to downtown. Just have to go a bit southish first!


--
Paul Repacholi 1 Crescent Rd.,
+61 (0 9257-1001 Kalamunda.
West Australia 6076
comp.os.vms,- The Older, Grumpier Slashdot
Raw, Cooked or Well-done, it's all half baked.
EPIC, The Architecture of the future, always has been, always will be.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: RFI: Any good camera store in San Francisco area? 

 > Richard wrote:
 >
  >> I'll be visiting California next month from Europe and would like to
  >> buy either a Nikon 500 or 600mm. lens, especially with the dollar at
  >> an all time low.
  >>
  >> Any suggestions for a good reliable camera store where I could get
  >> one, even if they have to order it in advance?
  >>
  >> Either that or I'll order one from B&H and get them to send me one to
  >> some hopefully reliable hotel address (not my best idea!).


"Steven M. Scharf" <scharf.steven.DeleteThis@linkearth.net> wrote in message
news:FEKod.3054$uV6.2410@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net...
 >
 > You may want to call B&H and explain what you need. There may be a way
 > that they can ship it directly to a local Fed Ex office for you to pick
 > up. Note that the shipper MUST request that the package be held at Fed Ex
 > for pick-up without a delivery attempt, the buyer cannot do this. What you
 > would do is the following:
 >
 > 1. Register the hotel address as a legitimate "ship to" address for your
 > credit card.
 >
 > 2. Order from B&H, using your hotel's address, making it clear that you
 > want them to authorize Fed Ex to hold the shipment at the Fed Ex location
 > with no delivery attempt.
 >
 > 3. Hope that Fed Ex doesn't send the package out for delivery, ignoring
 > the instructions to hold it, as they often do.
 >
 > This works only with Fed Ex, not with UPS.
 >
 > As to camera stores, there are no discount stores in the Bay Area. Keeble
 > and Schuchat in Palo Alto is your best bet in terms of them having the
 > item, or getting it for you in advance. You can take the Cal Train there
 > from San Francisco (exit at the California Avenue station in Palo Alto and
 > walk about two blocks west).
 >
 > Address: 290 S California Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306
 > Hours: Open Mon-Sat
 > (650) 327-8515
<font color=purple> > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.kspphoto.com/</font" target="_blank">http://www.kspphoto.com/</font</a>>
 >
Steven's advice is very good. Years ago San Jose Camera tried to compete
with the mail order firms in New York. They weren't as easy to deal with but
they were almost as cheap as B&H except for the 8+% sales tax. I don't know
if they are still in business or if they are still trying to discount
prices. Most of what I buy is either used or from New York even though I'm
only a couple miles from Keeble & Schuchat.

Best wishes, -jeff<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: RFI: Any good camera store in San Francisco area?