By the way, if anyone is in New York city.

GO TO B&H IN PERSON!

It's basically the mecca of photo/video equipment.. it's MASSIVE and full of helpful and awesome staff.

^^^

Thanks. If you can't come in person, try our virtual walk through, courtesy Google maps.

Henry Posner
B&H Photo-Video

I stopped in the store once a couple of years ago. Maybe the photo department is more knowledgable, but the guy in the electronics/earphones department knew almost nothing about the merchandise. And their totally convoluted checkout system seems to waste a lot of time. Unless they have streamlined it since I was there (i think that was summer of 2009).

Next time I am in town I will probably go to Adorama's store to compare.

I've not been but I heard Adorama is just a regular sized camera shop, much like any other camera shop. The sheer size of BH is amazing.
You're right the check out is a bit convoluted, but it adds to the mystique? :)

I don't know about earphone dept.. but their camera guys are awesome. Also they have just about every model of body, lens, available. it's pretty cool to be able to try all those lenses...

I've to B&H's brick-and-mortar store a number of times. It's fantastic! I've only bought camera stuff, but the sales folks are not only extremely knowledgeable, they're really helpful. I once went in to buy a telephoto lens and mentioned a specific model. The saleman asked me what I'd be using it for, and with what camera. Based on my answers he recommended a lens that would be just as good and cost substantially less (and it was!). To me, it doesn't get any better than that.

As for checkout, I love the "Disneyland e-ticket" ride for whatever it is you bought -- it's fun to watch everything swirling overhead on conveyors.

Though I've bought from Adorama, and they're fine, my first stop, either in person or on-line, is always B&H.

+1 ^^^

It is. I live basically between the two so which I shop at often depends on what other errands I'm running or which has the better price for (or has in stock) the product I want that day. If you're going in to actually buy then both are very good. If you are going just to look around then B&H is significantly more fun.

While out visiting the Los Angeles area I've used both Calumet and Sammys. Calumet I found good and knowledgeable folks but the store (on highland) was not that large. I went to the Sammys camera on S. Fairfax and it was floors and floors of gear old and new.

Calumet match their website prices but Sammys are not the same price if you go in person.

One of the best I found there is Simon's Camera 1316 at North Western Ave for a honest deal. I got a new Contax G2 and found there prices the best in USA. They are doing a small business since early 80s and providing the best services. They have anything you want. Its the best place for you if you want higher lever gear.

I have got my from online shopping at Amazon.

True, Adorama doesn't have the physical floor space, but with an inventory of over 80,000 different new items and 26-27,000 used, I don't think we'd consider ourselves to be 'just a regular camera store'!

As well as 'regular' camera gear, Adorama stocks telescopes, sporting scopes, microscopes; gear for astro photography; forensic and shooting equipment; printers and accessories for home and business; TVs; automotive, marine and motorcycle accessories - plus a complete iphoneography range (and more!) Nearly forgot - there is also a complete 'Pro' department; Adorama Rentals, and the printing/photobook business, AdoramaPix....

Helen Oster
Adorama Camera Customer Service Ambassador

You forgot about the dive gear shop on the 3rd floor. ;)

You are right, I did!

There are some great pics here:
http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/A...ning-AdoramaTV from the party to celebrate the opening of the Pro Imaging Department (I wasn't invited :()

And these are a bit old, but these pics are from a Ken Rockwell tour of the store:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/trips/2009-08-nyc/19b.htm

http://www.kenrockwell.com/trips/2009-08-nyc/12.htm

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 6_0_2 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/536.26 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/6.0 Mobile/10A551 Safari/8536.25)

I have shopped numerous times at both. They have very different vibes but both are fantastic. I don't get camera gear anywhere other than those two places. . Went to a wonderful workshop at Adorama once too. They have classroom space upstairs somewhere.

which by the way, even if you don't dive, has excellent prices on pelican cases. I laugh every time I carry wine in the case from the dive shop for way less than anybody else.