May wife and I have started buying our cameras here instead of online or the big box stores. They actually know what the heck they are talking about. The box store people are not camera people and online you pretty much have nobody. Plus Art's is local. My wife bought her fancy dancy Canon 6D there then traded it in for a Sony a6000. I bought a Nikon 1 J3. They were very helpful and priced competitively. If there is something priced higher, remember that they will be there to assist you after the purchase more than any big box stores. read more

I was in need of two lenses because both of mine didn't have the stabilization function. I shopped the pre-owned lenses at Art's and I couldn't be more pleased with the treatment I received. Joel showed me three lenses at his store as well as a lens at the Greenfield store. I ended up buying a canon 18-1 35 lens and a canon 70-300 lens a carrying case and some filters. Joel took my old lenses in a trade. I originally bought my camera at Art's and I will continue to shop at this store. read more

Despite their large selection of cameras and camera accessories and their probable photo processing prowess, this place ain't so cool. When we walked in, all the salespeople were busy with other customers. This would not be a problem except that none of the sales guys even thought to acknowledge out presence. Ten minutes goes by, and then 15 minutes, and the sames guys are still selling their wares to their respective customers. We have still not been greeted. They have not even looked away from the potential sales they had in front of them for a second. We are a very patient bunch, but I used to work in sales (at a camera shop, actually), and I would always take at least a second to look up and acknowledge new clients as they walked in. Further, I would not pounce on the next person that mentioned that they were seeking a camera ignoring the other people that had been waiting for a quarter of an hour. I also would not ignore the people that simply wanted to pay for what they had in their hands. Listening in on some of the camera sales pitches, these fellows do seem to know what they are talking about, but their customer service (or lack thereof) is horrible. I live 90 miles away, but I would not be back even if I lived around the corner. read more

I do photography as a hobby and whenever traveling, so I was very happy to see a new Art's opened in a former bank building near Southridge. I'd never been to Art's, but I know they are local and have a good reputation. I stopped in with five rolls of film and some questions about getting a second lens for my Minolta film SLR camera. Charles, the associate who helped me, was very helpful and recommended a suitable lens for a great price. I decided then to see about their film developing costs, although I usually use Target and am generally pretty happy with how my pictures turn out. The price was more, but I joined a $20 per year "club" that gives me reduced developing charges and free photo cds, which is perfect for a person like me who won't go digital but would still like some ability to get photos to the web. The only disappointment (sort of) was that although my prints look very clear and well-done, they sell Fuji film and use Fuji paper. I use Kodak film and don't like the green-blue tones of Fuji film, and the obvious fact that the paper would give my prints that blue-green hue didn't occur to me until I picked up the prints. I don't know if Fuji is the professional standard or if its preferred for some reason, but I wasn't thrilled with how the coloring looked. But that's a preference and not really a fault of Art's in any way. For the zillions of digital photographers out there, Art's very homey and coffee-serving computer lab and print center should be a big draw. The store is also spacious and well-designed, the staff helpful and knowledgeable. I will definitely be back, not only to purchase the recommended lens, but also for questions and my future photo-related needs. read more

Went to Art's looking for a Nikon wide angle lens. The person who helped me was very friendly and seemed very knowledgeable about the subject. She showed me the Nikon as well as the Tamron, which was a lot cheaper and she swore by its quality. She let me try out the lens, answered all of my questions effectively, and made my decision to buy the Tamron pretty easy. The store itself has a lot of equipment - cameras, lenses, supplies, etc, in a pretty decent layout. I can't really comment on much other than the lenses, however, but they did seem to have a nice variety. Overall, a good shopping experience. I would definitely go back! read more

These guys are awesome! Very few choices in Milwaukee when it comes to getting photography and video equipment. All of their staff is highly educated on their products and they work with you to find just what you need. I have been renting equipment from them for the past 4 years for a fundraiser we do. Every year they provide the same great service at a reasonable price. Their equipment has only helped us improve our holiday fundraiser from year to year. Thank you guys! read more

Update from my November '13 review: Seven months and three vacations later, I still love my camera! It really was exactly what I needed, and I'm so glad the staff at Art's steered me in that direction. As for the package I purchased: Thankfully, nothing bad has happened to my camera, but I did take a pretty bad tumble while hiking in Colorado, and it was reassuring to know that I had the warranty. Also, I took the class that was offered as part of the package, and it was really useful for getting to know my camera and all its features. I have a lot of custom options on my camera, but it only has a fixed lens, so I was worried I wouldn't get a lot out of the class. Wrong! It was really useful and 95% of the material applied to my camera. read more

No, you don't have to put down a deposit for the full retail amount of a rental everywhere else. No one I know could afford to make movies if they had to drop a deposit for the full retail amount on every piece of gear they rented. When you rent a car, do you need a credit card with $12000 free on it? (Yes I rent economy) No. I also don't need to hear how your policies are the result of your own bad business planning because you failed to take out the proper kind of insurance to safeguard your rental losses. These are the policies one would charge a normal deposit for. Last, a returning customer might have liked to hear about your new policy before taking the time to drive through rush hour traffic on the busiest day of their year just to find out that they can't pick up their rental because they are $50 shy of the full retail value of the equipment on the card they are carrying. read more

Very professional, helpful staff. The rental camera and accessories were in excellent condition and ready for use. Was careful to keep them that way. Good experience. read more

My husband and I came here on the recommendation of our wedding photographer. We got the flash drive with our photos, and came to Art's to have them printed off. We went on a Tuesday night, and it did not seem that busy. However all of the sales people were busy with other customers. That's ok - I understand people are being helped. However during this time, we were not greeted, we weren't even told "we'll be right with you." We were basically left to stand in line and wait. That's not the end of the world, but we wound up waiting an extra 35 minutes to finally get our pictures - which were ordered online and paid for. To drive that far across town and have to wait to pick up pictures that were already printed and paid for seems like a huge waste of time. And it was. I wish someone would have just paused to ask us if we needed any help - because it would have taken them 2 seconds. In terms of the quality of the photos - they are ok. Not wonderful, not horrible - just ok. I guess with all the hype, and the expense of the photos, I was expecting a lot better quality and customer service from Arts. In the future, I'll probably have my photos developed at another location. read more

They seem to have decent selection of new gear. But if you're a film shooter , don't bother. No selection of film, NO developing chemistry or equipment at all. It's sad that film shooters now have no local place, and need to go to Central Camera in Chicago to get anything or buy online. read more

Great store, very knowledgable staff. Unlike other camera store I visited, these guys are very customer focused and have excellent range of products in their store. This is exactly what budding camera enthusiasts, semi professionals need. read more

I'm taking a five week camera class and I've already learned so much. They smartly divide the class in the opening weeks by type of camera used and then bring everyone together for the universal information. The class is informative and helpful and I've had so many questions answered. Additionally, I learned about their monthly camera group that goes out and shoots interesting things. Nothing better than having help along to troubleshoot when the pic doesn't turn out like you thought. The class is reasonably priced, the staff knowledgeable and I'll definitely be coming back for more. read more

I'm not an avid or professional photographer, but I do enjoy it. I wanted to get some cute shots of my daughter around town and since I recently bought an old Holga, wanted to get some medium format film for it and make this happen. I looked up Art's Camera Plus online to find the nearest location to my home. So off I went to their West Allis location, only to find that they were closed. There was no notice on their website at all. So I said to myself, "Fine, I'll just go the one in Greenfield near Southridge." I got down there, 2 year old daughter in tow, only to wait around for 15 minutes with no help. All of the sales people were busy. Since I couldn't contain my daughter in the store for much longer, we decided to go get some lunch and come back. When we returned, we had to wait another 10 minutes before we were helped. I asked the sales person for the film I needed, only to be told they were sold out. REALLY? You're OUT of film? You're a camera store. %$@#!!! After all that, no film, no pictures. Boo to the closed location with no notice and boo to no film. BOO! read more

I came in to get an old film developed and received the photos in an adequate reasonable time despite the delay in their equipment needing some repair. Got the job done. Three stars for accomplishing the service I came in for. Hours are convenient! read more

Just finished the Nikon Fundamentals 101 class at the Greenfield Art's Store. A great price for a 2.5 hour class (mine was closer to 3 hrs), very thorough with a low stress, hands-on approach. It was very easy to register on the Art's website: choose from many classes, many dates & locations, and payment made right online. During class there were lots of opportunity to ask questions, get 1-on-1 attention, if needed (and a break built in to do a little shopping/browsing to see the products that are being shown/discussed). No pressure to purchase anything...just pure "getting to know the menus and functions of your personal camera. I will definitely take another class. read more

I felt violated. I was renting out a lens and everything had gone through. The last part which was authorizing the card to make sure I could afford the lens if it breaks was declined. The card was declined and I questioned why. My credit card was just paid off. I contacted the bank and I wasn't having any luck or options to speak to a representative. All that the automated voice was saying was my balance and and the pending payment. Lisa decided to go on her own and and call herself on the other phone and says, "it says you have insufficient funds." I know for a fact that I don't. I have paid everything off, and I'm pretty sure the payment had already gone through. After she's humiliated me in front of the other works/customers, I left and right when I jumped in the car, the bank called about a recently declined purchase. They mentioned that the payment should have gone through and thought I was still at the store so they asked for me to try it again. I said I left because Lisa, humiliated me. Mind you that Arts Camera Plus did not refund me my other transactions of the lens. I had to call in. Will and Kevin were great supporters. Couldn't be happier with their service. LISA should have never gone about and done what she did. Arts Camera Plus has lost a highly valued customer. read more

This is one of the best camera stores in the country. Meg and Monica are so helpful and their 5 week course has been extremely helpful. Great deals on equipment! read more

Was in town from out of state for the holidays visiting my grandparents. Found some old slides that had the car on it my grandpa kept talking about. Googled some photo stores and came across Arts. Went in to see if they could print from the 1950s slide to a large photo for him at the nursing home. Explained I was just in town for another day and didn't mind paying an express fee if they could get it done. They had it ready a couple hours later. Great quality print for the size I gave them and it going to a 10x15. The staff I spoke to both times was helpful and friendly. The photo made him so happy! Thanks for accommodating my schedule. read more

I rented a camera body from Art's and the process was simple and I got photos I wouldn't have been able to get otherwise. I will definitely consider renting equipment from them in the future. read more

So I have been a loyal Arts Cameras Plus customer for more than 10 years and have spent 1000"s of dollars at this store. When My mother asked where she should go buy a new camera and a few lens I had no problem sending her over to Arts. She went in and spent over 3,000 herself for a new Camera and a few Lens. A few weeks later she opened her wide angel lens and found out that it did not work. We went back to Arts to get a replacement and at first they had no problem exchanging it. But then another sales lady came over and told us they could not return the lens today. We would have to return the next day when the manager came in. She was very rude. She admitted it was a manufactures defect but would not exchange the lens. Its not like we were asking for cash or even store credit we wanted the same lens! (My son wrote this one.) (And I have written below.) The above issue has been resolved and I'm back to loving Arts. They have provided a loaner lens while they are sending the defective lens back. I'm leaving the above comment to show that issues between seller and buyer can be resolved and that's a good thing to know. Art's resolving this issue is why I then, today, purchased another lens. My faith is restored. Their apology was sincere and accepted. I'm so happy I can continue to do business with this team of experts. I have also learned a lesson, save your box until you know your purchase is working. read more

Second visit (first one last year was one of the worst experiences I ever had, with long wait for help and then finally an employee who had no clue what I was talking about) -- well, this time I never got to the employee because the wait was so long -- one employee with one customer who had 17 things she needed -- and zero acknowledgement from the employee and no idea how long I would have to continue to wait -- and I know there was a second employee in the back, but that didn't seem to matter to either of them. read more

I went in needing a very specific tripod setup for a camera I knew nothing about, and Julie spent over 20 minutes helping me test multiple equipment pieces until we found something that worked. She even helped me carry everything to my car. Incredible customer service, I will definitely be going back when I need camera equipment. read more

I just bought a lens from Arts camera. I had some questions so I called. They are quick to sell something but not so quick for support. This is not the first time it has happened. I have called other times and not been given a return call. read more

Stopped by today to look at a longer lens for my Nikon, ended up walking out with a new Tamron 150-600mm. Julie was outstanding in her treatment of customers and very educated on the equipment she sells. She showed me the type of images I will be able to capture when I get comfortable with the lens, I hope I can get images half as good as ones she has captured with the lens/camera combination!! read more

Art's is a sad reminder of what has become of the photography business, it reminds me of Ritz Camera before they went belly up. For starters, you can't enter the store without a mask because apparently there is a higher risk of getting Covid 19 at Art's than there is at Wal-Mart. I shoot both digital and film and have been shooting since the 70's so I expect a photography store to know photography. First of all, if I need some film developed and I am unable to develop it at home I will take it to a photography store and have them just develop the negs and I will scan them myself. Art's only does C-41. Wow, a camera store that is unable to process B&W. The staff at Art's is clueless about photography and I have dealt with more knowledgeable photographers at Wal-Mart. So, if your looking for overpriced prints, maybe Art's is right for you. If your looking for people that know photography, Art's may not be right for you. read more

I've been to Art's a handful of times and have spent half those times returning items. I've been sold the wrong part or entire lighting system and have received wrong information (yes, actually, my battery grip does take AA batteries). For some reason I still decided to purchase my Canon 7D and Canon L Series lens from Art's. I wish I would've spent that money somewhere else. My last visit was to exchange a rectangular soft box for an octagon one. I was sold one of each even though I just wanted two octagons. After waiting a good 10 minutes for a salesperson to acknowledge me I was greeted. I told the salesman my situation and he had no reaction but stared at the receipt then walked in the back. He returned with, "We don't have that." Then informed me I could only get a gift card for my now return like I was trying to hustle for cash. After I explained my situation multiple times I was only offered an excuse. I am a professional in the industry and was treated like and made to feel like I was in the wrong. Even upon asking if a different store would have what I needed I received "I'm not sure" as a response. Instead, when I left I had to call the other store. After multiple screw ups (this one actually costing me money) I can say I will never be returning to Art's. I have looked the other way other times but the way I was treated this time is different. I would love to support this local business but it's almost as if they want me to take my business elsewhere. For a place that says "Welcome to Art's Cameras Plus, southeastern Wisconsin's premier photo specialty dealer since 1967, where our mission is "To exceed our customers' expectations for quality, service and value." they sure don't live up to that promise. read more

Art's does a pretty good job! As far as printing digital photos, they are the best I have found in town. I always go out of my way to use them for my printing (I don't print much, but when I do, it's usually to frame or for a gift or something, so I want something nice). Their photo kiosks are easy to use without help, and unless you are getting a large size, they are usually available within 10 or 15 minutes. I have also taken one of their classes. It was intro to DSLR, and I found it thorough and informative. It was a bit below my level, but perfect for the person with whom I attended. It gave me hope that the other, more advanced classes will be valuable. As far as camera and accessory shopping, they do a good job, but it depends on what salesperson you get. Sometimes, I get someone super knowledgeable, and someone who goes out of their way to find the correct item or a discounted price or a used item. However, sometimes you just end up with any ol' camera enthusiast, and not someone that understands the full range of options, can provide appropriate suggestions for your situation, etc. That is the main reason I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5. All in all, I would recommend this place, and I plan on remaining a regular customer. read more

I needed to buy two cameras and decided to support a local business. The person who worked with me was very nice and knew a lot about cameras. I spent about $800. When I got home I discovered that the flash of one of the cameras was not working so I brought the camera back. It needed to be sent to Nikon to be fixed and they took care of that for me. A few weeks later I had my camera back and Art's gave me a voucher to use for a class because of the inconvenience of not having my new camera for a few weeks. I realize that cameras are mass produced and sometimes there may be one that doesn't work properly. I am very happy that they took care of it for me and that they also gave me a voucher so that I can take a class and learn more about my new camera. read more

Bought a digital SLR back in 2008. The sales person was young and not very knowledgeable. I didn't really care because I had done my homework and pretty much knew what I wanted. BIG MISTAKE going back this year for their 'trade-in' special'. If they have another, skip it. They looked at the camera I paid them $700+ for (granted it was 5 years ago) and offered me $45 for it. They pointed out that they found dirt while doing a deep cleaning and this was part of the reason. Really? It can be cleaned, you know. There were NO scratches and LITTLE wear. I can (and will) sell it on ebay. There is one right now for just the body (mine has 2 lenses) with bids for $150. Their offer was an insult. Especially since it was to trade in to buy stuff in THEIR store. A smart business man would buy my camera for $100, sell it on ebay for a profit and accept the $500+ more I would have spent on the upgrade. This is not a good business man. THE WORST PART, though, was they made me wait in the store (while socializing when they should have been evaluating) for no less than 20 minutes. Nice ploy to get me to shop their store while they pretend to evaluate for a fair price. Guess what? You just lost a customer who would have dropped AT LEAST $1000 every 5 years or so. read more

Stopped in at Art's this week with a problem retrieving photos off an outdated SD card. Wasn't sure if this could be resolved in a cost-effective way. Meg Burkette was the answer! She was able to transfer all photos onto a CD that I could take with me and store on my computer. This action freed up the card so I could use in the camera again to take with me on an upcoming adventure, all for only $4.00. She gave me some refresher tips to use the camera also which was appreciated greatly. She also suggested upgrading to a better camera, with no pressure whatsoever, which I may consider doing in the future, along with some classes. read more

I do not write many reviews. With that said, I only go out of my way when the service is so poor. This is the case with a recent trip to Art's Cameras Plus (not plus, minus service) Went in to rent a video camera a few days ago. Called the day before to make sure it was availble and how everything worked (only needed it for one day-input a some DV tape into my computer) Was the ONLY one in the store. So I am all set up for great service, WRONG. First thing that happened after I mentioned that I was renting a video camera, the 3 people working at the store looked at each other and gave one another a blank stare. Then one of the workers stepped up and wanted to help me. Awkward to say the least! The worker brought out the camera and did not know how it worked and had to make several trips to the back to ask where the various patch cords were and how the VIDEO CAMERA OPERATED!! Then they had to search online to see how it all worked because they did not want to make the trek to the back anymore. People, we do not work at Best Buy, where they sell 1,000 items! You have Video cameras and still cameras. THATS IT!! Brush up on your product knowledge! I still realize there is A Lot to know but ALL 3 workers fumbled over themselves! Now here is the best part. The camera I came in for did not have any of the input connectors or a electrical plug in (just the battery) How is that going work???? So then I switched over to the camera they thought had all of the proper accessories. This camera was worth much more money. How they work it is they have to have a credit card hold of the amount of the camera it self (completely get that) Only had a 1,0000 available because I was going to get the original camera. The sales person would not let it slide, even though I went through ALL of that. Such crappy service, I left in disgust! NEVER to RETURN!! Stay away and save yourself money and get yours Prints & Camera at Sam's Club. Look on the internet for advice, I am sure it can't be worse that this place!! read more

I took the Sony DSLR Camera Basics 102 class with Ray, and it/he was really very good. Ray is really an excellent teacher - clear, organized, and open to all questions. I especially liked that he connected his camera to the powerpoint somehow, so we could actually see how different settings effected the picture. I would definitely sign up for more classes. Art's also offers Focus Group Excursions which I think everyone interested in growing their skills should look into. read more

I am SO excited to have found Art's. I wish I'd found them sooner. They have the latest and most popular items from the best brands - Nikon, Manfrotto, Peak Design, Profoto, Sony, and staples like Op/tech, Hoya, Tiffen, etc. and they're competitively priced. While I'm stocked up on toys for the minute, all the toys need accessories and glass and I'll be happy to do my shopping here from now on. read more

I'm a novice photographer looking to make a sizable purchase to upgrade my photos. I wanted to rent some equipment to find out what would work best for me, so I went into Arts' hoping the sales team could point me in the right direction. I rented a total of four times over a week and for the most part dealt with the same folks. They were pleasant enough, but it was clear nobody was going out of their way to make recommendations or answer questions. After a lot of debating whether I should purchase the equipment online for $50 less or buy it in the store, I decided to purchase at Art's to support a local business. What a mistake. I had returned the same equipment the day before and when I came in ready to make the purchase, the same sales associate did not remember me at all! Not only that, but he tried to pawn me off on another employee who said she was too busy to help (mind you I was the only customer in the store). Maybe I'm over sensitive, but I really was put off they cared so little they couldn't remember a face they had seen so frequently over the last week. In hindsight, I should have purchased on Amazon. read more

The people that work there with the exception of Sherry are rude and not helpful whatsoever. They have a wonderful selection of SLR's, flashes, soft boxes, etc., but they need better help. read more

Very helpful and knowledgeable staff. They answer all my questions and give me suggestions to help me improve my photographic journey

I've called several times over the past couple years to ask questions about different cameras they sell, and I've never spoken with anyone who seems really knowledgable about photography, or anyone who has admittedly had personal or first had experience with cameras or glass I've had questions about. Even though I do my own research online, I still find value in speaking with people who can give valuable insight to help guide my decisions. I haven't experience that with Art's. I have, however, with one of their local competitors, all of whom have been almost overly abundant with information and who have more than earned my business. read more

Arts Camera Plus experience for me is mixed: Great contact when in the store... Placed several calls to inquire about specialized equipment and I was promised a call back and to this day I am still waiting. However whenever I am in the shop, the staff is very friendly, knowledgeable and willing to go the extra mile. So Arts, pretty please, make it a consistent customer's experience. Regarding the Local vs. online debate, I do not remember Arts not matching price... And I do not care paying few dollars more to buy local... In fact, I prefer buying local and I can only recommend Arts Camera plus. read more

I have just finished a class that took place on the last four Saturdays; both instructors Ray, and Elizabeth seemed knowledgeable and helpful. This was a series of classes relating to taking portraits and consisted of week 1) Portraits: Settings & Poses, week 2) Flash Photography, week 3) a Portrait Workshop with two Models, and week 4) Portrait retouching using Photoshop Elements. Overall I was satisfied with the classes with weeks 1 and 3 most in line with what I was interested in; I would have liked more emphasis on posing and working with models. While I could tell that week 2, Flash Photography, was needed and helpful for many in the class for me it was just review, and week 4 was again just review and least helpful to me as I generally no longer work with Photoshop Elements . read more