If I could give this store 10 million stars I would. It is such a cozy store and the staff is truly so amazing. I learned so much from chatting with Arthur and he helped me pick out a new camera strap AND a zoom lens for my father's OM-1 that I inherited. The prices were incredibly fair but truly they could charge more for the amount of knowledge they provide and their level of service (and their kindness)! This was my first time in Oregon and gosh I am so glad I came here. read more

Blue Moon Camera & Machine - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Hands down the worst customer experience every time. I'll ship out odd rolls or print myself before returning. They take the joy out of getting film back and that's hard to do. The women or afab employees saved them in my last two experiences (same roll developed and printed separately but paid in full before). They gave me a coupon for 1/2 off next roll but nothing could persuade me to walk back into that male dominated and ego centric overpriced place when we have Citizens for processing and scanning. Savannah, teach and show the rest of the employees how to act, it's blatant and reading elsewhere online my experience is not isolated. read more

Purchased online a FB-5 Vintage Nikon camera bag. I was very happy with the very reasonnable price and the shipping charges to Canada. The shipping took only 2 days door to door. It was very well packed with premium packing material. I will certainly do business again with them ! read more

I consigned a camera and two lenses that had belonged to my late husband, and I am thrilled to report that all three sold for the agreed-upon prices within a couple of months. I am grateful to Blue Moon Staff for their knowledge, expertise, and ability to sell these items to someone who could use them, rather than having them sit unused in my closet. Thank you for your wonderful win-win service, Blue Moon Staff! read more

This review is mostly for the service ! I was trying to look up places that would be able to fix a Pentax film camera from the 50's. I know the repair would cost much more than just buying a new one, but this Pentax film camera is pretty much like a priceless heirloom from my mother's side of the family. In any case, I was able to talk with Blue Moon over email and phone and they were very professional. I was able to mail my camera to them from California. I didn't have my camera mailed back because I actually wanted to make a trip of visiting Portland out of picking it up my camera in person, which is exactly what I did. I remember walking in and feeling like I had entered an upscale camera antique store, and I remember store clerks dressed up suits almost. At that point, I had already paid for the repair and service, so when I picked up my camera, they also gave me a complimentary lens cap (because I don't think I had one!). Granted, my Pentax film camera still doesn't work as smoothly as it once did, but Blue Moon did help improve the issue. I still keep my communication with blue moon from a few years ago to remember my contacts there in case I ever need to use them again ! read more

Blue Moon Camera & Machine - Inside the store - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Honestly, what a treasure this place is. Great staff with incredible knowledge and into helping out however possible. People gripe about the pricing, yada yada yada....Delusional ass hats! If you're not processing and scanning/printing etc. your images yourself, what in the lawds name are you griping about pricing for? It's not 1995. Pay Blue Moon a visit! This place is to be cherished! read more

Visiting the area for a few weeks, I wanted to find somewhere to develop a few 35mm b&w rolls of film. I landed on Blue Moon and stopped by on a Saturday to drop off my rolls. The folks working were super nice, knowledgeable, and helpful. I got two rolls developed and scanned to Dropbox on my first visit. I received my scans within the quoted one week timeframe and they looked great. Picking up my negatives was a breeze. I'll definitely be returning again before I leave! I'd recommend stopping in for any camera related needs. read more

Couldn't recommend this store any higher! Amazing customer service and great selection of cameras and supplies. They even have vintage cameras that have been restored by them and they exude quality. If you love film photography then this store is a must go to! read more

I can't believe it has been 6 and a half years since I reviewed Blue Moon Camera and Machine. I buy all of my film, chemicals, paper and cameras from them. They also do my repairs. An amazing local resource with fans all over the world. Their assortment just keeps getting better & better, and their customer service remains second-to-none. Thanks, Blue Moon! read more

A great little camera shop just east of the St John's Bridge. Service top notch and eBay transactions easy. I could stay for hours and especially like the hand made wood cameras. Film selection is huge too. read more

I have been going to Blue Moon Camera and Machine since shortly after it's opening. Blue Moon has helped keep film photography alive through the dark years of digital The staff has always been helpful, and knowledgeable. They have a full service lab, and a wide selection of cameras. read more

Getting back into photography after a 7 year hiatus, I went in looking for a lense for a film camera I brought out of storage. Jackson was very kind, knowledgeable and took the time to go through a lot of options with me. I really appreciate all the time spent. It can be a little nerve wracking relearning everything, but I left really excited to get back to it. Will be coming here for any future needs and upgrades. Thank you! read more

Blue Moon Camera & Machine - Canon AE-1 Program I brought in and the lens I ended up buying - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I haven't been to this store physically but ordered a gift card for them online last week and had a hiccup come up so I called them this morning. They are extremely polite over the phone and provided me the upmost customer service. More companies need to be like this one for sure! read more

Great camera shop! Went in there to drop off some 110 film for developing and ended up leaving with some knowledge and a Nikon F5! The gentleman that helped me didn't seem rushed and was very passionate about helping out any way. Didn't feel pressured at all. Way better experience here and well worth going out of my way to come here. Worth the trip!!! read more

This place is as real as it gets. The employees are knowledgeable, friendly, inviting, and made me feel right at home. I came in because the lever for my film spool on my Nikon FM2 broke. Walked out with a new lens and two filters. I love this place, it'll now be my go to for all things camera related! read more

Blue Moon Camera & Machine - Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 Micro Lens - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Incredibly knowledgeable people here, and so warm and welcoming. 100/10 recommend if you're in Portland. These folks are the real deal :)

I walked in here with a canon ae1 that needed a minor repair. The girl working took a quick look at the camera and then proceeded to tell me I broke it because I didn't know what I was doing. I didn't appreciate being spoken to like I was a complete moron on top of the fact she told me I need a $150 complete repair on the whole camera and it would take 2 months. Considering the price of my camera was $200, paying $150 for the repair made no sense. I could tell she wasn't a tech so this felt like a bs quote. Will never return. For a film store their film selection was lacking. read more

This store is great. I've only visited during the pandemic so I can't speak to the interior (they help you from outside). However, the staff is really helpful and kind. I just got into photography for fun. I have an office around the corner so I thought I'd try this shop. I bought some Instax film there first. I purchased a secondhand Holga recently and didn't understand film types. The employee was kind and got me the film I needed. A few days later I went to put the film in and realized I didn't know how to open the back of the camera. I'll admit I was embarrassed and apprehensive about asking. I got the courage to go and the employee remembered me, showed me how to use it, and offered to put the film in if needed. No judgment. Just kindness. I'm very happy and will be back! read more

Funny, sometimes the staff is great (Renee in particular.) Sometimes I'll get a sales person who treats me like they are doing me a favor showing me a camera. I shouldn't have to fork out hundreds of dollars for a camera and leave feeling like I was barely tolerated. I've bought four cameras there in two months but may have to rethink returning. I feel more welcomed by the Japanese vendors I deal with on Ebay. This business needs some lessons in dealing with customers. I'm not anxious to return again to a business that's indifferent to me when I walk in. I get better service in Berlin (and if you know, you know!) read more

Friendly people and nice selection of film and film cameras. It was very well organized in here too.

Thank you Mr. Jim and Ms. Renée! What great customer service I did receive at this awesome camera store. Ever since I made the initial phone call to this establishment while I was still in Washington DC, I received nothing but helpful advice front their friendly and knowledgeable staff. Mr. Jim gave me great advice on alternative black and white films that I could use that encompass infrared properties when shot with infrared filters such as deep red or an R72. He even hinted some shooting parameters to me for ideal exposure. Sadly Mr. Jim was not present on the day that I arrived. Lucky for me tho, Renée was working that day and she is really knowledgeable on some of the cool films that they sell, such as the CineStill 800T now available in a 120 size roll, how exciting! She also suggested to me a few rolls of Pancro 400, and Rollei 400s. She was very patient for all of my questions. I love this store and cannot wait to come back. read more

Blue Moon Camera & Machine - My film selection - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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These guys were great! Arthur put up with me for an hour while I was deciding which SLR to buy and helped me along the entire way and gave me a lot of helpful things to think about when choosing. Very knowledgeable people with a great attitude and selection of cameras! Highly recommend. read more

Imaging. It's a human urge from cave paintings to digital cameras. Blue Moon specializes in the photographic film era of imaging from the 1850's to the early 2000's. Who cares? Well, the highest pixel count and most expensive digital camera sensors are inferior to film in resolution. (Digital with HDR is better than film though) Consumer 35mm film is more than 90 megapixels, and top lenses are capable of resolving that. That's why Blue Moon exists. You can take better and archival images with the old film cameras and old lenses. You can attach the old lenses to digital cameras. That being said, I'm converting to digital in stages and discussed selling some film cameras. They were fair and honest about what they would consign versus what their estimated value was on other markets. They were right and I gained that value. They also have typewriters. That might fit into your aesthetic. Blue Moon joins the Portland list of oddities, it's a museum which most things are for sale! Construct your image around the narrative, not the imaging technology! Blue Moon is one of less than a handful recycled lens and body dealers besides CL for older superior imaging gear in Portland. Visit them to check. read more

My husband surprised me with an old vintage typewriter from this store. It was shipped in a big box and padded with paper and those air pocket shock absorbers. After typing for a month I started to develop a "quirk" on the machine that I didn't like at all. Since I had a limited warranty I called this store and the woman who answered the phone was amazing. Not only did she take the time to listen to what was going on, she contacted one of the type-writer-mechanic guys to advise on the situation. I got some good advice and was offered a "tune up" since I am still with in warranty. The problem has been resolved and I think the machine types better than it did when I first used it. Can't wait to take a stroll into their shop when I visit Portland. read more

Blue Moon Camera & Machine - Smith Corona Sterling - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Very unique, full service store. They have vintage cameras and supplies as well as more modern stuff. If you're into film, this is the store for you. They also have an in-store photo lab too. Staff is very helpful and knowledgeable. read more

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Are you one of the few who doesn't find film obsolete? Would you like to have your film developed and questions answered by legit photographers? Then Blue Moon is your sanctuary. They'll do an amazing job processing and developing your film and will educate you about anything you want to know without acting like they're doing you a favor. I bought a gorgeous twin lens reflex camera at Blue Moon which I treasure. They even have a selection of toy cameras and pinhole cameras. Make sure to check out postcard versions of the staff's own work by the register. P.S. Zeb is amazing. read more

Blue Moon Camera & Machine - Purchased at Blue Moon - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This place is wonderful. I came in looking for some new lenses and was instantly in heaven walking into Blue Moon. Their store is crammed full of camera and typing machines. One could easily spend hours if not days looking through everything. All of the staff here are very nice and helpful. If you aren't sure about something, they are more than happy to help you, or just to chat about cameras. I did both. Not only do they sell camera equipment, but they also develop film. If you're looking to develop black and white film, they do it by hand. If you are looking for color development, they use a machine. Apparently, twice a year they have art shows of clients photographs that they've developed. If they see something that grabs them while developing the film, they'll ask the client if they want their art in their show. Brilliant! They also sell supplies for printing and developing your own film. Tons of color and black and white film options and well as some great photography books (some of which are of staff's art). I really recommend coming here for your photography needs. Keep this art alive!! read more

Blue Moon has pretty much everything you need, from camera bags & accessories, a varied selection of film, darkroom supplies, and random odds & ends you might need and don't know where to find. The first time I stopped in here was on the off chance that they had a screw to fit the bottom of my Minolta. Apparently, it's not a screw you can find at the ACE down the street. Don't worry, though, Blue Moon has a set of drawers FULL of miscellaneous screws of varying sizes - plenty to fit your old metal bodies. The man who assisted us even managed to dig up a lens cap to replace the original one I dented. My camera is so much happier. The staff here have continued to be super helpful every time I come in. No matter what your question is! I've definitely been to some camera shops that can be a little snooty and condescending when you don't know absolutely everything there is to know about photography, but that isn't the case here. I haven't had any processing down here so I can't comment on that. Prices for most everything are reasonable but don't expect major deals. They do offer a student discount of 10% which is nice, not sure if they have other discounts. They are conveniently located for me but if you're looking for a regular camera shop anywhere in PDX, I would recommend making the drive out to St. John's (it's not that bad!) for Blue Moon. read more

This store makes up for it's small size for having some of the best customer service I've ever received. When I briefly took a black and white 35mm film class, the gentleman that helped me read over my requirements and helped me pick out the stuff I needed. He even took a look at my camera when I was having trouble with its aperture, and gave me solid advice on using a light meter (and even told me about an app for the iPhone when I believed the meter was broken). Their film is very reasonably priced along with their developing equipment, and I can see myself coming here often when I need to buy supplies for my own dark room. They also have a good typewriter selection and sell ink ribbons, which are becoming increasingly scarce as the years go on. I love this store, and if you are into photography, I recommend you stop in sometime. read more

I had been wanting to go to Blue Moon for months to get film developed. The longish drive and the cost of what I wanted to get done deterred me away for a while. Finally I was able to go and I was so excited... but once I dropped my film off, the disappointment started to set in. They asked after I dropped my film off if I wanted scans on CD or sent to Dropbox. While I told them CD, they gave it to me on Dropbox. When I had issues trying to access my photos via dropbox, they did not respond to my ask for help. Lastly, the scans and therefore prints, which I paid a very pretty penny for, had scratches and hairs, completely unacceptable. Sadly, this is the only place I can get my film processed without having to ship it anywhere. I hope they improve. read more

As a professional journalist for Rolling Stone, I sometimes need to travel into the past to cover important events that didn't get the contemporary coverage they deserved. Like the time in 1974 when a group of muckrakers discovered the missing 18 minutes of Nixon's White house tapes in an Ohio farmer's barn, along with two Jackson Pollock's and a 1959 Corvette with only one mile on the odometer. Many really top notch Republicans call Ohio home - U.S. Grant, Warren G. Harding, and Joe the Plumber. You can't show up in 1974 Ohio with a digital SLR and a brushed aluminum MacBook Pro. You just can't pull that off. These are smart people - someone will notice. So when I need to cover a story out of the past, I head over to Blue Moon Camera and pick up an old Underwood typewriter, a dusty Speed Graflex 4x5 press camera, some expired film, and a box of flash bulbs. It's important to blend, and sometimes the past is were it's at. read more

Yes, they are expensive. Yes, they are all the way out in St. Johns. Yes, they take longer than 1 hour (typically a week). Yes, they are the best source for film developing in town. I shoot 99% digital these days, but often I am required to develop a roll of film from my 30 year old AE1-P. I wouldn't dare take the film to a place like Walgreens or Fred Meyer because they just pump your film into some machine that chews it up and spits it back at you in an hour. Sure it's fast, but the quality just isn't there. At Blue Moon, they take the utmost care and hand process every roll of film to spec. Every roll I've brought here has turned out absolutely beautifully and the digital scans (at 18mp) are stunning. If you have any sort of special processing request, they're more than glad to assist you! Furthmore, the people that work there are calm, friendly, and willing to answer any newbie question you may have. Last time I went in there, I spent $20 to develop a roll of TriX 400 and have them scan it to disk. That may seem steep, but I would have easily paid more after looking at how beautifully processed they were. read more

Blue Moon Camera is a last hold-out for those of us who stick to the old ways of old film and shutters. Rather than supply the norm stock of digital cameras, Blue Moon offers an amazing selection of vintage cameras, Russian cameras, medium formats, and many more. Despite their age, all of their cameras appeared to be in wonderful condition. I couldn't help but to marvel over all of the beautiful pieces of machinery. Blue Moon also sells old refurbished and beautiful typewriters. It is also rumored to be one of the best camera developing locales in the city. If I lived closer, I'd be at this place all the time. read more

I love this place! I stumbled into possession of a a 1960s Pentax Honeywell that was in pretty bad shape. The only reason I knew it was a Pentax Honeywell is because it said it.....on the camera. I am a child of the digital revolution and the only thing I knew about film cameras were nostalgic images of my mom loading and advancing. Blue Moon sent the camera out to their shop to do a full overhaul and refurbish. It came back clean, fully functional, and ready to shoot. It did take over a month to get it back, so if you're in a jam this may not be the ideal choice. Everyone who helped me was friendly and not only happy to answer questions, but eager to. It was quite easy for me to say, "I know nothing about film cameras, help" in a place that I assumed was so hipster (read: snobby). I was happy and surprised to get such a warm welcome and they certainly had plenty of knowledge about their craft. Peter suggested a nicely priced prime lens for the camera to get me started playing with the new technology. He easily offered his opinion as to which one he would buy in my situation, which I trusted immediately considering how much he knew about the camera. Choosing film worked the same way as well. He then gave me a full rundown of how to find my shutter speed, aperture, and ASA on this mysterious new contraption. I feel like I learned more in the 20 minutes at Blue Moon than some photography classes I've taken. I'm very grateful for their help and suggestions, and will definitely be going back for any repairs as well as to develop my film. Thanks Blue Moon! read more

If you yearn for the warmth and quality of photography using real film, this is the place for you. My local Rite Aid tattooed photo desk matron recommended it as a place to get some 120 film. The place is in the middle of nowhere, in St. Johns. It was SO worth the drive. I figured I would have choices of a couple of color films and a couple of B&W in this tiny storefront with antique typewriters and cameras crowded into the front window. Wrong! Opening the door is like magic. Used and antique cameras, lenses, and other equipment are lovingly crowded into displays covering every inch of the place. Movie and slide projectors that predate me (no easy task) share space with a great selection of 35-mm lenses, medium-format Hasselblads and others, and amazing large-format cameras that are works of art in themselves. They are very well organized and labeled. An amazingly cool dude named Sean, sporting equally lovingly-arranged hair that added 3" to his height, took the time to go over the amazing film selection, explaining the qualities of each film and sharing personal experiences and those of his friends and other customers to help me decide. He was patient and very helpful. The rest of the staff is friendly, respectful of total amateurs, and amazingly knowledgeable. Like I said, it's out of the way. The best way for mid-city PDXers to get there is north on I-5 toward Seattle, exit Lombard St. West, and drive until you reach the address. St. Johns itself is a cute little area I was unfamiliar with, so it isn't a dismal trip. They have no other branches, but they do extensive mail order business through their web site bluemooncamera.com. read more

The nicest most helpful people work here and it's so beyond nice to have a place that develops film in St. John's! If you're ever in the area you should definitely stop by if you have any interest in shooting film/cameras. Also they are the bomb dot com and developing. read more

An incredible camera store! The people who work there are always helpful and friendly. I have had several rolls of film developed here and the quality is amazing. They have a huge selection of antique cameras (+ accessories) and typewriters which are completely overwhelming to me, but all so beautiful! They also have an extensive film supply. If you are a film photographer and haven't been to blue moon, it's time to go. read more

Wow! I am left speechless by this place. I only started shooting film a few months ago but feel like I have already joined the family at Blue Moon. The staff is INCREDIBLY helpful, patient, and kind! The Blonde, sweater-wearing David has helped me most times I've been in and has given great suggestions to film stocks I should try, knowing that I love to shoot black and white, as well as helped me pick out a camera for a friend! I unfortunately recently moved and am now away physically from the shop, but feel that I will be forever spiritually and emotionally connected. I can't give enough praise to Blue Moon for the incredible job it does to make the entire Portland, and beyond community feel included! Thank you, Blue Moon! read more

This place reminds me of the camera stores I would go to in the 1970's and earlier part of the 1980's before most every camera store started populating itself with salespeople who understand how to push a sale but not how to take a photograph or what the relationship between aperture, shutter speed, light conditions, and film speed is. I am fortunate to live less than a mile from this place, but even if I had to drive here I would come to St. Johns to shop and drop off my color film. I had stopped talking color pictures on film some years ago because I had a hard time getting any back that looked right. Many places anymore only do photo printing from film as a sideline. They push the chemicals too hard and use them too long, and the color balance goes out of whack and people start looking as if they have jaundice while standing under first generation compact fluorescent light bulbs in their greenish glow. Blue Moon takes the film processing seriously. They tend to ask for a week turn-around time, and I am all too happy to allow all that time since I know the results will be good. The folks there take the trouble to learn your name. It's not unusual for someone to ask me how I am doing and shake my hand. If I have a question that may not necessarily result in an immediate purchase it will still be answered. They are wise and know that to help customers is to win their loyalty. The whole staff are accomplished photographers. Pretty soon they'll start inviting you to their various art openings and such, and many of them offer constructive criticism on your own photography if you ask for it. I have gotten many good tips from them. They specialize in film photography, but they do have facilities for printing digital photos. They do some amazing work on printing enlargements from film (and, I presume, digital media). Film types supported include everything I shoot (35mm and 120 format), and I know that they also handle Minox, 110, 126, 127, sheet film, and just about anything else you can throw their way. I cannot speak highly enough of this place, and I had been avoiding pretty much all camera stores for years. read more

I love their insane selection of cameras. I love their typewriters (though have yet to buy one). Most of all, I love the way they always remember my name, even if I haven't been in for 6+ months, and the way they actually treat me like a person, and the way they answer all of my silly questions, and all of the free advice they give. This is hands down my favorite store in Portland, and it is mostly because the people who work here are just awesome human beings. read more