I can't totally give an honest review, as I've never been inside . I just stopped by the address…read morelisted and they do not have a store front or signage. It's possible they may be online only. This is just a heads up before you drive to their location.

Hidden, but very friendly and helpful. I bought a lens cleaning kit and filter for my Nikon.read more

I accidentally dropped my Nikon 18-105mm lens and noticed some distortion on the bottom left…read morequadrant of all my photos. I gave Yakov a call and he told me to bring it over immediately for inspection. On first look, he actually wasn't convinced that anything was wrong but after taking a few test shots, he noticed the same issue I saw (most of the bottom left quadrant was blurry while the rest of the image was sharp). Unfortunately, he wasn't sure that he could fix it. He also had to borrow my camera body because he didn't have a Nikon on hand. During the duration of holding my camera, I neither received an update via email or via phone. It was a bit unsettling. I called him after 4 days for a check in and he told me it wasn't ready and hung up. I gave another call today (6 days later) and he told me that it was ready for pick up. When I arrived, he told me that he couldn't completely fix the issue but that it was greatly improved from its previous state. True, the distortion was drastically reduced in well lit situations or when focusing on objects far away, but on items closer, I can hear still the lens struggle to focus. Yakov said there's nothing he can do about that, but recommended I call Nikon. He still charged the entirety of his estimate...which I wasn't really satisfied with, given how the problem still persists. Yakov has 52 years of experience under his belt so he certainly knows his craft. But whether or not I would choose to use his service again, I'm not sure.

Comrade Yakov is awesome!!! He fixed 2 of fungus infected…read morepro lens I had. Very impressed with his talents. Other yelpers who whined about customer service... Well they just don't know how to communicate! Nothing a little patience and languages adaption wouldn't fix. After all comrade Yakov is retired and working not as a necessity. So what if he doesn't answer his phone 9-5... sheesh. Just be nice and leave a message like I did. If he likes you he will help you out. Nothing but admiration for this older pro who treated my son and I with honesty, integrity and a smile

Alexi helped me with my 3 cameras and their various issues today, and he was the best. Very…read morepatient, helpful, and genuine. I love love love this place and their service, can't recommend it more

I had been thinking of purchasing a camera for a while and had my research independently, and…read moredecided down to a Fujifilm XM5 or XT30III, but I struggled to make that last decision because I couldn't tell how the cameras would feel in my hands. I saw online that they had the two cameras in stock (although, if you are particular about whether there are kit lenses or not, you should call ahead) so felt pretty good about dropping in on a Saturday. There were a few people speaking to all available staff so I did wait a bit, but soon enough I was able to speak to two separate staff members. The first may have been a manager and was able to tell me upfront what was in stock and what was in the area (other location or in their warehouse - would need to be transferred). I asked if I could hold the cameras, either with the showroom cameras or whichever way. They had an XS20 on display (similar weight) and pulled an XM5 from the back. Just from the weights, I could tell that the XM5 was the right choice for me. The other salesperson was able to pair me with a Fujinon 27mm pancake lens that would keep my unit light and compact and a UV lens for protection. I will say that anybody coming in should do their research - the suggestions were helpful and already in line with what I had been planning to buy, but there are other options that are more budget friendly that they may not offer. I mentioned that I was going on a cruise to Alaska soon and asked about rentals, and he recommended that I call a few weeks in advance to see what they had in inventory to rent out. I will definitely do so! He said to aim for a 50-200mm and mentioned lensrental.com if they did not have what I needed in stock. Overall I was very pleased with their service. I would definitely come back for my other camera needs.

Not a good studio for family photo since the place is very small. Especially, family who have…read morechildren. Not only that they do not provide too much equipments. Such equipments like photo backgrounds and chairs. Price to rent for this studio is not a good value. Will not recommend this place to any professional photographer.

Nice little studio for small project. The owner is very nice and help me with the project. Hourly…read morerate was very decent. All lighting equripments are inclued with the price. Highly recomented,.

My daughter's been wanting to get a specific Canon camera, which is always sold out online. Here…read moreat Fireside Camera, she found it at a reasonably higher price. The guys here are very knowledgeable about cameras, reminding me of the electronic shops on Nathan Road in Hong Kong. Worth a visit if you're into cameras!

Great camera store with very personal service and high knowledge. Just what you want from a store…read moresticking it out on the high street. Give them a look for any camera needs.

Amazing photography store here in San Francisco! The staff were helpful and genuinely cared about…read morefinding the right gear for me. Excellent customer service and top-quality products--definitely my new go-to spot!

it's been quite the journey for camera shops in the bay area. there aren't many left, but i'm so…read morehappy that jcx is still standing! came to grab a backdrop before a shoot and the staff was so helpful and kind. really impressed by their selection of backdrops in store. will definitely be back!

Sandy is extremely talented, patient, and amazing! She is very safe with posing newborns and…read morecaptured amazing photos of my kids (even when they don't cooperate!). We have gotten newborn photos for 2 kids, and cake smash photos, and will definitely return for future family photos as my kids grow. Thank you Sandy!

I'm truly delighted to share my experience working with Sandy! Her communication was wonderful from…read morethe very beginning, from arranging the appointment and customizing the scene setup to sending the photos. Everything went so smoothly. I am really impressed by her talent with infants and children; she was fantastic with my newborn and my 2-year-old. Her ability to craft stunning scenes is also incredible. And when it comes to her photography and editing skills, they are truly outstanding--just look at the edited photos, they're absolutely stunning! You won't be disappointed with Clairbare Studios and Sandy's gift for capturing beautiful, lasting memories of your little ones.

A Pivotal Reframing of Camera Zone…read more Before you drop your review based on how fast the checkout felt or how "old school" the vibe is, pause and widen your aperture. Most of us are used to the instant-gratification feed--tap, swipe, next thing, dopamine hit. This place doesn't run on that algorithm. It runs on something slower, heavier, and way more intentional. This shop is a **contact print** pulled from a single negative that's been developing for over forty years. A Filipino family crossed the ocean by boat with almost nothing, living on rice and chicken while they built this from the ground up in Chinatown. That early scarcity wasn't cute poverty cosplay--it was the actual base exposure. Every choice you see now (the mix of film and digital, the real knowledge behind the counter, the gallery wall that isn't just background for selfies) carries the grain of that struggle. You're not walking into a retail space optimized for 2026 attention spans. You're standing inside a long-exposure photograph that's still being made. The generational gap you might feel isn't an accident or a flaw. A lot of us (Gen Z and Alpha especially) expect the world to feel like a perfectly lit, color-graded TikTok--seamless, fast, no friction. This spot moves at the pace of someone who still shoots film and has to wait for the scan. When the service feels deliberate instead of lightning-fast, that's not bad UX. That's someone actually "dodging and burning" your experience in real time--giving you the light where it matters instead of blasting the whole frame with the same generic brightness. The knowledge here isn't pulled from a database. It's passed down, like someone teaching you how to read the negative instead of just handing you the final JPEG. So if you're writing a review, try opening the depth of field a little wider. See the full tonal range instead of just the highlights and shadows that annoyed you in the moment. This isn't a store that's failing to keep up with ,"the NOW". It's a print that was composed with patience across four decades and is still holding its density. Review it like you're looking at the actual image, not just the thumbnail preview. -A gen y/z 'hobbyist'photographer

Expired film seller at full price without disclosing it. 3 rolls of 120 film, cost over $70. All…read morethree rolls were discovered later back at my hotel room to be months expired sold at full price.. Seems dishonest and fraudulent. Paying top price for expired film isn't getting for what you are paying for, full stop. Buyer beware!