Couldn't recommend this place enough. I went in to get passport photos for an Australian passport, which has really strict photo rules, and Cardinal Cameras was the only place in Charlotte that could do them. The service was great, the employees were really kind, and my photos were accepted! read more

My #1 camera store. Kurt is always the best. I always buy online from CC but I wish I live in Charlotte so I could buy gear in person :)

Extremely helpful staff that goes above and beyond to help you with your project. Been here many times over the years and it's always been a good experience. The only negative is I wouldn't recommend them for bulk photo scanning as they just ship it out to a 3rd party, making it a lot more expensive than if you just dealt directly with that service provider. read more

I've recently purchase two brand new lenses from Cardinal and have had a great experience! I was able to find the best price on both, as I have been actively looking for prices that fit my budget. Very happy with my purchases and will likely follow up with more before the end of the year! read more

Just no complaints. They gave me a great price, compared to some used stuff on MPB. Everything was brand new. Sent me texts to follow up, I'm happy with the service and will support their business in future. read more

Love this place. Every time I walk in, associates are helpful and kind. My print came out beautifully, quickly, and for a good price. They recommended I go with an 8x10 print, as that would have the most selections over at Michael's for frames. They were right. I regularly visit this area and this will be my go-to for gift ideas. read more

Cardinal camera has always been very fair with their prices and or anything else. Highly recommend.

I was concerned about inventory with the tariffs. they had a good selection and good service. gave me a fair price for my used gear. love me new camera. Bryan was a good salesperson. nice to see a smaller came store chain doing so well. highly recommend read more

I've bought a few big ticket items from here before. Online only. Really great experience. Owner is very nice and always willing to make a deal. read more

Great service from Brian and the folks there. Super nice and knowledgeable regarding the product we purchased. Would shop there again for sure. read more

I'm a young videographer and I have purchased lenses and bodies from Cardinal Camera in the past with zero issues. Today, I went in looking to purchase another lens, to find they were renovating the shop in the rain. To my surprise, they were still open and helping customers! Claire, from the store in Pennsylvania, assisted me in purchasing the lens. She was so kind, interested in my success, and genuinely wanted to help me. This has been my experience with Cardinal Camera every time i've ever been in the store. I guess it's also good to know, rain or shine, order or chaos, they will always be open and ready to help! read more

10/07/2023, I went to Cardinal Camera to shop for filters for the lenses I purchased from Cardinal Camera. I use to live 5 minutes from Cardinal Camera. Now, I live in Huntersville, NC which is 45 minutes away so going to Cardinal Camera in Matthews, NC was based on my loyalty to the store over the years. I spoke with an older white lady/Cardinal Camera employee (she's from Pennsylvania didn't get her name) about no price label on the filters I was interested in purchasing. I had to go to the register for price check. Young kid, very helpful got prices but discovered it was not the filters I needed for my project. I wanted to do more research with the information provided so I put the Promaster filters back on the filter rack. I walked around the store but nothing sparked my buying interest inside so I stepped outside of the store to look at the tripods to see if I should purchase a tripod that was marked down outside. The older white lady/Cardinal Camera employee from earlier and heavy set guy/Cardinal Camera employee as well approached me saying I stole the filters because "she couldn't find them". Confused, caught off guard, and disappointed in the older white lady/Cardinal Camera employee as other customers were standing next to me in shock as much as I was. I advised I didn't take anything from the store and proceeded to show I only have my personal belongings on me. She asked again "well, where are the filters?" I told her "check the store cameras which will show (I put them back) and it's her responsibility to inventory the store products not accused a customer of stealing while shopping. After realizing she was wrong she gave a fake Passive Aggressive apology to me with a fictitious claim of theft has gone up in the store. Apology not accepted. I did Thank her for the idea to open my own camera store to service people who are not judge by the color of their skin but the character of their heart followed by their actions. I spent thousands on equipment purchases and other services over the years at Cardinal Camera. I've referred family, friends, photographers, videographers and other business owners to this store in the past. Figuratively, I drove past Amazon. I literally drove past 3 Best Buy stores and Biggs Camera in uptown Charlotte because customer loyalty means something to me. In my life I've been victim of theft and racism. It's not right but you live long enough you'll experience things you don't want to in this life. However, this was the first and last time I'm victim of being a Loyal Customer. It is only right to warn customers that being a loyal customer is not valued and Passive Aggressive Racism has gone up in the store at Cardinal Camera in Matthews, NC. I won't pass Biggs Camera in Uptown Charlotte, NC again. read more

Swann at Cardinal Camera was just who I needed for my project. He listened well, followed up, and got the job done exactly as I had hoped for. Cardinal Camera is a rare find --Swann is a rock star. Andrea K read more

Bought a Tamron 24-70 mm lens in early July 2023. Decided to replace wobbly tripod also. New tripod came apart last night as I was trying to take a photo of the moon. Frustrated, I took the item back to the store today. After having to wait too long for the cashier, who was standing maybe 20 feet from me, to offer service, I told him the product was a piece of junk. I said I'm not asking for a refund, but you need to know the quality of the merchandise you are selling. He looked at the device, gave a knowing nod as if to say, ". . . aah, brand X." That's it. No, "I'm sorry. " No, "what can I do to help?" No, "Let's see if we can find something more suitable. " Nothing. This is not the first time I've gotten lousy service. So much for buying local. read more

in the middle of booking an Italy trip when we realized my husbands passport would expire in under 6 months. we popped into cardinal arboretum to get his pictures done. They were friendly and FAST. read more

The best camera shop we have found in the NC , SC and GA areas. Excellent product selections and extraordinary service. Keep up the great work guys. read more

Great first experience at cardinal. I'm a newbie when it comes to taking photos and when I walked into Cardinal, They didn't make me feel like a dodo bird. Dropped off my film to be developed and was in and out in about 10 min. read more

I have lived in Charlotte for a couple years now. I have been looking for a REAL camera store. A place to talk about gear. A place to buy all the other things you need with cameras. Heck and support the local stores. I understand the price can be higher but I am getting hands on knowledge and things to think about. If there is anything I need I will check to see if the have it first before I contact NYC. This is the place to go to learn and get what you need. read more

When in camera doubt, go to Biggs Camera, not Cardinal Camera. Incredibly rude staff member at Cardinal. I went in looking to rent a camera lens, and had brought in my camera to see what lens would fit. I was never greeted in store, despite there only being one other customer in store. When I finally approached one associate, he never looked up from his phone, where it appeared that he was playing a video game on his phone. He briefly glanced up from his phone to advise me to throw out my perfectly working, favorite Cannon camera because it was a few years old (not in a salesmanship tactic to get me to upgrade, he just thought it was old and bad). He treated me like I had never seen a camera before, and was clearly annoyed and disgruntled I was asking him any questions about trying to become a paying customer. He then told me the equipment I needed to rent for two days was over $300. I promptly went to Biggs Camera on Kings Drive, where the salesman was very focused on helping me get the right equipment ($65 for two days instead of $300), gave me tips for my project, was personable and friendly, and gained a customer for life. I am not the Yelp-review type of person, but I feel this information needed to be shared. Unfortunately, I did not get the gentleman's name. read more

That was the worst customer service ever. Call the store if you want to get yelled at and get a hand-up phone call. The owner is so rude.

Bought a used Canon R6, traded my older cameras and accessories to split the cost.. Kurt gave me an exceptional deal with an exceptional camera ! Thank you Kurt!! read more

Worst customer service, treated me and my friend like nothing. I only had a question, and they treated us in a rude way.

They racial profile me over something that someone else did but they had the same last name as me ! I've been a loyal customer and they treated me like crap read more

After two emails and a Facebook message, I've still gotten no response. I got more information here on Yelp! than I did in my queries, reading their Facebook page and website. I cannot call because I am hard of hearing due to an accident. It is unlikely I will ever do business with them if they are that unresponsive to inquiries. read more

I emailed them while overseas about having my camera cleaned when I returned to NC. They emailed back immediately saying they could do it and to just bring it by when I returned to the area. It was a Monday morning and they were very busy! Despite that, all the personnel were incredibly helpful and friendly. They checked my camera and said it didn't need to be cleaned. I said I thought I needed it cleaned because I was getting a contact error with my lens. I was told the lens was the issue and not the camera. I was told I could continue to use this lens but eventually I would not be able to clear the error and would be without a lens. Since I own a non-profit and travel overseas a lot I decided to get a new lens. They helped me immensely. They are super knowledgable. They put the lens they recommended on the camera body and let me take it outside to test it. It was an amazing lens so I decided to buy it. They had just run a sale over the weekend that ended but they gave me the discount anyway. It was such a great experience. I highly recommend them! read more

This place is really great! Turning in your camera to get the film developed is a quick and easy process and my film was emailed to me in under 4 days. Absolutely recommend! read more

I was greeted immediately upon entrance. The salesman who asissted me did so in a most mannerly and efficient way. He answered questions in a way that demonstrated expert understanding, and volunteered several useful tips to ensure high-quality results. Greatly appreciated the time he took to address my needs. See photo of him in action with a subsequent visitor. The store's selection isn't quite as robust as I expected, which is unfortunate because I would have loved to complete my purchase with the gentleman who helped me, assuming he receives some level of commission. I imagine it may be due to the size of the store, which is modest, and floor space constraints. Still, I will be back; just hope they consider offering a wider selection. read more

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Great camera store all around, bought my Sony a73 here and the staff is always helpful. Love how they sell used equipment for a great price.

Of the camera shops in Charlotte, this is my choice, hands-down. The gentlemen inside are always kind and professional in an industry where good Customer Service is very rare. The inventory for rentals and purchase is extensive, and integrity is apparent. Go Cardinal!!! read more

A bit surprised to see bad reviews on here....leads me to think about the difference between a "good" customer and a "bad" customer. I've been doing business with these guys for over a decade...all the way back to the South Park days. I have nothing but great things to say about the staff and my purchases. I really wish small businesses could review their customers on such a sight.l often witness the unreasonable customer in retail stores and have compassion for people that work in theses stores for a living. Love the staff here!!! read more

I thought I was updating my review not writing a new one, how could I have not written one already, I have been dealing with Cardinal Camera for years now, I love their knowledgeable staff and competitive pricing. They are old school guys who frankly love the business. In the past their pricing was a little bit higher but it was worth it if you wanted it immediately, but now their pricing is right on the mark. Why online order when you can have instant gratification. Thanks for my fantastic service today. Can't wait to try out my new Nikon lens. read more

In town for a few months for work. Called to see what turnaround would be to get b&w film developed. You would have thought I was asking an obnoxious question. The person who answered the phone clearly doesn't like his job and had zero client relation skills. He was so rude. So I will not be coming to this shop. read more

Cardinal Camera is a great place. The people, the product and smiles are all real and genuine! I just started, but love doing business with them! read more

Located in the Arboretum this place is the replacement Ritz Camera in my eye but after 6 visits I broke down and brought a replacement for my Song Nex5 which I brought for myself in 2010 back in MD from Ritz for about $800 and it was my baby. I entered this place with my BABY (nex 5) in bandages from my family vacation in the Bahamas where I was taking photos of my son on the beach well away from the water and a HIGH TIDE so HIGH came in that all I could do is GRAB my son and put him over my head to save him from being swept away. The wave went over my head and I'm 5' 2" and my camera was around my neck. The salt water ruined the camera and I was here to see if it could be fixed. After looking at my camera I was told that there is no coming back from SALT WATER damage I nearly cried but hey we had a good 5 years so it was time to upgrade . I checked out the upgrades and ended up with an AMAZING 2015 version of my Nex5 by Sony and THANK GOD for Holiday sales I got it for half the cost of the one I brought in 2010 and my new camera has sooooo many more features including wireless downloads to my cell instantly I'm super IN LOVE. Plus they were able to save my photos from my damaged memory card. I just think they are staffed a little low especially for the Holiday crowds and they fact that they don't have the clubs like Ritz had where you could get points on the money you spend to use on prints is a HUGE negative for me because I LOVE pictures. read more

I saw in a few reviews that prices are too high, but in honesty all B&M businesses are higher than online places, especially if you're competing with big box companies like Amazon. I've referred many people to Cardinal because they are a good competitive camera shop with lots to offer, including advice, help and support, which 90% of the time you will not get that online. When I buy a camera, I want to see it, touch it, use it before I purchase it. I want to know that it is a good one. You can't do that at Amazon. I gave 4 stars only because not all the staff aims to please. I will say that I do not go back on weekends, just because of that. I make sure not to add to his sales commission. He lost a lot of money in sales that day. Would definitely be a 5 star place if they all put the customer first, but not everyone is educated like that. Products are great, selections are great, owner in Ohio is excellent. I will continue to go with hopes that one day the staff will bring in the money it needs to to make the store flourish again. read more

I had been looking for someone to help me with a large project and Cardinal Camera went above and beyond expectations. Their knowledgeable staff took care of me efficiently and treated me with kindness. I trusted them with many years of precious home movies and Jon handled my project flawlessly. I recommend them without a doubt! read more

I needed a very specific camera that Cardinal did not have in stock. Tony said he'd see how fast he could get it in. He called me back less than 10 minutes later and said the camera would be in the store in 2 days. When I got the camera home it had a lens error specific to the brand, the guys at Cardinal helped me sort it out and offered additional help. The service was great, the camera is better than expected and I'll be buying all my photo needs there. read more

I've been a Biggs customer since the 90's. I always gotten great advice and direction on all my camera needs. They where my obvious choice when I had a scan disc I couldn't down load the pictures from. I called and was told just bring it in. They have a device they can check if the pictures are retrievable. I did just that. I was greeted promptly by a very friendly young lady. She put my disc in the computer to verify it was not downloadable and advised me she would have to do a little more work on retrieving them. She was taking my info when a man walked up and ask a few questions and said we can't help you. The disc is corrupt and its probably a loss. He gave me a pamphlet for a company out west who specializes in this kind of thing. I called them and they told me the retrieval would start at $900. I about had a heart attack. I simply could not afford that but the pictures where so important to me, they where of my oldest brother with our family. My brother leaves in MO and is very sick. I probably will not see him alive again. The man on the phone ask a few questions and told me I should visit another camera store which I promptly did. I visited Cardinal Camera and they had all my pictures on a scan disc within two hours. I am deeply disappointed in Biggs but happy I found a new place to do business!!!! Thank you Cardinal Camera for owning my problem!!!! read more

Funny how small businesses owners and/or managers are often so unconcerned about how much their attitude affects a customer's experience in their store. This has been especially true of my every visit to this store. You'd think the people who own and/or manage a local business would be focused on building relationships. You know? Being friendly, nice, helpful and engaging? After all, most of what they sell can be bought on Amazon, or from other online retailers, for less -- often much less! So if the personalized service they give isn't why a customer chooses to do business with them, then how can they expect to stay in business? And it's worth noting that most local retailers don't make stay in business long term these days. So it's a given that surviving as a local business is a challenge. So, it would seem that a key tactic to building and maintaining a local retail business would be building personal relationships with the people who come into your store. But, as is so often the case, the people at Cardinal Camera at the Arboretum are unfriendly, dismissive, aloof and condescending -- to the max! Every person I've interacted with in this store is the same! Which makes me believe that their boss sets the tone, and passes it down to all of his/her employees. If the owner/manager wanted it to be different, it would be, period. They would find qualified people who alway are able to relate to customers better, period. If they cared enough! Don't expect to get anything from anyone in this store except rude, dismissive behavior. They talk to you like you're suppose know everything about all of their merchandise, as if anyone less than a professional photographer isn't welcome in the store, and act like it's an inconvenience to answer any question. And because NONE of the merchandise has price tags, you're stuck asking these rude people every time you want to know how much more you'll need to pay to buy from them. And it's always more. Not always a lot more. But, what a pain it is to patronize this store!! I've stopped shopping here. Even if I have to wait for delivery, I'll buy from Amazon, B&H or Adorama before giving them any of my business ever again!! read more

The person who helped me showed me a Sony point and shoot camera he had in stock. I asked how that camera compared to the Sony RX100 V. He stated that this was a lower model than the one he had and that he was willing to give it to me for $500 with the SD card. I have since researched and gone to other camera stores. He lied to me to try to make a sale. The Sony RX100V is superior to the one he wanted to sell me and it runs $999. I assume he did not have the RX100 V so he tried to sell me what he had. He kept talking about what a large zooming capability the one he carried has. Disgusted in the lack of honesty and I would not recommend this store to anyone. SD cards are better prices on Amazon or Best Buy as well. read more