This is my first time renting a lens and it was a really easy and good experience with District Camera. Everything is reserved via only to avoid overbooking of the same lens which is very much appreciated! The gentleman that works there always gives me good advice about camera since I have a beginner camera right now and I'm learning before I decide to upgrade to a mirrorless. I rented a 24-105 EF lens for my canon for my trip to Argentina and Chile and I took some pretty great photos of landscape and even portrait. I'm going to be renting again for my upcoming trips! The price is also very friendly and super easy to pick up and return. read more

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I've been coming to District Camera for a few months now to get my film developed, photos printed, and questions answered. While I do wish it was less expensive, it's hard to argue against the results of the magic of my developed film. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable and has helped me troubleshoot issues with my Canon A1 on a couple of occasions. read more

District Camera - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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I went in to see if I can get my canon digital camera checked out as I dropped it the night before and it was acting a little funny. I did not have high hopes for it working again as it is an older model, but I was a little disappointed that I was not able to get it actually checked out. When I came there were not many people in the store, and I talked to one of the employees and said what happened and she just said unfortunately my camera is broken, but I was hoping she would take a look further than me just explaining what happened, especially because my camera still turned on and did not fall from from a tall height at all. I understand though and decided to check out their large selection to see if they had anything similar to my camera. I spoke to a very knowledgeable employee who explained a few different cameras to me. It did not seem like they have a digital camera I was looking for, especially in my budget, but he did say it kind of depends on their inventory on a weekly basis. I ended up finding a digital camera online that was under my budget ($150 for refurbished), however, I did buy a camera battery for my DSLR Canon. I misheard him and thought he said it was significantly cheaper than what he said, but I went ahead and bought anyways in the hopes of getting my camera up and working again. I plan to go back and buy a standard camera lense there, as they are pretty affordable compared to some other places I have seen. Definitely check them out, as they have a lot of inventory, and camera knowledge. read more

District Camera is an amazing resource to have in the community in a world where you increasingly have to order everything online, talk to an AI chat bot, and get sold on something youve never seen or used. I went in looking for advice on my first real camera purchase. And I got nearly a whole half hour introductory lesson to the world of photography by Duayne, a professional photographer for over 30 years. He was focused, helpful, knowledgeable, friendly, and not pushy with any products that weren't exactly what we wanted. I did not end up purchasing that day, but I left with a wealth of information that I'm still compiling to make my first big purchase and I will certainly be back. read more

I don't know if it's an east coast deal. This is the second District Camera I went to. Stuff full of gear but the prices do not reflect condition. Travel all over the US and these are by far the worst camera shops I have been to. The help is off putting and not helpful. Feel sorry for photographers in the area. read more

Beware of the return policy, which includes a 15% restocking fee. I called them earlier (to obtain an "RMA") to return a lens and filter, and they mentioned a 15% fee. I guess it is not "subject to"; my experience is that it is imposed blatantly. Even though I must return the item, "Item and packaging must be in the same NEW CONDITION." Hey, I even returned the yellow plastic bag. The DC location tried to refund based on a discount price (the online price drops a day or two after purchase) rather than the paid price (I had the lens for the WHOLE week; the return policy is within 14 days). There is no point in supporting a local business; sticking to the usual online retailer is better. I don't understand why they penalize new customers because old customers abuse their return policy. read more

Amazing inventory, these guys were able to help and tutor all at once! Highly recommended

Horrible customer service! They have held our money for weeks and won't give it back! Went in with my wife to get disposable cameras developed and got erroneously doubled charged. Susan, who was supposed to be helping us, dismissed us and refused to get out of her chair to review the order before we paid despite clear confusion on our end about the order. We were told that a refund request would be submitted, but after two weeks of us calling every few days this has still not happened. Frankly, we should get a refund on the whole order after they've held our $125 for almost a month. Outrageous. We want to support local businesses, but this place clearly isn't worth it. Go at your own risk. We certainly won't be back. read more

Between 2000 and 2015, the DC metro area lost almost every single local camera store to competition from the Internet. So I was thrilled when this shop opened in 2019. It's wonderful to know that the area once again has a real camera store where you can talk to expert photographers, handle equipment before you buy it, get your equipment serviced or cleaned, get advice, rent a lens... That's worth something! It's impossible for a regular retailer to compete with the internet on camera prices these days, but I'll give these guys my business and pay a bit more if it means making sure that this local resource doesn't go away. read more

Wife and I went in to buy a canon r6ii, but we didn't know we'd leave with a new friend and an our-go-to camera store. the owner Elder was exceptional. Aside from being knowledgeable about the canon r6ii, his demeanor, patience, and understanding made us feel comfortable enough to show how little we know about cameras. Great experience, and will be back to get more gear and chat it up with Elder. read more

Unfortunately, this location and the DC location lost my 35 mm film, and I only found out after following up with them after 3 weeks. Received a refund, but I would not recommend going here to get your film developed. read more

This is the camera shop I go to. Good quality gear. Prices are same as anywhere. But what really sets it apart is the quality of staff. I can go in to look at gear and talk to people who actually do photography themselves and know a lot more about it than I do. Compared to the big box stores or Amazon.com, there's no question that shopping here is usually the better choice. Another big plus is the ability to buy and sell used gear. I bought a camera rated for 500,000 shots on the shutter with only 17,000 used and it saved me several hundred dollars. I'm not in a stage of selling my camera gear yet. But, when I am, this will be where I go to sell or trade in toward an upgrade. In addition to that, they also offer classes and photography presentations as well. I wish they would add some sort of discussion group where we could have peer critique of one another's work as well. A group like that would be key to improving for those of us who are trying to get better. And it would also mean we're in the store . . . where we might just buy that software that we saw someone used to improve their photo or that spiffy lens that let someone get that amazing image. So it seems like a win-win for both them and me. The one drawback to shopping here is the return policy. You only get two weeks to return things and there is a restocking fee. Best Buy, and other big boxes, usually do have a better return policy. That said, I've had representatives in this store spend two hours with me or more to teach me about their products and their use. That considerably reduces the odds of my needing to make a return in the first place. So that offsets the return policy for me. read more

Susan helped us with a precious scanning project and we could not be happier! We needed old family photos scanned for my Dads memorial service - and of course it was a rush job. She was so kind, and did a wonderful job! We are so grateful! read more

Great customer service and knowledge of high level camera equipment. I am in the market for a 4K mirrorless Sony A7 III camera. The staff was helpful and insightful with matching lenses, equipment, rentals, and other options based on my needs. A great selection of new and used models for all types of videography and photography read more

Had an issue with a rental but Elder the owner of the store was really kind enough to follow up on it and take care of it in an efficient manner. I appreciate his business ethic and working with me to resolve it. Many staff or owners would not have done that and for that, 5/5 stars. As mentioned before, had a positive experience with Kevin at the Arlington store. He was knowledgeable, kind, and helpful. Large selection of rentals and cameras available. Multiple locations in the DMV area as well. Easy to book online. Highly recommend. read more

Excellent! So pleased this is finally open - watched it coming in for about a year. The staff are fantastic and super knowledgeable. They're incredibly friendly and good at explaining camera topics to any skill level of audience. You can rent or purchase equipment and they sometimes offer classes or 1:1 help. It's truly a gem of arlington! read more