There is absolutely nothing wrong with this store! Patience is a virtue. I've been to used and new…read morecamera stores coast to coast -- since 1978! I went to the original B&H on 17th street. I shopped Helix in Chicago in 1996! I've been to Camera World of Oregon and Samy's in LA. Camera stores have mostly gone the way of film upon the advent of digital in the 00´s. And now that Kodak's concept of The Brownie has reached fruition with the iPhone... well, it's a wonder anyone still appreciates the richness and deliberate slowness of analog. This place remains! This place understands and values the foundation of photography. That in itself is worth a lot! I first shopped here when I first moved to Chicago to attend that small university on the south side known for its Nobels in 1982. I shopped here again yesterday and returned today -- June 2026! Why? Their selection of used gear is unique and fairly priced. They don't sell their used gear online or on eBay. It's here on Wabash or nothing. They don't even want to get involved with shipping. The insurance and risk of loss just isn't worth the expense. So, this is just another reason to visit Chicago. And I'm glad I did! And for you locals, consider yourselves lucky that Central Camera remains in business in service to the analog photographic community here in Chicagoland. Cheers! I bought a 55mm for my Pentax 67 at a very fair price. The glass was in near mint condition. Zoe was an excellent salesperson. And that's what counts. I get the impression this store focuses on relationships -- not greed. Are they computerized and QR-coded for rapid transactions? No. But if you're shooting film, why care? Enjoy the spectacle -- the shelves and displays filled with retro cameras, camera boxes, selections of darkroom tools and spare parts. The large format and esoteric gear of all shapes and sizes. When's the last time I saw a 250 exposure film back for Nikon F cameras? Maybe 1980. Maybe never. I don't remember. That is a rare piece of equipment. If you need one -- they have it here -- at least until it's gone. There was only one. Anyhow, I go on and on in defiance of the angry elf reviews here on Yelp. Ignore those naysayers. If you need good used gear or some film... Central Camera will have the film and may just have what you've been looking for in gear without resorting to Bezos or eBay. Cheers!!

We used to go here a lot prior to COVID and the fire. My husband purchased a couple of cameras and…read morewe would get our film developed here. Always had good experiences for the most part. We recently got back into film photography, so we decided that we wanted to hit up Central Camera to purchase some film, see about development services, and just look at their general stock. We waited about 15 or so minutes at the film counter and no one came over. We knew what we wanted and weren't looking to have some lengthy conversation. I was going to buy the five-roll box of Portra 400 and my husband was looking to get a few boxes of different black and white films to try out. We were really looking forward to purchasing today from a local business (and honestly, we'd probably purchase this amount of film + development monthly), but just being completely ignored was really frustrating. I don't mind paying more for film or for cameras or for development at a local shop. By going to a local shop, you are paying for their product curation and the person experience and not just being a random name printed out in on a packing slip. I don't expect to have my ass-kissed the entire time I'm in a store, but at least some acknowledgement of our presence would have been great. And if we were standing in the wrong spot to get serviced, some direction about where to go would have been great too. Move film and cameras to the same side of the store. That way your employees can stay behind the counters and still service guests who are interested in different products without having to zig-zag across the store. If someone is looking at a used camera for a long time, it would still allow the team to service more quick serve guests without neglecting one or the other. When we were there, guests and employees were bouncing around from counter to counter and it just looked completely inefficient for everyone. I would set it up as on the left is register, film/photo pickup, and then cameras. On the right should be Central Camera merch, Photo Booth, and bench. Keeps your repeat/quick serve guests closer to the front of the store and the more engaged customers towards the back.

Love the crew at Daufenbach. They are always there to help and make sure you've got what you need…read morefor the job at hand. The staff is very personable, which I really appreciate in a rental house.

Called in to inquire about the availability of a Black Magic Camera and was greeted by a rude and…read moreunprofessional employee who kept speaking over me, interrupting me, and condescendingly cutting me off. I had heard great things about Daufenbach and was looking forward to renting from them. Upon expressing my dissatisfaction with the rude employee, I was told they "didn't need business from people like me". I asked to speak to the owner and was refused. Overall had a very disappointing and patronizing experience.

We have only had good experiences with Elmhurst Photo Boutique…read more They always do Christmas cards and photos for us without any problems. Great place!

Excellent customer service and quality products. I ordered several prints for a client's photo…read moregallery wall and Heather went above and beyond for me. I will use them for all my client's (and my) needs from now on!!

It seems like all at once and out of nowhere I started receiving ads from a bunch of different film…read moredevelopment companies and those rolls sitting in the back of a drawer started screaming out to me to solve their mysteries. When I found that there was a shop right here in Chicago offering a first roll development and scan free I figured I would give the local option the first crack. So I signed up for the offer and placed some old rolls in a sandwich bag in my jacket pocket but then weeks passed by and it just kept slipping my mind. This was where Bellows first impressed me. I received direct messages from the shop saying that my offer would be expiring soon and asking if I'd like to extend the redemption date which was nice. I finally dropped in the day of that really bad snowstorm back in November and my first impression of the shop was positive. I liked the laidback and clean feel of the place. There is just about every type of contemporary film as well as some cameras and accessories available to buy and they had a good number of people at the counter for taking film development orders. There was also a tintype photographer doing a pop up event which is always cool to witness. I realized while I was there that my already amateurish photography knowledge was pretty rusty so I appreciated the staff going over things with me while I was filling out my development order form without being condescending. I also liked that they said that if the rolls came out blank or with no usable photos they would contact me about price adjusting. I went with the take your time option for development and scans for 3 rolls and the scans were ready for me in 3 days. The development came out about as well as they could with such expired film but nothing some color correction can't fix. They actually turned out a lot better than I expected they would and I am happy that I now have had some of the mysteries revealed. Bellows staff contacted me about picking up my negatives as I was traveling but a quick message and they assured me that they would hold onto the negatives for a little while longer. Although it's very much a shop for serious film photographers I think Bellows is a great local option for film development and I'll probably be returning with some more film to develop soon.

I recently have been into film and disposable cameras and was happy to have a film lab so close! I…read morebrought in film from 2024, 2010, and 2006 and surprisingly most of the pictures turned out pretty well! The location is super cute and they have a lot of film for sale. I brought in three rolls and it was around 50 dollars which did seem a little pricey to me but I'm also new to this so not sure what prices really go for. Everyone was super nice and were able to answer any questions I had.

I had 2 old family photos restored recently; one from 1979 and one from 1983. Both blurry, out of…read morefocus, and terrible color quality. One also had half of a person cropped out of the photo! Timeless Photo Restoration did a fantastic job with these photos so that I could have them framed and given as gifts!! I am so happy for their expertise and kindness which is obviously shown in their work. I would definitely recommend them!!!

I am my family genealogist and collect family photos. Recently had these folks restore a treasured…read morefamily photo that was in such poor condition it really was hard to look at. After about 3 weeks I received the finished product and couldn't be happier with the result. This is actually the second project they have done for me and have hit it out of the park both times! I wouldn't go anywhere else for my photo restoration needs.

I came here needing a camera lens for a specific use, a specific budget, and little knowledge about…read morelenses. I was given three solid recommendations and the opportunity to test them all. No one tried to talk me into getting more than I needed. I came home with exactly what I was looking for, and am very happy with my purchase.

I attended a camera show they hosted. The owners and other professionals were very knowledgeable. I…read morebought two books from them after discussing how I'm relatively new to photography. The gear they carry is mostly vintage/used. I think it's a great way to get into photography even if you just need accessories like bags and straps or flashes.

Excellent, reliable services. Their communication is fast and thorough. They genuinely care about…read moretheir customers.

I would give this company 10stars if I could, I want to personally thank Ellen for her swift emails…read moreand always staying professional, I also would like to thank the staff, they have always treated me with respect and dignity never have I experienced any issues renting gear. Thank you all for your exceptional service. #tenstars

I've had at least a dozen prints / pieces of artwork framed here over the years. They are a small…read morelocal business, independently owned. What they provide in materials is of high quality & what they do is provide a service of finding the right design idea for your custom piece & your taste. Admittedly, this comes at a price, but I'm willing to pay that to get beautiful work & quality frames. You can buy "prefab" frames other places (or even get custom frames) but you get what you pay for. I have pieces that I LOVE & Jim has a talent for finding the right colors in matting & frames to suit your particular artwork. He spends the time to help you custom design your pieces (not just assembling what you tell him to, like at other stores). It's design. I had one instance when they got the frame wrong & it was rectified right away with no additional cost to me. Mistakes happen. I continue to use their services...years & years.

Still love their work. They framed all these posters, including 2 during the pandemic.read more