My favorite place to get my film developed! I love seeing the owner, he makes me so happy. They offer digital copies via flash drive and printed copies as well. I've done both multiple times over the last few years. They deliver quality and it takes about 10 days for development. I think the price is fair, and I'm always happy with results! read more

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They've been in Escondido for a few decades, same proprietor, quality service! Bob really knows his stuff. I've had camera repair, color processing, and I've used the self service black and white equipment MANY, many times! read more

Excellent service for B/W for my 4X5 negatives. Very friendly and knowledgeable Staff.

Very knowledgeable great service decent price. This place will definitely be my go to for all my specialized camera needs.

Bob is genuinely one of the nicest people I've had the pleasure of buying film from. He explained in great detail to me the importance of certain mediums and also encouraged me to try something new. His hours make it a little tough to go in person which I enjoy, but he's got a great turnaround time that he sticks to and he's a great guy to chop it up with. read more

I had an amazing experience here. I recently bought a vintage film camera and was looking for film. I brought it inside and the owner was able give me a quick crash course on how my camera works exactly and what film I should use. I highly recommend coming here for your photography needs. read more

Photo Darkroom - Video/Film Production Near Me - Escondido, California

Very nice man here fixed an old photo for me that had great sentimental value I cried

We loved working with Photo Darkroom! We did family photos at Windandsea Beach in La Jolla. Bob and Susan make us feel so comfortable and captured great moments we'll remember forever! They made BEAUTIFUL prints that are hung in our home. Thank you so much! read more

Photo Darkroom - Video/Film Production Near Me - Escondido, California

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Photo Darkroom is a wonderful place. The quality of work is unmatched. The prices are very very fair. The service is another element that will make us return. What they offer can't be done just anywhere. Not many can do what they do or this well. If you want a photo restored, come see them. They also offer print from prints, which is so helpful if you have an old photo but not a negative. They develop with care and finesse. It's clear they respect their craft and their customers. Thank Bob, for your hard work, talent, and courtesy. read more

Seriously the worst customer service I've ever experienced. I asked for prints and when I came to pick up the prints I never received them. Then he proceeded to blame me for it that I never asked and had an extreme attitude and was defensive. They overcharge like crazy too. I would give zero stars if I could. read more

I've been here several times to get my Canon repaired. I appreciate that Al is an experienced technician with Canon, so it makes it much easier to bring it here than take it/send it to Irvine for service. One of the biggest benefits of shopping local and working with a small shop is the personal expertise. I've enjoyed having that opportunity to tap into that and get feedback about how my camera should be operating and better shooting techniques. I'm confident that I'll continue to get repairs completed on time and at a price that is fair, with great customer service! read more

Photo Darkroom - The front door is around the corner - Video/Film Production Near Me - Escondido, California

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I had always been interested in photography and film but had no idea where to start. Bob at Photo Darkroom was an AMAZING teacher. He showed me a couple of cameras, taught me the ins and outs of each (loading film, their light meters, etc), and after shooting a roll of film, he even taught me the very unexpectedly fun process of developing it all in the same day! I walked out with the camera I shot on, my developed negatives, and a fresh new roll all in the same day. I've never had a smoother experience than this while shopping. If you ever want to get into photography casually or professionally, THIS is the place! read more

Wish I could give 10 stars! Everything about my first (but definitely not last) experience here exceeded my expectations. Not only did they repair and restore an antique camera that was handed down to me (and that I thought was damaged beyond repair), but they also did it at a great price, and treated me like a life-long customer. My love for shooting film has been restored as well. read more

I'm so happy I found this gem in Escondido and I don't need to drive so far away. I had my lens repaired here a few years ago and I came back to check out their vintage lens collection. I recently bought a full frame camera and wanted to adapt vintage lenses. So glad I came back and found this Minolta MD 24mm 2.8 and Canon FD 50mm 1.8 for such a good price! Bob and Susan the owners was so helpful and very nice and patient to answer my questions. Looking forward to coming back again. Highly recommend! They offer tons of services too from camera repair, studio, films, vintage cameras and more. I told my brother and sister already about this place. read more

Photo Darkroom - I found this two gems here! So happy and excited to try them out! - Video/Film Production Near Me - Escondido, California

Great service. I was in a pinch with a camera repair and was sent here by Calumet Photo in Escondido. Nothing but positive things to say about the Photo Darkroom. They have a great attitude and a willingness to answer questions ( complete opposite of Calumet). They also do wedding photos. read more

I have had camera repair work done here on several different DSLR cameras and every time I was happy with the work they did. The thing that I like is that they gave me an estimate of how much it was going to cost me to get fixed and this helped me decide if I should try to get my camera repaired or just save money and purchase a new one. The owner Bob is very nice and courteous and he is helpful when I call with questions too. One of the biggest reasons that I like the Photo Darkroom is that their service is fast. I dropped my camera off on a Tuesday afternoon and they had it ready two days later. I am constantly taking photos and the thought of going a long time without having my camera is unthinkable for me. If you are in San Diego and are looking for a camera repair service, I highly recommend the Photo Darkroom! read more

I love Photo dark room! Getting your film processed at CVS or Walmart feels very impersonal and low-priority, but at Photo dark room, they take the time to know what you'd like, and make your photos very personal to your standards. Bob, has always helped me and always been so sweet and caring. Photos take about 2 weeks to develop, sometimes less, and they always call to let you know, unlike drugstores that forget to call because they don't care. My photos always come out beautiful here . Please support photo Darkroom, they 100% deserve it. Also, I appreciate that they wear masks. read more

Attentive, friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable staff. Also very honest when it came to estimating the cost of my camera repair and advising me not to waste my money and buy a new camera. Love these guys! They also offer all kinds of other services involving hard-copy pic transfer and photo restoration. I would trust their work and advice based on my brief experience with this shop and the awesome staff. read more

Bob and Susan are not only the best in the business, but they are really wonderful people too. I am a new artist and they always take time to help educate me on exactly what I need when I bring my paintings in to be photographed. They deliver a wonderful product and excellent customer service. I hope to use them for years to come. read more

In all this craziness of COVID, they were very nice and accommodating for a lens I needed to get fixed. Reasonable price and timely fix.

A complete waste of professional time. The guy screwed up the color temperature and over flashed product on a $250 project then got hot headed. Stay far away from this place! read more

I was quoted $95 for photo work. Two weeks passed, no response to two emails and one voice messages. Final bill was $295, why? They all needed re-touching I guess. I never did pick up the pictures. read more

I live in a pocket of Northern California that does not have any local film photography stores/camera repair. When searching for a place to send my camera to be fixed Photo Darkroom was one of the websites I came across and I am so so so thrilled I did. The customer service here is FANTASTIC. Personable, knowledgeable, patient and incredibly supportive. I myself am new(ish) to film photography so to be able to speak with someone who is just as excited as I am about film is a treasure. My camera and lens came back looking better then ever and working like new. The work put into my camera was clearly done by careful and confident hands. I look forward to working with Photo Darkroom in the future as my film camera collection grows. read more

This place is great. I took my Canon 50D here after I accidentally made it bounce in a La Jolla parking lot for some repairs. With the camera not working and no idea what it would cost to fix it, I went to Photo Darkroom after a referral by Calumet in Escondido. I was quoted on the spot about how much it would cost to be fixed and was told to pick it up the following Monday (after dropping it off for repairs on a Thursday.) Fast service, reasonably priced, and knowledgeable . read more

the owner/staff is super sweet n helpful for someone that's new to photography definitely stop by here for any of ur questions. he was super attentive n helpful with helping me pic out different types of lenses, cameras, n film. love how the photos developed n they have become my go to spot to drop off film! love it here read more

Al of Northshore Camera Service is an excellent technician! He charges fair prices for great quality repair work. Al works onsite 3-days a week, but shares the store space with "Photo Darkroom" which is the name on the side of the building. NOTE: You will not see the name "Northshore Camera Service" on the building. The parking lot is in front of Diego's Diner. Walk around to the north end of the building for the door to the "Photo Darkroom". Even though Al is only there three days a week, the store is open 5-days a week. You can drop-off and pick up camera equipment any of those days. IMPORTANT: Do not be in a rush - Al takes his time. My Sony RX100-M3 needed a broken screw drilled out and replaced. That took a week. I was fine with that. The repair is perfect. You can't tell it's not the original. read more

I've had a great experience with Photo Darkroom and Bob who is the owner. I purchased a 35 mm camera, and Bob was professional and kind enough to teach me how to operate the camera. I look forward to returning to this store for more of my photography needs. Thanks Bob! read more

Dishonest, awful customer service, avoids communication and is, perhaps, the most unprofessional camera service company I have ever encountered. Lost pieces of photography equipment and refused to replace the missing pieces or return the items that were found a year and a half later -- despite having ample and original receipts to prove this what happened. Not sure how this company has such a high rating or how they're still in business. AVOID AT ALL COSTS! read more

Took in old photos to have restored for Christmas gifts. They did a fabulous job and my entire family was thrilled with their gifts. Picked up their price schedule for fine print work and it is very reasonable. The owner, Bob, is very straight forward and honest and will ensure that all of your needs are met. He didn't try to over sell me on anything but gave me some wonderful creative ideas in the process. Can't wait to use them again for a variety of services. Am hoping to get some old family film footage from my Mom to take in to them and have transferred to DVD. Great local professional lab! read more

Super impressed. My Sony a7r III camera sensor was dirty and I was nervous to clean it myself. I decided to splurge (although I do think the cleaning price is reasonable) and have Photo Darkroom clean it. People told me, "Why pay someone when you can do it yourself?" Now I have an answer, because Alex (I think?) not only cleaned the sensor, but the entire camera, including the dirt and dust that accumulated on the dial and outside of the camera. The dial actually turns better now and I didn't realize that was an issue. The camera was just sparkling clean, and they even delivered it back to me, carefully wrapped with rubber bands and in plastic. I also have to say that Susan, who was the first to greet us, was VERY professional and friendly. I'm so impressed, and will probably end up going back to have them scan some negatives for me, too. SO GLAD I trusted them with my camera! read more

I can highly recommend Photo Darkroom as a 'go to' place for any type of photo work. Recently, I needed a copy of a heavily damaged 1889 cabinet card and some prints made. Owners Susan Hill and Bob Hill took in the project to scan and reduce the damaged look in the prints I needed. The results of the scan and ordered prints are flawless. The prices are very reasonable and level of professionalism exceeds expectations. For personal and caring service for any special photo needs - there is only one place to go-- Photo Darkroom. read more

I love this place, bob is super friendly and knowledgable about all types of cameras and photography and he always helps me out and answers my questions. They have a lot of old school film cameras also really cool stuff. I highly recommend coming here! read more

Totally 5 star job with two multigenerational photos, one in need of significant restoration. It is maybe the best birthday present I've ever received, so thanks Bob for your wonderful work read more

have only been here a handful of times but i know i'll always keep going back. the owner is one of the nicest people you'll talk to and he really does care about your needs and everything. everytime i go in i get greeted with a smile and questions about how my photos are going etc. the owner makes you feel welcomed all the time. would give this place 10 stars if i could! read more

I have been going to Photo Darkroom for over 30 years. Great customer service. Always friendly, knowledgeable, helpful. Bob and Susan do quality work and are super people to work with on projects. I have gone to their shop for repairs, printing of photos, buying cameras, and wedding photography shots. Always satisfied with the quality. Don't pass up the opportunity to have your work done by them even in the Covid-19 times. You won't regret it. Looking forward to the continued use of their services. Can't image going anywhere else for my photography needs. read more

Card slot in my Nikon camera was broken. They were open & honest in their diagnosis of the problem. Rather then push me to get the camera repaired, I was told I could wait unless other issues arise. Quality service. I give my highest recommendation read more

if you have photogear thats not working right or needs to be cleaned and adjusted, take it to al at northshore he knows cameras, is honest, and will tell you the real scoop regarding your gear and if its worth fixin or not. ive taken cameras, flashes, old vintage stuff and hes taken care of me each time. al even hooked me up w some parts from another old camera he had that was like mine, no charge. hes good which means hes busy...so sometimes he can be slow, but if you keep in touch he takes care of you. i just wish i didnt have to visit him so much. no worries, hes reasonable with his prices too. read more

I found this business by doing an internet search for a repair place in Escondido. They are a little hard to find - in that the name of the business on the building signage doesn't match the name of the business - it is photo related - but doesn't say Northshore Camera! In any case, Al was very professional and competent. The business that he shares space with does photo restoration - so if you are looking for that sort of thing - this is the location to go to! Would highly recommend this camera repair shop! read more

We've dealt with Al for many years for a reason. He's very good at repairing our equipment at a very fair price. He has repaired lenses that Canon wouldn't and at a price well under Canon's pricing. I highly recommend him! read more

I bought an extended warranty on my camera; the lens broke and I was referred to Photo Darkroom for repair. This was 2 months ago and I still do not have my camera. Last time they had me mail it Indiana, and I had it back and working in less than 2 weeks. Now it is 2 miles from my house and they have had it for 2 months! I have called dozens of times and not once has someone called me back. I finally got a hold of the owner today who stated "oh, yeah, Ive been meaning to call you back. I started your repair today and hopefully will have it done by Wednesday" It took him 2 months to even start it!!! Basically I spent a great summer camera-less; and those that know me know I am a photo freak! So for repairs I would highly not recommend this place... read more