I have bought 4 or 5 new Leicas from Dan. Great advice, great service and nice selection of accessories as well. The only place to go for Leica! He also has beautiful leather bags! read more

Great selection of new and pre-owned Leicas. Dan and Scott were both very helpful. For a working camera or to add to a collection, Tamarkin Camera is superb. read more

Tamarkin Camera truly is America's premier Leica dealer. Dan and Ernie always make time to talk with customers, and their word is their bond. They are the best. It's been a pleasure to deal with Stan, and now Dan, for almost twenty years. read more

Absolute best in the business!! Really itchy to try the famed Leica brand; Scott and the one-and-only Dan were patient and thorough with my very naive rangefinder questions. Got to demo a Q2 and M10-P with 35mm Summicron; both lovely samples that rekindled how I got into this hobby way back when. You also don't appreciate old-fashion craftsmanship and build until you hold one of these, it's similar to the way Euro cars used to be built! One thing's for sure, when I decide to go Q2 or M series, I will be in touch with them to source my first Leica!! read more

My husband is a camera nut and this is his go to place for Leica equipment. Dan is very knowledgeable and approachable in terms of not looking down on a novice customer or non Leica owner. He is very excited about cameras and photography and loves sharing that enthusiasm and experience with you. I myself have gotten several used Leica camera cases that I use as purses and they are great. Very different and they always get compliments. Once Dan discovered my love of this one particular case, he kept an eye out for one in better condition for me, without me asking. The other thing that he does is feature the work of photographers. He has small viewings and it they are a nice way to start the Friday evening. He usually provides wine and beer and light snacks. For camera repair and purchases, his prices are very competitive. But more importantly, the level of customer service is stellar because he cares about what he is doing. I personally believe that you will get a better deal purchasing from Dan rather than directly from Leica because you will be treated like a person instead of a number. read more

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You looking for the finest in Cameras? You looking for personalized on-on-one service? You looking for the best?? Well, then Tamarkin Camera is the right place to go. If you're not in Chicago, call em'. Dan and his crew sell nothing but Leica. Leica is a brand that comes from a legacy of the great photographers plastered across Life Magazine, National Geographic, Magnum Images and the like. Tamarkin Camera itself also comes from a well established legacy of selling Leica for over 50 years. The store is run by Dan Tamarkin who took over from his father bringing this fine establishment from the east coast to Chicago. Dan has a wealth of Leica knowledge, just ask him something about Leica cameras or Leica history and listen. He is an authority in the Leica photography and Leica collective communities. Ok stop reading this and call Tamarkin now, go get your Leica on.... :-) read more

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We were excited to visit the new space and it didn't disappoint. Bright, open space and welcoming staff. As Leica owners, we drool over the inventory and every time we go, we are treated like family. They will ship to you and you can order by phone. I believe it's still open by appointment so call before you go but this place is a must for photography enthusiasts! read more

I first spoke with Dan Tamarkin three years ago when I was making my switch from Nikon to Leica. There was no pressure. He explained everything and was very accommodating when the first camera I bought had issues--he made the exchange process seamless! Since that time I have continued to visit Tamarkin Camera first before looking anywhere else. Dan's expertise and patience is unmatched! If you're looking for the best Leica dealer, Dan is the best in the country! read more

Tamarkin Camera - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

So so so amazing!!! I came in to have them take a look at my Pentax k1000. I'm new to Chicago and was in desperate need of a camera shop and they were more than happy to help. It turned out my camera was in working order and didn't need repair but they were super patient (and I got free coasters!!) would 100% come here again read more

Have Leica needs? You need to speak with Dan Tamarkin. Doesn't matter if it's on the phone or an in-store visit, it's a pleasure to deal with this shop as a customer! Superb customer service and fair prices reflect the service you're receiving as a valued customer. A cool shop and gallery on the 3rd floor of the building. Easy parking access on the street or a parking lot one block south. Shame the foot traffic isn't exposed to the shop but it is most definitely a specialty retail business when dealing with this brand. read more

I came to Tamarkin Camera to sell a few vintage Leica and Rolliflex camera bodies, lens, and related gear (filters, light meter etc.). After Ernie took an initial look at everything I spoke with Dan at length, a genuinely great guy who loves what he does and treats his customers with respect. After Dan provided me a detailed opinion on the condition of the cameras he offered me a very fair price and assured me that the cameras would find a happy new home after they are cleaned up. Also, I think it is terrific that Tamarkin Camera has an exhibition space offering monthly openings to showcase work from photographers from around the world. Tamarkin is far more than just a regular camera shop -- highly recommended! read more

Tamarkin is the ONLY place to buy Leica. Period. Stop looking on ebay, and get your butt over to Dan's fantastic shop. No-pressure sales. Fair prices. Huge selection. I can't recommend Tamarkin enough. read more

I recently acquired a like new Leicavit with box at a flea market, of all places. In the past, I have had some bad experiences with various outfits offering extreme lowball quotes for items which I knew were valuable. I sent Tamarkin an email with pictures expressing interest in selling or consigning the item. A reply was forthcoming very promptly with an initial estimate and I sent the Leicavit for formal evaluation. Bottom line - a generous sale offer and payment, all in the course of one week. It was a pleasure dealing with Dan and Ernie and I heartedly recommend tamarkin Camera for buying or selling anything Leica. read more

What a fantastic place! This camera store is dedicated to Leica and has all of the new toys, as well as some vintage Leica. We met the owner of the store, Dan, who was extremely gracious in showing us some beautiful lenses for our camera and gave us our own private tour of the gallery of the current exhibit on the Complete Cuba. It was wonderful! The photographs were taken by a number of the participants who took a trip to Cuba with Dan. We also sat down and enjoyed some of the photographic books by such masters as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Frank, and Dorothea Lange. If you love cameras, this should definitely be a stop while you are in Chicago. read more

I cannot sing enough praises for the guys at Tamarkin. I first went to the store in 2015 when passing through Chicago on a cross-country drive. At the time I was looking to buy a Leica Q, and this was when the Q had just come out and was impossible to procure. Even the Leica store in Chicago didn't have one but Tamarkin already had a demo one in store! A few months later I did end up buying a Q through them. Then last year I damaged the camera through my own fault, and had to get it repaired. From everything I've read online I've only heard horror stories of people sending it in to Leica USA and not getting their cameras back for months and months. I called Leica myself (both their store in SF and the services center in New Jersey) and received only the most lukewarm and indifferent answers. Very discouraging. So then I called up Tamarkin and it turned out that once you've purchased a camera from them they have a service to help you process the repair services with Leica. Also when you talk to the guys there they're so helpful, experienced, and reassuring. I sent in my camera to them last month and they immediately did a checkup on it, forwarded the camera to Leica with all the necessary paperworks taken care of. Jon, whom I talked to, kept me posted about the their communications with Leica. As I mentioned before, from all the accounts I've read, people who work directly with Leica experience super long wait times to get their services done, and very infrequent communications. But Tamarkin have a good working relationship with Leica so they can really help you keep the communications open, and speed up the process. I was ready to wait for three months for this thing. But within a week or two they gave me an estimate for the price, and another two weeks the services were complete! Today I just received my little Q back and I'm so happy. From when I sent the camera to Tamarkin to when I received the camera back - door to door - only took 5 weeks!! I honestly can't believe it. Throughout the process they've been so professional and helpful. They never made any unrealistic promises but they really helped me get the job done faster than I could imagine. If you're looking to purchase a Leica, do it through them!! Seriously, don't even buy it directly from Leica. Because here you'll get much better customer services than what Leica can offer you!! read more

I don't know anything about this place for retail sales, but the service was abysmal. When I dropped equipment off for repair they told me they would contact me with a price estimate after the repair person had looked at the lenses. They never did and simply called me when the unit was back in about 8 weeks. One of the lenses which they wanted to charge $275 for was not operational. When I asked them to actually fix the lens they told me it would be another $500. There are great places to fix Leica equipment out there for reasonable amounts of money, but this is not one of them. read more

Dan had my $5000 worth of vintage equipment repaired and even offered me free Leica goodies. He's extremely knowledgeable and friendly; we're talking world-class customer service. Whenever I'm bored, I just visit his store to have a chat and look at the latest Leica gear. read more

Dan is an expert at all things Leica, and he's a heck of a nice guy. I was in his shop only once before, and the second time I walked in he remembered me. He's very friendly, honest, and super knowledgable. I had a 50mm Summarit lens that I needed to adapt to my Leica Monochrom. Dan had exactly what I needed! He has a great selection of used equipment, as well as all the fun new stuff. The shop is fun to browse around, has great photography to explore, and Dan will take good care of you. Everyone who loves photography should stop in and check it out. read more

Purchased two used cameras. Thye arrived within four days of order completed. Items listed EX ++ and Mint. Enough said: one camera was Mint and the other E++ as satted on website. Prices were apprpriate and competitive Thank you. read more

Dan and Ernie are as good as they come: knowledgable, personable, accommodating, and professional. I now consider Tamarkin my source for all Leica gear. Thanks guys for the wonderful transaction and I look forward to doing business with you in the future. read more

Dan Tamarkin is a wealth of Leica knowledge...and runs a business built in strong customer service values of the ol' school! If you're ever in the area, don't miss out on the amazing storefront, stop in and check it out! Beautiful cameras, photographs, merchandising and great service with a smile! read more

I see on the yelp site that this store is pricey. Well I can tell you that you get what you pay for when it comes to cameras and lenses. Dan and Ernie are straightforward and very very helpful and will spend an inordinate amount of time answering questions and speaking Leica. Looking for Leica equipment for the first time was bewildering through the internet and it turns out that Tamarkin's pricing was very competitive with everything on the web with the assurance that you were dealing with a local knowledgeable dealer that backs up their sales. So if you're in the Midwest and you want to buy Leica go to Tamarkin Camera. read more

I ordered an accessory over the phone. No nonsense service and attitude. They took my info and shipped the product the same day. The item was delivered fast and was exactly as described read more

I have never been treated so rudely in my life as I was by the owner of this store. My husband purchased a Leica camera for a special trip, and it seemed like it would be perfect. It worked at home, but never on the trip--something behind the lens had shifted preventing the camera from working. We had to purchase a new camera, at great expense, overseas. When we returned home, we wanted to return the Leica--it was less than a month old, didn't work, and we didn't need 2 expensive cameras. Tamarkin refused to take it back for a refund because we no longer had the original packaging. They said this was a Leica policy. They offered to either fix the camera or refund less than half the purchase price. We reluctantly and unhappily agreed to have it fixed. We heard nothing for months. Finally, almost 6 months later, we were told the camera was ready to be picked up, which I went to do. Keep in mind that all of the conversations, emails, etc. had been between the owner and my husband. When I went to pick up the camera the employee offered to put the box in a bag to make it easier for me to carry. Mr. Tamarkin refused to let me have the paper bag, claimed he was out a lot of money over the transaction and practically threw me out of the store. Mind you, I had said nothing about any problems we had had, just came in and said I was picking up the camera. I didn't even know who was the owner my husband had dealt with. I couldn't believe how petty Mr. Tamarkin was--refuse me a shopping bag? Really? What Mr. Tamarkin doesn't seem to realize is that had the camera worked properly, or had the problem been handled nicely, or had he at least not been so rude, we would have been recommending his store to others, just like the other reviewers. Instead, I am giving him 1 star (only because I can't give zero) because of his petty, disrespectful behavior towards me. read more