Hey folks. When's the last time you walked into a camera store? It really surpassed all my expectations. They've got a knowledgeable helpful staff that's not all snobby. The stock a variety of new cameras and peripherals for each price point so you can see the difference in quality, feel and features. Lots of used stuff too. They do AMAZING passport photos. They'll service B&W via mail reasonable price and color film rapidly. (What's film? Try it...less forgiving than a phone... requires some mindfulness). They can get you started cheap on an old Pentax and you can work up to Mappelthorpe from there. read more

Not very good service, from the start of it. We brought my camera in because the screen wasn't working and I could only use the view finder. The person helping us thought I didn't understand my camera and switched it to screen only. From there, they wouldn't touch it and told me it needed to be shipped off. The fee was $550 and I couldn't say no since they made my camera non-usable. Well I just got my camera back and they didn't return my battery with it. They claimed they didn't send it with one but I have everything else but my battery. Bad service from the get-go. Don't recommend. read more

We took advantage of the trade-in promotion at the Odana Road location, but found the camera we wanted was at the East Town Mall location. Where we met with Brian, who patiently explained all of the many features of our new Canon EOS camera. What I liked about Brian was his incredible knowledge, communication skills, friendliness, and patience. They are an honest company. After we paid for our purchase, we got a call from Brian. Seems we had a $165.00 unused credit, which they retro applied to our purchase. Incredible offerings to get the most out of our camera. Beautiful store both locations. read more

The staff here is extremely attentive and knowledgeable. They're friendly and great at what they do. Jared at the West side location is awesome. It's at times overwhelming trying to decide on new gear and they're so non judgemental, knowledgeable and easy going it makes it such an easier experience! It's important to be sure when you're spending lots of money and they are patient and understanding! read more

Several years ago, a friend who is an avid photographer suggested the Nikon D3300 as a good camera for me. He recommended The Camera Company to me. The store is well laid out and has a great selection of products. Since they list camera repairs as one of their services, I felt confident in buying from them. Earlier this year, I had a small mishap with the camera. The small cover over the memory card slot broke. Assuming it would be an easy thing to replace, I took my camera back to The Camera Company. The woman there told me that they did not do any camera repairs or have replacement parts in-house despite the sign in front of the store advertising camera repairs. She said it would be cost prohibitive to send the camera to Nikon for repairs. She suggested that I try to find a replacement part on eBay and repair the camera myself. Nikon gave me a repair estimate of $200 to replace the $10 part. I bought the part on eBay and took it and the camera back to The Camera Company to see if they could help me replace it. The clerk said they had only one person on staff who might be able to help. I left everything with the store. A few days later, someone called me back. The person said that my only option was to have them ship the camera to Nikon for the $200 repair fee plus $30 shipping. The employee said that the camera would have to be taken apart just to replace the small cover. The lack of service after the sale is very disappointing. When I asked why their sign in front of the store advertises camera repairs, the staff person told me that they repair cameras by sending them out to the manufacturer for repairs. Considering that The Camera Company has no service after the sale, there is really no special reason to buy from them. read more

Wendy Busa, again, was awesome today! She helped me with possible large canvas prints as well as advice on their size and the photos I am thinking about having done. She also helped me with lens filters giving me great suggestions and options. Wendy has ALWAYS been kind, positive, patient and willing to spend time answering my photography questions. She has helped me upgrade my camera and several lenses, both used and new, that I've purchased from the eastside store as well as a tripod and camera bag. Wendy truly understands customer service. I always look forward to speaking with her to get the best advice as I continue to try to get better with my skills and equipment. Wendy is truly an asset to The Camera Company and why I'm a little biased to always go to the eastside store! (sorry Odana Road folks!) read more

I would Definitely focus on the store on Odana Road. Wendy is a great sales person (east side store). After spending $4100 and taking a class through the store 2 days later she would not honor a coupon given out in class. When I brought the coupon to the store I was brushed off. West side store willing to sell and educate but more importantly go out of their way to help and they honored the coupon a week later. to the west side location. A BIG to the East side location. read more

The staff is kind and knowledgeable and they'll surely take the time to help if you're there for information. So be wary if you're on your way to the airport and there's line of people ahead of you. When they eventually get to you, they don't try to move any faster through your order, even when you tell them you're on a time crunch. They'll upsell, but I guess that's to be expected at any retail place. Check your items before you leave to make sure they're all correct - I purchased a new lens but the box was beat up and the wrong lens hood was in the box, so I'm sure I was bamboozled. Maybe a weird gripe about a $60 hood on an $1800 lens, but it's still wrong. I called to correct the situation and they were completely unhelpful. read more

I have been a customer of the Camera Company for many years. My husband and I have purchased new cameras, lenses, etc as well as had many photos developed. We have always been treated well and were very happy with the quality of items we purchased. Our Dad passed away a few days before Christmas this year and we wanted to not only scan hard copy prints but develop digital photos for a picture board as well as make a photo slideshow. I chose the Camera Company again as I was familiar with the store after having been a customer for so long. Eastside employees Chris and Shiloh showed my sister and I so much compassion. Both went out of their way to help us and make us feel welcome. We shed some tears as this was a difficult process for us and both men were very compassionate to us. They were extremely patient while we used the scanner, answered all of our questions and fixed any problems we had. I recommend the Camera Company for their exceptional products but more importantly, for showing compassion to a family who was grieving and needed help. It took us a few trips to finish our projects and we left feeling as though both Shiloh and Chris were longtime friends. Thank you Camera Company for being there for us in our time of need and a special thank you to both Shiloh and Chris! read more

I worked with Joseph at the Eastside Store to choose and ultimately buy a new mirrorless camera. I stopped in several times along my decision path, and Joseph was patient, knowledgeable and helped me make an informed decision. On the day I bought the camera their Sony product rep was also there and it was super helpful to be able to sit down with him as well to run through what kind of photos I wanted to take, the equipment I was considering. He also gave me new information that helped me made some purchase decisions. Ended up buying a camera body, two lenses, and filters. I don't mind buying things like memory chips online, but being able to handle a camera and talk with/ask questions with a human is why I buy local from The Camera Company! read more

I have been here several times and also referred others to this store. I come here for my Australian passport photos. The photos for Australia passports is different than US passports. If the photos are wrong the passport application is rejected and its a lot of trouble to get the new photos endorsed and to the Australian embassy. They have the special software that enables the perfect photo for the Aussie passport. I did not they had other counties listed. Other Australians I know have also used this store for their pics. read more

Every time I go there the staff is very friendly and knowledgeable! The customer service is excellent. Highly recommend this place

had a pretty great experience at the camera company by east towne (beware of Karen racist employees) Madison until finishing my transaction with prints paid for , getting back into my vehicle and having a sales associate follow me to my car and accuse me of not paying for my photo prints just because she personally did not see me pay albeit it I checked out with one of the other 3 sales associates in store to which I swiftly provided my merchant receipt. It's not nice to be profiled and harassed just for being a person of color read more

I've been a customer for years, purchasing camera bags, lens caps and other accessories, photo printing and even passport photos. Every time I walk in the door, I'm greeted by a friendly, competent professional who is eager to assist. If I were in the market for a camera, this is the first place I'd visit. I want to share my experience with passport photos. I travel globally for my job, so it always seems I need a visa photo. I had horrible experiences at local pharmacies with various photos of this type, so when it came time to renew my passport, I wanted a photo I wouldn't be horrified to look at for the next 10 years. The Camera Company has a white screen and professional lighting and the photo is taken with a quality camera by a person who genuinely wants to take a nice photo of you. (I can't tell you how many times the cashier at the local pharmacy took my photo with the lens two inches from my nose, resulting in a visa photo where my facial features were distorted. I even politely asked once that she take a few steps back and use her editing software to create the final product, but, alas, she refused, citing they have training for this and it's how they do it. Ugh.) If you find yourself in need of a passport or visa photo, please do yourself and the customs and immigration staff a favor and have a decent photo taken at The Camera Company. It won't cost you any more, and you'll be pleased with the result. read more

This is a local Madison-based camera store that has three locations. I'm specifically reviewing the east side location. The selection here is far better than the big box stores, and less than a big camera powerhouse such as New York's B & H. As such, they will carry, or be able to order, any Nikon, Canon, Olympus, Manfrotto, Bogen, etc gear for you. They also do printing services. Prints up to 8x10 are done on a Noritsu printer, and they are able to print up to 24" wide using Epson wide-format printers. The staff at this store are very good, knowledgeable, and customer-focused. This can be a double-edged sword, because a fair number of people asking lots of questions can easily suck up a lot of the staff's time. So if you're looking for a quick grab and go purchase, you may be waiting for a minute or two whilst one of the staff extricate themselves from a question-asker to ring you up. The store DOES price-match any local establishment's pricing, including the big box stores such as the blue shirts and others nearby. Why 4 stars and not 5? I wish they had a wider selection of higher-end, pro-quality gear, because as a photographer I can use it (and buy it), although I understand Madison's demographics really can't support that type of business model. read more

A fantastic local option if you want to avoid the big box stores. They price things competitively, so you get a great deal. They have a good selection, and provide all the services you'd want from a camera store. They even offer classes for those looking to learn more about photography. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and don't pressure you into buying anything you don't need. When I was in there this weekend, the staff handled a ridiculous and rude customer very professionally. I personally would've kicked this jerk out of the store, but they calmly handled his craziness perfectly. I've been to all 3 locations, but mostly go to the Eastside store. I've purchased 2 cameras from The Camera Company, and will happily buy my 3rd there when it comes time for an upgrade. read more

These people are the best! I had an issue with the lens on my Canon G12 and they handled it for me. Even though I had to pay for the repair I just dropped it off and they took care of the rest. THEN, the camera was still having issues after a couple uses so they sent it back, had it fixed and charged me nothing for it. Customer service was top notch with this place. I really liked the fact that all I had to do was just drop off the camera and they took care of the rest rather than me dealing with Canon directly. The people were kind and helpful the entire way. I would highly recommend them if your camera is ever in need of a repair. read more

Yesterday, I came to the Camera Company on Odana Road after MUCH frustration at another store where I could not get help at their photo kiosk. This frustration is exacerbated by the fact that I have mobility problems. It takes much effort to get into/out of places of business. Therefore I cannot say enough about Tim Erickson at The Odana Road Camera Company!! I needed assistance getting my wheelchair out of my trunk in order to get into the store. I called and asked if someone could help with this. Tim Erickson, Product Specialist, was extremely accommodating and assisted me into the store. Once in the store I explained that I wanted to get copies of pictures I had taken on my phone. I wanted the pictures to be edited to fit a special frame I already had. Tim not only was able to print the pictures as I needed them, but he also took time to explain how to use their kiosk in the store and remotely. He also gave me a brief tutorial on taking pictures with my phone. Tim was very informative, polite, and accommodating which I greatly appreciated. It's difficult and embarrassing to need assistance with my wheelchair. But, Tim Erickson went out of his way to help me in a very respectful manner. I didn't have an expensive sale, but Tim still gave me his full attention and assistance. I highly recommend this store and specifically I highly recommend Tim Erickson as a Sales Associate and Product Specialist! You just don't get kind, as well as knowledgeable, assistance anymore. So, thank you Tim Erickson. I will definitely use The Camera Company again and I hope to work with Tim again as well!! read more

The Camera Company - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

The Camera Company is my go to source for camera equipment. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. Dave is fantastic! He will never lead you the wrong way and is very helpful when it comes to buying what you really need. He's honest and doesn't try to make you purchase unnecessary equipment. read more

I was in the store at East Towne Blvd, on 5/17/14 to purchase a camera. I was told that it would be a wait but someone would be right with us.After 20 min wait and watching two other people who came in after us get waited on we walked out. Purchased camera at another location. Will not be back or recommend this location. read more

The staff are super knowledgeable and always so friendly. They do fantastic work and I won't trust my photofinishing with anyone else. A special shout-out to Jesse who came to the rescue when I had a last minute professional photo development emergency. He absolutely saved the day and did it all with a smile. Thanks Jesse!! read more