Camera Shops

Msfc

Hi, need to buy a digital camera and was wondering what shops i can get one in in the city centre. I know theres a shop there on the top of shop street, but where else?? Thanks for any info:)

nuada

Try PCWorld out by the Eye cinema or Currys by Tesco

majiktripp

Theres Fahy Photo at bottom of shop street too beside Griffins Bakery, also as mentioned above PC World now stock a resonable selection of cameras. Online offers the best value with the likes of Pixmania and the such , also try Argos here in town as I looked at their new catalogue and they have a good selection too.

biko

Argos if you want something on the cheaper side. Ebay is best really IMO

Fey!

I use Galway Camera Shop. Excellent service, and they know what they're at. Tell them what kind of photography you want to do and what kind of budget you want to stay within, and they'll set you right.

Ebay can be OK, but it depends what you're looking for; I checked ebay for what I eventually bought in the camera shop, and found very little difference in price.

Might be worth having a quick look in the photography forum, too.

PopeBuckfastXVI

Hi Fey,

How are they with accessories... memory cards, batteries, cases and the like, will they do a good deal for you?

I was looking at the Nikkon D80 up there and they have it with an 18-55 lens, but you can get it on pixmania with an 18-135, which obviously would be better, I wouldn't mind even getting an 18-55 & something like a 55-200 if they could do it at the right price.

Do you think they would help put the right package together? I suppose I should just go in and ask, but I'm a lazy lazy man.

Fobia

Fey! wrote:

I use Galway Camera Shop. Excellent service

Wrong..anytime I've been in there I've had to wait for a long long time, and this isn't necessarily when the shop is busy. And when I did get service the assistants were rude/belittling, even though I explained clearly what I was looking for. One thing I remember is him "correcting me" when I asked for a prime lens - "it's called a fixed lens." I believe were his words.

Fey! wrote:

and they know what they're at.

Wrong again, they seem to know the basics of digital camera knowledge, but they know nothing whatsoever about lenses, or at least, none of the people I've spoken to in there did (2 people, to be precise, I did try twice as I had a €100 voucher). Their range is also quite poor, and they're incredibly overpriced. I don't mean to offend, but I just can't you promote the Galway Camera Shop - it's insane.

Fahyfoto, however, horrible range, even worse than Galway Camera Shop, but you seem to be in the market for a normal digital camera, which these guys are grand for. They also offer fantastic service, a smile, and arent at all snooty. I've never been able to purchase anything photographic for them due to their lack of range for higher end stuff, but I've been in there lots getting prints and they really are fantastic.

Fey!

Pope; I got a D80 there, but with the 18-135mm lens. It's a few months ago, so what I paid will be of little relevance to the current prices; however, at the time I shopped around and felt that the literally few euros difference in price between the net and them was worth it for the bricks and mortar.

For an SD card, I got a 2MB in Aldi for about €17, but I got the spare battery in the camera shop; have been bitten by internet batteries in the past (bear in mind, the D50 and D70 take a battery with 2 "elements", whilst the D80 and D200 take one with 3 "elements"; not sure about the D40).

Also, get a UV filter for your lens; that way, if your lens gets scratched, it's just a matter of changing the filter, not the lens. I've also gotten a couple of spare lenses of ebay, as well as a couple of very good second hand ones in the Camera Shop.

Fobia; obviously you and I have found their service to be vastly different. I tend to go in, say what I want the camera for, and see what they recommend. I've never been steered wrong.

As for the other place you mention, I've bought off them once, years ago. When the Minolta SLR I bought off them broke 3 weeks later, I was basically told to £$%^ off by the owner. They used to get a lot of business off us, but none since. That said, the 2 guys who worked there at the time were excellent; I think that one of them is still there.

gaeilgegrinds

Can't fault the camera shop, I'd recommend there.

PopeBuckfastXVI

Thanks Fey!

What do you think of the Camera, would you reccommend it?

I've done a bit of looking at reviews and stuff for the last couple of months, and it seems to be the best in its class.

majiktripp

The D80 is a lovely piece of kit, unfortunately I got the D40x with no built in camera motor in the body so am limited to AF-S nikon/Nikkor lens and there equivalents,having seen and used the D80 though its a fantastic camera...although now I believe I would buy a Canon unfortunately given the choice again purely for the lens selection they have...

Fey!

Pope; if you want to try a few shots with it, drop me a PM and I'll meet up with you.

Majik; my brother has a Canan 400D, and he loves it. However, seeing pictures side by side from a party we were at, the Nikon shots are much sharper (I know that the D80 is a more expensive piece of kit, but we had a D50 with a 50mm lens running too). I also found the Canon not to be as user friendly.

All that said, my brother would only buy Canon; he's been using the EOS for years. And he feels that the Nikon isn't as user friendly. I suppose it comes down to personal taste.

As for the lenses; there's a lot available out there. Don't discount using Sigma/Tokina flashes/lenses; Sigma are especially good, and make their lenses to fit either Nikon or Canon.

Zzippy

I got the D50 with 18-55 lens, takes superb photos, and I've taken photos side by side with someone using an EOS300D and compared them, the Nikon shots were far superior. I had the Nikon F75 before that and use the zoom lenses I had with that on the D50.
I find the Galway Camera Shop good for gear, even if the staff don't really know everything they should, but Fahyfoto is great for prints - Mike and Keith in there are really customer-oriented. Used to use them a lot when I had the Nikon F75 and got all my prints in there.

majiktripp

The one other main advantage I find with Nikon is the build quality. My friend also finds that Canons are rather small? Anyone experience this? Seems that the Nikon SLR's are more robust and fit better to a users palm than the Canon, which was my experience when trying it in B&H photo in NYC.

3greenrizla's

www.pixmania.com

I found the price & service very good (although watch out fro the extra insurance they try to sell you)

I cant recomend the Sony Cybershot highly enough (I have the 8.1mp)

ARGINITE

Try these guys, they are very hard to beat on price, range, and delivery time.
I bought a canon 400d and two lenses of them. Delivered in about a week and no tax either.

PopeBuckfastXVI

Thanks for the offer Fey, I think I'll go ahead and get it though, from seeing loads of side by sides I reckon it's the sharpest and best to go for, besides that I'm a total noob and I don't want you to laugh at me when I hold the camera wrong and look down the lens instead of the eyepiece!

I have an old Pentax SLR knocking around at home and I used to love messing about with it, but it broke about 10 years ago and I haven't ever gotten it fixed. I think it's time to go for a DSLR.

Thanks for all the advice guys... what's the story with that ebay store Arginite, the no tax thing seems a bit dodgy, the price also looks too cheap to be kosher?

scitpo

nuada wrote:

Try PCWorld out by the Eye cinema or Currys by Tesco

How about supporting local businesses and some knowledgable staff?

If you are going down the buying in a shop routine (online will be far cheaper) then at least buy from a decent shop who can help you out and advise you.

ARGINITE

PopeBuckfastXVI wrote:

what's the story with that ebay store Arginite, the no tax thing seems a bit dodgy, the price also looks too cheap to be kosher?

If you visit the photo form and ask most of the regulars their they will swear by the place. Have a look at this also. The camera are orginals and are new still boxed.

The whole tax thing is that he sends them in a way that customs wont stop it for tax.

The prices are correct and totally legit. If you want to see what you can get for about €1600 from the store then feel free to ask and you can see what I got.
Also ask 440Hz, she bought her 400d from the same place and would also recommend it to a friend.

Fey!

PopeBuckfastXVI wrote:

Thanks for the offer Fey, I think I'll go ahead and get it though, from seeing loads of side by sides I reckon it's the sharpest and best to go for, besides that I'm a total noob and I don't want you to laugh at me when I hold the camera wrong and look down the lens instead of the eyepiece!

I'm new to this, too; trying to get better at taking decent pictures! I can also show you the D50 (my old one) and D70 (my better halfs) side by side with the D80.

PopeBuckfastXVI

thanks for all the help & info guys, even though I wasn't the original poster I pretty much hijacked the thread for my own devices!

I think I'll go for the d80 and I think I'll buy it in a shop... with a purchase this big I like the "bricks & mortar" to be there to be honest!

Thanks again all!

hopefully I'll be posting a few pictures soon enough!