Saneal Cameras

I have a nice Minolta 35 mm film camera with lots of lenses, filters and accessories. I went into another store and asked if they had a digital camera I could buy that would use the same lenses. The answer was, «No, you probably have to buy another Minolta.» Of course, Minolta stopped making cameras 10 years ago, so his advice was bizarre and uninformed. I went to Saneal Cameras with the same question and the staff pointed me at their Sony Alphas and suggested I bring in my lenses and try them out first to make sure. Great service.
A month later I brought in the one telephoto lens I wanted to keep, waited a bit for one of the two staff to free up (busy afternoon) and he knew which camera to try first. He was quite helpful and seemed to know the products well. He was juggling a few customers while I played with the A35 and eventually bought it. He didn’t try and sell me an extended warranty, which makes up for not having a return policy (only exchanges). I went in with a budget and didn’t get upsold. I felt I was being helped, not sold to. And the camera is real nice too.
On the other hand, if he and I had more time maybe I would have tried out some cameras just a little bit better for a bit more money…

I have bought from Saneal cameras three times, and definitely will again. I bought the body I have now from them, an Olympus E-​620. Yes I know nobody shoots Olympus anymore, but I love the look and feel of the E series. If you do shoot Olympus, this is the place to come for sure. The Camera Store does not do business with Olympus, and Vistek only seems to sell micro four thirds DSLMs such as the EPL-​1. I also bought a flash there a number of months ago, subsequently dropped and broke that flash and bought a new one just recently. I will buy my next body, the Olympus OM-​D from there when I get the chance. They have an extensive product line and courteous, knowledgeable staff.
I actually plan to buy any accessories there that I cannot find online, and that’s only because everything’s cheaper when it comes from China. I’m thinking about picking up a bunch of cheapos and a jar of vaseline for nice art shots every once in awhile, but I digress. The staff, particularly an older man are talkative, have a great deal of knowledge about photography that they are willing to impart, and are just outright fun to buy from.
Whether you are a professional photographer who needs last minute gear for an important shoot, a high level amateur who insists on the best gear to yield shots to wow your friends, or an absolute beginner who wants to learn about the amazing world of photography, this is the store to go to. Having said that, Black’s does offer courses for those who buy new cameras from them, but you can find good quality workshops for around $ 100, or sometimes free if you’re lucky.
The conclusion of this long, rambling, almost stream of consciousness review, is this should be your first stop for anything Olympus, and absolutely high on your list no matter what you shoot (or want to.)

My first experience with Suneal was around 4 years ago — I had tried to shop at the Camera Store before but was treated as a ditzy girl. I mentioned that I wanted an anodized pink camera and the guy just stopped talking to me — seriously? I had $ 300+ burning a hole in my pocket, sell me a pink camera! Anyway, my dad suggested I tried Suneal. I went to the location downtown and was a little intimidated, it looks like one of those «camera experts» only stores, but don’t be fooled — this store is amazing. The staff was great, super knowledgeable and willing to walk you through all your choices. I was super impressed.
This past week was my boyfriend’s birthday and I decided to get him an SLR. I did my internet research and Suneal was still very competitive price wise so I went back. I am really glad I did, we went to the Market Mall location and the salesman had no issue sitting with us and working through our basic requirements and figuring out what would be the best camera for us. He didn’t try to up sell us or con us into something that was too much for our needs. They were super helpful and located us a camera they didn’t have in the store. I really like Suneal Cameras (2 locations now) and recommend them fully. Especially if you aren’t overly camera savvy and want good honest answers and recommendations.

If you’re not up for making a trip to downtown Calgary to visit The Camera Store, then Saneal Cameras is a decent back up plan.
They specialize in everything cameras (go figure) and they have a good selection of camera equipment and accessories on hand.
The store itself isn’t massive, but the good news is that it IS located in a mall, so if they don’t have what you’re looking for, there’s also a Black’s in the mall, as well as a slew of other stores that carry similar goods.
Overall, a good store to have around. Not my first ‘photo-​shop’ stop, but useful nonetheless.

In my search for a new digital camera, as well as a new lense for my professional camera, I thought I would check out Saneal Cameras.
The store was buzzing, all the staff were busy helping customers. They seemed very well stocked with all the camera accessories a person would need. They carry lighting kits, HD camcorders, tripods, memory cards. A guy that was unpacking something asked if I needed help. I told him I was looking for a larger zoom lense for my Canon. He mentioned that they had a couple options, one to 400 mm and the other 500 mm. The 500 was out of stock, but he asked if I wanted to see the 400 on the camera. I said sure and he got it out for me. The lense was just what I was looking for. At $ 1500 it was something I had to think about though. I asked if they carried the new samsung digital that I was after, but he said they don’t carry any samsung products. He was helpful, not too pushy and seemed to know his stuff. Their prices seemed to be competitive with other camera stores I have been to.
I would return to Saneal Cameras for future camera needs. It is definitely a place to check out if you are in search of a new camera or any accessories!