Midwest Photo Exchange

I really like this place. Knowledgeable staff who are very helpful and don’t pressure you into buying the most expensive lens or equipment piece. It’s crowded in there though.

Great products and great advice, When the employees finally acknowledge you and help you, it’s great. Everytime I go, I wait about 10 minutes to be helped, not because they are too busy but sadly because they lack basic fundamentals of customer service.
On my last visit, I stood there right in front of the employees as two of them helped one customer who was talking about spending a lot of money. Rookies! Never judge a book by its cover. Finally, They both turned to me to help me. No apology, no acknowledgment. At least they offer good advice but within business that does not go far these days.
Lastly, don’t take their classes, they should be free to customers with purchase history but sadly they are actually more expensive than taking classes at Columbus state community college.
My advice to MPX is to walk into a local service store such as a furniture or automotive shop and pay attention to how they greet you and when busy, acknowledge your presence. Then take that research back to MPX and use it to better your customer service.

Hold on to your wallet. These guys take a photocopy of your credit card and drivers license and try hard not to give them back. Who knows who they share this personal information with. They are not compliant with law. Try somewhere else.

Everytime I am in town, I prefer Midwest Photo Exchange. The staff is always very knowledgable, friendly and helpful. I highly recommend this store to everyone from professionals to beginners! Thank you Midwest Photo!

If you’re a professional or amateur photographer and need any type of photography equipment, this is your place. My wife who is an amateur photographer armed with a slick professional Canon digital camera that yours truly bought for her a few years ago for our anniversary, was chosen to shoot a friend’s wedding. To do so, she needed a nicer wide angle lens.
We accessed their easy to use website and reserved an $ 1,800 lens for the weekend for $ 36. I was chosen to go pick it up. Although the place is on N High St in Clintonville, it’s easy in and easy out with ample parking in the alley to the side or decent size parking lot in the rear.
The store was hopping, but I was immediately greeted and led to the rental counter. I waited a few minutes, but was then promptly helped. Had my credit card scanned and I was soon out the door.
We’ll definitely use them again for any photography needs.

Steve Hurley is the best! Anytime I need something or have an issue with a light, I give him a call and he takes care of it. He’s easily the most knowledgeable and helpful person I’ve ever worked with at any photography store. I can’t recommend Steve and Midwest Photo Exchange more! As a side note, the website isn’t the most friendly, but a quick phone call and they’ll help you with anything you need.

I’m the type of person who will only purchase from companies with excellent customer service. It’s not the kind of thing I rely on very often, but the ability to immediately speak with an expert after a purchase carries a lot of value to me. Midwest Photo Exchange has recently become one of those companies I know I can trust. After a recent order mix-​up, I called in and was speaking with Mat Marrash almost immediately. Mat was able to quickly and professionally address and correct the issue in less than three minutes. Not only did Mat go above and beyond, but he even included a hand-​written «Thank You» note! Customer service is what makes a company special and trustworthy. With this in mind, I will absolutely be purchasing from Midwest Photo again.

Great selection of items, prices are reasonable, and they even hooked me up w/​a free DVD for what I was wanting to shoot! Great service!

Great selection, knowledgeable staff, just make sure you get the right person!

What an awesome surprise. I had fully expected to be judged and chastised — I had a reversing ring stuck on my Nikon. I am new to cold weather, from San Diego, and totally didn’t get that the freezing temps had an impact. Casey and the crew all tried everything to help — and so did everyone that was there — until it finally came off. I was treated so positively-​I can’t thank them enough. This will be my «go to» store, for sure. I was not even charged! No one does that — good, old fashioned, hometown service.
Easy parking in the back of the store!

Always a good experience when I go here. Doesn’t matter if I’m renting a piece of equipment, buying some gear or just browsing, everyone is always helpful and spends as much time with you as you need. You can find a good deal here and there sometimes.

I took a boom microphone that had come apart to them to see if it could be fixed. I actually thought it was broken. Amanda was very helpful. She figured out how it went back together, and didn’t even charge me for the service.
Totally recommend this place. The people are helpful, and you can’t get this kind of customer service on the Internet. Buy local!

While costing family we stopped by this great camera store. They had everything. Great prices and helpful staff.

This place is awesome! So far, I’ve gotten a backdrop set up, 2 backdrops, 2 lenses, a Nikon D610, a very secure backpack that’ll hold all my gear and it’s thick to protect it from drops, and wireless flash mounts from here. I did get a knockoff battery to my Nikon D90, but it didn’t work. That is fault on the company who made it. Never buy third party accessories!
I never have luck buying filters from here, I really love ND & 9 stop filters, but they never have them. If you’re a photographer, try this place out.
Only down side, and they need to improve on this badly… Customer service. Sometimes I’ll have employees walk by me without acknowledging me, some look at me and keep walking, one said hello then turned her back. The list goes on. I understand if you’re busy, but let us know you’ll be right with us in a minute or two.

My company was in the market for a new printer and I was doing a ton of research to find something perfect for what we do. I was currently working with two Noritsu printers and they were just one headache after another, not to mention the customer service and tech support was awful.
Finally I decided that an Epson SureLab D3000 was the way to go. Since I’ve had so many issues with the Noritsu’s, there was no way I was going to purchase a printer without seeing it in action. Lo and behold, Midwest Photo Exchange had one sitting right in it’s showroom for me to curb my skepticism. So we gave them a call and headed down to Columbus for some much needed answers.
Tim has been absolutely wonderful through everything. He made sure we had all the information before purchasing the Epson and helped with everything else after we had. He personally set up my new system and made sure it was working properly and he is always available for my continuing questions and concerns. Anything I need, he takes care of for me. I am so impressed by this customer service, especially after the five years of grief from Noritsu. I applaud you MWPE and Tim, for being supremely awesome.

This was a rough first visit. Went in to pick up equipment that was ordered over the phone the night prior. Get there first thing, grab the gear and head to work. Simple enough. Not really. I was addressed when I walked in but that was basically it. I think I counted 7 employees and not a single one asked me if I needed help. Employee on the phone helping another customer finally asked another to help me.
He couldn’t find anything in the system concerning my order. After a series of back and forths between computer and stock room he came out with what we ordered, which ended up being wrong. Rather, was missing an item. Should I have known? Maybe, but I know nothing about photography. The number of boxes matched the invoice so I thought I was good. I was really hoping everything was waiting for me when I got there. Which, coincidentally, everything was waiting for me but no one apparently knew where it was or where to look. Place is a bit of a hot mess inside but they had a lot of equipment.
A rep of theirs contacted us and alerted us of the mistake and brought out the part personally, which was nice. Just wish he didn’t have to mess with it in this inclement weather. They all seem like nice, knowledgeable guys. Perhaps internal communication needs improvement.

This is a fantastic place to go for all your camera needs.
They are well stocked as well as knowledgeable about that of which they sell.
I had to walk in about an issue I was having with my camera that had been rattled after a car accident. the camera was delayed and wasn’t recording any video. I was upset that it might of been something internal with the camera, which meant getting a new one… However after spending some time here with the guys that work here we were able to figure out that it was only the lens. Thank God!
The lens was originally marked for $ 200, they priced it down to $ 100, which was really kind of them.
Only one complaint about this whole experience. The dude that was helping me was really distracted by… everything that was going on in the store. This guy was helping me, looking at my equipment showing me this and that. When all the sudden a lady walks into the store that he knows and he leaves me mid sentence…“umm what?” he eventually came back and continued to help me. But man… that was awkward for a moment…
Still a great shop though. Lot’s of goodies.

This is the only place in town to shop for your photography and video needs! I pick up lenses, cards, and accessories here. The staff is super friendly and helpful and they are willing to spend time with you. Prices are reasonable. They also offer used products as well. Parking is on the street but there are plenty of spaces on High Street. I always look forward to a trip to this shop!

A local business run by photography professionals that has served the Columbus area for several years. The staff know their equipment and the photography business. They also have quite an Internet presence.
The store is crammed with photography equipment and supplies in a relatively small store. That does make it a challenge to walk around. Add being filled with patrons makes one nervous about knocking over expensive equipment or supplies. So, if you get a bit claustrophobic, you might want to search their web site instead.
Their staff are very busy; (on the phone, on their computers, talking with customers and even socializing with other staff). It can be quite a challenge to obtain service at times — so patience is a virtue. The more you know about what you are looking for … the better off you are. Whenever I have looked at camera bodies, lenses and supplies, I have felt rather rushed in the process. The exception to this is the lighting crew — they have been fantastic at learning about your lighting needs and explaining equipment alternatives.
Prices are competitively priced for local the market, but are usually higher priced than if you shopped around online. You will want to shop in the store as you can often times find in-​store deals that are not advertised online. Photography students receive a discount. They also offer different photography seminars from time to time.
With all this said, if you are looking to support a local business as well as a professional photography store that offers a wide range of photography equipment, this is THE place in Columbus.

First and foremost, it’s good to see a local retail business like MPEX can stay around for so long, especially in the current economic climate. It’s a testament, of sorts, and I’m sure there are many factors.
1) They are pretty close to both campus and Clintonville proper. This means they most likely get a decent traffic pattern from photography students needing to buy items for a class or project. Clintonville tends to be artsy in general, so they also have a flow of artists who want to «buy local!» and so they do.
2) For a small store-​front, they have a really nice, densely-​packed selection. I may not find the exact item I’m looking for, but I’ll often find something similar or better — and that’s okay.
3) It’s local! I know I said this earlier, but this is for a different reason: you can browse the selection, pick an item up and play with it, then take it home with you that day. With everyone getting used to free-​shipping, next day, two-​day, ground; people forget that retail means you pay a little more for the privileged of having what you want right then and there. Instant gratification at a premium. This is especially useful if you have a shoot going on that day, and you need a replacement bulb, a new backdrop or your camera/​card/​speedlite just died.
4) I know I bash the availability of staff later on in this review, but I have to admit: when available, the staff is friendly, courteous and helpful. They also seem, as a group, to know and love photography. I’ve had them recommend books, steer me toward products that might be more in-​line with my application, and take the time to explain differences I might not already know. Just don’t catch them when they’re busy.
5) The atmosphere. I just love it! I mean, it’s like a little slice of New York in downtown Columbus. I’m pretty sure the owner is originally from New York, as he has that downtown merchant feel about him. Everything’s new, but it’s all packed in pretty well. A well-​organized mess? Still, it appeals to me. I’m sure there are hidden rooms everywhere, out-​of-​sight.
The reason I’m giving them a solid four-​star is because whenever I go in, it seems hard to find someone free to help. I’m not saying there aren’t days, I’m sure, when there are six helpful people standing around with no one to help, twiddling their thumbs (or playing with the camera gear, more likely). Maybe I’m always going in during peak hours — always a possibility. Another thing is that the staff seem to have their «sections,» and rarely enjoy leaving their area to help. I’ve gone in to buy lights twice now, and had employees running around trying to find «the strobe guy.» Do you really need a dedicated person? The sad thing is, that after having spent the past month or two researching what I want, I probably know more about what I’m looking for than even the dedicated sales staff, and I really just need someone to drag a box up from the basement, dig?
As a part of that four-​star (you didn’t think I was that harsh, did you?) I have called a few times on the phone, and they seem to be generally confused. Helpful in person, not-​so-​helpful on the phone. It’s strange. Finally, their hours suck a little for people who work — i.e. the people who are the most likely to shop in a camera store. If they stayed open an hour later for a year, I’ll bet they increased their business significantly. They’d just need to advertise the new hours and get customers used to the new timing, as I’m sure people are currently used to the feeling that is associated with the words «closed at 6pm, WTF?!» 10am-​6pm? How about 11am to 7pm or noon to 8? Heck, just that extra hour in the evening would be enough for me 99% of the time. I wonder if I’m alone in that respect?
So, overall, love this place. It’s a bit pricey, but then again most retail is. It’s a good idea to shop locally, so that when you need something that same day, the store is still there to sell it to you. Otherwise, you’re going to have to wait.