Bennett’s Camera

Very knowledgeable staff can help you do just about anything from buying 35 mm film to reframing historical photographs to picking out the best camera for you!

Bennett’s you get it! A+ for customer service for sure. Everyone is super knowledgeable on their cameras and lenses. I haven’t had anything framed here so I am not entirely sure about them, but once I do, I’ll definitely update this review.
I ordered photos online for the next day and if you order before midnight you should be able to pick them up in store right after 5pm the next day. If you order before 2pm, you will receive them earlier the next day. I proceeded to order prints online to pick up in store and my credit card kept acting up and charging me for prints, but never giving me a confirmation that they were ordered. So of course the smart thing to do is keep doing it and 4x later I said forget this!
I called the next day and spoke to Carl to make sure they weren’t printing these 4x! Carl was very helpful, he offered me a 100% discount code and the prints to be ready the next day even though they didn’t go through successfully the night before. I was able to use the discount and had my credit card been charged they would have reimbursed me the 3 extra times. So happy with the customer service and the quality of the prints! You really should spend the extra 10 cents here to print your pictures… it’s worth it! They also have frames and photo books and a clearance section with 25% and sometimes more of a discount! I bought a photo book that was originally $ 14 for $ 6! You can’t even find that at Walgreens! Do yourself a favor and try this place for your next printing session or if you want to discuss what lens or camera purchase is best!

Whenever I am stumped by functions on any of the digital cameras i use, Gil Rubman has been able to show me how to operate the camera. If you want info on what gear is right for you, this is a great place to come.

I was in the market for a new dSLR. I buy a lot of stuff online, but this type of purchase I like to touch and try before I buy. So I searched online for a local camera store, WOW they’re almost all gone. It’s pretty hard for them to compete with online (Amazon…) prices and selection, and it’s not fair to the local guy, since so often you don’t have to pay local sales tax when buying online. Even though I would have to pay over $ 100 in sales tax, I decided, based on reviews, to go to Bennett’s.
I’m glad I did. I spoke with a salesperson on the phone before I went there to verify they had the camera I was interested in. They only had 1 left. I asked if they would hold it for me since I had to drive 50 miles each way to get there. The salesperson said no problem, I was a little surprised they would do that.
When I got there the place was packed! I guess when you’re the only game in town, business is good with the crowd that wants service and to try before you buy. At first after waiting about 10 minutes for help, I thought maybe this was a bad idea, but in that time, I saw how the salespeople were taking the time to really help the customers, so I stuck around. There were 4 guys helping customers buying cameras, so it wasn’t like there weren’t enough salespeople for the size of the place, at least IMO.
I wanted to have the guy I talked to on the phone help me, but there were already 3 people ahead of me waiting for him (if you read other reviews you’ll see him mentioned a lot), so I just worked with the next salesperson that was available. They had the camera waiting for me with my name on it and even fully charged the battery so I could try it and use it right away if I bought it.
The salesperson that helped me answered all my questions and took some time to show me a few things. These new dSLRs are so complex, you could spend hours showing someone all the features and for me that’s a good thing since I love me some cool gadgets. There was one feature I was interested in that they could not help me with but I guess I couldn’t expect them to know every little thing about every camera they sell (probably 20 — 30 different dSLRs).
Their prices for cameras and lenses were competitive but I thought the prices of the accessories (filters, equipment bags, memory cards…) were a bit high and I got the impression that they weren’t going to give any discounts no matter how much you bought.
TL;DR
Overall a very good experience. A solid 4 stars, the only reason I didn’t give Bennett’s 5 stars, is if they are always that busy, they should expand the place and hire more people.

I’ve been letting them develop my film for years because, lets face it, Bennett’s is surviving off a shortage of real competitors. And, okay, every time (many times) they’ve fucked up requested scanning or printing, they’ve (with minimal arguing) taken it back and re-​done it. So when my 35 mm recently started messing up my film and I couldn’t figure out what was wrong, I brought it to Bennett’s.
I received a lesson in condescension from the rando at the counter, who took it upon himself to teach me how to rewind a camera I’ve been using for a decade. When I explained politely that I know how to use the thing, he told me to take it home and «just try.»
Dude, if yr assuming I don’t know how to use my equipment because I’m a hot young woman, I’ve got no more business with Bennett’s. And if you just turned away my business for the hell of it… I’ve got no more business with Bennett’s.

Bennett’s Camera is my favorite shop of its kind in the metropolitan area.
When I was looking to buy a new camera, I had no idea where to go. I had always used simple point and shoot cameras, but it was time to step up to a real camera. I did an enormous amount of research and finally determined what brand and type I wanted. I was all set to head to Best Buy and buy the camera with two kit lenses until someone recommended I give Bennett’s a try. I was surprised to learn that the prices there were the exact same as at Best Buy. What was not the same was the level of customer service I received.
When I walked in I was immediately greeted. I explained why I was there, and that I was a novice when it came to photography. I knew what I wanted, but what I didn’t know was that I was about to make a huge mistake. While the kit lenses were great, the employee recommended I trade in one of the kit lenses and get a better lens that had greater zoom capability. He could have easily sold me what I originally wanted, but he listened to what I wanted and made a solid recommendation. The lens he recommended has become my absolute favorite lens. I use it 90% of the time even though I’ve bought different lenses since my initial purchase.
After owning that lens for several months. it somehow became significantly damaged. I needed it repaired or a new lens and knew right where to go. The staff at Bennett’s helped me make an informed decision and now my lens is better than new.
I cannot say enough good things about the customer service at Bennett’s. Regardless of your level of expertise, these people know cameras and can help you more than you could imagine. If you are in the market for anything related to photography, come to Bennett’s and you won’t be disappointed.

I stop by this place every time i’m in New Orleans. There are a few camera stores in the area I visited, but this one was the only one that was legit. I mean, other shops sold mostly third party gear. And to top that, the prices were sky high. (Bennett’s are not cheap, but they are competitive).
Disposition
Friendly, knowledgeable, and willing to sell you something. Their not just sitting there waiting for you to be polite, but at the same time they back off if you tell them your just looking.
OOPs! I returned something.
I purchased a rolling Bag, (I left my bag and gear at the house). When i god home, I realized that my camera bodies didn’t fit. They were too tall. Apparently this bag could not carry pro, (or cameras with vertical grip) bodies. Disappointed, i stopped by there on my way to the airport.
I RETURNED It, no questions asked.
I will visit again.

I HATE NEW ORLEANS TRAFFIC (and Jeff Parish is even worse) and I still drive from Uptown to Metairie to get my film developed here.
SOMETIMES SPECIALTY RETAIL EMPLOYEES ARE DICKS! True, but they’re professors and you’re the student that’s late for class. In my experience at Bennett’s the staff were COURTEOUS and PATIENT and THOROUGH. You’d be a dick too if you got dumb questions all day long. The only way a human being can show compassion in the face of ignorance is if they are TRULY PASSIONATE about their work, which they are. That’s not a famous quote. I just made it up. You can quote me though.
WHY IS IT CHEAPER ON AMAZON? Everything is cheaper on Amazon because NO ONE HELPS YOU on Amazon. And you need help. Pay for the help. When you factor in the price to ship it to you and then ship it back to them and then ship it to you again because you bought the wrong thing, it’s not cheaper on Amazon.
Your photographs are expressions of your life and the best way to relive your fleeting glory days. Don’t be lazy about expressing yourself and reliving your glory days. Unless you’re a philistine or a nihilist. Then, y’know, it’s whatever.

Friendly professional advice. They listen, advise of pros & cons then recommend. Very happy with Bennett’s.

My first experience in this store was very positive. My family was in town, and one of them forgot their battery charger for their DSLR camera. We stopped in here and got a top notch charger. It was a bit expensive, but it was not a knock off brand, so it was to be expected. 4 stars for that visit!
My next visit however was considerably less pleasant. My family member had decided to not bring the charger home with them, as they had several already at home. They gave me the charger and receipt that assured returns if they were within 2 weeks of the purchase. Since the charger was barely used, and my first experience there had been so pleasant I figured it would not be a problem to pop in after work one day and return it as per my family member’s wishes.
Boy, was I wrong. I was verbally scolded several times by the person I interacted with, and was told that in my family’s home state they may do things differently, but that was not how they did things here. I felt very uncomfortable and despite explaining that I agreed and was doing as I was asked, they were quite chilly and condescending towards me. I was given store credit, and was reminded ‘not to lose the gift card’ I was given. I am aware that I may look somewhat younger than my years, but I was spoken to as if I were a petulant 13 year old. Other employees carried on around me while this went on as if nothing was amiss, so I suspect that this issue is not simply a lone crabby employee. I felt very disrespected and if I did not have the store credit, I probably would not go back. 1 star for that visit!

The employees here saved Thanksgiving! I was in New Orleans for the holiday, and had forgotten the battery charger for my DSLR back in Austin, and my battery was totally dead. After discovering I couldn’t charge it any other way, I went here to get a new charger, because I wasn’t about to not take pictures. Alas, they didn’t have the charger I needed in stock. But they were able to charge it for me, which they did for free, leaving me with plenty of juice for the holiday. I appreciate the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff in getting me what I needed to get great Thanksgiving photos.

If you don’t want to read my dissertation below, feel free to read just the last paragraph that pretty much sums everything up.
The last week of March, I went out looking for a dSLR camera. My goal was to purchase it by the end of the week to take on a vacation with me. I originally went to Lakeside Camera Photoworks, as I knew several people who have been happy with their experiences there, but was highly disappointed in the service. So disappointed in fact I made a trip to Bennett’s hoping for better help!
And y’all, to say I was impressed with Bennett’s is like saying the Grand Canyon is big. It just doesn’t begin to describe how much I LOVE going into Bennett’s.
When I walked in, I was acknowledged by the friendly staff and was quickly directed to go talk to Gil. I started by telling him that I went to Lakeside originally but that I needed someone to sell me a camera. I told him that they had suggested to me the Canon Rebel T2i and the Nikon D3100. I also told him just a few of the things I wanted to do with the camera. He almost instantly told me which camera he thought was best for me. When I indicated I wanted to tell him more about what I wanted, he just let me talk. And when I was done, he really started to TEACH me about the camera he thought was best for me, the Nikon D3100.
He started showing me different features of the camera telling me why it was good for me. Lakeside REFUSED to tell me about any of the features until I PURCHASED a camera. So, Gil told me about the camera and then, he put it in my hand, came to my side of the counter and taught me about using it. It was awesome!
I started talking to Gil about 20 minutes before my husband was able to join me at Bennett’s. When he walked in the door, I was ready to buy the camera! I had talked to Lakeside for almost 2 hours and only left more confused! After 20 minutes, I was ready to purchase after talking to Gil! It was amazing.
And then, Gil took all of that information and told me about a lens he thought would serve me well. And, he put it in my hands, and he told me about. And he showed me how it worked. And he told me what to look at to understand how the lens was good. He educated me to make my own decision. I was ready to purchase both the lens and the camera after an hour.
But, I couldn’t purchase that day. We needed to move some money around to be able to purchase. We told Gil that we would be back by the end of the week to purchase, and he didn’t hesitate to let us walk out the door. He only told us to take our time and make sure we were ready! So, we moved the money around and came back the next day.
When I got there, Gil was ready for me. He remembered what we had talked about, when I said we were buying, he got me all set up. He made sure everything was in working order and gave me some pointers to work the camera. He also reviewed what we talked about the day before. I felt well equipped to take this brand new camera on vacation and that I was going to bring home great photos.
I have had the camera for almost 2 months and I love it! Gil did a fabulous job selling me the camera that was perfect for me.
But, my pleasure with Bennett’s and Gil did not end at purchasing the camera. I came back about a month later to discuss an issue I was having taking pictures in low light situations. Gil really impressed me, he not only remembered me, but he also remember the camera he sold me. And when he sold me on another lens, he absolutely understood that I was going to have to wait to make the purchase. Matter of fact, he even said that the rebate running on the lens was run regularly and that should not pressure me to purchase earlier than I was ready!
If you are considering buying a camera, please, please, please go to Bennett’s camera and talk to Gil! You will not be disappointed! And, if you look around, you might just see me up there picking Gil’s brain about something. He is very knowledgeable and he loves to share his knowledge with you!

I have used Bennett’s Camera almost exclusively for the last few years. While I occasionally use B&H for some equipment, I use Bennett’s primarily for camera purchases and additional support.
Bennett’s carries Cannon, Nikon, and Olympus SLR and point & shoot cameras. They also have glass for those systems in addition to cheaper Tamron lenses. You’re not going to find an exhaustive list of every piece of glass for each system but they will outfit you with little trouble.
They carry other staples of studio and field photography, from a varying selection of bags (including Think Tank products), tripods, heads, studio lights, and flash modifiers. With the exception of issues we experienced trying to order a particular amperage of AA rechargeable batteries (a manufacturer issue) I usually leave with what I intended to purchase.
Where Bennett’s excels is their knowledge and support. The Camera sales staff is helpful and acknowledge customers as they walk in even if they are already working with another. They work with novice users and professionals patiently helping them troubleshoot problems and facilitate manufacturer repairs, including one case with a camera that my business partner did not purchase there.
To put a point on the level of service I’ve received there: I had a camera break right before a wedding and didn’t feel starting the day with the backup was prudent. I called Bennett’s and Gil had a new camera out of the box, ready with straps and a battery grip attached needing only our lens and batteries. He also prepared the paperwork to send off the broken camera. One camera exchange, a card swipe, and two signatures later we were back in route to the wedding.
You don’t get that kind of service from online retailers.

This camera shop has come through for me a few times by now so I owe them a little props!
Usually, I’ll log onto
to purchase my photography needs, but when I need instant gratification, Bennett’s is my store.
It’s not the largest camera store, but they do have the essentials — lens filters, bags, instructional booklets, camera lens, flashes, camera bodies — just not too much aside from Canon and Nikon, I believe. However, all those things are noticeably more expensive here than on
.. . Except maybe the filters, which is what I mostly buy!
I’ve used the photo printing service for a school event and the photos, although more expensive than Walmart and Walgreens, turned out rather nicely.
I haven’t ventured into any other camera shops in New Orleans or Metairie since this one fits the bill for me. Check it out if you require any camera gear! Just don’t bet on having a lot of choices.