Holiday Camera and Video

I purchased a used manual camera for my son’s high school photography class. He decided not to stay in the class, so I decided to try and sell the camera back to them. I wasn’t expecting the $ 109.00 that I paid, but I did expect them to take it back. I was told that it would cost more to service it to resale it, and that wont buy it back. My son didn’t even have the camera for 60 days. Plus I felt like the manager could have came out from wherever he was to talk to me, and explain why. How can you sell used items, but then refuse to buy used items back. To my knowledge children come there looking for these cameras for this class often, so it would’ve sold. The first time I went there looking they didn’t have any, and I was told they sold out of the used ones for the photography class at my son’s high school. With that being the case, what would have been the problem with buying back the one I bought from them? I won’t be shopping there again period. I will either go to Dodd Camera or Central Camera for future services or purchases.

This is also a GREAT toy and game store — great selection of Melissa and Doug toys, STEM games and toys and also Green Toys (made of recycled plastics). They don’t gift wrap though… Otherwise hidden toy gem!

Holiday Camera has great service and quality work. They are the best!

Pam saved My Bacon !!
I needed 35 mm film developed Fast. other places took a week and wouldn’t give back the negatives.
Pam Did it in under a hour and fixed my under exposed shots. and got my negs back
Store is clean and bright, well stocked with helpful people.
I plan on developing all my film there from now on.

AWFUL, AWFUL, AWFUL and so very RUDE !!! Terrible quality, over priced, and late. Will not use the services there ever again.

Wow! This is a great local business. I will never go any where else again for any of my photo needs. We had a death in the family. I had two days notice of the funeral and was suppose to make a photo movie to be played at the Funeral. Not only did Michael stop what he was doing and rushed my order through, he went above and beyond by making extra copies of the DVD and ensuring that all I would have to do is put the DVD in the player and it would work. It turned out beautifully. Oh, and he stayed late for me on a Sunday!
Honestly, this is the reason small businesses rule! Would a big box store have done the same thing? Thank you Michael
Oh and, they just added a small toystore with really cool educational toys for kids. Definitely check it out.

There are still a few small shops out there, somehow surviving in this age of big-​box stores and internet shopping. They rely on great customer service, among other things. One of them is Holiday Camera and Video in Oak Park.
I am a wedding videographer. Recently I shot a wedding in Oak Park when crisis occurred: the batteries for my video camera began to fail!
I had one of four batteries that seemed to hold a charge. I held panic at bay and Googled nearby camera shops. Holiday Camera and Video came up and I called them.
The man who answered the phone took the model number for my batteries and camera and investigated. He told me they didn’t have a battery that would work with my camera but would «look in the basement to see if we have anything that might help you out.»
He called me back ten minutes later to report: «we have a battery that will probably work; it won’t last long, but it will help; we have it charging now.»
Drove (recklessly fast) to Holiday Camera and Video. They gave me the battery, didn’t charge me anything, and sent me on my way with a smile and a handshake. «It’s not a problem, I could hear the desperation in your voice over the phone.»
My story is a bit unique, but it illustrates something real about Holiday Camera and Video: they honestly and sincerely care about helping customers. They want you to be satisfied. It’s not just about the money for them. Service matters for its own sake.
I recommend Holiday Camera and Video to anyone in need of a camera, video camera, prints or related product or accessory. You’ll be happy you tried them.

There isn’t many camera shops around here but this one makes up for it. They help you find exactly what you need for almost any camera model. Websites like B&H Photo and KEH just can’t beat actual people who know what they are talking about. I highly recommend this store to any photographer in the area.

I go here to develop my film and always receive friendly service. The turnaround is quick and I’ve never had a problem with my scanned negatives. They’ve also helped me figure out a problem with my Olympus om-​1 and got it working good as new. I won’t go anywhere else.

I went here for a digital print over the summer last year. It was um, okay, I guess, sort of– at least they made an effort (I suppose.) I had color corrected a print for CMYK, but the printer they had was calibrated to RGB; I was thinking it came out a bit off-​color.
While I’ve been in photography for some time; it was nice that the young lad tried to at least accommodate me with my letter sized print: unfortunately I walked away unsatisfied.
As far as hardware, I think I’d go online shopping for equipment as I tend to know what I am looking for. .. I’d expect to pay higher than market value here. They may have better customer service then that, but frankly that’s for those who are unfamiliar with the current technology. While they may benefit more, those who know what they’re after would be better off going elsewhere IMHO.
If you need print film and are in the area or enlargements, they seem okay generally; but since going digital myself, I’d be better off at a Kinko’s for digital prints. At least that’s what the results I’ve had with them (better printer calibration.)

After reading the poor reviews, I was slightly hesitant to go here, even though it would be my first-​shop local– choice.
My experience was polar opposite from the dissatisfied reviewers.
My daughter is a teen age amateur photographer. The lens suggestions were age (and budget) appropriate, as were the mini-​tripod offerings.
The man was friendly, helpful and knowledgable, making small talk about my (and his) male pattern, December 24, shopping habits. He closed the conversation offering free technical assistance if she needs it.
All in all, I was very pleased and will be back.

This was my first experience in a camera shop, since purchasing my first DSLR 7 months ago. Needless to say, the reviews about customer service are as accurate as they get. I bought a battery grip and extra battery from Holiday Camera, assisted by a super nice gentleman, and inquired about a speed lite. He suggested one, and I told him that I may be back. I returned the next day to purchase the flash. It was $ 108.99 with tax. I had researched a few off brand flashes, and figured that was a fair price. Shortly after my purchase, I looked up reviews for the light. Sure enough I found the same flash for HALF the price! At a big chain store at that. So I purchased the flash from the other store, with intentions on returning the overpriced flash to Holiday. Today I went to return it and was assisted by Mike. He asked why I was returning it, and I told him that I did not need it. He opened the box, inspected the flash and put it back in the box. I never used the flash. I never even opened the box! He then told me that he would have to mail me a check. Puzzled, I asked why, since I had paid cash for the flash. Mike said it was their policy. I then asked where that policy was printed. He stated he didn’t have to give me a refund according to Illinois law, and asked if I still wanted one. I said of course, but I’d like to know where your refund policy is printed. Mike pointed out a sign on the wall that read Holiday Camera Return Policy 5 days from purchase… I explained to him that that’s not a refund policy. I wanted to know where it stated that a cash paying customer would be mailed a check! He again insisted he didn’t have to give me a refund at all, very rudely. I asked if I could speak to a manager, he said he was. I asked about the owner, he said it stopped with him. Mike said that my check would be mailed tomorrow, 9÷25÷13. He then had me fill out what looks like a sales invoice. Below he wrote the model of the flash, and Refund 108.99. I asked him if he could write on there that he was going to mail my check, since it appeared on the slip that he had already given me a refund. He wrote Check to be mailed… I asked him to write the date he said he’d mail the check… he declined. He did agree to write his name on the slip, then told me that I wanted a refund for an item I used. LOL! I pulled out the flash I had purchased for half price. I told him I have a flash, no need to use yours. He then asked «why did you even buy it?»
Grueling experience. Poor customer service. Very rude management. I would never purchase anything from this shop again. And would suggest that anyone thinking about shopping at Holiday, not do so, unless you’re okay with poor service. I would rate them at 0 stars if I could.

DO NOT GO HERE. If I could give this place no ratings I would.
I brought my SLR Camera in for repairs. They said to come back in two days, so I did, but they said they needed another day and that it would cost $ 50 to fix and to pay then, so I did. When I came back in, I was told my camera was repaired, but I tested it IN THE SHOP right then and there and it didn’t work. The salesperson was embarrassed and took it in the back. A man came out of the back room and loudly said, «What did you do to it?» to her, then took my camera and went back to fix it… again. The salesperson apologized and told me to come back in three MORE days. I explained that I was moving to New York on Sunday so that it had to be prepared by then, or else I wanted a full refund. She said understood and that it should be fine. I came back the last time to get my camera the day before I had to leave, tested in the shop, and it still did not work. The woman said to take it home and play with it and if it didn’t work to bring it back in. I was frustrated and explained, AGAIN, that I couldn’t bring it back because I was moving, but if it still didn’t work in a few days I wanted the refund. Obviously, it still didn’t work. So I called to try to get a refund and the manager said that they didn’t do that in the store (???) and that if I wanted the camera fixed I would have to mail the camera (really? PAY to mail a camera from New York to Chicago?) to them.
NEVER. GOING. BACK.

I’m a local businessman and believe in the «buy local» idea. Not here, not any more.
I bought a camera here a week ago, after telling the clerk how I would use it and what I wanted it for. Fixed me right up. When I got home, the features he bragged about didn’t work. The software that came with the camera wouldn’t even let me name the photos.
I went back today. The guy who sold me the camera wasn’t in. The woman who waited on me was friendly, but clueless. The manager or owner came out, and before I could even finish explaining the problem, he threw up his hands and said, «That’s the software, not the camera.» I replied, «it’s the software that came with the camera.» He scurried back to his office, never to be seen again.
Go to Costco; at least then, you’ll have no expectation of service.

Great place for passport photos. Friendly, local, and they have good advice about purchases, etc. Fixed my camera in one day for a reasonable fee.

Thoroughly unimpressed.
Hadn’t shot 35 mm B&W film in a while, so one afternoon I decided to shoot a few photos. Brought 3 rolls into Holiday Camera to get developed.
After dropping off my film and letting them know what I wanted back in prints, I asked for a ballpark estimation of what the cost would be. The woman behind the counter said she had no idea. «Really?» I asked. Nope, no way of telling. I let it go at the time, but wished I hadn’t later when the cost was far more than I anticipated. Whoever is working the register should at least be able give a BALLPARK estimation.
I was told that my prints would be ready in a week, and that I’d get a call, but I was never contacted by anyone, I had to follow up myself.
Then, upon receiving my prints, each and every photo is developed incredibly poorly. They were developed with absolutely no artfulness, and left me wishing I still had access to a dark room so I could redevelop them myself.
A waste of money.

DO NOT EVER EVER EVER bring a repair here! Read the reviews and stay away. My lens was dropped off for repair and I got it back, after promised time, then it still was not working. I returned it days later and they had it for a month and a half! stay away. AND PARKING SUCKS!
…Why can’t i give zero stars?

I came in here a few weeks ago looking for a uv filter and a cleaning kit. It’s true, the options they have are limited. The girl behind the counter was very helpful and got what I needed. I inquired about a tripod because I have been wanting to get one. She got the owner for me and he helped me with my questions. He even steered me away from some of the more expensive ones because he said they weren’t what I needed. I was even given a 10% discount on my purchase.
It’s a nice place to come and get some of the smaller things you need for your camera.

This used to be a good story five to six years ago, back when it was part of the Helix franchise. For a small store it was extremely well stocked, and had many good options for just about every routine need a photographer would have. The staff was friendly, and the prices very reasonable.
In the last five years, the store has left the Helix franchise, and changed names (and I presume owners) a couple times. First it was Oak Park camera was okay, but not as well stocked as Helix was. Now it’s Holiday.
Holiday camera is poorly stocked and seems to somehow magically only have the most expensive brands available. Need a 4gb CF card (average price $ 9 – 15). Expect to pay $ 30! Need a USB media reader (average price $ 7 – 15)? $ 30 on the drum.
Then there’s the employees. It can take awhile to get help here… unless you stand by the case with all the new DSLRs looking like you want to buy one.
And once I went in to get a 11×14 print made only to found out they can’t print that size. Flat what?
Finally, as an anecdote of what kind of place this is, then there was the time I went in there to buy a 35 mm prime lens. (This was fairly early into the Holiday era, before I’d noticed their habit of charging extreme prices for small items).
I asked if they had a 35 mm lens in stock for a Nikon mount. The clerk (the owner, I think) looked at me weird and asked «what do you mean? for a 35 mm camera?» Apparently, he thought I was confusing focal lengths and film formats. «A Nikon 35 mm prime lens, it’s got an f2 apature» I explained. The clerk told me he didn’t have one in stock, and in fact had not even been asked about such a lens in years. I found this rather hard to believe, given that 35 mm is the equivalent of a 50 mm lens on most digital SLRs, but he didn’t really seem to understand why anyone would want such a thing, and tried to sell me a 50 mm prime lens (I didn’t buy it).
I like to support local camera stores as much as possible, and only order online when I can’t find what I need locally. However, Holiday is permanently off my list. If it’s a choice between local camera stores, I’ll go to LaGrange or even Helix (large but local). If it’s a choice between ordering online and buying from Holiday, I’m using the internets… not that Holiday’s stock is diverse enough that they’d ever have anything I couldn’t find elsewhere and probably for less.

So like others on these reviews, I wanted to support the local guy, but was extremely disappointed.
3 main bad reasons. 1. Customer Service 2. Quality 3. The Owner
1. Customer service. Not sure what’s going on at this place, but no one smiles. No one is happy. Especially the goth girl. I had several special photo things I wanted done. I though I gave pretty clear directions. They wrote those down. They even called me confused after I left. I clarified and thought everything was going to be OK. It wasn’t.
I arrive to pick up my orders that I placed earlier in the day. I checked out. I had several items in odd shaped little bags. She told me they were out of shopping bags. Normally I wouldn’t care, but this time I really needed one. It was cold and wet outside. I wanted to protect what I had. She made no effort to get one.
2. Quality. One print I had made came back looking like a pixelated image from Google or something. I was a professional slide. No reason to look this bad.
At check out, I decided to look over the work they did and realized that as per my order that they wrote down on the work order, I was missing half my prints. When I asked the goth girl, she said it was another persons responsibility. I asked if she could please print what I needed and she directed me to the owner.
3. The owner. So I asked him if he would reprint my order I placed that was missed. I told him I was in earlier and made it clear that I needed these prints by the close of the day I visited. He told me the machine was down for the day and sorry. Then walked away! Didn’t make any effort to seriously apologize, offer a discount, come back another time for free or anything. Just walked away from me while I was talking to him.
I went to this place years ago when it was in another location. Never came back because of poor customer service and over priced products. Looks like it will be another 10 years, if they last that long, before I will try again.
I suggest pass on this business. Not worth the headaches of no parking, poor customer service, sub par quality workmanship and high prices.
Shame on them.