Fireside Camera

LOVE this place! The staff is so friendly and helpful. They’ve come through for me time and time again — whether it’s a replacement battery, camera charger or memory cards — they’ve got it all. For such a small store, I’m always surprised at their stocked inventory. They have never not had something I’ve been looking for. Come here instead of Best Buy… you’ll be so happy you did.

I purchased from Fireside because I wanted to support a local company — I could have purchased online for the same price. But I definitely regret that decision.
They sold me a damaged Canon 6D (which was supposed to be «new») and it ended up having to go back to manufacturer for repair before I even got a chance to shoot on it, which took two full weeks. They offered me nothing to shoot on in the meantime. But on top of that, the way they treated me during this process was unbelievable. They acted like it was something I did to the camera, didn’t keep me updated during the repair process, and were unapologetic at the end. I spent over $ 2000 at the store between a camera body, lenses and accessories. And I wish I hadn’t.
Be cautious and don’t expect much in terms of customer service.

Disappointed. Might have helped if I had had my camera with me but … Described the problem I was having and the work around I was using … Asked if they could repair that. The young man behind the counter basically told me that I was better off using the work around — essentially telling me that the feature I wanted repaired on my camera wasn’t that special. Then told me he would sell me a part that I had just explained to him that I had swapped out and knew wasn’t the problem. Clearly wasn’t listening, didn’t want the business, or didn’t know how to fix it. I actually think the camera probably needs a thorough cleaning … Feel like if I had asked for that he would’ve said it was better dirty.

LOVE THIS PLACE. Sure it’s not an enormous camera super store but don’t under estimate how much they have! Came in today for the second time to get some lens filters today, got a Zeiss lens (before anyone else had it in stock– the batis ²⁵⁄₂) the first time I came in. I just can’t say enough about how friendly and helpful the staff are. If it was me, running a shop on chestnut street, I’d go nuts — but these guys LOVE to get questions and explain even the most basic to advanced concepts to you.
Asked about a Leica camera — got a full tour of its features. After a decade of being an Amazon prime-​fresh member, this shop makes me remember what made brick and mortars so great! :)

Lifesavers! I discovered my camera was not working 3 days into a vacation. I stopped by this shop in desperation not really expecting an easy solution. Not only did the guy who waited on me quickly diagnose and fix the problem but refused to charge me. Highly recommend!

These guys are so helpful– I go for all of my camera needs and they solve all of my wacky camera issues. So glad they are in the hood.

I love Fireside Camera! I’ve now bought two cameras and a lens from them. I love supporting a local business that has competitively priced products, knowledgeable staff, a great selection and sales staff who are helpful and friendly. Jack was awesome and answered all of my questions on the phone and clearly explained the various model options. It made the purchase process quick and easy when I went into the store. If you’re in the market for a new camera or accessories, you should shop at Fireside as you won’t find a better selection, better price or more knowledgable staff anywhere else!

Great service. Nice to support local shops.

I was taking my family out around SF when my DSLR battery died. I called Fireside to see if they happened to have any charged batteries readily available. They offered to charge a battery for me before I came, and they even offered to use a used battery, which saved me money! So happy I called them and was able to take pictures for the day!

So nice to have an actual camera store with people who know things about photography. The beauty of this place is that they normally will have everything in stock so you can actually put hands on the product before buying.

The best camera store, knowledgeable staff, great explanations, great range of price points, and undivided attention… this is the place to go for a camera

These guys are great! I’m a local photographer and have come in several times w/​questions about lenses, cameras, etc. and they’ve all been happy to help. I bring my camera in for cleaning and they do a terrific job. It’s a treat to have an independent, conveniently located camera store w/​knowledgeable employees.

In this age of «buy everything online,’ these kind of full service camera stores are becoming quite rare. Fireside Camera proves the value of a brick and mortar camera buying experience. Staff are friendly, experienced and knowledgeable. There is a complete selection here, from cheap point and shoots to drool-​worthy Leicas. Prices meet or beat online vendors based upon my research. Well worth a visit.

Owning and operating a brick and mortar shop of any kind in the internet age can’t be easy, even more so when you are selling non-​essentials such as camera and video gear. I’ve shopped and bought camera gear at Fireside for over ten years, and my experiences there have always been very positive.
Even when I go in for some small inexpensive items, I’ve been treated as a valued customer, with no hard-​sell, or trying to convince me that I need to buy more stuff. Just solid, expert advice when needed.
The best part about dealing in-​person is the chance to see and handle the actual items, and unlike most camera stores, the people at Fireside had no problem when I asked to look at a camera that I was curious about, even after I told them I didn’t plan on purchasing it, but was just curious about the size and weight of the camera.
Those I’ve dealt with there were all good people, courteous and knowledgeable, and best of all, willing to answer my sometimes dumb questions, without treating me like I was asking dumb questions. Try doing that at Best Buy and see what happens!
And for those who are convinced that buying online is always cheaper, consider this: When you find a low price online, that price is from one of many dozens or even hundreds of sites, most of which usually are priced even higher than the one brick and mortar store you are comparing that one low price to. So, it can’t be called a fair comparison. Add to that the fact that online returns can be a major hassle, often taking weeks to complete. It all boils down to what you think your time is worth.
I’ll definitely be going back to Fireside.

The team here is always extremely helpful and I feel they are looking out for the customer. From picking up my BorrowLenses rental to purchasing filters from the shop. The team here has always been kind, by going as far as checking the «bargain bin» for a discounted item that I was already going to purchase!
Thanks for being awesome and helpful!

Good friendly, informative, easygoing staff. Good collection of lenses… loved this shop.

This review is on behalf of my hubby who has shopped here for various photography needs on a few different occasions that I happened to witness. They are very knowledgeable with all their equipment and have an educated answer for anything you ask them. They have a good selection of cameras and equipment and keep in mind the store is small. From lenses to cameras to SD cards, to memory cards, to tripods, to picture frames, to camera bags, to photo printing kiosks. This is definitely our neighborhood «go to» camera store.

So sad to have to say this. Whenever I’ve walked into Fireside I have never felt welcomed in any way. As a beginner, I asked many questions & every response that I got from them was backed with a «well what do you think?» kind of expression. Making a big purchase, such as ones first DSLR, should be easy and sorry to say, but it was not. I understand that making money is an important factor to small businesses, but at least try to hide it with customer service. So disappointed.

I had a great experience here. They are very helpful with teaching you how to use your camera for your specific needs. The prices slightly higher than online but not by much. I decided to buy most of my equipment here so I could get the occasional help as needed when I have trouble or questions about my camera.
Fireside has friendly, helpful people and better prices than I would expect.

Emergency situation! My wife had a last minute shoot and we couldn’t find the charger for her 5D. I called Fireside sure enough they had an aftermarket one in stock. I said great, I’ll be by in ten minutes.
The associate was ready for me when I arrived and he made sure the charger was working with the battery I brought. He noted that my battery was gummed up and took the time to show me how to clean it so it would properly charge. This was my first experience at Fireside and I really didn’t expect that kind of service for a $ 30 part.
It was awesome that their prices were competitive with Amazon, awesomer that they’re so conveniently located, and awesomest for all the warm fuzzies I walked out the door with.