LA Area photo stores

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Berliner

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Anyone know if there are any brick & morter photo stores in the LA area (Irvine actually)that have a good RF selection? I will be visiting on business in a few days.

Thanks,
 
there's a camera show on sunday, the 21st. Camera Expo 801 E. Carson St, Carson CA. you can google the address to see if it's close to you. The stores here only carry Leica. a few stores have display cases w/ rangefinders that are not for sale, part of a personal collection i guess.
 
If in Irvine, you are not far from Cal's Cameras on Bristol in Costa Mesa. I believe they are Leica dealers and have a used department.
 
Check out Camera West. I've never been there myself, but when I was looking for used Leicas as Cal's, they directed me Camera West.

27680-B Marguerite Pkwy.
Mission Viejo, CA 92692
949-347-1276 Voice
949-347-1227 Fax
 
I second Camera West - although the last time I was there was 1.5 yrs ago, they had two shelves with M's Barnack's and lenses. Staff there seemed knowledgeable

Samy's Camera has a tiny Leica shelf with a new black MP and an very user M4. I think they also had a new M7... [SIZE=-1]3309b S. Bristol St. Santa Ana, CA 92704 Tel: 714-557-9400


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I work at Fullerton Cameras, but at the moment we don't have much in the way of Rangefinders. Just a rough M3 and a few threadmount Leica.

Camera West probably has the best selection. I don't know what the have in right now but good guys there anyways. We know the owner, Roozbeh, quite well.

EDIT: and btw.. How dare you say LA area and then tell us Orange County! Sheeeeesh. The nerve of some people!
 
I was wondering too about that L.A./Irvine connection. Maybe he's from Connecticutt or some such place. It seems that these days Samy's is the place to go. I've been to their Pasadena and Santa Barbara stores, but not the main one on Fairfax.

Although I don't live in the L.A. area any more, I did for 39 years, and I still found myself missing the good old days up at Frank's in Highland Park. It was sortof the L.A. version of B&H, I guess. Bought a lot of my equipment there.
 
Camera West

Camera West

About the only place in Irvine where you will have a chance is really Camera West. They are actually located in Mission Viejo and it's not too difficult to get there. They have a few Leica's in stock and could probably get something from their sister store in Monterey pretty easily. They also have an Ikon in house (or did a couple of weeks ago) as well as Mamiya 7 and a 6 I believe.

Great staff and really a good bunch of guys.

Samy's on Bristol had a couple Mamiya 7's in their used cabinet the other day but that was about it.

Cal's Camera in Costa Mesa doesn’t have much of anything these days that isn't digital but someone did pick up an M8 that they just happened to have a few weeks ago.

That's about it. If you want see me a PM and I cna help with directions. I live in Laguna Niguel and work in Irvine.

Regards,

Larry
 
Thanks for all the suggestions. I may check out a couple of places. Sorry about the geography..LA..Irvine..its all one bloody traffic-jam to me!
 
Samy's Cameras...though the customer service is vile (only for the lack of it), is my favorite place on Earth. It's my personal Disneyland.

I have not been to Freestyle. I went to Calumet, and the service was primo, but the store looks like they bought a huge space and never knew what to do with it. It looks impermanent.
 
Samy's on Fairfax is an interesting experience. Something fun about going to a 3 story camera store. Nevermind that Canters deli is right down the street too for lunch ;)
 
i just remembered that samy's fairfax has a Bronica 645 rangefinder in the large format section of the store. it's been there for at least 7 or 8 months.
 
Berliner - one thing you sure got right - the traffic jam. I lived with it for 39 years, and it progressively got worse. Even new freeways just take up the slack - if there is any.

You'll need a rental car or something to cover the places mentioned. Fairfax Avenue to Mission Viejo is something of a trip. Good luck, and I hope you find something useful.
 
canter's is great, except for one thing.

44491956_8e52dd0db3.jpg
 
If you get to Irvine check out Pro Photo connection. When I worked there up to about three years ago we always had some used Leicas in stock. The guys always claimed that was my fault, but maybe some of my old customers are still dropping off stuff for consignment.
 
Check out the Used Camera Store Accross the street from Cals in Costa Mesa. They always have good stuff. My favorite new (to me ) place is Fullerton camera on Beach Blvd. in Fullerton. I just bought a cool Steinheil 85mm LTM lens there for a reasonably fair price. Nice folks, good selection. The owner shoots medium format panoramas and has them displayed in the store.
 
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