camera stores in Scotland (Edinburgh, Glasgow)?

[cam]

i will be in Edinburgh/Glasgow for the holidays (21 December -2 January). are there any great camera stores that are likely to carry used M-Mount lenses?

it seems many of the old shops are no longer there.... i'd appreciate it if anybody can point me in the right direction.

thank you in advance,
cam

 

[peter_n]

Scotland has one of the best camera shops in the UK (Ffordes) but unfortunately it is way north of Glasgow/Edinburgh near Inverness. If your plan is to export (VAT free) you can look up their used Leica inventory online and perhaps get a lens delivered to you in Scotland with the requisite paperwork so that you can claim your VAT rebate at your port of departure. The owner is Steve Byford and he will almost certainly respond to your email request to the info@ address on their web site. I have bought from them and can recommend them to you.

 

[spysmart]

The only traditional shop left in Edinburgh is http://www.camerabase.demon.co.uk/home.html on Morningside Road. It's also home upstairs to Cameratics repair.

They normally have LTM, M and R stuff and a good selection of other classic cameras and lenses. I've never seen anything truly exotic, but I did buy a GR-1s from them.

The real treasure trove is Ffordes in Beauly if you get up nearer Inverness.

 

[cam]

thank you so much, peter!

we have some extra days (going there to be with boyfriend's family) and can probably hop the train.... i have major lens lust, but have learned the hard way that it's much better to test the said lens yourself to see if it's your cup of tea.

i've been a little frustrated with my experiences in some of the used Paris camera stores -- i'm female, i'm American, and my spoken french sucks. they always show me the most expensive lenses, even as i'm looking for some sleepers -- older, inexpensive ones that are users not collector bobs.... and i have to learn not to smile so much 🙂

 

[cam]

thank you, spysmart!

that's saves me a lot of time. i'd already heard about the stores that closed in Glasgow (where the family is from) and imagined endless walking, trying to find the gems. i'd much rather be playing with lens and taking pictures!

eta: my boyfriend just informed that there is a good pub nearby so i know he'll be happy 😉

 

[HarryW]

Ffordes

Ffordes

Hi,
Best to check with Ffordes what their holiday arrangements are over the festive period. Probably because of their rural location they do not open Saturday or Sunday and since Christmas is on a Thursday, they might have an extended holiday.
The other thing to say is that Ffordes are in Beauly which is about seven or eight miles outside Inverness. Train journey is about three hours from Edinburgh or Glasgow.
Great shop - Happy lens hunting.

Harry

 

[cam]

thank you, Harry. very good point! i've spent the last few years in a very small town in Normandie where everything was closed and before that it was in Los Angeles where everything was open...

i do hope they don't do the closure between Christmas and Hogmanay. we were on Islay for one holiday and all the distilleries were closed in that period (not that we didn't stay at a lovely hotel with a peat fire and every whiskey under the sun).

i will cross my fingers and send off an email in the morning -- to both those stores.

again, many thanks to all!

 

[ColinW]

Another good place in Glasgow was Quiggs. It shut down recently but reopened with the same staff and same stock, but a different owner and different name!

I haven't been since it reopened but always enjoyed it when I visted it as Quiggs. Try this link and aw ra best fur ra Bells! 🙂

http://www.merchantcitycameras.com/

 

[DeeCee3]

Shandwick Place

Shandwick Place

I've been to E'enbro several times and stayed, once, at the Maitland Hotel on Shandwick Place. Almost directly next door was a branch of the large UK chain of camera shops, Jessop's, and across the street and up aways towards Princes Street was a really nice and upscale shop which, as memory serves me, was a Leica dealer. The name of the store has left me now but if it is still there, it would be worth your while to look it up.

Have a great trip!

dc3

 

[Fraser]

I've been to E'enbro several times and stayed, once, at the Maitland Hotel on Shandwick Place. Almost directly next door was a branch of the large UK chain of camera shops, Jessop's, and across the street and up aways towards Princes Street was a really nice and upscale shop which, as memory serves me, was a Leica dealer. The name of the store has left me now but if it is still there, it would be worth your while to look it up.

Have a great trip!

dc3

Thats Lizars they don't carry much secondhand stock, I would say the best camera shop in Edinburgh as already mentioned is camerabase in morningside I've bought quite a lot of things there including a 35mm pre-asph, they will give you a discount 99% of the time on secondhand stuff if you ask!

 

[Matthew Allen]

There is one other used place in Edinburgh, down Dalry Road:

"Murray Donald Photography, 246-247 Dalry Road, Edinburgh, EH11 2JG" (no website)

It's an odd little shop but sometimes has interesting stuff. I got one really serious Pentax bargain there and IIRC he has some FSU RF gear as well as the usual other makes. He may not have any M lenses but it'd be worth giving him a call.

Matthew

 

[cam]

thank you all!

my boyfriend gets especially happy when a camera store is near a pub -- thusly, making me happy, so i can troll leisurely.... and, if it softens him up enough to buy me a film camera and not b*tch about turning our tiny apartment into a development lab, all the better!

oh, and, Colin, very happy to hear about Quiggs. it used to be one of my boyfriend's father's favourite haunts!

 

[cam]

in case anyone else is interested, Ffordes will be open on the 29th and 30th
between 9-5.30pm 😀

 

[OdDbaLL]

I lived in lovely Glasgow for 7 years and I'll give another shout for Quiggs (Merchant City Cameras...how shi-shi). I've never known them to carry a very large stock of M gear but the staff (like everyone in Glasgow) is very friendly and knowledgable.