San Jose Camera & Video

Just dropped in with my dad looking for a Nikon 1, even though we basically came as they were closing. The employee was so helpful! I wish I got her name. She willingly answered all of my dad’s questions, of which there were many. Very nice, and very knowledgable about their products! Can’t really ask for more.

I went into San Jose Camera because my Casio camera’s battery was jammed and unremovable. Jim took a look at it, removed the swollen battery. Turned out the battery had swollen from age and/​or overcharging. The camera was probably 8 years old. He gave me advice to save the $ 40 for replacement battery and look into buying a new up to date camera. I appreciated his expert advice. He charged me nothing for helping me out. I thought about his advice but ended up keeping the camera for occasional use. New cameras of that caliber had iffy reviews and I was already comfortable with the Casio for occasional use. But I appreciated his free advice and no pressure involved to even buy a camera from them.

I’m not sure why this place has low reviews — my experience here was nothing less than spectacular. I hadn’t ever owned a camera, nor had I much exposure to the world of photography (pun intended), and was debating whether to get an entry-​level DSLR (Nikon D3300) or a mirrorless (Sony A6000). Jim explained the differences and took me through the controls/​settings of each camera, allowing me to take multiple test shots in different modes.
If you come at the right time, there can be great deals — i.e., zero sales tax this weekend with some nice lens bundles. Prices of the cameras themselves are about the same as Amazon or B&H; lenses are on the pricier side of the scale. If you purchase a DSLR or Sony model in-​store, you also receive a complimentary 90 minute-​2 hr training course on using your new camera. Nice touch.
The customer service is really what sold it for me — really patient and willing to answer any questions you have, regardless of how rudimentary they may be. Overall, I’ll definitely be back for the training course and to check out some accessories!

I would have loved to give this place 4 or 5 stars, in terms of stock that they have, availability of testing equipment and the fact that they offer decent prices. If you’re looking for top quality camera equipment this is definitely the place.
If you’re expecting a place where you can have a nice chat and discuss cameras and equipment, you’re in the wrong place.
Come to this store if you have already done your research and know what you want, as mentioned they have EXCELLENT equipment in this store, extremely wide variety. But the customer service was just disappointing.

I wanted a bag for a new camera, looked online but it’s never the same as seeing the options in person. I happened to be trying to kill some time in San Jose and wandered over to San Jose C&V, which is housed in what appears to be a former bank building located at a busy intersection (I mention this only because it looked nothing like any camera store I have ever seen from the outside.)
The store itself is well laid out, no sensory overload, and lots and lots of camera bags and cases, priced the same as online plus I got instant gratification.
I see complaints here on Unilocal about the customer service, and that I do not understand. The staff was friendly enough, left us alone after greeting us, helped out right away when I had a question. The store is kind of a trek for me, and I am fortunate to have a great camera store (albeit with a dismal bag selection) closer to home, but they have a great selection of camera-​related everything, a solid resource for photographers.

Unlike many people here, I had a pretty decent experience. Came in here last Friday with my 2 year old cousin. Was greeted instantly by someone named Jim (based on one Unilocaler’s pic). I walked around the store for a bit and he asked me what I was looking for once I approached the counter. I wanted to buy the Sigma 30 mm f1.4 lens and luckily he had it in stock. He asked what camera I’ll be mounting it on and I said my D7100. He took the lens out of the box and put it on one of his cameras and took a test shot of my cousin for me to see. Quality was amazing and I told it was really good and he responded with «Well you have a great test subject» with a smile. He was very friendly towards me and my baby cousin the whole time and I didn’t feel uncomfortable at all.
When I first walked in, I was expecting horrible service based on all the reviews. Frankly, I was anxious coming in especially with a baby surrounded by thousands upon thousands of dollars worth of equipment. I ended up buying the lens and walking out a happy customer. I will return back soon to buy a fisheye lens.

I had a perfect experience at San Jose camera. We just purchased a Nikon 3300 base.
I understand the 1 star ratings on this place… You walk in, you want to try out the camera’s, you want great service… and then order them online at a better price from Amazon or Ritz camera. Good for you. You’ve outsmarted the system. The problem is, that’s like walking into your favorite restaurant… asking for the recipe and then telling the owner you’d rather just cook the food at home for less money.
And you have a bad experience, because the people who work here «mark» you accurately when you walk in and they don’t pay you the time of day.
The reality is their prices are great and they are super helpful in helping you pick the right camera for you.
They’re a local shop, they have excellent expertise, and really good service service.

I’ve been shopping here for the last 25 yrs and I even saw a long time sales associate retire a few years ago. Helpful staff, latest gadgets for photo and video and very competitive pricing. Come check it out!

Granted I went in 30 minutes before closing but there were other people waiting around and/​or looking at merchandise. The sales person didn’t seem all that enthused to be talking to me but he answered the questions I asked, albeit grudgingly. My experience today was the total opposite of a hard sale. It was more like WC Fields’ «go away kid, you’re bothering me.» I even went back and bought an overpriced filter from the same guy, hoping to establish some type of rapport. No such luck.
I’m all for supporting local businesses but I do expect to have a better customer experience than what I had today. Would it kill them to smile and say hello?

I’m really surprised by how many bad reviews this place has. It’s great. The customer service can be average, but I’ve never been yelled at or felt like they didn’t I could afford it. They’ve been helpful and I generally go there for all my gear that I need right away.
There aren’t many camera stores in the bay area that carry ACTUAL professional camera and video gear. My other favorite place is Samy’s Camera, but that’s in SF, and I don’t want to drive an hour to get a C-​stand or light box.
Plus, if anyone is wondering, they use Apple Pay.

Been looking for a set of lights called savage, even though the store didn’t have them in stock, they where able to order them for me, so im pretty happy

We had a wonderful time with Jim buying really a nice high quality microphone. Jim knows his stuff. He did an exceptional job in showing us the different choices. We took the high end model and are glad we did.

I guess if you are wanting to buy a new camera, and not repair your existing one, this would be the place to go. Brought my Nikon d90 in for repairs. He told me it would be about $ 400.00. He said it was outdated and I’d be better of replacing it. I took it elsewhere for the repairs at about $ 100.00. They are more interested in selling new equipment, than repairs.

I read the reviews before visiting the store, but since they were mixed reviews I decided to visit anyway. Richard was absolutely amazing. I’m a newbie photographer and know pretty much nothing about cameras and he was able to help me get the perfect little mirrorless camera for my Europe trip. He was VERY knowledgeable, nice, and patient: the three things I care about when shopping in-​store. He told me the pros/​cons of different camera and lens types and made me feel very comfortable about my purchase. I plan on going back later this week to get an additional lens.
Maybe other employees here aren’t as «nice» based on the reviews, so I’d recommend seeing Richard when you go to avoid any… complications. :)

I honestly came to this store to check out a full frame camera that I was planning on buying online, however I thought it would be cool to give a local business an opportunity at my business. At worst I figured I could buy a lens or bag from the place in return for their customer support and knowledge. After walking in I was immediately helped by an older gentleman with over 45 years of photography experience, who helped me tremendously, letting me hold the exact camera and kit lens I asked about. After I found out that SJ C&V did not have competitive pricing, I made sure not to take any pictures and up the shutter count of the store model out of courtesy, since I wasn’t planning on buying the camera
I then decided to be honest to the rep and told him that I was considering to buy the camera online, who immediately grabbed the store camera in front of me and sternly replied «Get out, Don’t waste my time.» As a customer this was extremely embarrassing. Even though the store was relatively empty, people definitely heard the interjection and I felt very uncomfortable as a customer. I was extremely taken back, and in the shock of the moment I actually apologized to the rep assuring him that I still wanted to give him some of my business for his troubles. Thus I inquired about lens pricing and even lessons because I did not want the clerk to feel like his time was not being respected. I ended up taking a flyer for lessons and left the store without buying anything, still trying to process what had happened.
Ultimately I’ve decided to take my business elsewhere. Yes, this store has a huge selection and extremely knowledgable staff, but its customer service leaves much to be desired. Local businesses are supposed to have one redeeming quality to counter competitive online pricing — customer service, but the complete disregard for that fundamental quality at SJ C&V is why I won’t be going back, and ultimately why I felt so inclined to write this review. I hope that other local camera stores treat me with a little bit more respect when I go lens shopping in the very near future.

I love this place. We walked in and were immediately greeted and asked if we needed help. He was patient and gave us good information to help us make a decision that we were happy with.

I know they have a handful of bad reviews but I’ve always had a positive experience here.
I’m not a digital photographer so my experience is limited to purchasing 35 mm film. I usually prefer to purchase online but the film here is always reasonably priced, even when I buy a single roll.
I have heard from others than they do attempt to upsell when you come in looking to spend money on digital equipment however.

I officially hate this store. I came in to buy a soft box for my off camera flash. A older fellow, pointed to the spot where they were, came over and assisted me. I told him what I was looking for and he pointed out what I needed. He asked me what flash unit I had (then told me it was small, and was pretty smug about it) I took the 2 items off the hooks (what he had told me to get) paid and went home
I get home and I’m thinking im stupid, because I can’t get the pieces to line up correctly. I look at the boxes and he sold me MISMATCHED pieces. He sold me a small reflector, and a large soft box (small+small or large +large= correct fit). I am super pissed, mostly because I asked for help and thought I was getting it. And this is the second time I drove all out there and i’ve been screwed.
This store will never get another cent from me.

Although I’ve only purchased a really inexpensive item here, I really enjoy this store because of the friendly customer service.
I’ve been a photographer for quite some time now, and I’m always appreciative of the fact that these folks love talking photography no matter how long/​short you’ve been into photography. They give great advice, bring up great points, and are just a fantastic bunch of folks to speak with.
I would highly recommend anyone who is unsure about which camera to purchase and aren’t fans of relying on internet opinions to make a decision to come here and speak to the staff!
They have a lot of promotions as well, so be sure to register for their mailing list!

As I entered the store, I was looking to see what equipment they offered. They had a good variety, including the FujiFilm X-​System cameras and Panasonic micro Four-​Thirds.
When I got to that point, a salesperson looked up from his customer and asked in a rude voice «Do you have a question?» to which i answered «No, I was interested in seeing what the store has.»
Seriously? Do you want my money or what? Is there a need to be rude? Does it matter how I was dressed or that you don’t know me?
I looked further through the store, and I wanted to ask about a Panasonic GH4 ($ 1699.99) because I was ready to buy one, but why would I be nicer to them than they were to me? It might be an insignificant amount, but they probably make more money on that than the under $ 1000 Nikon and Canon equipment they readily sell.
I usually find the SJ (although it’s officially Campbell – there I’ve found plenty of rude people, for some reason) area to have some of the friendliest people in California, possibly in the country. This changed my experience. Thanks, I’ll buy elsewhere.