Schiller’s Camera

Since my last review I’ve had some mixed experiences, the most disappointing of which was calling and leaving a message to reserve a lens and not receiving a call back, but I did finally rent a lens and was very happy with the experience. Since calling didn’t work, I went into the store in person and was able to borrow an amazing lens. Overall I like their rental policies. I was able to use a lens far beyond what I could ever afford! The woman I worked with, like all the staff I’ve encountered, was very kind and knowledgeable (geek level knowledge– impressive). Even though I find going in this store very scary and intimidating, the staff is really unpretentious. Again, this place is leaps and bounds ahead of Creve Coeur Camera. I’m excited for my upcoming purchases and rentals. I think we are lucky to have a place like this in our community.
I also really like how I am treated with respect here and not talked down to.

Large store with a ton of merchandise not available anywhere else. Prices seem reasonable for most items and the staff is knowledgeable.

We called Schillers to ask if we could get our camera sensor cleaned while we waited. My husband is a professional photographer and needed his primary camera cleaned. He explained that we live 2 hours away but had to get this done without sending it off.
When we arrived there had been a miscommunication and the guy told us that we had been quoted the wrong price and they could not honor what we had been told.
We left upset but shortly after that got a message from the manager saying that they would indeed honor what we had been quoted even though it was a mistake. He was incredible and has definitely earned a new client!
Great customer service isn’t about getting it right all the time as much as making it right when things go wrong.

After reading the other posts, I must have gotten three different people who were having bad days on the three days I was there. I have been in there to get some slides copied and to look at new cameras. Maybe I am too much of a novice, but still… I spent my $ 700 bucks somewhere else. Completely different when I went to another camera store here in town.

Every time I go to Schiller’s I get nothing but A+++ service. I was in last year interested in stepping up my photography game from my simple yet useful Sony-​DSH9 to a Canon Rebel T5i. I decided I wanted to learn about photography and wanted to get a camera that I could grow with. So I decided to check out Schiller’s and spoke to a gentleman by the name of Brad. He was simply amazing and patient with answering my questions about the camera. After asking me some questions he recommended the Canon 70D and after doing more research on the model I decided it was definitely for me.
So this past January I finally had my camera. I originally received it from Sam’s Club but didn’t open it because I wanted to know what type of deal that Schiller’s was offering. So I looked on their website and saw their lens package was better than Sam’s not to mention they also offered a better warranty package, and include a free beginner class when you purchase a camera through them. So I went to Schillers and spoke to another salesman, who was just a great as Brad. I bought the camera after making sure all of my questions were answered and I was satisfied. I also bought some accessories and returned the other camera back to Sam’s.
Since then I have also been back to buy a messenger style camera bag, a lightbox, and a tripod. I also took my introductory camera class. The service is nothing but wonderful and I highly recommend them.

I just took a classic Nikon camera to the store thinking it would be a good place to find a battery for it. The employee told us that they did not have that battery and also pointed out a couple of problems with the camera. We inquired about having it repaired and were told that they do not repair cameras. I asked them if they could send it out somewhere for repairs and was told no. This place holds itself out to be full service camera store, I could have gone to Walmart and gotten the same service. I called creve coeur camera and they have exactly what we need. Nice reply from the manager. Thank you

I’m really glad Schillers is here and I’ve bought (and rented) a fair amount of stuff from them over the past 15 years. Their prices are pretty competitive with the Internet sites, sometimes a bit higher but they do have a decent return policy, which helps. My biggest negative is their hours. They close pretty early and for people who work a lot, like me, it’s hard to get there, which is frustrating.

While visiting friends in the St. Louis area, my wife and I needed a battery recharger for her Canon camera and I needed a 8 megabyte memory card, so I asked for a recommendation on a good camera shop in the area and my friend directed me to Schillers Camera, where Sven White assisted us. I had a question or two about a Nikon lens and I appreciated his time and knowledge. I recommend this shop to anyone who wants to deal with a reputable, knowledgeable camera dealer.

Schiller’s is the best camera store in Saint Louis, hands down! Their knowledgeable staff are always friendly and are quick to assist you upon your arrival. They carry only the best gear for pros and consumers alike, with consistent, quality inventory! I highly recommend this great company and fantastic staff!

I finally bought something here and It was definitely a pleasant experience.
A few years ago I stopped in here with friend who was buying film. I asked one of the salesman about a problem I was having with my camcorder. Even though I wasn’t there to buy anything for myself, he still spent some time to help me out and gave me info on where to send my camcorder to get fixed by Canon. That is when I knew I’d be back to Schiller’s if I ever wanted to buy a new camera.
Last week I stopped in to see what my options were. A fellow named Brad asked me if I needed help. He was very helpful and patient with me. He answered all of my questions and helped me narrow down the selection. There were three that I was interested in so he wrote the brand and models down on his business card. He probably expected that I would buy one for cheaper on the internet but that was out of the question. I did some research on the cameras and decided on one of them.
A few days later I returned but Brad was busy with another customer. Some other gentlemen that worked there helped me out until Brad was done with the other customer. The camera I purchased was about $ 60 more at Schiller’s than on the internet but the customer service was totally worth it for me. The extra battery and memory card put the price a bit above what I wanted to spend but then Brad told me since I bought the camera there, I get 25 free prints every month for a year. That was totally worth spending the extra dough on an extra battery and then he even threw in a little camera case! What a guy!
Schiller’s seems to have a great selection of cameras and camera equipment. The one gentleman that helped me for a minute was a little awkward to deal with and my friend said he had a little bit of difficulty with customer service. Brad and the guy who helped me with my camcorder were great to deal with so I guess it all depends on which employee is helping you. I definitely recommend giving Schiller’s a chance. I’m a huge fan of supporting local businesses, even if you are dead set on buying from a big chain store or on the internet, at least stop in and see what they have and what there prices are.

I’m not really into photography, but a good friend of mine is… and I needed to get him a gift. The staff at Schiller’s presented me with a few options. They even looked up what he had bought in the past to make sure anything I bought would be compatible. I picked up a lens and gift card for him that day… and he was stoked. Super friendly, and helpful staff.

I was in the market for my big girl camera upgrade — a beginner level D-​SLR. I began doing a little research online and, of course, asked my wedding/​family photographer for recommendations. The most important tip she gave me — «Go to Schiller’s. Buy local. You won’t regret it.» And I haven’t!
The people at Schiller’s are very knowledgeable about their products, because most of them are or were professionals in the field. I’ve been there a few times now, and the folks are always happy to answer questions, get the products in your hands, and offer helpful advice. When I purchased my camera, they were happy to put it together for me and walk me through the basic functions to get me started. My D-​SLR purchase got me a free Introduction course which was beyond my expectations (I was fearful it was going to be at a «Here’s where you turn it on. This is how you delete a picture.»), and I look forward to taking more from their fairly extensive curriculum. I also get 25 free 4×6 prints every month for a year.
The prices are competitive with the rest of the market, and believe me, I took note. The big box retailers had the camera I chose for the same price but with a memory card with purchase. I’d say the class and prints already make my purchase a better deal, but I also get the support Schiller’s offers and the warm fuzzies that come with purchasing from a local company.
So I leave you with the same advice I was given. Go to Schiller’s. You won’t regret it.

I have been to Schiller’s several times, and each time I have had some difficulty getting some help, however usually after a minute someone come out to help and they are always friendly. My first time was to sell a Canon SLR Lens, and I have to admit that the offer that Schiller’s agave me was higher than Creve Coeur Camera, and the offer was for either in store credit or cash. CCC only wanted to offer me in store credit.
The staff is very knowledgable here, and know their stuff. The selection here is great, but they also offer a large selection of used cameras and lenses, at very reasonable prices.

All in all, I’m not too impressed with this place. I needed one thing for a school project and the store is almost a twenty minute drive from campus. I decided to call the store to make sure they had it. However, when I called, the person who picked up the phone gave me the most unhelpful answer. He said dry mount tissue was something they should have but didn’t know if the store currently stocked it. In his defense, he did let me know the reason he couldn’t help was because the store was busy and the workers had their hands tied. So, I took the gamble and drove down there. The staff was extremely attentive, helpful, and efficient. I think we were in and out of the store within a few minutes. While I would definitely recommend this place if you need something photography related, my only hesitation was the lack of help over the phone.

I was contacted by Schiller’s manager, Robb Mueller, and he seems to be going out of his way to make things right which I really appreciate. So perhaps I was rash in my judgement. I hope so as I have previously always had nothing but good experiences at Schiller’s. I enjoy shopping at locally owned businesses and I really want to see them thrive. Because he seemed very sincere, and because ANY business or employee can have a less than great day, I am giving them a cautious five star rating because until yesterday that is what my experience with them has always been.

Mostly specialize in Nikon/​Canon.
Super friendly & helpful staff.
I went in to check out an Olympus and Brad asked what I liked about it, listened to me rattle off my laundry list of desirable features and steered me towards another model «just to consider» — needless to say the model (Nikon J 1) was way better, had even more likable features like a super fast focus and shutter and was more in my price range.
Schillers was SO helpful that I actually ended up going home, thinking it over some more and buying the J1.

Schiller’s Camera is like a candy store for me. :) Being a hobby photographer, I am always on the lookout for advice and good deals on equipment. Schiller’s also has a lot of used equipment and a rental program which I plan on using soon.
There are many people who work here and everyone I’ve spoken with has been nothing but VERY informative and helpful. They LOVE cameras and love to share their knowledge w/​you.
I’ve never had any problem w/​getting service, but I’m a person who will go and seek out a salesperson.
Whenever I go there I make sure to visit with Ray if I have any questions or need advice. He’s always very helpful!

I came back to Schillers a few days ago for their ‘Intro to DSLR’ class. It was only 25 bucks, so I figured it was worth a visit.
I walked into Schiller’s, and after a few minutes of trying to get someone’s attention (seriously, the people working here have major attitude!), I was finally pointed in the direction of the classroom.
It’s a moderately sized room with chairs that are WAY too close together. My word of advice? Sit on an end seat so you can have the option to give yourself some elbow room. I sat in a middle chair and felt extremely uncomfortable the entire time as a result. My arms were literally touching the people to my left and right. Awkward!
Anyway, the class. It was taught by a Schiller’s employee (his name escapes me now), and it was pretty good. It was a powerpoint presentation, and he also handed out some literature to take home. He ran out, so only about ¾ of the class received it. Get there early.
The class itself lasted about 2 hours, and was very informative. I learned a lot of things about my DSLR that I would have never figured out on my own. The instructor paused for questions during the presentation, and he stayed afterwards to answer questions as well.
My only complaint is that he didn’t delve deeper into certain subjects, but for 25 bucks and 2 hours, what do you expect?

The last of the professional camera stores in STL, excellent inventory, lots of staff to help you, and an in house processing lab. They stock items here no one else in STL has, 4×5 film, lots of black and white supplies and just about any lens or body you might be looking for.
Some complain about the staff, but with a large staff, there are always some better than others, find that person you can connect with and go back to them. I have worked with Ray, Cooper, Doug and Jim Brooks and they are always on top of things.
I think its actually a better value to buy from a local professional shop like this than to mail order, in the end, what you’ll gain from great service will outweigh the short term cost savings.
As a professor of photo, I have not needed to take advantage of this, but recently they have added a bunch of workshops and classes for beginners and those needing more info but reluctant to attend my university for $ 42,000 a year.

Ok, sometimes you have to wait 5 minutes to get service, but once you get service at Schiller’s you understand why it took them so long. I have never had anything but amazing service at Schiller’s. Perhaps I have just been lucky, but I have been coming here for years, and I have never had anything but perfect service.
For example, once I was trying to get my digital pictures off a cd to print out. For some reason, the cd was not working, so one of the workers took me in the back and hacked and hacked and hacked away on his computer until he finally the cd working, uploaded the pictures into the system, and then they printed them for free because of my troubles. That’s incredibly nice and honestly, not any kind of service I have ever received when getting my pictures printed at Walgreen’s.
Also, whenever you buy a camera from Schiller’s you get 30 free prints a month for a solid year. This is an awfully nice touch as well.
Schiller’s is more than just a place to print your digital pictures though. They are hands down, the best photography store in the city. They have everything from photo paper to film to manual cameras (believe it or not these still exists) to rentable lighting equipment. If there’s some kind of photography tool you need, this is easily the place you need to go.
Be careful when you pull into the parking lot though. Like all great establishments along this stretch of Manchester, that weird divet on the side of the road will bottom out your car if you take it too fast… beware.