Your best photo supplier in the last decade or so?

I've been thinking about which suppliers have been particularly helpful in your photography journey in the last decade or so. What made them stand out? For me Cameraworld seemed great at the outset helping me take advantage of limited time special offer rebates. Then some of the bowens s mount light modifier suppliers on ebay - mostly cheap and functional. More recently Wex seems to be able to offer loads of interest and depth in many areas, though i've only made small purchases of late. What Positive experiences have you had?

I've been thinking about which suppliers have been particularly helpful in your photography journey in the last decade or so. What made them stand out?

For me Cameraworld seemed great at the outset helping me take advantage of limited time special offer rebates.
Then some of the bowens s mount light modifier suppliers on ebay - mostly cheap and functional.
More recently Wex seems to be able to offer loads of interest and depth in many areas, though i've only made small purchases of late.

What Positive experiences have you had?

All of them have been particularly helpful, that is why I continue to buy from them, one in particular since 1983 :) But maybe I should give a mention to Sony with their cashback promotion and very prompt payment after submitting my claim

All of them have been particularly helpful, that is why I continue to buy from them, one in particular since 1983

But maybe I should give a mention to Sony with their cashback promotion and very prompt payment after submitting my claim

[link=https://www.ffordes.com/]Ffordes[/link] , a 60 year old family business I've dealt with for many years back to their days in Southend. I've bought both new and used from them, as well as trading in and selling kit on commission, and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone.

Ffordes , a 60 year old family business I've dealt with for many years back to their days in Southend. I've bought both new and used from them, as well as trading in and selling kit on commission, and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone.

My two local LCE branches in Portsmouth and Chichester have always been friendly and helpful althought I have not bought much at Chichester. I tend to buy cameras, lenses from private sellers on ebay and have had no serious problems except two (and neither resulted in a financial loss) in about 10 years. One threatened my family over a description of a £2 item!- Nutter. The other one fiddled about, said the courier couldn't find me (ridiculous) and had to send the camera, a Nikon D5200 by Royal Mail, after a long dispute, packed in sawdust. Luckily it was in a sealed polythene bag and worked perfectly.

My two local LCE branches in Portsmouth and Chichester have always been friendly and helpful althought I have not bought much at Chichester.
I tend to buy cameras, lenses from private sellers on ebay and have had no serious problems except two (and neither resulted in a financial loss) in about 10 years.
One threatened my family over a description of a £2 item!- Nutter.
The other one fiddled about, said the courier couldn't find me (ridiculous) and had to send the camera, a Nikon D5200 by Royal Mail, after a long dispute, packed in sawdust. Luckily it was in a sealed polythene bag and worked perfectly.

Wex/Calumet. They have the range at good prices and provide useful information as well. Received a good price when I traded in old kit. Dave

Wex/Calumet. They have the range at good prices and provide useful information as well. Received a good price when I traded in old kit.

Dave

WEX and Ffordes; I understand from friends that SRS in Watford give good service and are one of those dinosaurs i.e. unbelievably a shop.

WEX and Ffordes; I understand from friends that SRS in Watford give good service and are one of those dinosaurs i.e. unbelievably a shop.

I've dealt with Wex and Cameraworld with no problems.

I've dealt with Wex and Cameraworld with no problems.

My local(ish) camera shop - Mifsuds in Brixham has been great - and continues to be great hopefully far into the future! Its the sort of camera shop which doesn't exist anymore - large and stuffed full of interesting kit. Its a place where you can go to browse bags and tripods, cameras and lenses new and old. I have purchased many a used lenses and flashguns from them over them over the years, and you have that 'money back' guarantee which a bricks and mortar shop can provide, but ebay might not. Not that I have needed to take anything back, because the kit always worked superbly. I have also purchased new kit from them, including my last camera purchase (Canon 5Ds back in 2016), which I paid £2500 for and was genuinely the cheapest price I could find in the UK at the time without going for a grey import. Also - fantastic service. Last time I was there, I was running a workshop in the area, and had a question: "I need a new tripod - any recommendations?" - and I said "Yes - there is a great camera shop just up the hill". So after the workshop, we walked up, and I showed them the shop... and the shop was Closed! So we turned around and started walking back, only to find the door flung open, and a shop keeper appeared "I noticed you looking through the window, would you like to come inside?" So in we went, and my workshop party tried out several tripods, and the shop made a sale - so yay! Local camera shops - use them or loose them! Linky to shop -> [link=https://www.mifsuds.com/]https://www.mifsuds.com/[/link]

My local(ish) camera shop - Mifsuds in Brixham has been great - and continues to be great hopefully far into the future!

Its the sort of camera shop which doesn't exist anymore - large and stuffed full of interesting kit. Its a place where you can go to browse bags and tripods, cameras and lenses new and old.
I have purchased many a used lenses and flashguns from them over them over the years, and you have that 'money back' guarantee which a bricks and mortar shop can provide, but ebay might not. Not that I have needed to take anything back, because the kit always worked superbly.
I have also purchased new kit from them, including my last camera purchase (Canon 5Ds back in 2016), which I paid £2500 for and was genuinely the cheapest price I could find in the UK at the time without going for a grey import.

Also - fantastic service. Last time I was there, I was running a workshop in the area, and had a question: "I need a new tripod - any recommendations?" - and I said "Yes - there is a great camera shop just up the hill". So after the workshop, we walked up, and I showed them the shop... and the shop was Closed! So we turned around and started walking back, only to find the door flung open, and a shop keeper appeared "I noticed you looking through the window, would you like to come inside?" So in we went, and my workshop party tried out several tripods, and the shop made a sale - so yay!

Local camera shops - use them or loose them!
Linky to shop -> https://www.mifsuds.com/

WEX - excellent service - and MPB...efficient operation..for flogging stuff, and getting honest appraisals of stuff they sell..

WEX - excellent service - and MPB...efficient operation..for flogging stuff, and getting honest appraisals of stuff they sell..

Ffordes, never had a problem with their delivey/service or products,,,,,,,,,,,,,,top shop

Ffordes, never had a problem with their delivey/service or products,,,,,,,,,,,,,,top shop

MPB top, then WEX and LCE dicing it out for 2nd and 3rd place MPB have been consistently the best when selling or part-exchanging kit, by a significant margin

MPB top, then WEX and LCE dicing it out for 2nd and 3rd place

MPB have been consistently the best when selling or part-exchanging kit, by a significant margin

[quote]MPB have been consistently the best when selling or part-exchanging kit, by a significant margin [/quote] I totally agree with this. I've had many dealings with them over the years. All have been at excellent prices.I once had a problem when a lens went astray on its way to me, DPD sent it to the wrong hub. MPB dealt with it promptly,and to be fair DPD played their part. However on the negative side I had a bad experience in Calumet years ago. I was in the market for a new DSLR body. I called in there- card in hand. I was on my way home from work dressed in engineers overalls. I was totally ignored for 20mins or so, although there were no other customers in!

Quote:MPB have been consistently the best when selling or part-exchanging kit, by a significant margin


I totally agree with this. I've had many dealings with them over the years. All have been at excellent prices.I once had a problem when a lens went astray on its way to me, DPD sent it to the wrong hub. MPB dealt with it promptly,and to be fair DPD played their part.

However on the negative side I had a bad experience in Calumet years ago. I was in the market for a new DSLR body. I called in there- card in hand. I was on my way home from work dressed in engineers overalls. I was totally ignored for 20mins or so, although there were no other customers in!

[quote][i]MPB have been consistently the best when selling or part-exchanging kit, by a significant margin[/i][/quote] I'd agree with that too. [quote][i]I've had many dealings with them over the years. All have been at excellent prices.I once had a problem when a lens went astray on its way to me, DPD sent it to the wrong hub. MPB dealt with it promptly,and to be fair DPD played their part.[/i][/quote] I had a similar problem; I'd ordered a lens and was sent me the wrong one. MPB put matters right and although I hadn't requested 24 hour delivery, the correct one arrived the next day.

Quote:MPB have been consistently the best when selling or part-exchanging kit, by a significant margin

I'd agree with that too.

Quote:I've had many dealings with them over the years. All have been at excellent prices.I once had a problem when a lens went astray on its way to me, DPD sent it to the wrong hub. MPB dealt with it promptly,and to be fair DPD played their part.

I had a similar problem; I'd ordered a lens and was sent me the wrong one.
MPB put matters right and although I hadn't requested 24 hour delivery, the correct one arrived the next day.

Never used MPB, more fool me with the tons of recommendations here.

Never used MPB, more fool me with the tons of recommendations here.

MPB is my first choice for used equipment, both buying and selling. 5 star.

MPB is my first choice for used equipment, both buying and selling. 5 star.