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Shopping Guide P H O T O S T O R E S i n S i n g a p o r e |
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Photo Equipment and Accessories | |
Photo Labs |
I bought my first camera, EOS 500, from a shop at Lucky Plaza after I had done some
price checking elsewhere. Oh yes, that guy really gave me a good price for my camera. Then
he started to advice me to get other accessories like UV filter and camera bags. Being
totally new to camera then, I had no idea about the market price of such stuffs except for
the EOS 500. He 'slaughtered' me by charging me S$30 for a 52mm UV filter (around S$10),
S$40 for the camera bag (around $15) and S$30 for battery (this is susposed to come free
with the camera). I've never gone back to that store again!
Although not all shops in Lucky Plaza or the tourist area are like the one I've mentioned,
it is advisable to stay away unless you know the price well. Also, make sure you are
getting the geniune goods with warranty. (Sometimes you can get a cheaper price for an
export item that doesn't come with warranty. So the choice is yours).
Buyers beware, even from
stores with good reputation(Jul 2001)
I was down at Peninsula to buy the Contax G1 its lens. Although the store
had no stock, she phoned the branch in Marina Square and managed to get me
their very last set.
When I inspected the camera, it looked dusty. Upon inquiring, I found out
that it was their display set. I didn't mind a display set provided that
they made known to me first. I would also expect them to reduce the price
since the camera wasn't shinning new. But no, she didn't. I learned from her
the shop will ultimately had to sell away all their display sets. I could
understand her point but couldn't accept that they sold without discount for
goods that were in less than mint condition to unawared customers. There
were photo shops putting up display sets for sales at Ebay at discounted
price
In the end, I only bought the 90mm lens since she had spent considerable
time showing me the G2, lenses and accessories.
In quest for the G1, I proceeded to the shop in Funan. I saw the G1 box on
display and indicated that I would like to have it. The boss's son was
extremely busy and I waited for about an hour before I was served and shown
the camera. I was surprised that it was actually a used set with some
scratches. It is not a 2nd hand store and I don't expect them to be selling
used goods. And all the while he didn't mention that it was a used set
although he was willing to reduce the price and replace the missing strap
with a leather one. But the price was still too high for a used camera.
Book Stores
Equipment & Accessories
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The Peninsula Plaza, Peninsula Shopping Centre and the Adelphi area is probably the
shopping paradise for shutterbugs in Singapore. They are just a stone throw away from one
another. Most shops located in this area are trustworthy and give you a fair price due to
the keen competition. You should be able to find all your photography needs in this area. Hong Kong - There may be some excellent deals on gray market goods. The difference could pay for your expenses for a trip down to HK. |
Cathay Photo
This is probably the largest photographic store in Singapore. It carries a wide range of products from films to large studio lighting equipment. This is a reputable store and you can be sure you are getting the genuine goods. Most of the staffs are courteous and have a fairly good product. Although not the lowest, the price they quote are reasonable. Films, especially slide films, are among the cheapest. For films and most accessories, you can pay by credit cards without any surcharge. Its 2 retailing stores are located at Peninsula Plaza and Marina Square. Although the store in Marina Square is smaller and limited in its selection of equipment, it opens on Sunday while the other closes.
You can check out their web page or email them for price quotation. So far, the quotations that I have received have been very reasonable and competitive. It beats walking into their stores and start bargaining with their sales staffs.
Fotographix
Located at Outram Park, it also offers some of those funny lenses like the Russian fisheyes and the 20mm. I was there once trying to buy the fisheye. I left my contact with them as the lens was out of stock. Few weeks later, they actually called me up. But too bad, I had already gotten the lens from DSO.
John 3:16
This small little family run shop is located on the 3rd floor of Funan Centre. Both the father and the son, Sam, are very friendly and have a good product knowledge. The mother doesn't know much and some of the assistants are not as friendly. Price quoted are reasonable although the father tend to quote higher. If you do not know them well, then you just have to do a bit of bargaining. Try to deal with Sam as he is more willing to give you a better price. At times, the store could be crowded and you may have to wait for a while before they can attend to you.
This is a store that I would highly recommend.
MS Color
Several internet users have emailed me and recommended this store which is located at Ang Mo Kio Centre. This is a small store and they are not well stocked. You can always order from them but will take a few days to weeks before the stocks are in. Their price is cheap.
Mustafa
This is a superstore located at Serangoon Road. I am amazed that its small little camera station (carter more for the point and shoot consumers) carries the exorbitant Canon 50mm f1.0 L USM lens which is meant for the rich professionals !!! Perhaps you can get them to order any professional equipment for you. Anyway, some of the prices (fixed) here are among the cheapest I can find in Singapore. Other than shopping for camera goods, you may like to do your shopping or exchange foreign currencies here as some of the prices are really good!
Photo Guide
Located together with Cathay and DSO, this is another store that some shutterbugs like to hang out. The atmosphere is rather friendly with the customers sitting there and chat with the owners.
Prices is reasonable the owner can give you some sound advice.
The Camera Workshop
Located at the ground floor in Peninsula Shopping Centre, this shop deals with used camera equipment. You can always bring back the faulty equipment to them within 3 months. When you buy a camera body, you can ask them to give you a photocopy the manual.
The listed price seems to be expensive and I would rather get a brand new one. Probably you can bargain and cut the price further.
Film Processing
1 Hour Mini Labs
Most of the common mini labs (Photofinish, Fuji Plaza, Standard, Konica Express etc) should be able to give you good quality prints although they are not consistent. Some of the common complaints are wrong exposure and the color is off. The lab operators also handles your negatives very badly by touching them with their bare hands.
There is another kind of mini labs besides those that I've mentioned above. They are mostly found in neighbourhood area and retail shops that double up as mini lab. I don't really trust these labs although some can give you very good quality. Some can be as cheap as 10 cents per 3R print but the color from such labs is really way way off.
Most mini labs do not handle slide processing directly themselves and they'll take a long time before they return the processed slides to you. Price is also expensive.
CD Imaging
Used to be located at the ground floor of Concourse, it has shifted somewhere to Raffles Place. Does Kodak Photo CD scan and make HUGE enlargement from digital print on photo paper. I couldn't believe my eyes when I make a 30X20" print for a customer: the picture is sharp with no grains and appears to be taken by a medium format film. But the fact is that it is taken with a consumer lens, handheld.
Digital output is expensive as compared to conventional printing. But offers as much as 40% discount to members of NUS photo clubs.
Related to 35mm Lab. They will take orders for conventional enlargement and send it to 35mm Lab.
35mm Lab
Located at Bt Timah (before 6th Ave when heading towards Beauty World). Received praises for excellent work, especially for enlargement. Offers a night diposite box. Related to CD Imaging.
KONOTA
Located at the basement of Peninsula Plaza this lab shares the shop space with a handphone store. Extremely good business with many photographers patronizing.
Color Lab Foto Finishing
The counter is located at the ground floor of Adelphie while the machines are on the basement. Used to be using Kodak paper but recently became an independent lab using Kodak Royal paper, Fuji and Agfa laser paper. They have a new Fuji Laser machine which works optimally with Agfa laser paper. They provide free index prints with 4R prints. Recently, there have been some complaint about their work but so far mine are alright. You can ask them to do digital imaging. They also sell some very nice photo frames and accessories.
Fuji Professional Lab
This is Fuji's professional lab and is located at Ang Mo Kio Industry Park. If it is out of your way, you can go through the many of the photo shops in Peninsula area. They will take your order and the guys from Fuji will come and collect and then return within a few days.
RGB
This is a Kodak professional lab and has 3 chains located at Kallang Avenue, Premier Centre (Beach Rd) and Winsland House II (Penang Rd). The price is fairly expensive: $3.50 for processing, $0.30 per 3R print, slides processing without mount is $4.40. However, you can get 10% off if you are their regular customer. Although this is a professional lab, I wouldn't rate their job as superb. Nevertheless, I like RGB for its fast slide processing which just takes 2 - 3 hours. The lab operators take good care of your negatives by wearing a glove. Also, it does pushing and pulling on films which are not offered in most labs. The branch at Penang Rd even offers overnight deposit . I usually make use of this service on Sunday (they are closed on Sunday) or late in the evening when they are closed so that I can have my slides or prints ready the very next day.
L P Colour
This is another Konica mini lab located at Havelock Rd (Blk 22 #01-681). I've never tried this lab myself yet but have heard many good comments. The lady owner is a photographer herself and is very stringent in her printing. If the color does not comes out good, she would reprint them for you again at no extra charge. Also, other than doing a good job in enlargement on machine print, she does excellent manual printing as well. However, I've heard that she can take up to 1 month before she gets your enlargement done.
Spectra Colour
Someone has recommended this lab to me for slide printing but I have yet to try out myself. It is located at Blk 101 Boon Keng Rd #04-01/05. However they don't do any small printing like 3R and the cost is expensive. However, the long life of cibachrome and the color is worth every cent if you have a good slide to print.
Fee Fee
If you are one of those rare b&w fan who don't develop and process the film yourself, you may like to try Fee Fee (House of Photographics) located at Hong Lim Complex, Upper Cross Street. Processing with contact print cost $9 and will take about 2 days before they are ready.
Litewand
Tel: 270 8977
1001 Jln Bt Merah #07-08
For Ilfordchrome (Cibacrome) printing, you can try this company.
I've seen a photo exhibition by a professional photographer whose slide-to-prints are done by Litewand on Ilfordchrome.