Photography is popular both as a hobby and as a full-time profession. A form of visual art that captures scenes in the real world, photography can be extraordinarily compelling, engaging, and moving for viewers.
Photography also requires equipment to achieve visual effects and make the shooting process run smoothly. From the camera itself to a tripod, different lenses, memory cards, and even the camera bag needed for storage, you may be surprised as a photographer to see the volume of gear needed to execute a single shoot. Photography gear and equipment, especially high-quality options, can be quite pricey. So, photographers are often on the hunt for great deals and new photography stores to check out.
Online photography camera stores are a convenient and often highly affordable way to purchase cameras and other photography equipment. With frequent sales, special deals, and lower prices achieved through an online platform, you should consider these retailers before making a photography-related purchase. In this article, we’ll outline the top photography shops online today, along with the main benefits that each one offers.
Adorama
Adorama is an enormous online store with products to fulfill several photography-related needs. With a wide range of departments including cameras, lenses, tripods, drones and action cameras, and more, photographers can easily find their essentials, along with more obscure gadgets, at this online store.
Adorama stocks a wide variety of cameras in the following categories: digital SLR cameras, mirrorless cameras, digital point and shoot cameras, medium format cameras, instant cameras, and specialty cameras. Featured camera brands at this online store include Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, Panasonic, and Sony. However, you can also shop lesser known brands like Leica, Pentax, Sigma, Flashpoint, Rycote, Sennheiser, Wind Tech, and more.
Photographers understand that having an assortment of well-made lenses can make all the difference when you’re shooting. Adorama stocks a sweeping variety of lenses to fulfill any photographic need. The lense categories offered on Adorama are: SLR lenses, DSLR lenses, mirrorless lenses, rangefinder lenses, medium format lenses, specialty lenses, and special effect optics. This online retailer also stocks lens filters and lens accessories, such as lens adapters, teleconverters, lens caps, lens hoods, close-up lenses and filters, extension tubes, lens supports, and more.
History
Adorama began in 1975 as a photo, video, and electronics retailer. Beginning as a physical store in New York City, Adorama quickly branched into the online store that we know today.
The aim of Adorama has always been to be a partner of professionals, helping them to gain the tools and gear needed to achieve lasting success. Professionals at magazines, news outlets, newspapers, modeling agencies, and studios alike have turned to Adorama for their photo and video needs to over 35 years.
Main Features
- At Adorama, you can purchase new, unused equipment, but you can also shop used gear. Used gear is often in great condition, but comes at a lower price, making it an ideal option for budget-conscious photographers. You’ll find that the “used equipment” section of Adorama contains an impressive selection of cameras, gear, drones, lenses, and more. Plus, you can sell your gently used photography gear on Adorama – an excellent way to make some extra cash if you have photography equipment that you no longer use.
- Adorama was voted a top five electronics retailer by Consumer Reports and Forbes “Best of the Web”. This impressive distinction speaks to Adorama’s quality in products, consumer services, and competitive pricing.
- Adorama stocks both professional video equipment and professional audio equipment. This high grade of equipment can be exceptionally pricey; purchasing it through a competitive online retailer can save professional photographers a significant amount of money.
- Under the “Deals” tab at Adorama, you can find plenty of money-saving offers. This site regularly runs specials on their top-quality gear, giving photographers the opportunity to purchase professional caliber products at a discount price. You can also provide your email to Adorama so that you’ll be notified when new deals, sales, and specials are posted.
- A major perk of shopping at Adorama for your photography needs is convenient shipping. Adorama offers fast, free shipping on a large portion of their products. Next-day shipping is also available for when you’re in a rush to get a new product.
B&H Photo and Video
B&H is a major electronics retailer with a massive product selection for photographers. From basic photography needs to gear for seasoned professionals, B&H is a reliable choice of online store. From cameras to accessories to gadgets and everything in between, photographers can stock up on everything that they need at a reasonable price by shopping at B&H.
There’s a vast variety of cameras in the product selection at B&H. As far as cameras go, this online store sells DSLR cameras, mirrorless system cameras, point and shoot cameras, medium format cameras, and full frame cameras, among other niche options. This store stocks leading brands including Canon, Sony, Fujifilm, Kodak, Nikon, Panasonic, Olmypus, among several other options.
In addition to cameras, tripods, drones, and camera bags, B&H sells a range of top-quality lenses. The main types of lenses that this store sells are SLR lenses, mirrorless system lenses, rangefinder lenses, digital cinema lenses, special effects lenses, medium format lenses, and large format lenses. Lenses enable a photographer to have artistic control over an image and manipulate the shot for greater expression. With the enormous selection of lenses at B&H, all types of photographers can find what they’re looking for.
Main Features
- When you’re a shopper at B&H, you have access to the store’s exclusive team of photography experts. A group of 15 professional photographers with expert knowledge of the field, you can get help selecting the ideal product for your needs. You may also consult the experts for help operating or product, or to learn how you can best use the gear. These experts have invaluable insights and are happy to share tips, trade secrets, and techniques to advance your photography skills. You can select live online chat for quickly access the experts’ feedback, request a callback to receive one-on-one verbal advice, or send the team an email.
- B&H offers free expedited shipping for orders over $49. Shipping can be a significant expense when you’re shopping online, so this perk will cut down on the final price of your chosen products. Plus, with expedited shipping, you’ll get your gear quickly to get started on that next photography project.
- This online photography store offers simple 30-day returns. Sometimes, you order a product online only to find that it’s not what you were expecting or not what you were looking for. B&H’s 30-day return policy allows you to shop with peace of mind in knowing that you can return products for a refund within a month.
- B&H made it into Newsweek’s “America’s Best Customer Service List”. This distinction is notable given the importance of customer service in online shopping. Whether you have an issue with a product, shipping, billing, etc., B&H’s team of seasoned customer service specialists will address your issue promptly.
- A useful tool available to shoppers at B&H is the compare feature. You can select the box marked “Add to Compare” while reviewing various product listings. A menu will appear at the bottom of the screen and store the products you choose to compare. From there, you can easily consider the varying features of multiple products to select the perfect option for your needs.
RitzCamera.com
RitzCamera.com caters specially to the needs of professional photographers. With an extensive selection of digital cameras and camcorders, lenses, optics, camera accessories, lighting, studio gear, and more, photographers will have plenty to choose from at RitzCamera.com.
RitzCamera.com stocks a large volume of digital cameras and camcorders, including DSLR cameras, mirrorless cameras, point and shoot cameras, film cameras, camera drones, action cameras, security cameras, and camcorders. This online camera store mainly stocks major brands, including Canon, Nikon, Pentax, FujiFilm, Olympus, Sony, and Panasonic.
History
The history of Ritz Camera dates all the way back to 1918. At this time, Benjamin A. Ritz created his portrait studio at the Ritz Hotel in Atlantic City. Ritz’ portrait studio came to be incredibly successful, with Benjamin taking portraits in the community at weddings, confirmations, graduations, and more. Benjamin and Edward Ritz, his brother, opened a processing lab in Washington D.C. in 1936. The business expanded, eventually branching into RitzCamera.com as we know it today.
Main Features
- One big perk of shopping at RitzCamera.com is their competitive shipping guidelines. Ground shipping, which delivers within three to seven business days, is free for all orders, sitewide. Shipping can get expensive, so the free shipping offered at this site can save camera shoppers a great deal of money. RitzCamera.com also offers next-day and 2-day shipping options for rush orders, but these shipping options come with an added fee.
- com provides a fantastic selection of filters that you can use to narrow your search and find the product with all of the qualities that you’re looking for. For example, when you’re shopping for cameras, RitzCamera.com enables shoppers to filter out product listings by price, brand, mega pixels, sensor size, lens mount, video resolution, memory card type, format, zoom range, minimal focal length, and maximum focal length.
- com offers a 30-day return policy with all orders. So, if you happen to change your mind about a product, you can return it within 30 days, risk free.
- com has an email newsletter that shoppers can sign up for quickly and easily. This newsletter will give photography enthusiasts a heads-up whenever there’s a big sale or promotion going on. With the newsletter, you can stay in-the-know about all sales and chances to save on photography products.
Optics Planet
Optics Planet is a gargantuan online retailer with a premium photography equipment store. Intended for amateur and professional photographers alike, the Optics Planet photography store sells everything from camera and tripods to memory cards and batteries. With over 1,250 products in their online photography store, you’re likely to find the gear and equipment that you’ve been seeking out from Optics Planet.
Optics Planet sells all different types of cameras for photographers. The varieties of digital cameras sold at this online store can suit a large range of needs and include film cameras, underwater cameras, trail cameras, security camera, digital spotting scope cameras, digiscoping cameras, thermal imaging cameras, night vision cameras, microscope cameras, and multi-lens cameras. These camera types are offered at competitive prices, and new camera models are frequently added.
Optics Planet also stocks many different camera brands. Large, established brands offered at this online store include Canon, Pentax, Nikon, Fujifilm, and Minox, among many others. Additionally, Optics Planet offers products from mid-size and lesser known brands, including Brite Strike Technologies, SeaLife, ExploreOne, WASP, Uniden, AimCam, and more.
Optics Planet sells a wide range of tripods. An essential tool for photographers, tripods can largely increase the quality of an image by providing added stability, control, and artistic freedom. The different types of tripods that Optics Planet sells is impressive and can suit just about any photographic need. The kinds of tripods on this online store include iPhone tripods, camera tripods, rolling tripod dollies, video and camcorder tripods, binocular tripods, GoPro tripods, carbon tripods, spotting scope tripods, and more.
Main Features
- You can choose to sign up for the Optics Planet email list. All you have to do is provide an email address to subscribe. Once you do so, you’ll be rewarded with a $5 off coupon on your first order. Plus, you’ll receive exclusive updates about sales, promotions, deals, new products, and more.
- In addition to the large product selection at OpticsPlanet, shoppers can learn more about the field of photography through the site’s useful guides. From digital camera “How To Guides” to articles packed with tips for selecting the right equipment, site visitors can shop and learn more about photography at the same time.
- Optics Planet offers free value shipping for all orders over $49 within the 48 contiguous states, D.C., and U.S. military addresses. For orders that don’t fit these guidelines, you can use the site’s shipping calculator to find out what you shipping costs will be.
- Most orders from Optics Planet can be returned, risk-free, within 30 days. You can choose a refund or exchange, and a free pre-paid shipping label is provided for returns.
Focus Camera
Focus Camera is a photography retailer with a goal to provide comprehensive support for rising visual artists. Offering a combination of exceptional products, reliable reviews, and educational guides, photographers of all levels of experience have much to gain by visiting Focus Camera.
Focus Camera has a large selection of available cameras for photographers of any skill level. The main camera categories from this online store are: DSLR, mirrorless, medium format, point and shoot, instant, and specialty. The specialty camera section includes camera options for unique purposes, such as waterproof cameras, rangefinder cameras, polaroid cameras, and broadcasting systems.
History
Focus Camera began as a small, brick-and-mortar camera store on 13th Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. It was created in 1966 by founder Abe Berkowitz and gained both recognition and popularity among photography enthusiasts at a fast pace. The business grew while maintaining it dedication to hard-working staff members, industry know-how, and top-notch products.
The Focus Camera retail shop in Brooklyn still exists today. But, their enormous online shop has become a major provider of photography products for people everywhere. This online platform enables Focus Camera to reach a wider customer base and stock a more extensive selection of products.
In addition to cameras, lenses, tripods, and other essential photography gear, Focus Camera sells photography books and tutorials. These informative products are excellent resources that photographers can use to bolster their skills. Focus Camera thoughtfully curates the photography books that they sell to ensure that customers receive the top-quality instruction and information.
Main Features
- Focus Camera offers highly competitive shipping rates and deals. For thousands of products available at this site, free two-day shipping will be included with your purchase. This will not only save you cash, but also ensure that your new product gets to your doorstep quickly. If you need a product ASAP during the week, Focus Camera also offers same day shipping for many orders within the Continental United States.
- Focus Camera operates with a 30-day return policy. Items can be returned within the 30-day window for a full refund or exchange. There are guidelines that must be followed for a successful return, such as contacting Focus Camera’s Customer Service Department prior to mailing a product back, and “buyer’s remorse” returns must be in brand-new condition.
- Focus Camera gives site visitors access to their blog, along with helpful videos and tutorials. Called the “Wavelength Blog” Focus Camera’s blog contains a plethora of information and entertainment about the world of photography. From camera comparisons to photography history, pop culture reports and interviews with prominent photographers, anyone interested in the photography field will strike gold with this blog. Focus Camera also posts a large number of videos to accompany their instructive and enjoyable photography content.
Samy’s Camera
Samy’s Camera is a well-established photography retailers with both physical store locations and an exceptional online store. Samy’s Camera stocks an impressive volume of high-quality products in the following categories: photography, video, studio and lighting, electronics, drones, and cinemaworks. This online store offers advanced products for photographers at all levels and fosters a sense of community in the photography industry.
Samy’s Camera has an extensive product selection to satisfy even the most discerning photography shopper. From standard equipment like cameras, lenses, tripods, and memory cards to frames and albums and even printers, Samy’s Camera has it all. This online retailer is a one-stop shop for a large scope of photography needs.
For a sweeping selection of camera options, shoppers can turn to Samy’s Camera. This retailer offers the following types of cameras: digital SLR, digital point and shoot, digital mirrorless cameras, film cameras, and digital medium format. With a wide selection of brands to choose from, including leading names like Canon, Fujifulm, Sony, and Nikon, along with lesser-known brands like Holga, Arca-Swiss, and The Impossible Project, photographers have numerous options at this retailer.
History
Samy’s Camera has been around since 1976, when founder Samy aimed to establish a full service photography store. Now, setting out to fulfill the needs of both professional and beginner photographers, Samy’s Camera is a top name in the industry for high-caliber products and experienced staff members. Samy’s Camera has expanded into several brick-and-mortar locations over the years. In additional to their flagship Fairfax Boulevard store, Samy’s Camera has more recent locations in San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Culver City, Pasadena, and Santa Ana.
Main Features
- For most orders over $49, Samy’s Camera offers free “Quick Ship”. Quick Ship is guaranteed to arrive in one to three business days, meaning that you’ll have your new photography gear as soon as possible.
- Samy’s Camera Photo Blog is a culmination of photography-related content to inform and entertain site visitors. This high-quality blog contains a wide range of articles to interest photography enthusiasts. The content is organized into the following categories: Samy’s Camera News and Events, Samy’s Camera Photography School, Samy’s Camera Outreach, Industry Buzz, Tips and Tricks, Columnists, Reviews, Cinemaworkds, and Joe McNally at Samy’s. Joe McNally authors blog articles for Samy’s Camera and, as an acclaimed photographer, has invaluable insights to share with readers.
- Samy’s Camera offers used equipment for photographers seeking out budget-friendly gear. With used cameras from top brands including Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, and more, shoppers can save money while still getting their hands on the advanced equipment that they’re seeking.
- When you’re reviewing product options on Samy’s Camera, you can filter out results to more easily find what you’re looking for. In the camera product category, you can filter results according to brand, megapixels, ISO sensitivity, LCD screen size, continuous shooting speed, video resolution, memory card type, sensor size, and price range. You can also click “Add to Compare” on products to directly compare your top options.
Cameta Camera
Cameta Camera offers cameras that fall under the following categories: digital SLR cameras, mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras, point and shoot digital cameras, and instant cameras. Within each of these categories, you can further hone your search with the site’s various filters, which include condition, price range, brand, color, sensor size, megapixels, optical zoom, video resolution, and wireless features.
Beside camera listings on Cameta Camera, you’ll see a button that reads “View Kits”. By selecting this button, you’ll be shown the variety of value-pack kits available for the camera model of your choice. The kits on Cameta Camera are exhaustive and include all of the gear you could need to get started on your first photo shoot, including the camera itself to a lens, memory card, battery, battery changer, grip, filters, tripod, remote, cable, cleaning kit, screen protectors, camera bag, and more! By purchasing these products together in a kit, you can save a great deal of money overall, because the retailer provides a sizable discount on products when they’re purchased as a kit.
History
With a physical store location in Amityville, New York. In operation for more than 30 years, since 1983, Cameta Camera is a community-driven business with a broad customer base through their online store.
Cameta Camera began to build its online presence in 2001 with the inception of Cametaauctions on eBay. Since then, Cameta Camera has boasted outstanding customer reviews and rapidly growing sales.
Main Features
- Cameta Camera sells used and refurbished photography equipment in addition to their regular stock. The refurbished cameras, lenses, and more at Cameta Camera come straight from the factory and are inspected for quality. Refurbished products from Cameta Camera aren’t put up for sale unless they’re in top condition. Photographers can further save money on gear by shopping used items at this online store.
- Cameta Camera buys and sells used photography gear. This provides a unique opportunity to both make money on gear you no longer use and save money by selecting a used product. All used products at Cameta Camera are protected by a 6-Month Parts & Labor Warranty. Also, all used products are closely examined and rated so that customers are never caught off guard when they purchase a used product.
- Cameta Camera runs a blog, “In Focus”. This blog features exclusive content on photography-related products, news, tips, and reviews. Shoppers can consult the buying guides posted on “In Focus” to make a more informed purchasing decision on their photographic gear.
- Cameta Camera is an authorized US dealer for every major photographic equipment brand. This distinction enables this retailer to offer the best, most advanced products available for photography.
- All Cameta Camera products are protected by the manufacturer’s official United States warranty. While the warranties will differ depending on the product, this helps prevent loss from defects and malfunction.
Lisa has a Bachelor’s of Science in Communication Arts. She is an experienced blogger who enjoys researching interesting facts, ideas, products, and other compelling concepts. In addition to writing, she likes photography and Photoshop.