Camera Doctor

"Jack" doesn't work there anymore, so IGNORE all the outdated, negative reviews about Jack. The store is under new management - so give The Camera Doctor a try.

Posted 10/10/09 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?

I went into this place looking for someone who I would have assumed to be knowledgeable and helpful. BOY WAS I WRONG! Jack is an elitist who thinks anyone who doesn't own a top-of-the-line, $8k camera is not worth talking to. I have a small photography studio and when I mentioned that I had a Nikon D90, he said it was just crap and I why didn't I have a D3. Well, gee Mr. Jerk, maybe I'm just not that fortunate yet. I went in looking for help with an old flash gun and had brought all the parts. After berating me for having such old junk and tossing some of the pieces around like they were diseased, I was furious! I truly don't know how this man has stayed in business!!!! Terrible! Terrible! Terrible!!!! 7 reviews on here and the majority are telling you just how this awful business owner is. Stay Away!!!

Posted 08/09/09 | Report Abuse

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful to you?

I took my camera to see if it could be repaired, and paid a $15.00 charge for an estimate, I was told that I would receive a call, which never came, so I stop at shop to get status, the man that took camera was not there, but a lady, who was at least nice. She said the repair cost would be $157.00, which I declined, I was told to come back for camera, as it was not on site. I went back and picked up my camera, and the man who took it was there this time, when he found out that I would not be letting him fixed it, he wanted me to leave there for disposal, but I took the camera with me. I purchased another camera and at that time look for the memory card to use on new camera. NO memory card or battery was there!!!! When I called he said he did not know where the items were and since the camera was not working, what difference did it make. That was so un-professional of him and it was said in a very rude way. I suggest if you leave items there, take out extra items, if you want to see them again. I don't know how he stays in business treating people like that, and I've reported him and his shop to the BBB and Consumer Affairs.

Posted 12/22/08 | Report Abuse

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful to you?

go anywhere but here

It took more than 5 months to get my camera repaired at this place. It worked for a few days before breaking again. I took it back in and they wouldn't honor their work and wanted another $15 just to spend 2 weeks to look at it (2 weeks last time was 4 weeks and they never called back).

You'll regret setting foot in this place. As for my rating - NO STARS.

Posted 09/22/08 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?

If you're looking for the impersonality (and indifference) of the internet or the big boxes, then The Camera Doctor (formerly Jack's cameras) is not for you. It is an authentic neighborhood business in a highly specialized niche market (serving toy camera aficionados and all things analog photography.) It is a blessing for those of us addicted to film cameras to have this store in the community, and I will do everything I can personally do to keep it in business.

It is the only place I know of in the Atlanta metro area which has an onsite b/w lab, and where you can get a wide variety of film in all formats over the counter. Prices may be a little higher than online offerings, though I haven't found them to be that far out of line, and a little extra premium to help pay the small business overhead is OK by me, especially for the convenience of buying locally.

I have had several old cameras and lenses refurbished there, and the workmanship was good and the price reasonable. Sometimes it takes a while, but older cameras are becoming increasingly difficult to find parts for. To me it doesn't make sense to be in a hurry with this sort of thing.

And yes, the owner and sometimes only counter help in The Camera Doctor, Steve Schwab, is somewhat eccentric, but he is neither maniacal nor a crook. He is passionate about film photography and vintage cameras, and he's trying to run and grow a small business that is becoming more endangered daily with the onslaught of digital.

We all need to take a deep breath and stop to enjoy the local color (and dedication to the individual and hand-made) before it disappears from the planet.

Posted 08/02/08 | Report Abuse

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful to you?

Plain and simple, he's a crook. I don't know how he keeps the doors open . His prices are outrageous and service abysmal.
He carries a lot of vintage cameras which are priced 2-3 times fair market value. He refers to them as his "collection" - mainly because he hasn't sold a Nikon or Rolleiflex in years - so, yeah - I guess it's a collection!
Maybe he has independent wealth ?
Very soon though the market for photofinishing will be gone - and hopefully he will be too!
Unfortunately, all the other independents have either closed or "gone digital" - again, I don't know how he keeps the doors open???
Don't waste you're time with this guy. Find it at Wolf Camera, or Showcase, or Wings - or just go online.

Posted 06/07/08 | Report Abuse

1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful to you?

I have been to Jack's Camera shop several times because it is VERY local, and each time I go Jack the owner has a bad attitude with me and my wife. He has given me bad advice and bad quotes. Recently my wife went to his shop to buy Polaroid 669 film, and he offered to sell it to her "at cost". My wife called me to check the cost online while she was in the store, and he had quoted her double the cost!!

Posted 05/09/08 | Report Abuse

1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful to you?

I dropped off our broken Sony Digital camera at the beginning of Nov. Jack informed that it would be $15 for an estimate for repair and that a repair cost would range from about $79 to $160. The camera cost about $250 and was 2 years old so I wasnt sure what the best option was, but decided to go ahead and get the estimate. My credit card was charged for $15 and I received a call one week later, telling me that it would be $166 to fix. I wasnt happy but told him to go ahead and fix it. I asked him how long it would be and he told me it would depend on parts maybe 2 weeks. I waited 18 days and didnt hear anything so I called. Jack told me he was waiting on some rotors and hadnt gotten them in yet, but would call me when he did. Another 2 weeks past and I still didnt hear anything and I mentioned it in passing to my husband who drove by the shop on his way to work and stopped in last Thursday. Jack gave him the camera and said, I knew this camera couldnt be fixed the minute I opened it. This is in contradiction to what he had told me. When my husband got the camera back, our rechargeable Sony batteries were not in the camera. I stopped by the shop again yesterday and waited for about 10 minutes while Jack was with other customers. When my turn came, I explained CALMLY and RATIONALLY (this is key to the story!) that I would like the batteries from the camera and I would also like to get my $15 back, since he was unable to fix the camera, after keeping it for almost two full months and giving us an estimate of $160 and questioned him about telling my husband that he knew as soon as he opened it that it couldnt be fixed. Immediately, Jack began fuming at me. He said, Youre the first person in all these years who has ever complained about being charged $15 for an estimate and I then said that it made no sense to be charged $15 for an estimate if the camera couldnt be fixed and that he never told me about this policy beforehand. He then bellowed loudly, Im

Posted 01/23/06 | Report Abuse

1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful to you?