Camera store in San Francisco

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cwaersten

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Hi, i have no idea if this is the right forum to post this, but i'll give it a shot. I'm from Norway, and i'm planning a road trip in the US this summer. I am flying in to San Francisco and there the plan is to buy myself a new camera (Nikon D90). My question is if anyone has any tips on good stores with reasonable prices in SF?

Thanks in advance (if anyone has any good tips on things to do in SF i'll be happy for them aswell, i have a few days to fill before the rest of the group gets there)
 
All I can say is beware of copies, the shops over there are full of them.
 
Loads to do in SF...

Drive over the Golden Gate bridge for breakfast (cracking view and photo opp)
Alcatraz
Fishermans Warf
Union Square (shopping)
Take a tram ride
Trip to Napa valley (wine)


Enjoy your trip...
 
Don't even remotely consider buying anything significant from any of the shops in the vicinity of Fisherman's Wharf. They are legendary for ripping off tourists in every way imaginable. And some unimaginable.

For places to go:

As mentioned - Alcatraz. But due to popularity you have to book well in advance - like days or even weeks. Do it online. You won't get there otherwise.

Coit Tower for views. If you have a car then parking can be a problem so consider a taxi. Go for daylight views in the late afternoon and stay for the sunset and nightime views in one trip.

Marin Headlands for the classic view of the Golden Gate Bridge and SF. You'll need transport.

A Beaver floatplane or heli ride over the city. Book one in the tourist office on Fisherman's Wharf.

An amphibious DUKW or Mr Toad's antique bus city tour. Can be booked on line, or you can see them at the junctions of a couple of side roads to the main Fisherman's Wharf road. Great way to sea the city and take photos too.

Twin Peaks for views. you'll need a car to get there.

There are some interesting old boats at Fisherman's Wharf. Plus a submarine that you can go inside If it's still there.

Cable car ride. You can spend ages queuing to get on at either end of the Powell-Hyde line (Fisherman's Wharf or just past Union Square). Or you can get on somewhere in between much easier. Alternatively have a go on the California line, which is much less infested by tourists.

Lots of other places, churches, cathedrals, quaint old houses, Chinatown, parks etc. You could spend days there.
 
If you've got a car then you could do worse than head out to Palo Alto to see Keeble and Shuchat. Great service from those guys when equipment let us down on a job out there last year. Decent prices too.

Just back from 10 days in San Fran - love it. I think the touristy rides are all overhyped, just go on a wander/hop some trams and you'll see as much. I would forget Fisherman's Wharf - better ways to spend time.
 
MisterE said:
Don't even remotely consider buying anything significant from any of the shops in the vicinity of Fisherman's Wharf. They are legendary for ripping off tourists in every way imaginable. And some unimaginable.
Click to expand...

Many years ago when the £/$ rate was far more favourable I decided to buy a "souvenier" Olympus Muji compact camera while in SF.

I fond lots of good looking prices in a local mag and toddled off to the shop of my choice.

"Yes Sir we do have that model in stock" OK I'll take one I said expecting the price to be as advertised (even plus local tax - can't remember).

The price was then quoted as about 30% more than I expected, "why's that" I asked - waits for the reply.

"Because of the very special long life battery it requires that does not come with the camera". So trying to charge me about $40 IIRC for a battery I could by in Wall Mart for $4.99.

To the shopkepers amazement I declined, should have said "I'll take the camera and buy my own battery" but after they tried it on I didn't feel like giving them any of my money.

Even the shop I bought my camera from insisited the batttery was extra but this time it was in the sub $10 range, so not knowing about local battery regualtions I paid up, and still got a bargain.

So beware.

Oh and SF is a great place, make sure you book a trip to Alcatraz before you go as it's incredibly popular. We did an evening so got to see the sunset from Alcatraz :D

HTH

David
 
Something that I did one time was to hire a mountain bike (I think it was this one: www.thebikehut.com ) and cycle along the shore to the Golden Gate bridge, then across it (there is a bike/foot path).

Once across the bridge, you could mosey around there. I carried on vaguely right to Sausalito (ferries back to Pier 39 from there) but in my case I went further to Tiburon and caught the ferry, with my bike, back to Pier 39.

It was a great way of seeing the GG Bridge. Here's a map link to the area:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&s...842055,-122.419281&spn=0.115227,0.220757&z=12
 
You can hire those stand on electric machines to get about, didn't find out about them until an hour before we were leaving!

Pier 39 can be good for a few photo ops. If you get some lads approach you around there bet you he can guess where you got your shoes just say "I got them on my feet" and walk off :p

As for camera shops, I saw a couple as I was wondering around, popped in but the prices seemed a little steep and I swear some of it wasn't legit!
 
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