Lezot Camera

These guys saved my vacation! And they directed me to good coffee nearby while waiting. Thank you!

The place is a little small and crowded — but that just makes me want to poke around and explore more (maybe after the holidays…). The staff were super-​nice and helpful — I got my sensor cleaned and a lesson in how to do it myself in the future. It wasn’t too tough to find — go in the smaller stairwell next to the Ben & Jerry’s.
I can’t wait to have a more fun reason to go back!

I can’t say I was impressed by Lezot’s when I brought my broken digital camera in for repair earlier this year. My review will only address their camera repair, not their sales. It’s great that Lezot’s is locally owned and operated, and that they have nice people working for them, but …
I’ve had my camera for three years now and so, technologically-​speaking, it’s a dinosaur. Considering how many times I’ve dropped it in its lifetime, I’m lucky it’s lasted this long. Back in March, the rear display screen stopped working. Poof. Gone. Just like that. It still took pictures, but with no viewfinder, I was shooting blindly and so it became next-​to-​impossible to operate. I brought the camera in to see what could be done.
Lezot’s charges $ 15 for a repair estimate. I’m sure this is standard for all camera repair shops; nevertheless, I was put off by being charged before finding out if the camera was even salvageable. A few days later, the repair estimate came in for $ 100 ($ 79 for labor, $ 21 for parts). I’ll leave it to you to decide if the labor rates are fair.
Deciding my dinosaur camera wasn’t worth the $ 100 in repairs, I chose to cut my $ 15 loss and take back my broken camera. A few days later, after attempting to fix the camera (read: pushing things around), it started working again. I realized that the battery wasn’t sitting firmly in place but could easily be adjusted (by pushing down on one end) after which the camera works properly. I’ve had no problems with it ever since.
I’m not sure what parts Lezot’s thought my camera needed and why they thought it would cost $ 79 to do what I ended up doing parts-​free on my own. Or maybe I’ve got this wrong. Maybe Lezot’s is so awesome they fix cameras without even fixing them. If so, then I’m definitely impressed.

Now that we got the time and budget to get into photography, we are in a place where specialty shops are non-​existent. So, imagine my excitement when we discovered Lezot in Burlington’s shopping hub in Church Street. And yes, if you’re not looking, you will never know about it. All there is is a sign but you have to go up a flight of stairs (or use the elevator) to get to this tiny space.
Okay, it is not that tiny but it sure looks cramped because of the numerous cameras and accessories jammed into every inch of the room. There’s a small room with all kinds of photo bags and another room or two reserved for camera repair. I cannot give feedback about repair for I haven’t had the need for it (and hopefully not for a long time). But the guys who work here seem legit. They look like they know their stuff. Lezot does not simply sell the latest of cameras and accessories, they have an assortment of pieces from different eras. It’s almost like a museum!
However, I would like to leave a tip to anyone who is on a mission here. Like with everything else, do your research. Know what you are looking for and know the average prices. I made a mistake by buying an LCD cover, thinking it’s such a small thing and the price difference from other stores or sites online would probably be negligible. Well, B&H sent us a catalogue in the mail and while my husband was browsing, he found the exact same thing at about 60% less than what we paid for at Lezot. Needless to say, online shopping is a great way to find the best deals. But, I’m just glad that there’s Lezot if I really, really need to see an item personally and/​or I just have to have it at that instance.

It’s up a flight of stairs on the main shopping street in town, and not easy to notice if one’s not looking for it. But any digital or film photographer visiting Burlington should take note that this place exists, even if only as a source of film & spare batteries. There’s a lot of second-​hand equipment on offer, and a decent selection of new-​in-​box cameras and accessories, as well.
What prompts me to write this review, though, is the staff’s attitude. Wander in looking for an old Series 5.5 filter for your Leica, or a 3.7-volt depleted plutonium Bulgarian market-​only battery for your Lomo, and you’ll see what I mean. These bright, easy-​going geeks won’t just chew their cuds at you across the counter; oh, no. They’ll dive down, pull up a bunch of tattered cardboard boxes, dump them on the counter, and start rooting through every! single! one! until they’ve either proved they don’t have your widget or you’ve left. And all the while, they’ll ask you intelligent gearhead questions.
Good people selling some decent kit, and they actually did have a slightly bastard filter I’d been looking for, last visit. They’ll see me again.