Focal Point Photography

Mike and crew do a superb job og providing for customers photographic needs. The store is very well stocked. What I like best is that they stock a huge selection of used equipment. They provide a guarantee on used gear. In the days of buying everything online Focal Point is a Go To place for good service and exoert advice. Support local business!

What can I say about this place? For starters it is an independently owned camera shop. Not corporate and stiff. I got a great feeling the moment I walked in the door. The owner works there and is very hands on. He took the time to listen to me, find out what I was after and get me into something I could not only afford, but something I could grow with. I absolutely feel great coming back again and again.
The selection and range of gear while impressive, is well thought out to provide everything from bags and storage to lenses and bodies. The fact that they rent the very expensive lenses and bodies is an added bonus as well. Beginner to pro. They have you covered.
I have to think that the biggest think that sets them apart is that they ARE photographers. Not only that but they will sit with you and talk to you about photography and how to do things you are aiming for you. They will happily share not only their gear advice but their knowledge… That is rare indeed.
They will not steer you wrong.

This is the camera store I’ve been missing. The Albany/​Corvallis area no longer has a good camera store. We have a small shutterbug but everything has to be ordered in from other stores and you can’t see it before hand. Plus they have never worked with most of the equipment. Focal point has done the work and always has great advice and has a great selection of quality equipment. Both high end and economically priced. They always go above and beyond in helping. And are good on communication.

I absolutely love the people at Focal Point. As a professional photographer who has increasingly changing gear needs, the owner goes out of his way to guide me in making the right lens and camera choices based the type of photography I’m doing. I always go in with a budget, and am carefully guided to select the best quality gear in my price range.

Owners seem to have a chip on their shoulder, seem personable but somewhat «cold».
Focal Point continually suggest sub-​par equipment from what I request. An example, I shop for a Nikon lens and they try pushing a cheaper non-​Nikon model on me. Why do they try selling me something I did not request?
I do like shopping at a locally owned store and try to give them my business. However, Focal Point makes it difficult to shop there. Another example. I wanted a specific color of a camera bag and ordered it in April. The owner wrote down my contact information. A week later I showed up and they had not ordered the item yet, but the owner stated it would arrive soon. Two weeks later I stopped by and the workers tell me it is not in yet. I suspected it had not been ordered at all. Once more I stop by and there is no bag. Here it is October and I have not heard from Focal Point. They could have been honest with me in the first place and stated they could not get the item, or did not want to order the item, or had other difficulties.
I now remind myself to NOT shop here even though it is tempting to give the place some business. Try Shutterbug at several locations in Salem. They are friendly, helpful and go out of their way to assist you and your purchases. In addition, Shutterbug always matches the lowest price of the item listed on the internet.