Camera shops in Chicago area?

[GRHazelton]

We plan to visit in the next few weeks our children in Naperville,Il, near Chicago. They are thinking of buying a DSLR; can anyone suggest shops in that area which carry a good selection of DSLRs, Pentax, Sony, etc, in addition to Canon and Nikon. I think their best shopping strategy is to handle the various makes; I will of course be on hand to extol the virtues of my Mighty Pentax K 5, and to shop for used goodies, both film and digital.

I really don't want them hitting Best Buy or other big box stores which usually have uninformed personnel!

 

[mgb74]

Central Camera (in/near the loop) is typically mentioned as the only "real" camera store left in Chicago. I haven't been there for years though.

 

[semi-ambivalent]

Tamarkin Camera, a Leica dealer is there too. Might be worth a visit, whether you're buying or not.

 

[fotch]

I have not been to Central camera since the 70's although I still buy from them. Do they sell digital? I would think so. Great place, always worth a visit.

 

[mgb74]

And - like a phoenix from the ashes - Calumet.

 

[Hatchetman]

Calumet in Oak Brook is near Naperville. I would not go to Central Camera unless you happen to be in the area (the downtown "Loop" area). Central is great for vintage oddities and film stuff. Cook County has a 10% sales tax too.

 

[Mark Fisher]

Calumet is the best bet.....Central is a fun place, but it is expensive and in the Loop.

 

[rthollenbeck]

I typically find myself working in Chicago several times each year. Usually I try to stop at Ceneral Camera to have a look around. I alway see interesting items there. Even with that said, I didnt see a reliable enough spread of film SLRs that I would send anyone there......as the place to figure out what they want.
Creve Coeur Camera & Video on Olive in St. Louis usually has a very good selection. I also recently went to a place in Detroit that sells mostly on-line but was every impressed with what they had on hand Westborn Camera Co. It's been awhile since I've been there but Columbus Camera Group in Ohio was always worth a look to.