Camera Shops Bangkok

John
these two are very good:

Camera Collection
Eddie Siu (very helpful)
Channisara Tower/Ground Floor/Surawong Road
(just down from Robinson’s Department Store end of Silom Road)

Photo Hoby
3rd Floor
Silom Complex
Silom Road

Hi John…Best 2 I’d say are these: AV is recommended by people here, has been around for years, ask PJG ! I find Foto File good for stock, and cheap (even though in a tourist zone)…..Depends what you looking for….AV supposed to be a Leica dealer but I didn’t find much in there, plenty in Foto File and Canon etc…..

AV Camera – 1 Soi Keson (Charenkrong 50), Next to Robinson Bangrak, New Road, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500

Foto File Co., Ltd – 1st Floor Mahboonkrong Center (MBK), Patumwan, Bangkok 10330

Niks at 166 Silom Rd is very good and expensive.

The shop mentioned above at MBK is a lot cheaper but less selection and they also have a larger shop on the 3rd floor of MBK.

oh, so that’s where eddie’s shop is now?!? i’ve been wondering where it went! i’d also recommend it, though haven’t visited since it was in a different location a few years ago. a good place if you’re looking for more specialized, non-slr equipment: large format, panoramic, rangefinders etc…. i found them helpful and professional.

Juilan
Eddie moved from Silom Galleria a few weeks ago.
His new shop is smaller but lots of interesting used Leica/Nikon/MF kit
PhotoHobby on third floor Silom Complex is good for ordering b/w film.
Simon

2nd that….think its the only place for TriX……?

if you’re buying a lot, go directly to the importers. i found one called T.S Communications. and after a lot of haggle i got really great prices. better than HK.
G.

I have shopped in Bangkok and Hong Kong for cameras and feel much happier buying in Bangkok than in Hong Kong. Prices in HK can be lower, but the chances of getting ripped off are much higher.
For comprehensive camera shops selling various brands and all types of equipment, you have to head off to MBK. Alternatively, you could try Pantip Plaza or Fortune Town but MBK has the best shops and the best cluster of shops.
For a good guide, try The Bangkok Shopping Guide which gives a good brief on buying digital cameras in Bangkok as well as photographs of the shops and shop listings.

Hope this helps…

My favourite topic! Seems like there’re a few more places than I thought. However, as has been said, it depends what you’re looking for. For film the only place I know of with anything like reliable and sufficient stocks is Foto Hobby in Silom Centre. Sala Daeng BTS opposite Robinson’s. The exit takes you straight in – if you get the right one. You can also order larger quantities in advance and with a deposit. Helpful English speaking staff. Just don’t clean the place out before my next visit!

There are a great bunch of second-hand shops in Chinatown. They are all in the same building. Most sell old camera gear including some beautiful old Leicas, Hasselblads etc but there are also ‘L’ lenses etc at good prices. I usually get a motorbike taxi from Hualamphong station, ask for ‘Mahachai’ or ‘Wang Burapa’. Get off where Yaowarat (main street with all the Chinese neon) ends and turn right. The building is a few yards on the right.
Pahon Yothin also has a couple of good shops with good prices. Take the Metro to Pahon Yothin station, take the ‘Tesco’ exit and there’s a whole row of shops opposite Central. Good for film too.

How fast are the Bangkok shops at getting the latest and greatest toys? I’ll be there in Dec and wouldn’t mind picking up a 5D MkII if available.

Bangkok is not bad at getting new equipment but not as fast as Hong Kong. I live in Bangkok and went to Hong Kong for a general visit and decided to buy the SB800 Nikon flash only to find that the SB900 had been released. After haggling the price I managed to get it for 15,500 Baht.
On returning to Bangkok I was interested to know how much it would have cost me, but I couldn’t find it anywhere with the exception of Foto Thailand ( 3rd floor MBK ) who told me they’d had one and it had sold the same day for 19,900 Baht.
Basically, New equipment comes to Bangkok very quickly, but in small quantities and at top prices. It takes about 3 – 5 months after release for the items to become common place and for the prices to come down.
Check Foto Files equipment and prices site: http://fotofile.net/newproducts.php and maybe write to them asking if they have it and at how much ..

What about a shop for commercial lighting? I’m looking for pocket wizards and some good softboxes, gels ect. Anyone have a recommendation or is this it?

Cheers,
Ehrin

Ehrin

There are two shops in MBK which are dedicated to the photography professional One is Foto File which is on the ground floor of MBK next to Baskin Robbins. It’s a small shop and can get packed with people. On the 3rd floor is Foto Thailand, which is bigger and well stocked with all sorts of equipment. The easiest way to direct you to this shop is to tell you to get there by the skytrain ( called the BTS ) and get off at National Stadium. There’s only one way out and you’ll see a connecting footbridge to Tokyu ( a department store connected to MBK )on your right as you exit the station. Walk past that foot bridge and go to the second connecting foot bridge which is a 30 yards further on. Enter MBK via that bridge and when you get into the building, turn left and keep left. Foto Thailand will be on your left…no more than 5 shops along. Get there at about 11 a.m to be sure it’s open. If you can’t find what you are after there, they’ll certainly be able to tell you where you can.
This link shows you MBK, photos of the foot bridges and some information about the place.
http://www.thebangkokshoppingguide.com/MBK_mahboonkrong_bangkok

Hope this helps…

Thanks for the info David

They’re just two branches of the same shop. Downstairs is more consumer stuff, while the good stuff is mainly upstairs.

http://www.fotofile.net/contact.php

Nikon camera shop: Niks thailand, only authorized dealer for Nikon in Thailand. Silom road next to sofitel hotel. Excellent service and friendly and helpful staff.

Tommy’s right.. good stuff is on the 3rd floor of MBK.
Ian Taylor’s a bit out though. There are a number of authorised dealers for Nikon in Bangkok; mainly Sunny’s Camera shop ( one is also in MBK ) and I’m not sure Nik’s is still next to Sofitel. The nearest Nikon dealer in the Silom area is Sunny’s opposite the entrance to The Oriental Hotel

I was just referring to the MBK info. They are 2 outlets of the same company. (i.e. No different prices.)
You can see them both in the link I posted.

Dunno anything about Nikon in BKK.

Re: Niks. In fact Niks owns Sunny both in MBK and opposite Oriental hotel so as Sunny camera on silom road as well. David, Niks is still near the Sofitel hotel on silom.

Ian. Thanks for this info. I’ll go and check it out.

Foto File
Foto Friends
Foto Thailand
Camera & Lenses
Canon ( on 5th floor of MBK )

I believe these are all part of the same comapany. They have a good reputation and what I like about them is that they let you “play” with the equipment without pushing you to buy it.
I tried X number of camera bags and there was no sign of annoyance as I tried them out and went back and forth from one bag to the next.
I’ve now bought my tripod, camera bag, filters and lenses from Foto Thailand. It’s a great shop and the staff know their stuff.

Thanks David. This is great info!!

In case you’re a Mamiya user, Niks is also the only authorised dealer – as far as I know – for Mamiya cameras in Thailand. They’re pricy but usually do a good job.

If in Bangkok, I would suggest you also look at
Digital Camera by AV Center (ask for Susi)
604/3 Room 275 (3F)
Pantip Plaza Building
avcenter1@gmail.com
I recently purchased a Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24~105 L IS USM lens here for about 7% less than the listed price at Fotofile. Here you can open the box and check the equipment with battery before deciding to buy as well.

Bambi – There are a number of camera shops in Pantip Plaza and you can certainly find the average enthusiasts type camera but not easily the higher end models ( semi-pro / pro ).
Whilst I agree that Pantip is a decent place to go, I personally wouldn’t recommend going there for cameras as I feel the shops and owners are not as much “in the know”.
The one camera shop in Pantip Plaza which comes to mind is on the 4th floor, one floor down from IT City.
The camera shop has lots of cameras and lenses on display in the window and is in a much quieter section of Pantip.
The other “issue” to be careful about in Pantip is the warranty.
If MBK doesn’t do it for you, I’d personally try Fortune Town ( Arcade ) over Pantip Plaza.
Each to their own I guess.

There are some good shops on the big avenue near Central Lad Prao

If I clearly remember, there is a goog shop at the first floor of MBK, lots of Leica used stuffs as well…

It’s been a long time since I’ve been in Bangkok, but if I remember well there was a nice shop in Charoen Krung. When you stroll on Silom Road towards the river, west, and at the end of the road turn right into Charoen Krung. A bit further on the left side is a nice camera-shop with pro-stuff. . .