Colonial Photo & Hobby Inc - Orlando, Florida

Shirley

"My husband, he is commercial photographer, and he need some equipments for an upcoming project, and we stumbled upon this amazing photography store in the heart of downtown Orlando. We were truly impressed! The store is beautifully organized, offering a wide variety of cameras, brands, and gadgets, perfect for both professionals and hobbyists. You can buy, sell, or simply gather information about the latest photography gear. It's a true hidden gem for photographers—a must-visit for anyone passionate about capturing the perfect shot."

Rodney Thompson JR

Disheartening Experience at Colonial Photo

I recently visited Colonial Photo with the intention of purchasing a lens for my personal camera. Unfortunately, my experience left me feeling disheartened and unwelcome.

Upon entering, I was initially offended when the Lilly & Jacob decided to put my personal camera behind the counter, with a lens I was testing out in fear that I would steal it. As a dedicated photography enthusiast and someone who values their equipment, this felt incredibly disrespectful.

Additionally, I presented my credit card through my Apple Wallet, only to be informed that they only accept physical cards for purchasing. I had just witnessed another customer successfully use their tap feature, which made the situation even more confusing. When I asked to see the policy in writing, I was told they didn’t have it available.

As a Black, educated individual with a passion for photography & wide format printing, this experience felt like one of the most racially discriminatory situations I have encountered as an adult. It's disheartening to see such treatment in a space that should celebrate creativity and community.

I hope Colonial Photo & hobby can reflect on this experience and consider how they treat all customers, as no one should feel unwelcome or mistrusted in a store dedicated to a shared passion.

dan

Staff was friendly and knowledgeable Steve with the train department was a very pleasant person and I could have hung out chatting with him all day. Also had great selection across everything I could think of hobby wise.

Unfortunately, I drove nearly an hour and half and wanted to exchange some equipment. I had called ahead of time to verify not only they accept trades, but also would have some one there. I get there at 1pm, and the person who can accept the trade left for a convention and won’t be back until Saturday.
So none of the items I wanted to trade would even be looked at.

Additionally, the price I was quoted for used lens was more at the store than quoted over the phone. I will say, there was a lens at the original price similar to the one I inquired about, so I get that there could have been a mistake.

I think the prices are fair as well, and a good location.

Madison Johnson

I came to this location years ago because they were reported to be trustworthy and capable to transform film into photos. I had a great experience until…..

This year I took a photo of my late grandmother to be copied. I informed tech I would not be able to pick up the copies and original for three weeks because I had a work conference coming up and I’ll be out of town. He told he it wouldn’t be a problem to hold the images because the soonest I could pick up the images would be 7-10 days. I happily agreed and thanked him. I come back weeks later to pick up my pictures and I’m met with Ray, who tells me he can’t find my pictures. I ask him who picked them up and he couldn’t tell me. I don’t have any family in Orlando to pick up the images, so I start to cry. I call everyone I know, no one advises that they picked it up the photos. I call the store again and they tell me they have copies of the photos but not the original. I continue to question for months & NO ONE can tell me what happened to my grandmothers photo.

The store lost a photo that cannot be replaced and I was met with poor customer service. The employees do not care what they did or the hurt they caused my family. I am opening a legal case on this store and its employees, specifically Ray. Any person who may have had a similar experience, please contact me directly. Thank you.

Katherine Uzel

What a nice place to visit! Visited here from a local county with my husband. Store is nice and clean and has a great variety of well everything. Bathrooms were okay, but not clearly marked. The highlight of the visit was the older gentleman working the train area (wish I had caught his name). He was so friendly and professional and talked to us about the modeling and some tips regarding painting and the such. We will be back for sure!

Ryan Painton

Awesome experience. Ricardo spent a ton of time with me and did a great job of finding out what I wanted when I didn't know that myself. Found a bargain on a UV filter for my new lense and they had the eye cup part in stock for my ancient SLR. They also have a ton of other stuff besides photography equipment. There is a model train store, a plastic models store from cars to Gundam, and a remote control cars and boats store. They also do film development.

Kenn Connors

Jim in the model train area was very knowledgeable and helpful. Will return next time in Orlando.

Big Papi Adventure

Yes, Photo & Hobby is a great place to find camera accessories and RC remote vehicles. They cater to both photography enthusiasts and hobbyists interested in remote-controlled vehicles. They offer a wide range of camera accessories such as lenses, tripods, camera bags, filters, and lighting equipment. Additionally, they have a selection of remote-controlled vehicles including cars, trucks, drones, helicopters, and boats. Whether you're looking to upgrade your photography gear or indulge in the world of RC vehicles, Photo & Hobby is a suitable destination for both interests.