Henry's Camera
[ SonyEricsson P910 Camera 43mm f/2.8 ]
[ Fully Automatic Exposure ]
You are not a certifiable photography nut in the Philippines until you have found your way to Hidalgo, a street in Quiapo that amateurs and pros speak of as if it was legend or mystery. This street of lore is home to bargain photography stores, the most notable of which are Avenue, Mayer, Henry's and Watson.
Until lately I had only transacted with Hidalgo's merchants by phone and have only heard stories. But I have made the journey, and I can tell you now that Hidalgo exists, and the stories are true. Thousand-dollar cameras and AF Nikkor VR lenses are sold in stores behind stalls that sell fruit and produce. Hard bargaining will get you some insane deals. The stores will sell you anything you may need, as long as you pay in cold cash. The trip is worth it just for the photo opp.
The intrepid amateur that hasn't been dissuaded by the stories of Quiapo's pickpockets and snatchers would begin his journey on the LRT, hopefully prepared beforehand, dressed up in low profile jeans and shirts rather than in immaculate office polos and bling bling neckties. One could begin at the Gil Puyat/Buendia station, easily accessible by many means of public transport. Depending on the time of day, the experience riding on the LRT is either "sardines in a can" or "pickles in a jar." Carriedo is where you squeeze yourself out and get off.
Isetann in Quiapo will be visible as you get off. Descending the steps you would be greeted by Quiapo as many know it: a huge, chaotic wet market. But a wet market where you can buy anything, from bootleg DVDs (and would you like a knockoff DVD player with that?), to a degree in engineering (forged of course), to prayers (wishes to God included), and of course, photography equipment. Name it and they sell it.
Immediately down the steps and out into the main street, one will see but should pay no heed to Columbia Photo. They are reputable but their deals are not rock bottom, and you braved the chaos of Quiapo for rock bottom. That said, if you want to pay a reasonable price without going all the way to Manila, Columbia Photo has stores in most SM malls.
One will need to find the street between Isetann and SM Mall. Take a left at the T intersection, and straight ahead is your destination: hidden behind the produce stalls, the row of camera and photography shops along Hidalgo. Mayer is on the right, and Henry's, Watson and Avenue on the left.
Mayer looks like a hole in the wall from outside, but step in and behind the display cases you will find a collection of brand new Nikon, Canon, Oly and Pentax gear, all invariably sourced from suppliers in Hong Kong. Those boxes of gold are AF Nikkor Lens boxes. Avert your eyes if you want to avoid catching Lens Lust Disease.
If Mayer does not stock what you need, Henry's probably does. The nice thing about the congestion of stores here is that the competition is always just next door. Canvassing takes minutes, so one ought to shop around.
Watson has camera kits like the D50 lens kit for pretty much the same price as retail without tax in the US. It is even better than buying online in some respects since you get your unit when you pay and you can test the camera at the store.
They also sell NiMH batteries and chargers at half of retail price. They also sell branded (Sony, Panasonic, etc), legit DVD players for the bootleg DVDs that you will inevitably buy.
Last stop along the row, Avenue is typically well stocked. You will probably find the goods you need here at the same price if you don't find them at the other stores first. Their long display cases are crammed with gear, just begging to be taken home. Did you just hear a Speedlight SB600 for 11k call your name? That will be the salesman, or is it the gear demon in your head? Relax. And just give in.
A few other stores offer framing services, do camera repair, and even sell used SLR film cameras, rangefinders and lens accessories. If you are in any way into photography, there is bound to be something to tempt you to take the trip. It will be worth it, but watch your wallets, the pickpockets might not get you, but the merchants have ways of making you part with your money. Try not to hang around for too long, or you might find at the end of the day that you haven't even got change for the tram ride back.
Footnote: I like to think that I shot this set with a cameraphone because I wanted to give viewers a glimpse of this hidden world and yet obscure this glimpse enough to preserve the mystery. However, I was in fact not quite brave enough on that day to advertise my pricey budget DSLR to every criminal element wandering Quiapo.Update:
People often ask me how to call up the stores to find out what they have stocked before heading over, so here is a link to the photo.net.ph page on Buying Camera Gear in the Philippines with addresses and phone numbers for all the big stores। I highly recommend Mayer Photo (Philippine Tel. Nos. 733-7598, 733-7722), their service is top notch and the prices are always competitive.
Update (07-04-2008):
The link on photo.net.ph has changed slightly, so if you're wondering where all the photos are now, you're just a click away. If after reading the instructions on the page you find yourself still lost, click on "Camera Stores" on their menu bar and you should get a menu of the cameras they have info on. Nonetheless, here is a list of stores I can recommend:
Henry's Camera
Tel: 735-7989, 733-7723
My new favorite for photo and video gear is Henry's Camera. They're now not only well stocked with Canon stuff, they also carry most of the Nikon gear you'll need, and they are literally competitive with Mayer (long story). These days they can also be asked to deliver, and you pay for your item on delivery. What more could you ask for? Right, units with non-gray market warranties at the same price as their gray market stuff. ;)
Avenue Photo Supply
Tel: 733-2761, 733-5474, 734-3307
Need new bulbs for your studio strobe? Or a low-cost 5-in-1 reflector? Or maybe a bargain-basement but sturdy lightstand and photo umbrella? Drop by Avenue, problem solved.
Mayer Photo
Tel: 733-7598, 733-7722
I used to glowingly recommend Mayer, and personally have had nothing but good experiences dealing with them (I even had a unit with their store warranty successfully serviced with them). However, I've had a few friends report odd experiences dealing with them. I'll not elaborate on them since they are not my own experiences, but buyers do beware.
I'll just mention a couple more stores that aren't in Hidalgo but deserve to be noted here nonetheless.
Aperture Trading
Tel: 741-9743, 732-8991, 731-1408
Website: http://www.aperturetrading.com/index.php
If you're in the Quezon City Area, this is a great store that pro photographers highly recommend. They also happen to be official distributor for some really great camera products and are pretty much a one-stop-shop for studio hardware. If you need good strobes, modifiers and battery packs, name-brand lightstands and all the big-name lighting and mounting solutions, pay them a visit and they should be able to hook you up with what you need.
JT Photoworld
Tel (Makati): 8972561, 8995018
Tel (Manila): 5366590, 5366591, 5234396
They are THE distributor for Sigma products, and also carry Tamrac, Velbon, Gary Fong products and the LensBabies. If you need products from these manufacturers, or if you need them serviced, look no further.
