In a world where online shopping makes it easier than ever to order gear from across the globe, Canadian photographers may wonder: why should I buy from Canadian photography retailers? The answer lies in a combination of safety, reliability, support and community that international retailers often can’t match. Let’s explore why shopping local not only benefits your craft but also ensures peace of mind when using photography equipment.
Support Canadian Businesses & Keep Your Dollars in Canada
In today’s economic climate, Canadian consumers are seeking local solutions and products. However, when it comes to photography equipment, most products are manufactured outside of Canada.
Despite this, there are still meaningful ways to support Canadian workers in the photography industry. Canadian photography retailers employ thousands of workers nationwide, while distributors like Amplis Foto provide additional employment opportunities across the country.
How to Ensure Your Purchase Supports Canadian Jobs:
- Buy from a Canadian photography retailer – Whether shopping in-store or online, verify the retailer’s physical address by checking their website’s “Contact Us” page. If the retailer isn’t located in Canada, it’s not a Canadian business. When shopping on Amazon Canada, look for storefronts like Camera Canada and EP Pro, which are operated by Canadian retailers.
- Choose products supported by a Canadian distributor – Some camera brands have moved their operations outside Canada, employing only a handful of local staff. Brands such as ThinkTank Photo, Laowa, Elinchrom, broncolor, Vanguard, Ilford and Hahnemühle and others featured in PHOTONews Canada, are distributed by Amplis Foto, based in Markham, Ontario.
If you’re unsure whether your preferred brand has a Canadian distributor, visit the company’s website or ask your retailer. Every informed purchase helps sustain jobs and businesses in Canada.
Local Expertise and Tailored Recommendations
Canadian photography retailers understand the unique needs of photographers working in our diverse landscapes and temperatures. Whether you’re shooting in the snowy Rockies or under the vibrant Northern Lights, local retailers can provide expert advice on gear that performs well in extreme weather conditions.
Additionally, Canadian retailers partner with trusted brands and distributors to curate gear suited to the Canadian market. Staff at these retailers are often also photographers and know the best local spots and best gear for those hidden photographic gems. This ensures that you’re not only buying safe products but also ones that are practical and dependable for your specific photographic needs.
Support Local Economy and Community
Buying from Canadian retailers supports local businesses and strengthens the photography community. Many retailers sponsor seminars, trade shows, workshops, exhibitions and events that bring photographers together to learn and grow. By shopping locally, you’re contributing to the vibrant creative ecosystem in Canada.
Moreover, Canadian retailers are more likely to understand the challenges you face as a photographer in this market. From navigating seasonal changes to dealing with wildlife regulations, their insights can make all the difference.
Easy Warranty and After-Sales Support
When you buy from Canadian retailers, you gain access to reliable warranty coverage and after-sales support. Should something go wrong with your equipment, you won’t have to deal with the headache of shipping it overseas for repairs or replacements. Canadian retailers work with Canadian distributors, who often maintain their own repair departments, to streamline the repair and warranty process, saving you time and frustration.
No Surprises at the Border
Purchasing gear from international retailers might seem appealing due to lower prices, but hidden costs can quickly add up. Duties, brokerage fees, additional credit card surcharges and shipping fees, plus the sales taxes on top of these charges, often inflate the final price of your purchase.
Canadian retailers provide transparent pricing that includes all applicable taxes, so you know exactly what you’re paying upfront. Plus, there’s no risk of delays or customs issues.
This can be further compounded if you must send a product overseas for repairs – you must complete very-detailed paperwork to ensure you aren’t charged additional fees or experience delays at the border. If you purchased a photography product outside Canada but didn’t pay taxes, duties or other fees when you brought it into the country and didn’t declare your purchase but have to send it outside Canada for repairs later, you will be charged those fees when your repair comes back into the country. When it comes to dealing with Federal agencies, it’s always best to follow the law to prevent future headaches.
Safety Comes First: CSA-Certified Products
Canada has strict safety standards in place to protect consumers from potential hazards. The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) ensures that all electrical equipment sold in Canada meets rigorous safety and performance requirements.
When you purchase from Canadian photography retailers, you’re getting products that comply with these standards. This is particularly important for electrical equipment like:
- Flashes and strobes
- Power packs
- LED lights
- Battery chargers
- And any other device that plugs directly into AC outlets.
Using non-CSA-certified products can lead to electrical malfunctions, overheating or even fire hazards. There are reports of photographers losing their insurance coverage after fires caused by non-CSA approved gear. The dangers of non-safe electrical products are well-documented in the media, whether it’s cellphone charging blocks or e-bikes (which are now banned on many public transit systems due to the risks). By choosing CSA-certified equipment, you’re investing in gear that’s safe, reliable and specifically designed to function in Canadian electrical environments.
Building Long-Term Relationships
Canadian photography retailers aren’t just sellers — they’re partners in your creative journey. Many offer personalized services like equipment demos, hands-on workshops and gear rentals. These retailers invest in building lasting relationships with their customers, ensuring you have the tools and knowledge to succeed in your craft.
Support Canadian, Shoot Confidently
Choosing to buy from Canadian photography retailers is about more than just gear — it’s about safety, support and connection. From CSA-certified equipment to expert advice and hassle-free warranties, the Canadian photography industry is uniquely equipped to meet your needs as a photographer.
Next time you’re shopping for photography gear, remember the value of keeping it local. Your craft, your community and your peace of mind will thank you.
Shop smart. Support Canadian businesses. Strengthen our photography community.
Author: Will Prentice
A portrait, fine art and commercial photographer for 30 plus years, Will Prentice is not just a contributor to PHOTONews magazine, but also host of PHOTONewsTV, owner of Captura Photography+Imaging and Technical Support/Brand Manager for Amplis Foto, Canada’s largest distributor of photographic equipment.
Will teaches photographers of all skill levels how to improve their craft – from creative photo projects to picking the right gear for their needs to flattering lighting to getting the best expressions to creating final images for screen and print. His unique style of highly detailed images with perfect tonality, wide dynamic range and stunning colour is instantly recognizable. Commercial clients rely on Will’s creative eye and mastery of lighting.
When he’s not behind the camera or in front of a class, you’ll find Will outdoors in any weather – usually on one of his bikes or enjoying time with his grandchildren.
Well written and VERY well said. Kudos to Will and Amplis for this article; it is spot on.
Thanks Kevin. It’s VERY unfortunate that we’ve been forced into this spot. “Shop Local” has become very common the past few years but the shouts are much louder now.
Sorry to disagree. I have always shopped locally but when I bought my new Nikon P950 last year, I ran into problems. The zoom started to make ratcheting noises. It was a faint sound at first and the store suggested I keep using it. The noise got louder and they agreed this was not normal. They sent it away for repair and I did not get it back for several weeks. I contacted their main office and got little help other than a promise to try and speed up the repair. This is a major photo chain in Canada and the local staff were helpful as usual but the headquarters showed hardly any interest in my predicament. I finally got a call to say the camera was back and I drove to the store to pick it up. There was no apology or any sense of customer service from the headquarters. The local staff were, I think, embarrassed at what I had endured. If I had bought the camera on Amazon, I would have had a brand new replacement shipped to my house in one day. Instead I had to drive back and forth to the store many times to get this fixed and now have a repaired camera (not a new one). Retailers are closing across Canada and are blaming Amazon. They need to pull their heads out of the sand and change their attitudes, their service and their pricing. Manufacturers like Nikon need a change of attitude as well. The zoom on the P950 is fragile and easy to damage accidentally if one is not very careful. I would have been happy to explain the deficiencies of the system but they are apparently not interested. My observations come from over 50 years of photographic experience, in retail photo sales and in commercial photography in hazardous environments.
Hi Michael,
Thank you for sharing your experience. We truly appreciate your insight, especially given your extensive background in photography. We’re really sorry to hear about the frustrating repair process you went through—it sounds like a disappointing experience, especially when you’d hoped for more support from the retailer and manufacturer. We’re all human, after all.
We completely understand how important good customer service and quick resolutions are, particularly with a a complex camera that plays such a key role in capturing moments. Your feedback about both the product and the service process is valuable, and we hope all manufacturers and retailers take note of the areas where improvements could be made.
Best regards,
Will
Hi Will,
Your article is right on the money! We need to support each other.
Chris
Thanks Chris. That’s exactly it – we need to support each other first. I appreciate your comment!