Ffordes Photographic - www.ffordes.com

Click here if this is your business
★★★★★
4.8
94.0% of users recommend this
Click here if this is your business
  • Customer Service

  • Quality of website

  • Value For Money

? Ask our helpful community of experts about this product or company
Ffordes Photographic - www.ffordes.com - Ask a question now

Refine your search

Latest Reviews

“Canon RF 600 F4 lens.”

★★★★★

written by Ashtynl485 on 19/12/2023

Canon uk did not have the RF 600 f4 lens in stock,been wanting for the lense for months from Canon, mentioned it to Ffordes, they said I have to pay up front, payed for the lense,it arrived 7 days after Ffordes received the money, everything was very professional and they posted lens with Parcel force they sent me tracking number,I could track it to my door, Broken my Canon R5 and RF100x500, again Ffordes resolved my problem, excellent company to work with ????????. would recommend any body who needs camera equipment to have a word with Ffordes, they would not disappoint, very professional company and they have a large selection of used camera equipment,give them a call ????

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“A Wonderful Online Purchasing Experience...”

★★★★★

written by drnichols on 26/09/2023

I recently purchased a relatively obscure accessory for a camera made in the 1950s. The condition of the item was accurately described online as “Mint Minus/Almost As New” and fairly priced. The item was well packed, and shipped quickly. Shipping to Canada via Royal Mail was inexpensive, trackable, and took just 7 working days. Questions via e-mail were answered promptly, fully, and politely. Staff members were most helpful from start to finish.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“Honest, efficient and fair prices, what more can you want”

★★★★★

written by Rossikins on 02/12/2022

I had to buy different copies of the same tilt shift (PC-E) Nikkor lens, first from eBay (but a dealer not a private sale), second one came from a camera store in Leeds. The first one had a problem with the tilt feature on the tilt shift lens It has a locking dial, and also a tilt adjustment dial. When you open the lock, the lens is supposed to stay put, and only move when you turn the other, adjustment dial, but on this lens, once you unlocked it, gravity took over and the lens dropped to full tilt. The second lens had a different issue. When fitted to the camera, a gentle push to one side or the other caused the lens to move, or rock, slightly, as if the lens mount was loose. The lens is designed to fit into the camera mount, and if needed, it can rotate 180 degrees, and that rocking motion was between the ring part, which fitted into the camera, and, the main body of the lens. The mount itself was not moving. These problems told us that both lenses, far from being excellent as described, were actually ex professional use lenses, hammered for years of use, and now on the used market cheap. After sending both back for a refund (the Leeds dealer insisted on me paying the 15 quid return postage) I set about finding one again. This is where Ffordes came in. They had one for about £100 more than those others I tried, and I emailed, explaining the trouble I was having and asking them to check this one first. Ffordes replied confirming the mint condition and that the tilt action was a little loose but ok. I went ahead and they got it to me next working day. On unpacking, it was indeed, mint, and that tilt action problem was just in one direction. Rotating the lens sorted that out. These lenses are very expensive new, so instead of paying 2199 I paid 850. That is of course, a lot of money, but represents a great saving, and Ffords honesty and service can be fully trusted. After my previous experience I was half expecting to be returning my purchase for a third time (first time with Ffordes) but that was not the case. Very happy indeed, and wish I had decided to go with them first time around. The moral of the story is, if you want a PC-E lens, be prepared to pay just a tad more than the cheapest on sale, or, you will regret it. Lesson learned here. As to Ffordes, they will be my first port of call on any future requirements, thank you guys.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 1 0

“Fantastic Service ”

★★★★★

written by Schub on 22/11/2022

I bought a Leica SL camera from Ffordes this week. It arrived exactly as described but had a 14 day return policy just in case. Fast tracked delivery meant it arrived the next day as promised.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“Avoid if you are selling goods on commission”

★★☆☆☆

written by 479Dowling on 28/01/2022

I sent a large number of items, lenses and cameras to them for commission sale but they told me that a number of them were faulty or had fungus. One lens they sent back was crystal clear and accepted for sale by another dealer. It was that item which made me realize about the faults in the other items. A 50 mm Pentax lens they said lacked infinity focus and because of the cost of returning that and the other items I had to let them keep them. A Minolta body they said had a shutter problem and a 100 macro had two tiny spots on an element which they claimed were fungus when I know they were not, they were just dust.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.

Ffordes's Comment

Written on: 10/02/2022

Morning

Sorry to hear that both you and the other dealer don't agree with our findings on your equipment, as you know Ffordes have always had high standards when it comes to testing secondhand equipment,

our technician has been with us for over 25 years and we use different light instruments to check for dust against fungus, shutter accuracy machines test speeds and exposure times, every item goes through multiply tests to make sure the equipment is of a good standard to sell.

Now on occasions we are only human and don't always get it right and we hold our hands up to that, after all some of the equipment tested can be unpredictable, most of your equipment was 35+ years after it was originally manufactured. We are always happy to return any piece of equipment to you at your request.

if you had contacted me direct, I could have addressed your concerns and sent you a more detailed report on the issues we found, as well as returned the items that you had original asked for us to recycle on your behalf.

We hope that we can help you again sometime in the future and if any issues do arise at that time, we'll give you more detail descriptions of how these issues were found and there affects on the quality we sell.

We wish you well in your photography.

Alister Bowie

Reply to this comment
If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 1

“Just the best guys to deal with for photography ”

★★★★★

written by Cerec1 on 17/12/2021

I’ve been buying used Canon kit from Ffords for years. Service is second to none. The quality of the gear I’ve bought is as good as new. Never an issue with anything and I’ve bought DSLR’s, lenses and flash units. In addition I’ve sold, through these guys ,equipment I no longer required and achieved a higher price than eBay. Just a great company.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“They're Just Perfect...”

★★★★★

written by Fotomann on 01/11/2021

Perfect; that is the only honest description for Ffordes Photographic. All the staff go out of their way to help you, whether it's for a sale, a trade-in, or just technical advice; and having the wool pulled over your eyes is never a problem. I have been using Ffordes' services for many years, and whether by phone or in person you always come away as a very satisfied customer. Nowadays there is only one photographic equipment and accessories supplier, and that is Ffordes Photographic! The only problem I have is the hassle from my wife every time I add to my collection of photographic gear!

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 1 0

“Vintage camera sold on commission”

★★★★★

written by paul6666 on 22/10/2021

I had my grandfathers Rolleiflex and accessories to sell and chose to sell them on commission with Ffordes. They gave me a valuation based on photographs and send a courier to collect them. Once they arrived they confirmed the valuations - which were in keeping with my expectations of a vintage camera with very little use. The items did not stay long on the shelfs and about 3 weeks later I was paid. Always polite and informative, with good levels of communication. Very pleased with the service, thoroughly recommend.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“Nice people to deal with”

★★★★★

written by RCJP on 05/10/2021

Would highly recommend ffordes photographic for there honesty and value in there used items department. Twice I have dealt with ffordes, on both occasions the items were in great conditions, above my expectations.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“Great experience ”

★★★★★

written by Danqwerty on 05/10/2021

Bought a used lens, arrived next day as promised. The lens looks brand new. Great price and customer Service.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“Zeiss Victory FL 8x32 binoculars (used)”

★★★★★

written by vdBD on 30/09/2021

The binoculars were ordered from The Netherlands. Contacts with Ffordes were fast and polite. Delivery by DHL was flawless and very fast. The item turned out to be as described: excellent++ Overall a very pleasant experience.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“Knowledgeable and helpful”

★★★★★

written by GarySmith10000000000000000 on 29/09/2021

I recently decided to have a go at large format analogue. Needing a lens I gave Ffordes a call and straight away they were able to help me in making the right choice and supplying me with a fairly priced used item. When the lens arrived I realised that it had been conservatively described and was therefore much better than I expected. The staff member I spoke to is an active large format photographer so I got loads of tips about loading dark slides and developing tanks, image circle sizes, tilt and shift concepts, and much more. I really couldn't be happier with the service I received.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“Trading in for new or second hand - never an easy...”

★★★★★

written by BaronF on 17/09/2021

When it comes to cameras I don't like passing them on. However, I had too much gear and I listed it all to get some idea of trade in or Commission sale values. Ffordes provided a detailed evaluation which greatly assisted me in determining what I should keep and what needed to be disposed of. The information that was provided also encouraged me to dispose of a little more in order to buy a new camera. Ffordes proved themselves to be customer orientated, patiently dealing with the questions that I raised. The arrangements for collection worked fine and the in-depth appraisal of all that I had sent them was achieved within a few days. Once values were confirmed a deal was struck and the new camera, extremely well packed, promptly arrived the next day. I dealt with Ffordes years ago, it was good to witness that service quality has not changed over the years.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“Great Service”

★★★★★

written by DavidPD on 15/09/2021

I have used their service on a number of occasions and have always been delighted with the quality of Service and the excellent advice that I received. This time I wanted to meet staff face to face about an upgrade to my binoculars. They were happy to let me try out a number of possibilities in different price ranges. I am really happy with what i have chosen. Then I had some items that I wished them to sell for me. This process has gone very smoothly and within a few days everything is organised and i know what I will get for my items.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“Great Service”

★★★★★

written by FraserJN on 14/09/2021

Traded in some photographic equipment recently. Very professional and polite staff were a pleasure to deal with. Prompt communications and replies to emails. Would recommend for anyone thinking of being a customer.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“Sony Cash Back issue resolved”

★★★★★

written by Eddietheego on 18/08/2021

Purchased Sony lens in July 2021 from Ffordes, excellent service, and prompt delivery. August- £300 cashback offer declined initially by Sony. Contacted Ffordes and claim was validated within a couple of hours. Thank you to you and your team. Highly recommended!

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“Always Excellent Service! ”

★★★★★

written by PhotogBlogBargainlover on 09/07/2021

I have been a customer since their old premises and always I have had an excellent experience with Ffordes. I recommend these guys highly. Competent, reliable, knowledgeable staff make all the difference!

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“Amazing service as always ”

★★★★★

written by RutlandPhotographer on 17/03/2021

Just imagine this people - you can go online to a UK based dealer - choose the second-hand item you are looking for - see various images of the actual item in high quality - read a full and completely honest description - order it including maybe four months interest free from PP - it is delivered the next day before lunch and it is virtually mint with a six months guarantee. And get this... It was about 10% cheaper than buying a worn out ex-press one from an online auction house. I have dealt with Ffordes for maybe 20 years - since well before they moved up North. I simply cannot tell you how highly I rate these amazing people. Thank you thank you thank you

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“Outstanding customer service ”

★★★★★

written by MichelleBrooks on 15/03/2021

I found a rare adapter online from silvestri on the Ffordes website , quick delivery in 2 days, straight away got an email and I had the feeling nobody wanted forcing to convince me for the purchase. I’m super happy with the adapter and the 14 days return policy online was even more than welcome and so I just could test it and it fitted perfectly. u happy customer will be back soon ..

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

“I always use Ffordes they are fantastic”

★★★★★

written by Alarking on 25/02/2021

Even though I live in the south of England and have mnah closer shops, I always use Ffordes. The service is amazing. Fast, authentic, everything is as described. Fair prices, shockingly quick delivery. And a good range of stuff to tempt you. I’ve bought lenses. Caneras, and accessories. Once lockdown is over I’ll be driving up to say hello. What do I like about Ffordes? Quality of service, no nonsense experience, fast delivery. What don’t I like? Honestly, can’t think of a single thing.

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0

Our helpful community of likeminded people will be happy to answer any questions that you have.

Before posting your question please check to see that it has not already been asked.

Thanks for asking a question.

Once we've checked over your question we will put it live on the site and our strong community of experts will hopefully give you some great answers that you find useful.

We will email you when the question is on the site

Asked by ArranDCB on 5th December 2018 Report this content
Sony a7 with kit lens - a worthwhile investment?

Thanks for answering this question.

Once we've checked over your answer we will put it live on the site so others can gain from your experience. We rely on members like you to sustain our vibrant community so thanks again, we couldn't do it without you.

We will email your when your answer is on the site

overview