Castle Cameras

Castle Cameras, a photography retailer trading since 1974

Castle Cameras describes itself as having been born in 1974 with the aim of making photography fun. The business combines an online store with physical shops in Bournemouth and Salisbury, where staff are presented as an experienced counter team able to advise on cameras, lenses, binoculars, scopes and accessories. Its range is aimed at everyone from beginners to seasoned professionals.

Cameras, lenses and video equipment

The catalogue is organised by product family and by brand. On the camera side it covers mirrorless bodies by system, including Canon EOS-R, Fujifilm X, Nikon Z, Sony Alpha, Panasonic Lumix S, Lumix G, OM SYSTEM and Sigma mirrorless, alongside full-frame options from Canon, Nikon, Lumix S and Sony. It also lists digital compact cameras, content creation cameras, DSLR cameras, action cameras and accessories, video cameras and vlogging models, plus instant cameras, instant film, single-use cameras and instant printers.

Lenses are grouped both by mount and by manufacturer: Canon RF, Fujifilm X, Nikon Z, Sony E and Sony G Master, Micro Four Thirds, L Mount, Canon EF-M, and DSLR lenses for Canon and Nikon fits. The shop also stocks lens filters, including clear UV and protection, polarising, neutral density and the Cokin creative filter system, as well as filter stepping rings.

Optics, bags, tripods and accessories

Beyond cameras, the range extends to optics: binoculars, spotting scopes, eyepieces, mounts, cases and accessories, telescopes, monoculars, microscopes, thermal and night vision devices and smart binoculars. Brands named in this area include Vortex, Canon, Swarovski, Hawke, Celestron, Nikon and Zeiss.

Other categories cover camera bags and cases, tripods and heads, monopods and supports, memory cards and storage, card readers, SSDs and USB drives, cleaning products, straps and harnesses, batteries and chargers, power adaptors, battery grips, on-camera and studio lighting, remote controls, raincovers and housings, sensor cleaning, lens accessories, inkjet printing, film and darkroom supplies, scanners and clothing.

Used equipment, clearance and trade-in

A dedicated used section spans used DSLR, mirrorless, compact, film and action cameras, used optics such as binoculars and scopes, and used lenses organised by mount, including Canon EOS R, Nikon Z, Sony Alpha, L-mount, Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds, Canon EF-M, Canon EOS and Nikon AF, plus legacy manual-focus lenses. Used accessories are also grouped by camera system. A clearance area lists end-of-line cameras, lenses, binoculars, bags, filters, tripods and heads.

The company promotes a part-exchange and trade-in route for customers replacing old equipment, and offers camera finance. It states that all stock is UK stock and that free delivery applies to selected lines, with free delivery on orders over £50 to most UK mainland postcodes.

Brands and promotions

The store presents itself as stocking thousands of products from the major photo brands, naming Canon, Fujifilm, Sony, Nikon and Lumix among others. A long brand list also includes Atomos, Billingham, Celestron, Cokin, Cullmann, Energizer, Fotospeed, Hahnel, Hama, Hawke, Hoya, Ilford, Kenko, Kodak, Kondor Blue, Leofoto, Lexar, Lowepro, Manfrotto, MindShift Gear, OM System, OpTech, Peak Design, PGYTECH, Polaroid, Samyang, Sandisk, Sigma, Sirui, Slik, Smallrig, Swarovski Optik, Tamrac, Tamron, Think Tank, Visible Dust, Vortex, Zeiss and Zhiyun.

Dedicated promotion pages are maintained for Canon, Fujifilm, Panasonic, Nikon, OM System and Sony offers. The catalogue at the time of writing showed examples such as the Canon EOS R8 Mark II body at £1,729 with a £100 pre-order, the Swarovski Optik 8x30 CL Companion binoculars at £1,069 with 12 months 0% finance, the Sony RX10 V at £2,199, the Canon EOS R50 V creator kit with RF-S 14-30mm lens at £999, a 10% reduction on the Sony FE 24-70mm f2.8 G Master to £1,399 with £400 cashback, and the Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 DG DN OS Sports for Sony FE at £1,479 with a £175 instant discount.

Events, training and other services

Castle Cameras runs regular events throughout the year, including an Annual Spring Shoot in May, and maintains an events and training section. It also offers film processing, prints, service plans and a blog, and invites customers to tag the shop in their photographs.

Shops in Bournemouth and Salisbury

The online operation is supported by two shops, in Bournemouth and Salisbury, presented as places where customers can draw on the experience of the staff behind the counter. The company also publishes a testimonials page and a job opportunities section.