Microglobe

I've added Microglobe to my list of recommended sellers, as I've used them a couple of times recently for cables and bits & pieces. They're predominantly an online retailer, but actually do have a small shop off Bury Place near the British Museum. Microglobe have seemed very competitive in their pricing to me, and aren't in the business of grey imports. However, they do believe in piling it high and selling it cheap. This is good, if you know what you want.

The shop is quite funny - boxes literally piled from floor to ceiling - and it's so crammed, there's about 6ft of space for customers and not much more for the two staff (there is no separate stockroom). I don't suggest it as a model for all businesses, but it lets me purchase a remote cable for £12.50 instead of £25 that everyone else is charging, and £47 for a sync cable that others wanted £85 for. Don't go there for technical support, advice on shooting photos or to peruse the latest kit - just use them for bits & bobs at a reasonable price.

Removal of Kingsley Photographic

With some sadness, I have removed Kingsley Photographic from my recommended list of retailers. They haven't done anything specifically wrong to me, but I haven't bought anything there for ages. I now find that their prices are almost always higher than other retailers (and I'm not just comparing with online sellers), and last time I went in there looking for a flash gun, they didn't have what I wanted. A couple of years ago, I could seem to find whatever I needed and always at a competitive price from them - they were my favourite Nikon specialists.

Most recently, I was looking for a Sekonic L308s Flashmate. Typically, these retail for around £135. Park Cameras, Camera World and several others all sell at this price. Amazon sells them for £129.99, and I purchased mine from Digital Meters for £125 including postage. Kingsley Photographic, as of last week, were selling it for £149. I assume this is because of the high cost of having a store on Tottenham Court Road, but Camera World are just off Oxford St and that can't be cheap either.

Grays of Westminster are one of the highest profile Nikon specialists of all, and while their stock is always in excellent condition, I find that they almost always charge a lot more than their competitors. As such, I never shop there; plenty of other camera shops give me just as good service without charging me a premium for posh advertising. I hope Kingsley Photographic doesn't go the same way.

Maps

I particularly enjoy hiking, and am a big fan of the website WalkingWorld. However, sometimes I like to design my own walks - to assist with that, I've learned of a great offer from someone over at the Talk Photography forums.

Until the end of July, Dash4it have got 30% off all Ordnance Survey maps with free next day delivery. Considering that even the standard Explorer maps are usually £7 a go in the shops, this is a great offer - reducing the cost of a standard map down to £5.59. If you use the discount code JULY9 at the checkout, you get an extra 5% off as well.

OS Explorer maps are a great way of finding new spots to photograph - I'm off today to explore around Great Bookham in Surrey. The weather isn't good, but I'm sure I'll find something - must dash though, as my girlfriend is starting to stomp around waiting to go!

Review - Kingsley Photographic

Based at 93 Tottenham Court Road, London, I have been a satisfied customer of Kingsley Photographic for many years - ever since I bought my first batch of Ilford Black & White film from them. Only a 2-minute walk from Warren St tube station, they are a specialist Nikon dealer, and have an outstanding range of products. I have never walked away empty-handed or had to order something because they didn't have it in stock. I have always found the staff helpful and knowledgable, and happy to take the time out to talk to me when I had questions. Sure, you can probably find certain items cheaper on the internet - but the difference here isn't as large as, say, at Gray's of Westminster, who tend to flood photography magazines with posh-looking adverts and some of the highest prices around for Nikon equipment. What you get at Kingsley Photographic is excellent service, quality advice and staff who actually care about what you buy. They also stock a variety of non-Nikon accessories, consumables and equipment. The only thing lacking is a second-hand selection. For service, stock and knowledge, I cannot recommend them highly enough.