Solid Ground: Namdaemun Camera Market

Namdaemun is a great area to explore. There's an outdoor market that you can walk through with various shops and a lot of street food.
We actually happened upon the camera street by accident. It was our first trip to Seoul and we didn't quite understand how to navigate the city. We were wandering without a destination and by chance found this well-known street of camera shops in Seoul. The best part? I had my Canon 5D MIII with me, so photos ensued! We didn't spend much time here because the sun was going down, the shops were closing and there was more we wanted to see, but I was able to snap a couple of shots for you all.

The prices weren't too bad. I'd say they were fairly reasonable, especially for being able to walk away with the product instead of waiting for an online order to ship.

I don't know for sure, but I wonder how much of the product here is gray market. I honestly couldn't tell you. From my research, I've heard that the equipment works the same, but don't take my word on that. I encourage you to do your own research when purchasing big ticket items like these.

For a photographer like me, it was really exciting to just happen upon this area. I definitely had my eye on a couple of new lenses. The large windows of cameras and lenses were like eye candy!

Since I had my camera with me, we stopped in one shop to ask about a focus issue I was having. The Korean men running the store were helpful, despite the language barrier. I walked away with the problem solved free of charge and a handful of "test shots" on my memory card. The man helping me used the other man's eyeball to focus on while adjusting the settings. I could tell that this wasn't the first time they'd done this, because the man just turned to him and stared straight into the lens while he took the shot. Too funny.

There were many cool camera bags and lens bags in this shop. They also sold camera equipment and lenses of all brands. I hope to come back with more time to spare so I can browse other shops as well.

I've attached a screen shot from Google maps below to give you an idea of the location. As you can see, it's an entire street full of shops that sell photography equipment with popular brands like Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Sony and more. You can also use the address below to get you in that general area. It's not difficult to find. Make sure, while you're there, to check out Sungnyemun (Namdaemun) Gate and the Namdaemun Market, which are both close by and noteworthy tourist destinations. The closest subway stations are Seoul Station or Hoehyeon Station. Happy travels!