Berliners head straight to the major electrical dealers for a well-priced camera. Conrad Electronic has three outlets in the city, as well as online shopping, while Saturn Electronics will suit those after pocket-sized digital cameras.

Cameras are no more expensive than in other northern European countries.

If you consider yourself semi-professional or are looking for advice from knowledgeable staff, head to a specialist store, such as Foto Hess in Charlottenburg, which offers a good range of still and video cameras for amateurs and professionals. It has an interesting collection of vintage Leica models, and hires out digital cameras (€10 to €75, depending on the make and model).

Professionals head to Foto Braune, which sells and repairs cameras, and prints your images (it also has a decent second-hand range). Fotowerk Berlin can print your favourite pictures on tiles, while Jacobs und Schulz in Mitte is a specialist in large format prints (up to 1.8m x 3m). For something a little different, Hartwich in Mitte (030 2005 4169) will turn your portrait into pop art (from €30) or blow it up and print on canvas for around €100, depending on the size. Vintage and second-hand camera seekers should head to Foto Schilling in Charlottenburg.

In general, the standard warranty period for a camera is one or two years and some shops offer extended warranties at extra cost.