When the Hills Fire raced through the East Bay in 1991, Peter and Nancy Sarber were there, documenting the awesome destruction and helping their neighbors weather the storm by offering free processing and film as well as restoration of damaged photos. The Fire Storm changed the face of the Bay Area and at Sarber's we saw first hand how precious photos became when so much was lost.

Peter and Nancy’s son David (who literally grew up in the store taking naps as a child under a stairwell) and his wife Jessica, took over the store operations in 1995. That same year Sarber’s purchased and revived another East Bay favorite camera store; Gersh Photo on Solano Avenue in Berkeley. North Berkeley residents were happy to see a good camera store return to their neighborhood and their support helped Sarber’s Cameras in Berkeley expand the following year to it’s current size to better serve photographers and families from West Oakland all the way to Vallejo and Marin. Sarber’s Portrait and Frame Shop also evolved in that time to become Studio Montclair by Sarber’s.

With the new millennium, came a revolution in photography as Digital Imaging was introduced. From the beginning, Sarber’s has helped thousands make the transition from film to digital while continuing to serve our customers who still appreciate the unique qualities and permanence of film.

Today, Sarber’s two stores and two labs continue to provide the answers, services and equipment you need to save your memories. Whether it’s your family history, your business or your passion, when it comes to photography, we complete the picture.

Sarber’s is staffed by a diverse group of photographers, teachers, artists and mentors. We’re dedicated to good photography for many reasons. For some it’s about history and family, for others it’s about expression and for others it’s just a lot of fun. It’s not always easy getting the results you want from your camera; we can show you how. You can get good pictures from any camera with the right techniques; our experienced staff can help you complete the picture.

As a locally owned small business, Sarber’s is proud to be part of the unique and diverse Bay Area Communities that surround our stores. You may have seen us at some of the local events we sponsor, or you may be part of some of the local groups we support, including the Montclair Village Holiday Stroll, ProArts Annual East Bay Open Studios Tour, Solano Stroll, Sarber’s S’Cool Donation Program, Solano Avenue Association, and the Montclair Village Association.

Sarber’s is also proud to support education in our community every holiday season with our Sarber’s S’Cool Program. Sarber’s donates a percentage of every sale to local schools, and we let each customer choose what school will receive their contribution. Over 100 schools benefited from the program last year and our customers have helped us make this an annual event for Sarber’s.