Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Notices

Go Back   Film and Darkroom User > General discussions > Photography in general

  ***   Click here for the FADU 2015/2014 Yearbooks   ***

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 17th December 2008, 05:21 PM
kennethcooke's Avatar
kennethcooke kennethcooke is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: West Riding
Posts: 459
Default The Demise of the high street camera shop

Firstly, let me say that know that times change but as a Luddite with Digital Neanderthal tendencies I morn the passing of the hight street camera shops. These shops were Aladdin's caves of all sorts of goodies and were usually staffed by people who had some understanding of photography.

In Leeds, as a for instance we had 5 or 6 really to quality camera shops in fact there were 3 authorised Leica dealers. Now my nearest Leica dealer is in Harrogate which is poor show for Leeds which prides itself on being a dynamic go ahead city. Leeds does still have the remnants of a camera shop. Dale Photographic Ltd, who I think are an authorised Nikon dealer and carry a good range of MF and studio equipment but that is all. To be fair Jessops store in Leeds has a couple of Digital Neanderthal asylum seekers from the good old days in fact one is an M6 user.

I would be interested to hear other members experiences in their towns and cities
__________________
"Die Zukunft der Erinnerung" -Leica-"The Future of Memories"

Regards Kenneth
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 17th December 2008, 05:31 PM
Argentum's Avatar
Argentum Argentum is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Sceptred Isle
Posts: 3,066
Default

In the very small town I live in, the old camera shop closed a few years ago. The owner retired and tried to sell the shop as a going concern. But since he was only selling a few point and shoots and struggled to supply anything out of the ordinary, it was no surprise that nobody bought it. It's now a travel agent. He should have retired 5 years earlier and he may have sold it.

As for Leeds, they used to have the best Contax dealership in the UK. Of course that died with contax.

We now have a mini lab which does a roaring trade in printing digi files to photographic paper, a little digital printing on a wide format printer and sells a small amount of film. But you couldn't call it a camera shop.
__________________
An old dog learning new tricks
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 17th December 2008, 05:40 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is online now
Friend
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Daventry, Northants
Posts: 8,968
Default

Northampton has "Skears" which sells quite a range of secondhand analogue cameras and does repairs as well. I'd rate it quite highly if a little expensive on secondhand gear but then again it has staffing and overheads costs to meet.

Mike
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 17th December 2008, 07:13 PM
kennethcooke's Avatar
kennethcooke kennethcooke is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: West Riding
Posts: 459
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by percepts View Post
In the very small town I live in, the old camera shop closed a few years ago. The owner retired and tried to sell the shop as a going concern. But since he was only selling a few point and shoots and struggled to supply anything out of the ordinary, it was no surprise that nobody bought it. It's now a travel agent. He should have retired 5 years earlier and he may have sold it.

As for Leeds, they used to have the best Contax dealership in the UK. Of course that died with contax.

We now have a mini lab which does a roaring trade in printing digi files to photographic paper, a little digital printing on a wide format printer and sells a small amount of film. But you couldn't call it a camera shop.
I remember them well- Bentley Film Services. I bought my Leitz Pradovit projector from them. They were originally at the top end of Albion Place they then moved further along the same street
__________________
"Die Zukunft der Erinnerung" -Leica-"The Future of Memories"

Regards Kenneth
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 17th December 2008, 08:41 PM
Trevor Crone's Avatar
Trevor Crone Trevor Crone is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: London
Posts: 2,609
Default

My local camera shop, 'Percival Cameras' is alive and apparently well. They used to have 5 shops but now down to just this one. I bought my Konica T3's from them (still have them) way back in the 1970's. They have a good second hand section, even selling darkroom goodies They even sell Ilford film, paper and chemicals mainly to students studying photography at college.
__________________
"To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty, and in the same field, it beholds, every hour, a picture which was never seen before, and which will never be seen again" Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Timespresent
Arenaphotographers
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 17th December 2008, 08:58 PM
PMarkey's Avatar
PMarkey PMarkey is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Bradford West Yorks
Posts: 255
Default

Bradford camera exchange , Been around for years has a very good selection of used cameras and stocks a good selection of Ilford film,chemicals and papers along with Paterson products . Also Janet Greens in Halifax but unfortunately any darkroom supply's are kept in the back room and it's best to wait to be served by one of the older members of staff who actually know what stop bath is but they do have a nice second hand selection usually .
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 17th December 2008, 09:56 PM
kennethcooke's Avatar
kennethcooke kennethcooke is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: West Riding
Posts: 459
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul View Post
Bradford camera exchange , Been around for years has a very good selection of used cameras and stocks a good selection of Ilford film,chemicals and papers along with Paterson products . Also Janet Greens in Halifax but unfortunately any darkroom supply's are kept in the back room and it's best to wait to be served by one of the older members of staff who actually know what stop bath is but they do have a nice second hand selection usually .
You obviously live in my neck of the woods. Huddersfield used to have a good camera shop and there used to be a good one in Birstall
__________________
"Die Zukunft der Erinnerung" -Leica-"The Future of Memories"

Regards Kenneth
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 17th December 2008, 10:31 PM
les dix les dix is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Near Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Posts: 262
Default

One of the most exciting camera shops I ever came across was 7-8 years ago just opposite Kings College, Cambridge along King's parade. A fantastic collection of old cameras in the window piled like a hoard of pirate treasure.

I would be astonished and delighted if it were still in business.

Les
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 17th December 2008, 11:49 PM
outremer's Avatar
outremer outremer is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Belfast
Posts: 76
Default

As someone who work in a photographic retail chain I can honestly say that I can envisage a comeback for film and chemicals.

I have been recently astonished at the amount of developers/papers/equipment that recently have flooded into the shop and I am assured it's not just because I keep ordering quantities for myself.

Maybe someday soon the small camera shop will return with a specialised market chomping at the bit for old reliable goodies.

Paul
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 18th December 2008, 12:04 AM
Argentum's Avatar
Argentum Argentum is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Sceptred Isle
Posts: 3,066
Default

Another shop I always called into just to browse was Camerex in Exeter. It was stuffed to the rafters with second hand goodies. Loads of darkroom kit, various enlargers, lighting kits and many cameras of all shapes and sizes.
Then Ebay arrived and they sold the lot online. Now when you go in, the place looks empty and there is rarely anything worth looking at. Ebay just doesn't have that touchy feely thing about it that a good old fashion second hand shop has. When I was a lad we used to.....
__________________
An old dog learning new tricks
Reply With Quote
Reply
Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
High Density foam - Easels Andrew Bartram Equipment miscellaneous 13 27th June 2009 06:26 AM
Street Portraits- variation on a theme kennethcooke Photography in general 3 31st March 2009 07:22 PM
A View From The Street. Trevor Crone Photography in general 30 26th February 2009 09:51 AM
Street Photography kennethcooke Art and aesthetics 0 20th December 2008 06:39 PM
Camera on the Crags kennethcooke Cameras - Large Format 0 18th December 2008 03:59 AM


All times are GMT. The time now is 12:46 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.