If you’re new to learning film photography or a seasoned pro, the hunt for the perfect vintage film camera can become an addiction. Every camera tells a story, and each has a unique character, much like the wonderful places where you can find them.
With the return of film photography in the last decade, the demand and prices for film cameras have risen anywhere between 80% – 400% in the last 3-5 years. This resurgence in film has helped these vintage camera shops thrive in a digital age.
So whether you’re looking to buy your next film camera, vintage Polaroid, vintage lenses, 35mm film, or any other film supplies, finding the best local film camera store will be a sinch.
On the flip side, with the meteoric rise in film camera prices, you might want to sell your film camera. I recently wrote an article that explores what your film cameras might be worth and why it could be a good idea to sell.
Today I’ll take a virtual tour around the world, exploring some of the best stores where you can add to your precious collection. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting many of these stores and interacting with the knowledgeable and passionate people behind them.
While I’m going to cover a few locations in detail, head on over to the end of the article for the ultimate list of vintage camera shops from almost every country across the world!
Best places to buy film cameras
We’ll start our journey in North America, specifically, the USA. The iconic B&H Photo Video in New York City is a mecca for photographers worldwide. Their immense variety is staggering, and the knowledgeable staff will give you invaluable advice. Next, head west to Central Camera Co. in Chicago, a family-owned store operating since 1899, guaranteeing you’ll find unique pieces.
Lastly, the Blue Moon Camera in Portland, Oregon, has an array of analog cameras and a staff that lives and breathes photography. Like many other film camera stores on this list, Blue Moon Camera is a great place to get your film developed. They offer both in-person delivery and by mail.
A hop over the border lands us in Canada. Kerrisdale Cameras in Vancouver has been serving photography enthusiasts since 1961. Downtown Camera in Toronto is another gem with a variety of cameras, while Camtec Photo in Montreal has a French charm and a unique selection of vintage cameras.
Moving south, in Mexico we have Foto Regis in Mexico City. This place has a grandeur that reminds us of the golden era of film. Fotomecanica Jinez and Casanova Foto in Guadalajara are other must-visit places for their rare finds.
In South America, Argentina and Brazil house some of the finest stores. Foto Baires in Buenos Aires and Foto Hennemann in São Paulo are must-visit spots for their remarkable collection of vintage film cameras.
Let’s cross the Atlantic to Europe now. Grays of Westminster in London, UK, is an exclusive Nikon dealer with an impressive range of film cameras. Foto Meyer in Berlin, Germany, has been a go-to store since 1921. Nation Photo in France, Fotografica in the Netherlands, Foto R3 in Spain, and Foto Ottica Cavour in Italy, are some other gems for their diverse collection and their excellent customer service.
In Scandinavia, check out Kameradoktorn in Stockholm, Sweden, known for its specialized repair services, and Kamerastore in Helsinki, Finland, the haven for every film camera enthusiast. The FotoVideo in Oslo, Norway, is another great film camera stop.
In Asia, Japan is the heart of camera manufacturing. Lemon Camera in Tokyo and Camera-no-Kitamura in Osaka are filled with hard-to-find models. Don’t miss Mahatta Camera in New Delhi, India, a reputable store with a rich history dating back to pre-independence years. If you’re in China, Xing Guang Camera Market in Shanghai is a literal paradise of camera stores.
Oceania is not far behind. If you’re down under in Australia visit CameraPro in Brisbane, as it offers an enviable range of film cameras. In New Zealand, Auckland Camera Centre is the place to go for its vintage collection and expert advice.
Finally, Africa. Kameraz in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Radio Talaat in Cairo, Egypt, are must-visits for their great selection of film cameras.
This global camera-hunting journey was exhilarating, wasn’t it? But remember, no matter where you are in the world, you’re not far from a vintage film camera waiting for its new owner. Don’t forget to enjoy the hunt as much as the prized possession. After all, it’s all about capturing moments, be it through the camera or in your quest for one. Happy hunting!
Best film camera stores
Best film camera stores in North America
| Country | #1 | #2 | #3 |
| USA | B&H Photo Video (New York City) | Central Camera Co. (Chicago) | Blue Moon Camera (Portland) |
| Canada | Kerrisdale Cameras (Vancouver) | Downtown Camera (Toronto) | Camtec Photo (Montreal) |
| Mexico | Foto Regis (Mexico City) | Fotomecanica Jinez (Mexico City) | Casanova Foto (Guadalajara) |
Best film camera stores in South America
| Country | #1 | #2 | #3 |
| Argentina | Foto Baires (Buenos Aires) | Foto Lucci (Córdoba) | Riofoto (Rosario) |
| Brazil | Foto Hennemann (São Paulo) | Della Giustina (Rio de Janeiro) | Foto Optica (Belo Horizonte) |
Best film camera stores in Europe
| Country | #1 | #2 | #3 |
| UK | Grays of Westminster (London) | Ffordes Photographic (Scotland) | West Yorkshire Cameras (Leeds) |
| Germany | Foto Meyer (Berlin) | Foto Gregor (Cologne) | Foto Kaffeeklatsch (Munich) |
| France | Nation Photo (Paris) | Images-Photo (Lyon) | Photo Saint-Charles (Marseille) |
| Netherlands | Fotografica (Amsterdam) | Kamera Express (Rotterdam) | Foto Leistenschneider (Utrecht) |
| Spain | Foto R3 (Madrid) | Foto K (Barcelona) | Foto Perea (Seville) |
| Italy | Foto Ottica Cavour (Rome) | New Old Camera (Milan) | Foto Gazzani (Venice) |
| Sweden | Kameradoktorn (Stockholm) | Kaffebrus (Gothenburg) | Camera House (Malmö) |
| Denmark | Photografica (Copenhagen) | FotoC (Aarhus) | Photografica Aalborg (Aalborg) |
| Finland | Kamerastore (Helsinki) | Camera Rescue (Tampere) | Digitarvike (Turku) |
| Norway | FotoVideo (Oslo) | Japan Photo (Bergen) | Scandinavian Photo (Stavanger) |
| Austria | Fotobörse (Vienna) | Leica Shop (Vienna) | Foto Fayer (Vienna) |
| Belgium | Foto Nelissen (Brussels) | Foto Konijnenberg (Antwerp) | Foto Demeester (Ghent) |
| Croatia | Fototrade (Zagreb) | Foto Svetica (Split) | Foto Hrvatska (Rijeka) |
| Czechia | Foto Skoda (Prague) | FotoPiano (Brno) | FotoTechna (Ostrava) |
| Greece | Fotodesmos (Athens) | Skoulos (Thessaloniki) | Photoklik (Patras) |
| Hungary | Fotoplus (Budapest) | Mikrosat (Budapest) | Camera Kft (Debrecen) |
| Iceland | Ljósmyndavörur (Reykjavik) | Beco (Reykjavik) | Starafot (Akureyri) |
| Ireland | Conns Cameras (Dublin) | Bermingham Cameras (Dublin) | Whelan Cameras (Limerick) |
| Lithuania | SKUBIOS FOTOS (Vilnius) | Fototechnika (Kaunas) | Fotoaparatas.lt (Klaipeda) |
| Poland | Cyberfoto (Warsaw) | Foto-Forma (Kraków) | SowaFoto (Poznań) |
| Portugal | Colorfoto (Lisbon) | FOTOGLOBAL (Porto) | FOTOVIDA (Braga) |
| Romania | Fotomax (Bucharest) | F64 Studio (Bucharest) | Camera Foto (Cluj-Napoca) |
| Russia | Fotovramke (Moscow) | FotoSklad (St. Petersburg) | Zerkalo (Novosibirsk) |
| Serbia | Fotosinteza (Belgrade) | Nivo Foto (Novi Sad) | FoNet (Kragujevac) |
| Switzerland | Foto Zumstein (Bern) | FotoPro (Zurich) | Cadlolo Foto (Geneva) |
| Turkey | Mayadrom (Istanbul) | Sanko Foto (Izmir) | Foto Eren (Ankara) |
| Ukraine | Zavod (Kyiv) | Fotomag (Lviv) | DeloFoto (Odessa) |
Best film camera stores in Asia
| Country | #1 | #2 | #3 |
| Japan | Lemon Camera (Tokyo) | Camera-no-Kitamura (Osaka) | Tokiwa Camera (Yokohama) |
| India | Mahatta Camera (New Delhi) | J.J. Mehta & Sons (Mumbai) | G.K. Vale & Co. (Bangalore) |
| Israel | Kikar Hamedina Camera Stores (Tel Aviv) | Agas Hamayim (Jerusalem) | Foto Naor (Haifa) |
| Philippines | Hidalgo Street (Manila) | Wonder Photo Shop (Cebu City) | Mayer Photo (Davao City) |
| Singapore | P&G Photographic Centre (Singapore) | SLR Revolution (Singapore) | FotoHub (Singapore) |
| Hong Kong | Kobo Camera (Hong Kong) | IMAGEPLAYGROUND (Hong Kong) | HKCamera (Hong Kong) |
| Taiwan | Bo’ai Road Camera Street (Taipei) | MK Camera (Taipei) | Wucyuan Street (Kaohsiung) |
| China | Xing Guang Camera Market (Shanghai) | Champion Camera (Beijing) | Shenzhen SEG Market (Shenzhen) |
| Indonesia | TokoKamera (Jakarta) | Raja Foto (Bandung) | Focus Nusantara (Surabaya) |
| Vietnam | Ngọc Camera (Hanoi) | Đức Minh Camera (Ho Chi Minh City) | Vạn Phúc Camera (Da Nang) |
| South Korea | Namdaemun Camera Market (Seoul) | Jungang Camera (Busan) | Camera House (Incheon) |
| United Arab Emirates | Salam Stores (Dubai) | Grand Stores (Abu Dhabi) | Foto Express (Sharjah) |
Best film camera stores in Oceania
| Country | #1 | #2 | #3 |
| Australia | CameraPro (Brisbane) | Michaels Camera (Melbourne) | Paxtons Camera Store (Sydney) |
| New Zealand | Auckland Camera Centre (Auckland) | Photo Warehouse (Wellington) | Photogear (Christchurch) |
Best film camera stores in Africa
| Country | #1 | #2 | #3 |
| South Africa | Kameraz (Johannesburg) | Orms Direct (Cape Town) | Foto Discount World (Pretoria) |
| Egypt | Radio Talaat (Cairo) | Cairo Camera (Cairo) | Dream2000 (Alexandria) |
If there are any other great vintage camera store that I missed make sure you leave them in the comments so I can continue expanding on this list for future readers and explorers!
Tudor Stanescu is a professional photographer and videographer with almost 15 years of experience shooting urban cityscapes, portraiture, weddings, and much more. He has worked on many commercial projects with the likes of Ford, Scotia Bank and Format to name a few. Growing up in the 90s has also brought Tudor back to exploring film photography over the last 5 years as he rediscovers his passion for the art of photography.
