Photographica Fair

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Organised by the Photographic Collectors Club of Great Britain and billed as the UK’s largest camera collectors and users fair, this year there will be around 135 tables for buying, selling and swapping antique cameras – not to mention lenses, accessories, film, paper, books and photographs themselves.

The fair successfully taps into a second-hand camera market that has burgeoned in recent years – perhaps in part due to photographers switching to digital systems and trading in their old film cameras or simply rediscovering the joy of using film.

Whatever the reason, the increased interest in buying classic cameras has allowed the Photographica fair to flourish.

The array of cameras and lenses on display at the event is almost spell-binding, with anything from 35mm SLRs to half-frame, folding, medium-format and large-format cameras, plus everything in between.

Another cause for the popularity of the fair is the fraternity enjoyed within the camera collectors and dealers community. The Photographic Collectors Club of Great Britain attracts members from all over the country and Photographica is one of numerous opportunities for them to congregate each year.

Entry to the public and non-members is £5 and the venue itself, The Royal Horticultural Halls, is worth a few snaps – just make sure it’s not taken on your mobile phone.

Photographica – Camera Collectors and Users Fair takes place on May 22.