Fuong camera centre Vietnam

COLLECTING OLD CAMERAS Article: Do Binh. Photo: Thanh Giang I met him by chance one late autumn afternoon. He surprised me not only with his thorough knowledge of photography but also with the fact that he is a well known camera collector in Vietnam. After our conversation I knew for the first time that there is a very special hobby in the field of photography-old camera collecting. For Phuong, this is his great passion in life. He owns more than 40 cameras-all more than 50 years old, yet still working. Whenever he hears about an old camera he tries his best to acquire it, even if it is advertised overseas. He said that a collector must have great passion as well as a profound knowledge of old cameras. This knowledge helps to make collecting meaningful. I am not very good with cameras and I have never seen an old camera. This was the first time I had seen so many antique cameras of different styles and colors. There was a camera in the shape of a loudspeaker. The Leica was small and sophisticated, Rolleifex was big with two binoculars. The Brownie was strange, with a card case. At first sight, some of the cameras didn't look quite like cameras. It must have taken him lots of time and effort to collect such valuable cameras. He bought the Kodak in Singapore, Leica and Pearlette in Germany. Taking out the Pearlette from the cupboard, he said: This is the oldest and the most valuable camera I own. Pearlette used to be a famous camera brand in Germany in the 1920s. It has been my precious friend for a few years. Cameras of its same generation no longer exist. Though it was over 70 years old, he sometimes took the Pearlette out with him to take photos. It had been very difficult to get it to Vietnam. Knowing that the owner of the Pearlette was in Germany, he flew there but received a blunt refusal. But the camera enchanted him from the time he first saw it, so he couldn't bear giving up trying to acquire it. After negotiating unsuccessfully many times, he made friends with its owner and exchanged experiences with him. Seeing his great passion for cameras, the owner finally sold it to him with a caution: It is a valuable object. There are none others left. I believe in you so I will sell it to you. Keep it safe. Since that time many people have aked him to sell it but he will never part with it. The cameras are like intimate friends. Every day I see them and use them, how can I part with them? He added. According to those in the know, there are very few people collecting old cameras. Normally those who have a passion for camera collecting are very knowledgeable about the cameras' working parts, because old cameras are very difficult for amateurs to use. Some cameras can only work when operated from the hips. Some have no operating manual. The old cameras are not similar to other antiques. Not only are they the original generation of cameras-the ancestors of the digital cameras-but they are very useful if used in the right way. For example, the Pearlette is used for taking black and white photos of old streets. It creates instant memories, something which cannot be done by modern cameras. Most of the old cameras are manual and can only take black and white photos. The settings all have to be done by hand, but they can take wonderful photos with a high level of accuracy. Phuong said that collectors often bought cameras from European countries especially Germany. The Germans occupy the first rank in terms of technological development. He said that the Pearlette and Leica brand names were world leaders in their day. Listening to him introducing the history of each camera, I realized how powerful his passion was. He has the strength to turn the dream into reality and at the same time provide us with valuable knowledge. I was so surprised at the rooms full of old cameras and tried to memorise as much of his story as possible.