Hong Kong Analogue Camera Trail – All Good Friend Camera Company – Champagne Court

March 21, 2015 by mspau 2 Comments

All Good Friend Camera Company

AGFCC are spread across a few windows at the start of Champagne Court. If there is a window nearby, without being part of a shop, just head back to the main shop and ask about what you would like to look at. It takes a while to work out which shop owns which window. Don’t be afraid to ask though!

These guys have a great collection of minty Leicas, in the little storefront shop. They are all wrapped up in protective plastic, and beautifully presented. The expensive models appear in excellent condition. Droolworthy stuff. The are virtually unmarked. Checking out a couple of M6s, it was pretty obvious that despite the almost uniform ramshackled disorganised messes some of the stores are, the gear is mostly well loved and cared for, depending on the price.

I purchased a 90mm XPan (Fuji branded) lens here on a previous trip and found them pretty negotiable on price. Just make sure you have cash… Nobody likes cards here, and most will not accept them – unless it is a thing about being suss about travellers?

They stock a great range of both Nikon and Canon gear, a few Rollei TLRs and similar stuff. Probably a bit more suited to people looking for quality rather than a bargain. There are a few quirky cameras, some 110 cameras. Just enough to keep it interesting.

The staff here were friendly, but pretty busy. I had to wait a while for him to get out a lens I was interested in. The delay gave me time to have second thoughts about the level of investment, so bad luck for AGFCC! I was responding to my impulse motivators, but they had subsided by the time the lens arrived for me to check out. Close call…

There are a few bargains, and they have a great range of second hand accessories that you can go rooting around for in the boxes – Kinda like the Box Hill Camera Market on steroids?

AGFCC dropped the price of the Xpan Lens I was looking at from $26,000 HK to and even $20,000 HK on request, but this is a bit unusual. You need to bargain hard here, and be prepared to walk away from a deal. Don’t fall in love with “The Girls on the Avenue” as Richard (not Eric) Clapton said in the 80’s. If you are fair dinkum on an item, go in with cash ready to do a deal. The guys at AGFCC and the other stores are pretty cluey when it comes to separating the poseurs and the purchasers…

I have a funny feeling the lens might have sold as it is no longer in the window – or maybe he is trying to tempt me back into the store.

The AGFCC are online here.

They are located in the Champagne Court, 16-20 Kimberley Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong.