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+1
A small museum, but with quite an impressive selection of cameras. Mainly Chinese cameras, but also a nice portion of Japanese and a fantastic part of the Leica imperium. They have almost the complete series 1 up till 3 with all it's sub-releases. There is some side equipment as well, including two glass slide projectors. Would mainly recommend to camera nerds. Entrance is free of charge.…
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Date of experience: September 2016
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+1
As of May 2016, the "Old Camera Manufacturing Museum" has both moved and changed names. I have asked TripAdvisor to update the listing, but wanted to write a review with the information in case my update does not go through. It is now in the Former French Concession at No. 300 Anfu Rd. It is attached to the IG Art Gallery & Cafe at the same address, and the museum can be found on the third floor. It has free admission with extensive hours (10:30-22:00, closed Mondays and Thursdays). This museum truly focuses on the history of cameras, both around the world and in China itself. It features many Seagull cameras (a domestic Chinese brand), as well as other brands from around the world. There is a small area dedicated to Nikon, an area that shows something about actual camera manufacturing (though this section is currently exclusively in Mandarin, while many other sections are bilingual with English), and a portion of worldwide cameras with some dating as far back as 1902 and possibly before. The museum is for personal cameras, as opposed to stand-up professional or video cameras. Though there was no one working at the time, there are a couple of areas where professionals actively restore cameras. One thing I found surprising was that there were few actual photos to be found in the museum. It is true to its name: it is a museum for cameras themselves and not for the art the cameras create. As you exit the museum, you go through the IG Art Gallery and Cafe, which looks very nice and compliments the museum well. The tables are decorative cogs or film reels; the pillows look like classic cameras; additional classic cameras can be found on display throughout. Bottom line: if you like cameras or small, focused museums, it is hard to go wrong here. Allow yourself about an hour.…
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Date of experience: June 2016
1 Helpful vote
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+1
A lot of Chinese and other film cameras. Small manufacturing line inside. You can buy refurbished camera at the end of exposition.
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Date of experience: April 2014
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This is quite a remarkable place to visit. I only stumbled across it when I was exploring the area from the French Concession to People’s Park. It has quite an innocuous entrance but inside on display were vintage cameras ranging from the first Leica and first Seagull (China’s own brand) camera to a fairly recent film camera. No digital camera on display. If you are a camera enthusiast or a keen photographer, this place is a must. I was there in August. There was no air conditioning and it was stifling but the collection of old cameras and old monochrome photographs and the excellent displays are well worth the experience. Many of the cameras have been painfully restored. They look great. There is even a small photo studio with the Forbidden City, Beijing in the backdrop, all set up for your own indoor photo shoot! Entrance is free.…
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Date of experience: August 2014
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