Camera Shops I Have Known Part 1

I wanted to remember some of the camera shops that have gone that I used, mostly good and great, but for one…

Fieldgrass and Gale, Wandsworth

I bought a beautiful Nikon 180mm from them years ago and possibly an 85mm too, but they were run by a man who repeatedly fails at this, Peter Walnes, who is well-known in the industry for not paying his bills.

Fieldgrass and Gale went under years and years ago but Mr Walnes was still advertising in the Amateur Photographer until they suspended his advertising after further issues with not paying clients after selling their equipment, etc.

Tim Patrick’s letter, published in AP, issue dated 22 May 2021, notes how his court judgements against him have been ignored, AP intervened on the basis that he agreed to pay his debts by Easter 2021, which he failed to do.

If you come across Peter Walnes or an eBayer with the handle “arri888” then do avoid. The fraudulent activity seems to continue even now with complaints coming in September 2022 (source: https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/313459-selling-m-lenses/page/4/#comment-4520128)

Sigh. Such a shame.

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MXV, Uckfield, East Sussex

These guys were great. I must have bought stacks of kit from them, a Nikon D1X, various lenses, my 1st Contax G2, a Fuji GX680III, and they never let me down.

I gather that the stock value of film photography gear dropped like a stone from which they never recovered and finally closed around September 2009.

Sadly I also heard that Paul Beaumont took his own life soon after. A thoroughly tragic end to an excellent fellow who ran a great service. RIP Paul.

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Kingsley Photographic, Tottenham Court Road

Great window display, great staff. Used to buy Contax bits from them along with film and usual consumables.

Rents and costs went through the roof, internet sellers destroyed the margins and sadly Kingsley closed in February 2011.

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