New camera shop welcomed to Bury after years without store

Lucky Tech Cameras, situated on the edge of the Mill Gate Shopping Centre, has given the town centre a shop dedicated to selling "real cameras", both film and digital, after a gap of several years.

(Credit: Phil Taylor) (Image: Phil Taylor)

Owner of the shop, Lucas Kenfack, who is originally from Cameroon, came to Bury via South Africa and opened his shop a few months ago.

His stock ranges from 1970s film classics, right up to the last high-end models of the era in the 200s, then covering everything from early digital then onto equipment that would have been in the hands of professionals only a few years ago.

Lucky (Credit: Phil Taylor) (Image: Phil Taylor)

Lucas said: “There's a vast range of lenses too, for use on older cameras that can cut the cost of building a modern outfit, up to those massive white lenses seen at major sporting events with suitably Premier League prices, but with more affordable, but still four figure price tags.”

Bury, had two famed camera shops that succeeded for decades, Alltowns and Halkyards, then latterly, Wilkinsons.

(Credit: Phil Taylor) (Image: Phil Taylor)

Photographer Phil Taylor said: “With most people preferring to use a phone to take pictures, there has been a demise of traditional photography only retailers.

“The major chain Jessops folded a few years back, with most photographers buying new online, and second hand from the internet and specialists.

(Credit: Phil Taylor) (Image: Phil Taylor)

“Very few film cameras are manufactured now, being either toy like or extremely expensive, so those wanting to keep darkroom photography alive have to resort to used models.

“If, like the fans of vinyl from Wax and Beans over the road, you want to go 'analogue' you can take your pick from kit from the 1960s onwards.

"How about a 1970s Pentax ES, like the one famously used to shoot the Clash's London Calling cover."