Analog Vibes: Film Cameras 101 at Warehouse 30

Update 2020: The store has since moved to online only.

Film Camera 101, or Nuad Cameras as it is usually known, is one of the most well-known online film camera shops that have been around since before the resurgence of film photography in Bangkok. Oui, the owner, had been taking his camera kiosk to all vintage fairs and markets around town before he finally found a permanent home at Warehouse 30.

Warehouse 30 was once a real, abandoned, warehouse by the river in the historic riverside neighborhood of Charoen Krung. It was revamped by renowned Thai architect Duangrit Bunnag and it is now serving Bangkok’s artistic community as a cafe, a bar, a concept store, an event space and also a mini movie theater run by the Documentary Club.

What makes Nuad Cameras stand out from others is the amount of care the owner, Oui, puts into cleaning and CLA-ing each and every film camera he acquires to restore them to their former glory. Some of the cameras on offer look like new even though they were produced 40-50 years ago, with smooth shutter advance and crystal clear viewfinders. And what is even more surprising is that he still manages to keep the prices reasonable and affordable.

Oui is also one of the organizers of analog photography fair, 35:36 Film Camera Weekend, which brings together almost of all Bangkok’s analog camera vendors, both offline and online, in one weekend. Its second installment will take place at Warehouse 30 on December 1-2, 2018 so if you’re in town and need to fuel your G.A.S., don’t miss it.

The best way to travel to Warehouse 30 is by boat on the Chao Phraya River. Not only that you will avoid the traffic jam, you’ll also get to see some of Bangkok’s historic buildings along the way, such as the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, East Asiatic Company house, and the decrepit but still beautiful Old Customs House. You could take the public orange-flagged Chao Phraya Express boat to Si Phaya Pier, or do what I do and take the free Royal Orchid Sheraton shuttle boat and walk. All boats depart from Sathorn Pier, which is at Saphan Taksin BTS Station.

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Film Camera 101 หนวดกล้องฟิล์ม

Daily 11am-8pm

BTS Saphan Taksin / Si Phaya Pier