If you've ever fancied shooting a roll of film but winced at the price of a used Leica, a small specialist in south London has been quietly solving that problem for decades. Mr Cad, a vintage and second-hand camera dealership, has built a loyal following among photographers and travellers looking for a proper mechanical camera without the polished-gallery price tag.
The shop does exactly what its name suggests: buys, sells and services pre-loved photographic kit, from classic SLRs and rangefinders to lenses, light meters and the odds-and-ends that digital photography left behind. It's the kind of place where the shelves are stacked with Nikon, Canon, Olympus and Pentax bodies, film stock sits by the till, and staff will happily spend half an hour explaining why a 1970s rangefinder might beat your phone for a city break.
For visitors, it doubles as a genuinely fun London stop. While camera markets and auction sites can be a minefield — sticky shutters, mouldy lenses, no comeback — a specialist dealer typically tests and warranties what it sells, which matters when the camera is destined to be your travel companion rather than a shelf ornament. Budget travellers take note: a working film SLR can often cost less than a mid-range dinner in the capital, and a roll of film forces a slower, more deliberate style of sightseeing that suits cities like London perfectly.
The broader picture is that film has swung back hard. Young travellers are packing disposables and point-and-shoots alongside their phones, and shops like Mr Cad sit right at the centre of that revival — part retailer, part repair shop, part museum you can buy from. Even if you leave empty-handed, it's a satisfying hour of browsing for anyone with even a passing interest in photography.
Who's it for? Photographers hunting a reliable used body, travellers who want a distinctive souvenir, or anyone planning a film-photography themed day out around south London's markets and galleries. Check opening hours before making a special trip, bring cash just in case, and ask the staff what they'd recommend for a first film camera — that conversation is half the appeal.
