Where the seagull flies

Shanghai

Yang Yijun finds a shop which sells old-time handmade cameras which can be engraved with the owner's name.

Tucked away in an old lane in touristy Tianzifang, an old camera shop is plotting the rebirth of the Haiou camera, an iconic brand familiar to those who remember more leisurely days when going out for family photos was an exciting excursion. Thirty years ago when there were less digital distractions, it was the dream of many to own a Haiou camera, an all-mechanism appliance that made the loading and rewinding of film a romance similar to the pop of a cork on a traditional vintage.

Haiou means "seagull" in Chinese, and it was a fitting name that matched the photographic flights of fancy at the time.

But its glory faded when digital cameras flooded the market and the production line was closed - until 2004.

"Everybody uses digital cameras for convenience now, but digitals omit film developing, which is the most exciting step in photography," says Chen Haiwen, a well-known photographer in Shanghai.

In 2004, he brought the last production line of Haiou together with nearly 1,000 sets of camera parts and he is determined to bring back its glory days.

Twelve experienced workers from the original Haiou factory, all around 60 years of age, are now helping Chen realize that dream.

They can make one Haiou 4A-109 model every day, the best in the range - a twin-lens reflex camera. It is priced below cost at 3,600 yuan, and every part of the camera is made of metal rather than plastic.

The relatively low price tag is to get people to know and love the brand. It is also a collector's item since it will become more rare as stock runs out, and it is an investment which can appreciate to 5,800 yuan, Chen says.

On the third floor of the shop, a worker mans a repair station for Haiou cameras.

This is also where part of the current production line is stationed.

Many customers buy the cameras as gifts and this is where the engraving service comes in. A small brass plate can be attached to the camera, making it unique and personalized.

The workshop is also a small museum, with a display of old cameras Chen has collected over the years including those made in China over the past, and vintage cameras from abroad including brands like Rolleiflex, Voigtlaender, Zeiss and Leica that are more than 100 years old.

(China Daily 11/14/2010 page15)