Wong Ting Man, 43, owns 1042 different instant cameras being worth $130,000 - which sets the world record for the Largest instant camera collection
The Guinness world record for the Largest collection of cameras (still photography) is owned by Dilish Parekh of Mumbai, India, who has a collection of 4,425 antique cameras.
Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the Largest collection of film cameras, owned by Richard LaRiviere (USA), who owns 894 different film cameras.
Here is an exclusive interview with the owner of the World's Largest Instant Camera Collection:
World Records Academy (WRA): When did you start your collection?
Wong Ting: I started to collect instant camera in 1992.
WRA: Do you have a list of models?
Wong Ting: I have a list of my stuff, also have a web page: http://www.polala.hk
WRA: What is your favourite model?
Wong Ting: Polaroid 185 ( original), Konica instant press 690; Fuji slim ACE; Fuji instax 500AF ; instax mini 55.
WRA: Which is the oldest or the rarest model?
Wong Ting: YC 75 x 100 (a China made instant camera);
- Chrislin insta camera
- polaroid 185 (original);
- Foton ( USSR);
- Wisdom alpha masamune;
- Polaroid experimental model 002;
- Joycam - series 90SE;
- Image system (display model);
- SX-70 Freitag white and silver edition 500 ( made in Brazil )
- one600 Panna cap&pep 636 close up ( factory test model )
WRA: Which is the model you are still looking for? (or still want to have?)
Wong Ting: I still looking for many camera, such as: Cartier gold spectra 1000 ( made in Brazil); SX-70 sonar autofocus gold limited ediotion; 690 x porter (limited ediotion); milk x polaroid pin hole foton 2 / foton 3 / foton wellFM / foton 5 / foton pack; 1200FF x porter; xihu yx1; 20x24 polaroid and many more........
WRA: do you attentd festivals, shows, etc - to show your cameras? are you interested in receiving such invitations?
Wong Ting: I haven't attend any festivals.
I only show some of my camera in last few years in some local shop or have a small scale of exhibition:
- in 2006 a exhibition [ polala] show 400 something
- 2008 a exhibition [our last polaroid] show 80 camera
- 2010 a exhibition [ nstant reborn] show 50 camera;
Yes, I am interested to join any festivals to share my collection.
WRA: are you a photographer? or do you like to take photos, too? do you think the times for instant cameras are gone because of digital cameras? do you think the instant cameras will still be in use?
Wong Ting: I am not a photographer. I do take all different type of instant film in daily life I think digital camera not the killer to analog film or instant camera, when more people use digital camera, more people love to take a photo in there life more people will join the analog or instant photography.
WRA: Where do you keep your cameras? do you have enough space or do you keep them stored in boxes, etc?
Wong Ting: I put all my camera in a factory building, rent a small story room 200 sq ft the camera are keep in boxes.
WRA: What you family think about your collection?
Wong Ting: My wife said: "if all your camera not keep in home, than everything is fine"... She do support me to collect.
WRA: Do you still collect? What is your goal?
Wong Ting: Yes, I still collect, but I don't have any goal in number. I think it is very hard to found more. I thing I only can found 100 more in next 10 years, because there is no new model and most of the camera I don't have is rare one.
WRA: How much your collection is worth?
Wong Ting: I thing around US100,000 - US130,000.
The Guinness world record for the Largest collection of cameras (still photography) is owned by Dilish Parekh of Mumbai, India, who has a collection of 4,425 antique cameras.
Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the Largest collection of film cameras, owned by Richard LaRiviere (USA), who owns 894 different film cameras.
Here is an exclusive interview with the owner of the World's Largest Instant Camera Collection:
World Records Academy (WRA): When did you start your collection?
Wong Ting: I started to collect instant camera in 1992.
WRA: Do you have a list of models?
Wong Ting: I have a list of my stuff, also have a web page: http://www.polala.hk
WRA: What is your favourite model?
Wong Ting: Polaroid 185 ( original), Konica instant press 690; Fuji slim ACE; Fuji instax 500AF ; instax mini 55.
WRA: Which is the oldest or the rarest model?
Wong Ting: YC 75 x 100 (a China made instant camera);
- Chrislin insta camera
- polaroid 185 (original);
- Foton ( USSR);
- Wisdom alpha masamune;
- Polaroid experimental model 002;
- Joycam - series 90SE;
- Image system (display model);
- SX-70 Freitag white and silver edition 500 ( made in Brazil )
- one600 Panna cap&pep 636 close up ( factory test model )
WRA: Which is the model you are still looking for? (or still want to have?)
Wong Ting: I still looking for many camera, such as: Cartier gold spectra 1000 ( made in Brazil); SX-70 sonar autofocus gold limited ediotion; 690 x porter (limited ediotion); milk x polaroid pin hole foton 2 / foton 3 / foton wellFM / foton 5 / foton pack; 1200FF x porter; xihu yx1; 20x24 polaroid and many more........
WRA: do you attentd festivals, shows, etc - to show your cameras? are you interested in receiving such invitations?
Wong Ting: I haven't attend any festivals.
I only show some of my camera in last few years in some local shop or have a small scale of exhibition:
- in 2006 a exhibition [ polala] show 400 something
- 2008 a exhibition [our last polaroid] show 80 camera
- 2010 a exhibition [ nstant reborn] show 50 camera;
Yes, I am interested to join any festivals to share my collection.
WRA: are you a photographer? or do you like to take photos, too? do you think the times for instant cameras are gone because of digital cameras? do you think the instant cameras will still be in use?
Wong Ting: I am not a photographer. I do take all different type of instant film in daily life I think digital camera not the killer to analog film or instant camera, when more people use digital camera, more people love to take a photo in there life more people will join the analog or instant photography.
WRA: Where do you keep your cameras? do you have enough space or do you keep them stored in boxes, etc?
Wong Ting: I put all my camera in a factory building, rent a small story room 200 sq ft the camera are keep in boxes.
WRA: What you family think about your collection?
Wong Ting: My wife said: "if all your camera not keep in home, than everything is fine"... She do support me to collect.
WRA: Do you still collect? What is your goal?
Wong Ting: Yes, I still collect, but I don't have any goal in number. I think it is very hard to found more. I thing I only can found 100 more in next 10 years, because there is no new model and most of the camera I don't have is rare one.
WRA: How much your collection is worth?
Wong Ting: I thing around US100,000 - US130,000.
