List of Hong Kong Photography Shops and Other Professional Photo Resources

A woman rides the Hong Kong Metro subway system in south China

Hong Kong is a city where it seems everyone is constantly selling, shopping, or on the way to sell or shop; yet with all that commerce, finding the right place to buy many specialty items in the city - professional photography equipment, for instance - is surprisingly challenging. Many shops have poor online presences or are just plain obscure.

In an effort to make some of the better Hong Kong photo equipment businesses a bit easier to locate (and to avoid regurgitating this sort of information in emails), here is a list of the places where I have done business, shopped or otherwise find value in Hong Kong:

General Camera Shops

A note on pricing: Hong Kong rates for common items - like new Canon and Nikon lenses and cameras - are usually on par or slightly lower than prices at the major American mail order outfits. Prices for less common imported items can be all over the map.

  • Photo Scientific Photographic Equipment and Supplies
    Ground Floor, 6 Stanley St, Central, Hong Kong
    Tel: +852 2525 0550
    Fax: +852 2810 6917
    Email: enquiry [at] photoscientific [dot] com

    Photo Scientific is the first camera shop I was introduced to in Hong Kong and a perennial favorite. Mr. Poon is certainly amongst the most personable camera shop salesmen in Hong Kong (a place known for an otherwise abrasive retail environment).

    Photo Scientific has a good selection of cameras and lenses, stocks various films and can order seamless paper backgrounds. They stock small accessories but are not the place to go for lighting, grip or studio equipment.

  • Mirama Photo Supplies
    45 Stanley Street Central
    Hong Kong

    Mirama Photo is just down the street from Photo Scientific. I don't find the environment there nearly as charismatic as Photo Scientific but they do have a similar selection of cameras, lenses and small accessories.

  • Zhao Xiang Guan
    Rm 1201-02, 12/F, Kimberley House
    35 Kimberley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
    KLN
    HK
    zxgcwsel [at] hotmail [dot] com
    www.zxg.com.hk
    Tel: +852 2722 0068
    +852 2722 0161
    Fax: +852 2366 9915

    Zhao Xiang Guan has a reputation for being amongst the best general camera and light photo equipment shops in Hong Kong. I haven't bought anything there but have visited a couple times. It is certainly the best camera shop I've seen in Tsim Sha Tsui.

    Zhao Xiang Guan is one of the few places in Hong Kong that carry Photoflex lighting. I've also heard that it is the best place to buy used cameras and lenses in the territory.

  • DC Wave
    Shop 323-324, 3/F., Sim City
    47-51 Shan Tung Street
    Mong Kok, Hong Kong
    2940 6282

    DC Wave is one of better shops in Mong Kok. It is part of a large, multi-story indoor photo market with a variety of shops that include purveyors of inexpensive (often low-quality) Chinese-branded photo goods, used camera shops and other odds and ends. The shops here are a bit more upscale than the Apliu Street market shops (see below) but generally not aimed at professional photographers.

    DC Wave has a selection of cameras and lenses but specializes, it seems, in imported accessory brands that are a bit scarce in Hong Kong: ThinkTank, Markins, Photoflex, and Lumiquest, amongst others. Prices are generally higher than at B&H Photo or Adorama.

  • Tin Cheung Camera

    Tin Cheung has a number of retail outlets in Hong Kong. I find their prices high and haven't been impressed by their staff; they do carry a broad range of equipment and are relatively convenient to find in a pinch.

There are many other retail purveyors of cameras in Hong Kong. I would avoid most of them at all costs, particularly the places in Tsim Sha Tsui with window displays full of shrink-wrapped DSLRs and point-and-shoots. Be sure to check for check for a valid international warranty for Canon and Nikon goods if manufacturer coverage is a concern.

Rental and Lighting

  • Rent A Pro Limited Hong Kong
    407 Block B Ming Pao Center
    18 Ka Yip Street
    Chai Wan
    Hong Kong
    +852 2838 6328
    info [at] rentaprohk [dot] com

    Rent A Pro is the main (only?) still photography rental house in Hong Kong and the only supplier I know for some professional expendables like color correction gels. They make a nice large light stand bag that is a particularly good value (although rather large). Prices for equipment are often on the high side but the guys know their stuff and are helpful.

  • A&S Broadcast Hong Kong
    15/F., YooHoo Tower,
    38-42 Kwai Fung Crescent,
    Kwai Chung, N.T.
    Hong Kong
    Phone : +852 2499 1011
    E-mail : info [at] asbroadcast [dot] com

    A&S is a good place to buy lights and video equipment. All my Dedolights are from A&S; they have excellent prices for Dedolights. The company is geard towards video and isn't really a retail operation; get a quote for the exact things you want well ahead of time and then be prepared to wait for them to be ordered and shipped. Be sure to ask for Peter Chang; he seems to be the only member of the staff who does any selling.

  • Film Gear
    No.7, Cumberland Road, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
    (852) 2794 3608
    Mr. Donny Chan/ Mr. Johnny Leung
    info [at] filmgear [dot] net; donny [at] filmgear [dot] net; johnny [at] filmgear [dot] net

    Film Gear is a manufacturer of really nice fresnels and other continuous lighting fixtures. I've picked up orders from their Guangzhou factory but it is possible to arrange to collect equipment from their Hong Kong office as well. Their fixtures are high quality and priced well; their prices for bulk expendables are excellent as well (if you need a full roll of CTB, for instance).

    Film Gear isn't a retail operation; if you only want to buy one fixture or if you need to pick up a few lights in a hurry, they might not be able to help.

  • Cinerent Limited
    No.7, Cumberland Road, KowloonTong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
    Tel: (852) 2338 7188
    Fax: (852) 2338 3186
    Email: hongkong [at] cinerent [dot] net

    Cinerent is the best-known rental house in Hong Kong serving the motion picture industry. They are run by the same parent company as Film Gear, I believe. I've never worked with them directly but would enquire if I needed to rent a large quantity of continuous lighting, grip equipment, camera support or sound paraphernalia.

    There is another cinema rental house in Hong Kong but I have been disappointed in the state of repair of their rental items.

Photo Studio Rental

I have not rented studio space in Hong Kong but have heard of the below spaces.

Other Bits and Pieces

  • Apliu Street Flea Market

    There are a number of shops dealing in Chinese-brand photography accessories at the Apliu Street market in Sham Shui Po. Prices are often better than those in mainland China and the goods are sometimes higher quality. It is possible to find things at Apliu Street that will last quite well under professional use but the vast majority of the goods are poorly designed, sloppily made and produced from materials inferior to those found in imported goods (to be a bit blunt...).

    From the Sham Shui Po metro station, take the Apliu Street exit then turn left. There are four or so camera shops scattered along both sides of the walking street.

  • Howen International Co
    RM. 201, 2nd Floor, Entrepot Centre, 117 How Ming St., Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
    +852 2356-2863
    howen [at] pacific [dot] net [dot] hk

    Howen International is the Hong Kong distributor for Think Tank Photo bags and Markins tripod ballheads. Their shop is a bit out in the middle of nowhere (by Hong Kong standards) but David, the proprietor, is exceptionally nice and a great salesman.

  • Golden Computer Market
    Golden Building
    146-152 Fuk Wah Street
    Shamshuipo
    Kln
    HK

    The Golden Computer Market is the best place I've found to buy hard drives and other bits and pieces of computer hardware I frequently need for storing and working with digital photos: everything from monitors to odd-length USB cables. Prices are sometimes lower in mainland China or Macau.

  • Wan Chai Computer Center

    The Wan Chai computer market is perhaps more convenient than the Golden market but generally has higher prices and a smaller selection of odd electronic components.

    It's right on top of the Wan Chai metro station; follow the signs in the station to get to the correct exit.

Camera Repair and Service

  • Canon Professional Services Hong Kong
    17/F., 26 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
    the service center is on the 11th floor
    +852 2170-2860
    canon_cps [at] chk [dot] canon [dot] com [dot] hk

    Canon Professional Services Hong Kong is the place to go in Hong Kong if you have a Canon camera in need of TLC. Discounts are given to CPS HK members; turn around time is also a little faster.

    If you bring a camera in for a sensor clean before 11, you can usually pick it up later that day. Most repairs take two days to a week.

  • Sellen International
    Room 1105~6, Chevalier House, 45-51 Chatham Road South,T. S. T. Kowloon, Hong Kong.
    (852) 23349381
    (852) 27640243
    info [at] sellenhk [dot] com

    Sellen is the only other place I have heard mentioned as being a reputable venue for camera repair in Hong Kong. I have no experience with the firm whatsoever and don't know what camera brands they cover (perhaps Nikon is on their menu?).

Scanning, Printing and Related Services

I don't have direct experience with any of the below companies but have heard good things about them from friends who have used their services.

  • Christco
    Flat B, 5/F., North Point Ind Bldg., 499 King's Road, North Point, H.K.
    (852) 2889 0171
    gloria [at] christco [dot] com [dot] hk
  • Chaudigital Hong Kong Limited
    Room 609, Chai Wan Industrial City, Phase 2, 70 Wing Tai Road, Chai Wan, Hong Kong
    (852) 9240 1131
  • Hong Kong Imaging
    Hong Kong Imaging
    9/F, Henan Building
    19 Luard Road (entrance on Jaffe Road)
    Wanchai, Hong Kong
    contact [at] hongkongimaging [dot] com
    Telephone: (852) 3180-7680
    Mobile Phone Number: (852) 6971-6761

Publishing

  • Magnum (Offset) Printing Co. Ltd
    11B E-Tat Factory Building, 4 Heung Yip Road, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong.
    Tel : +852 2555 2438
    Fax: (852) 2814 0524
    info [at] magnumoffset [dot] com [dot] hk

    Magnum is a quality offset printing company based in Hong Kong. A friend had his photo book printed there and I shot a video of the printing process at Magnum's Hong Kong factory and Dongguan book bindery.

    In the interest of full disclosure, I should mention that Magnum did buy me lunch a few times (which was both tasty and very much appreciated).

  • AO: The Photo Book Center
    G/F, Asia One Tower, 8 Fung Yip Street, Chai Wan
    Tel: +852 2976 0913
    Business Hours: 11am – 8pm (Mon – Sat)

    This retail arm of the Asia One publishing group has perhaps the largest selection of photo books in Hong Kong. AO also offers small run custom publishing services that could be useful.

Galleries

  • Laurence Lai Gallery
    Shop No.31, L1 and Shop No. 3, G/F
    The Peak Galleria, 118 The Peak Road, Hong Kong
    +852 2191 2097

    The Laurence Lai Gallery is a commercial gallery primarily targeting tourists. Laurence, the owner, is an enthusiastic supporter of local photography and entirely worth meeting.

Insurance

The Hong Kong Institute of Professional Photographers Ltd (HKIPP) also has a list of Hong Kong resources for professional photographers. The HKIPP is a valuable resource in and of itself as well.

For a few other photography equipment resources in Macau and mainland China, please see my earlier list of south China photography resources.

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