Photos: Keeping in step with the digital era at Delhi’s iconic camera market

World Photography Day originated from the invention of the Daguerreotype, a photographic process developed in 1837. On August 19, the French government purchased the patent and announced the invention as a gift “free to the world”. Today with the boom in digital technology, some of the older gear is vanishing, so is trade in it. A look at the iconic Kutcha Choudhary Market, coloquially known as old camera market in Delhi’s Chandni Chowk on World Photography Day.

Updated on: Aug 19, 2019 3:23 PM IST

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NK Giri, 39, from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh has owned a shop in Delhi’s Kutcha Choudhary Market, for 20 years now. He uses functioning parts from old cameras to repair newer ones. Giri refers to his process as ‘jugaad’. His work is now a mainstay for many in a market flourishing since the days of film photography and now placed in a landscape that has shifted to the digital medium. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

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A Finepix camera hangs at a repair Shop in Chandni Chowk. Business has become tough for many shop owners here with the sweeping rise in popularity of digital cameras. The market however still holds a treasure trove of mass produced and rare film photography gear alike, for those willing to delve into its labyrinthine alleys and clustered shops. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

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N Bhagat, 46, makes a living selling prints of the deceased wedding photographer Mohan Verma. “I sell these pictures of Mohan Sir for Rs 100 each who gifted me his negatives before his death to help me make a living. He was a great man,” Bhagat said. Vendors the market have adapted to various supplementary means of sustaining themselves. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

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Mukesh (L) has worked in a repair shop in Chandni Chowk for the last 10 years. He now aspires to work in an authorised branded store. He said business was good in the early days but now people want get their cameras repaired from showrooms and authorised service centres. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

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First opened in mid 1970’s, the Kutcha Choudhary Market is the largest camera market in India. With over 250 shops, it employs more than 1500 people. It was and perhaps still is for many— a one stop solution for all things photography, but with digital technology taking over analogue, a dip in customers is an undeniable reality. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

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Charanjeet Singh (C) is the treasurer of Photo Trade Association, Delhi. He first came here in 1972 and has been running a shop since then. He has seen three generations work this business. His son (L) has completed 22 years in this very shop. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

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A view of camera stores in the Kutcha Choudhary Market. The shop owners say that footfall increases from September onwards as wedding season approaches in the country. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

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Harswaroop (L) has capitalised on the demands of the wedding oriented market segment and now sells customized pillows, cards, cups etc. with photos on them. His shop is right under the famous Jagannath temple and known to most arriving with such needs. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

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Himangshu Sharma is a photography aspirant. He said that he has shares a bond with the stores here in the market because of the range of their services and that the service is modestly priced. The latter aspect of is something that has kept the horses running for Kutcha Choudhary Market. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)