(This article was first published on 29 July 2017. It has been reposted from The Quint’s archives on the occasion of World Photography Day,)
I was in awe as I stepped into Dilish Parekh’s plush Pedder Road flat. It wasn’t the vintage neighbourhood, but the fact that I was entering a walk-in closet of sorts, just that this one boasted of 4,425 antique cameras. What’s special about his collection is the fact that every camera in it was made before 1970.
As I was ushered in by Mrs Parekh, who offered me nimbu-pani and poha for breakfast, I couldn't wait to see the treasure for myself. I waited for Mr Parekh to finish his morning prayers, wondering what the man who owns the largest camera collection must be like. The family portraits and framed felicitations in the hall served as the much needed temporary introduction.
Dilish Parekh poses with his extensive collection of vintage cameras, and these don’t even add up to 1/4th his collection. (Photo Courtesy: India Book of Records)
He steps out finally followed by a pious aroma. A jeweller by profession and a photojournalist by passion, this is a man who has proudly broken his own record. HE sits down to tell me his story.
I started collecting cameras almost 40 years ago, when my grandfather gifted me 600 cameras from his own collection, back in 1970. He was a collector too. It almost became like my heritage, my heirloom. Today, I own 4,425 cameras. I hold a two time record from The Guinness Book of World Records and have been in the Limca Book of World Records 10 times, as well as the India Books Records.
Dilish Parekh, Photography enthusiast and camera collector
He tells me more about his passion and why he became smitten with rusty old cameras.
As a young man, we would put up huge lights whenever there was a birthday or a party. During those days, taking even a single photo was an entire process. You would have to change every bulb after you took a picture. Somewhere there, I developed a liking for the camera.
Dilish Parekh
At one of his numerous exhibitions, where he stands showing off his camera collection. (Photo Courtesy: Pinterest)
We were now standing in the room housing the antiquities.
The expensive ones and the ones close to my heart, I keep at home, right here in my bedroom. The rest, I keep in my two-car garage. One car is kept out perpetually, and in it’s space, I keep my cameras.
Dilish Parekh
I gave him a worried look given Mumbai’s incessant rains. But he is a pro.
They’re well packed in layers of protective material. Plastic main baandh ke patara main daal kar safe rakha hai. Also, the older cameras contain brass parts and brass parts don’t rust. They are also extremely heavy for that reason.
Dilish Parekh
He’s old school when it comes to photography, just what I love. He proudly says that he don’t touch any camera made after 1970.
Every exhibition that Dilish is invited to, he makes sure he takes this old friend. (Photo Courtesy: La Vida Leica!)
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Dilish Parekh’s ultimate muse if his loving family. (Photo Courtesy: Almas Khateeb)
The first camera he took pictures with was a Rolleiflex, the kind that opened from the top and one could only take twelve pictures with.
After the Rolleiflex I used a Leica M3, 35 pictures. Leica is like a Mercedes, the world’s best camera. Canon and Nikon are nothing in front of it. Leica 250 is rare. It was recently auctioned for 80,000 US dollars.
Dilish Parekh
As I look around the room, I notice quite a few interesting curios in the camera shelf, which didn’t look like cameras at all.
These are spy cameras! This one, the Petal camera, look at how small the unused film looks like - the size of a one rupee coin, but it can take 10 photos. Those days, during the world war, spy cameras were all the rage. This was from Gandhi <i>ji</i>’s time. It was to be worn on your wrist like a wrist watch, it’s the smallest 35mm camera. I have lighter camera too. But the most famous one was a Minox camera. All the military personnel and others used this one. There is one of these in an American, and a Japanese Museum. Then I have a durbeen camera. Binoculars main bhi camera hai!
Dilish Parekh
His childlike enthusiasm for these oldies doesn’t fade. But I wonder if it holds him back from taking photographs in the digital age?
No, no. I’m not living in those times. I have a 5D and a 7D camera that I use on a regular basis. But none of them compare to my Leica. That one, it’s my favourite.
Dilish Parekh
While talking to this camera jauhari, just for a moment, I was able to put my finger on the reason why nostalgia never fades.
(Disclaimer: The interview has been translated from an amalgamation of Hindi and Gujarati, and has been shortened for length. This story is from The Quint’sarchives and has been republished to mark World Photography Day.)
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