Clock Tower Cameras is Brighton's longest-serving independent camera shop, established in 1995 by Brian Imbery and Eddy Iwanczuk after they left the local City Camera Exchange. From their corner shop in Brighton's North Laine, close to the iconic Clock Tower, the business has outlasted Jessops, Tecno, CCE, and several other Brighton independents to become the city's last-standing high street camera dealer.
Their specialism is used photographic equipment, particularly classic film SLRs from the 1960s to mid-1980s (Nikon FM, Olympus OM-2, and the perpetually-in-demand Contax T2 are repeat sellers), alongside medium format cameras, used digital, lenses, film stock, tripods and bags. Brighton's combination of two universities with photography courses, a thriving language school population, and a strong retro/alternative culture has created an enthusiastic local market that supports the shop's used-focused inventory.
The team, including founders Brian and Eddy plus long-serving staff like Shaun, are active photographers themselves and are repeatedly praised in customer reviews for personalised advice, fair part-exchange valuations, and the kind of in-depth knowledge of vintage equipment that's increasingly hard to find. Notable regulars include Zoë Ball, Fatboy Slim, and Mark Williams. They also offer camera repair and servicing, plus cine/video transfer services.
Clock Tower occupies a distinctive niche as Brighton's last remaining high street camera shop, with a particular strength in used and vintage equipment. They're closer to specialist dealers like Nik & Trick (Folkestone film specialists), Vintage Camera Hut, and Real Camera Company than to generalist online operators like MPB or Camera Jungle.
Compared to MPB's vast online used inventory, Clock Tower offers something the marketplaces can't: hands-on inspection of vintage film cameras with knowledgeable staff, on-the-spot repair quotes, and the kind of curatorial selection that comes from active photographers running the shop. Compared to other Brighton-area retailers, they're now the only walk-in option since the closure of the local Jessops.
For Brighton-area photographers, film and vintage enthusiasts, or anyone visiting the city looking for hands-on used camera shopping, Clock Tower is a key destination. Customer reviews are overwhelmingly warm, with one notable historic complaint about a part-exchange valuation that the shop publicly responded to in detail, suggesting an operator that takes reputation management seriously.