Dubai, Prague, St Petersburg, Moscow and Beijing...

[polyglot]

I'm leaving for the Trans-Siberian Railway in two weeks!

Apart from endless fantastic photo opportunities, it has been pointed out to me that this is a good chance to pick up some cheap+interesting gear (brass lenses, maybe an Iskra) that wouldn't normally make it to the west or wouldn't be worth shipping. I have 3 days in Prague, 6 in St Petersburg, 2 in Moscow & 3 in Beijing. Plus 4 in Mongolia and 5 in Guilin/Yangshuo but I don't expect so much shopping there Does anyone have suggestions for interesting secondhand gear shops in these cities?

Of course if there's something that I must go see/photograph in any of those places that you think I perhaps don't know of, by all means I'd like to hear about that too.

[Colin Corneau]

Run don't walk to the Wukesong camera mall in Beijing.

Pretty much everything there, really. Lots of second hand places, brand new shops and accessories too. I got an inexpensive tripod I really liked there, even some film/paper/chemistry places too.

Not sure when it happens, but when I was there last fall on a Sunday (IIRC) there were tables set up all around the large building, and they had a flea market kind of thing going...just fantastic. Seems like a regular thing but I don't know if it's weekly, monthly or what.

Accessible easily from subways...just get off at the, you guessed it, Wukesong stop. Not hard to find.

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

You will use hell of money and buy second hand camera from Beijing. Not makes sense.

[gandolfi]

I'm jealoux!

Just returned from Prague (my 25+'th trip down there)...
there are two big photostores down there - and they are in the same street, so easy to find.
Name of the street: Vodickova (sp?) - one is called FotoSkoda and the other a little further upthe street on the other side is called Fotooptika.

The used market is not what it used to be.... Too many rich americans/germans and japaneese people have almost vacuum cleaned the town... (not my words - words from people working in these stores) - but there are still fine things to see and maybe buy.

In any case - Prague is one of the most beautiful cities in the world - you're in for a treat!!

[Dave Wooten]

there was (is?) a huge outdoor swapmeet in Moscow when I was there in the 90's. I remember an ample supply of old view cameras and lenses. At the time I was importing factory new scopes and lenses etc. What a wonderful trip you are undertaking!

[polyglot]

25th(!) trip to Prague!? Damn, and I haven't even made it to Europe yet.

So it sounds like there are 2-3 stores in each of Prague and Moskva (fotofishka, kamepa/kamera, ekta-f) to visit, plus the mall in Beijing.

Does Wukesong have much in the way of interesting old gear? In my googling for it, it sounded like mostly DSLRs and cheap chinese accessories.

[Erik Petersson]

Your trip sounds wonderful. www.kamera.ru is reasonably central in Moscow, a couple of kilometers from Kiev Station. The entrance is on a back yard, downstairs. The website lists current prices, so check it out to see if its worth the trip. I am sure there are other places as well. The real bargains, however, are when people are selling gear through internet ads.

Izmailovski Market in Moscow can be fun. You will find all the typical russian souvenirs, fur hats, soviet memorabilia, fine rugs from central asia, cheap DVD:s and also some stalls with camera equipment. It is rather touristic and beware of the fake wehrmacht-leicas. You will find all kinds of cameras and lenses. Saturday or Sunday mornings are the best.

[Colin Corneau]

You will use hell of money and buy second hand camera from Beijing. Not makes sense.

I've been there, you haven't.

I'll second a recommendation for Prague, also. I was there a while back and it's a magical place. Beautiful light, beautiful streets...a fascinating place.

[polyglot]

Just arrived in Москва and it seems that my hotel (Вега) is right between Ismailovsky Markets (the huge wooden tourist trap with surrounding stalls?) and Партизанская station so I'll check that out for a start.

I've been through 8 xrayings so far and have at least 4 remaining, which concerns me a little so I think I will get a roll of P400 developed tomorrow to check. I also need to stock up a bit since I'm burning it a little faster than planned

I have maybe half a day of free time here (more if I skip the guided walking tour) so I think I may spend most of it photographing the metro.

[Erik Petersson]

Yes, that is Ismailovsky. The market is busiest on weekend mornings, but why not check it out as you live so close.

The metro is magnificent, look at the monument to partisans in your metro station. That is just a start. Ploshad revolutsio is a favorite, as well as the ring line. I think that photography in the metro is formally not allowed, but I did it a lot and no-one of the guards says anything.