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Fairs fading away?

Camera fairs have always been a good hunting ground for me at times when I need accessories or other useful bits, and unlike the internet, you can handle the goods on the spot. These days the picture has changed and, I fear, not for the better. Perhaps it's the onslaught of smartphones and the like, but stand numbers have dropped and selections are not what they were. One regular dealer told me: ‘Interest in the good but heavier gear has fallen... and so have the prices. There's some renewed interest in film, but that's not going to boost sales much.'

Another dealer pointed to four boxes of assorted offerings with a