But step inside “De Vintage”, a digital camera shop, and the scene transforms completely: row upon row of cameras, some stacked neatly on shelves, others hanging on walls, even tucked into baskets on the floor – each with its own story to tell.
Sitting behind a desk, tools in hand, is Anwacha Okechi Freedom, a 43-year-old Nigerian who made Kuala Lumpur his home in 2009.
When FMT Lifestyle paid him a visit, he was carefully fixing a Nikon Coolpix with tiny tweezers, the camera laid out in pieces before him.
A TikTok video posted earlier this year unexpectedly brought Freedom’s shop into the spotlight when a young woman shared how she got her digital camera repaired here.
The video went viral, racking up over 200,000 views – proof of how vintage digital cameras and those from the early-2000s have found new life among the young today.
Entirely self-taught, Freedom learnt how to operate and handle cameras on his own. “I know everything about cameras. It’s my hobby, and I cannot go anywhere without my camera,” he said.
His love for cameras started back home in Nigeria. “When I was in my country, I was working with a Nigerian TV station as a cameraman. So when I came here to Malaysia, I was hoping to get a job at a big media company, but I realised it wasn’t possible,” he shared.
Instead, Freedom explored other businesses – from running a mini market, to a restaurant, then a bar. Now married to a Sarawakian and with two kids, Malaysia is truly his home.
But it was only in October last year that he got into the business of cameras, returning to his roots.
Today, his collection has grown to over 300 cameras. Some are accessible, like Kodak digital cameras, Sony, Nikon, Olympus and even Leica models.
But tucked away in a separate room are the real treasures he’s most proud of: a 1970s Polaroid OneStep SX-70 camera with its iconic rainbow stripe and folding design; Rolleicord twin-lens reflex cameras from as early as the 1930s; a German Carl Zeiss Prontormat 50mm, highly sought after by collectors; and rarities like the Japanese Patora motor film camera.
“Many of these cameras are not easy to come by,” he explained. “I have agents who supply me with cameras from all over the world. I get new supplies every day.”
The demand surprised even him. “Some people are quite crazy about these cameras. I’ve had people drive from Penang, Perak, Kelantan and even Singapore just to get them,” he shared.
“I’m always telling people, a camera is a camera, a phone is a phone. It will never be the same,” he added.
Freedom’s skill extends beyond collecting – he repairs cameras too. “Some people will sell their cameras which are no longer working, but I will use its functioning spare parts to repair others,” he explained.
“Sometimes, I won’t go back home until late at night. I will stay here and repair cameras. For some, the wires are very tiny, so any mistake and it will be damaged.”
Despite having cameras ranging from as low as RM300 to rarer ones priced around RM3,000, Freedom keeps his prices reasonable.
“I sell for much cheaper because I get cameras every day, so I need to keep selling. Otherwise, this whole place will be flooded with cameras,” he said.
And there are some models he simply refuses to part with, knowing just how rare they are. “People love vintage cameras because of their old aesthetic. The picture quality is different from those expensive modern cameras,” he shared.
In the end, Freedom’s journey from cameraman in Nigeria to running this business in KL is as remarkable as the rare treasures he now calls his own.
Visits to ‘De Vintage’ are by appointment only, so do call ahead to book.
Business hours: 10am-6pm
Contact: 016-562 7521