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Photography in China - History and film camera hunting in Shanghai & Beijing

2026-01-06 · 05:00 UTC ·In An Instant ·1 min read

Brief

In An Instant’s 2026 video 'Photography in China' (part one of a three-part series) is a documentary-style tutorial/tour through Shanghai and Beijing: the host explores the historical development of photography in China, hunts classic film cameras at a massive market, visits 20x24 Studio Shanghai, and interviews a Polaroid-connected photography legend.

Why it matters

Published 2026-01-06, part one of a three-part China series filmed in Shanghai and Beijing that traces the unusual history of photography in China.

Key details

  • Features a hunt for classic Chinese film cameras inside a gigantic camera market and a visit to 20x24 Studio Shanghai (credit: @林蔚健).
  • Created and directed by Ben Fraternale (writer/director/editor) with cinematography by Henry Thong; the host meets a photography legend linked to both Chinese and Polaroid history.
Source evidence

In An Instant goes east in part one of this three part series in China! In this series premiere, we adventure through Shanghai and Beijing to uncover the unusual history of photography in one of the world's most populous countries. We also dive into a gigantic camera market to try and hunt for some classic Chinese cameras. Finally, we meet with a photography legend who has been a key part of both Chinese and Polaroid history.

Credits:
Writer/director/editor - Ben Fraternale
Cinematographer - Henry Thong (@HenryThong)
Translation Support - Rengu Zhang
Production Support - Jesse & Sonja Lin
20x24 Studio Shanghai - @林蔚健

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Channel: In An Instant
Published: 2026-01-06
Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8S4L40GQqE