About PhotographyAttic - Second Hand Cameras and Accessories from Sheffield UK

PhotographyAttic - Used Cameras With History

PhotographyAttic is a Sheffield-based specialist in used photographic equipment. Since 2008 we have tested, graded and sold over 5,000 cameras, lenses and accessories from our base in Sheffield, England.

Every item is personally tested and graded, described honestly, photographed individually, and offered with 14-day returns. We dispatch within 2 working days UK and worldwide - no drop-shipping, no warehouse, just real stock in the Attic.

✓ Tested & graded used gear ✓ Honest descriptions + actual photos ✓ 14-day returns ✓ Fast dispatch from Sheffield, UK

About the Owner - Peter Bargh

Photographer, Publisher, Author from Sheffield

Peter Bargh is a Sheffield-based photographer, photo-journalist, publisher and author whose career spans over 50 years, from photographic retail with high street specialists to creating one of the first consumer digital photography websites.

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The Olympus OM-D - One of my all-time favourite cameras

Early life and Sheffield roots

As a keen photographer for over 50 years, I started at age 14 with an Olympus OM-1 - my first SLR film camera. Growing up in Sheffield in the late 70s/early 80s I photographed many of the local bands and being on the edge of the Peak District satisfied my interest in landscape photography. I also dabbled in portrait photography, weddings, fashion and product photography. In that time I owned Contax 137MA, Mamiya RB-67, Sinar and Hasselblad 500CM cameras, and processed my own black & white and colour material using an LPL C7700.

From retail to editorial

My career break came in photographic retail. After a few years with electronic giant Dixons and the Co-op I joined the team that opened the 18th branch of Jessops and worked with them until 1991. I used my knowledge gained from handling just about every brand made and used formats from 110 micro up to 8x10in plate to move into journalism, becoming technical writer / technical editor for Practical Photography magazine and then Editor of Buying Cameras.

Testing Olympus for Buying Cameras Magazine at the E-1 Product Launch

Setting up for ePHOTOzine Elemental lighting review / portrait shoot

Digital pioneer - Digital PhotoFX and ePHOTOzine

In 1997 I developed and launched Digital PhotoFX, the UK's first digital photography technique magazine, and edited it through to 2000. I left to set up my own company, Magezine Publishing Ltd - a publishing company with skills in web development, magazine and brochure publishing, sales and marketing. Its two main products were ePHOTOzine (one of the world's first consumer digital photography websites. This grew to near 1.6 million members and became award-winning) and a paper-based subscription magazine, Pentax User.

I've never been shy in trying new equipment or new techniques. I've been an early adopter for most of my life. Being in journalism allowed me to see products before they were announced to the general public. I've travelled the world visiting camera and lens factories, seen Lee filters hand dyed, Bowens flash assembled, Billingham bags hand stitched, met the designers, developers, product specialists of all the classic cameras from Nikon, Contax, Canon, Pentax, Olympus and Minolta.

Author and educator

I was the author of several key early digital photography books: Teach Yourself Digital Photography, Photoshop A to Z / Photoshop 5.5 A to Z / CS A-Z, and Guide to Great Photography and I contributed content to a vast range of magazines and web sites, writing as an authority on traditional film-based and digital photography. I also presented a digital photography video and starred in a very early bake-off style Photoshop program on satellite TV.

1985-1991Jessops - opened 18th branch, Sheffield Market Place, Castle Square (interviewed by Ian Kennedy)

1991-1997Practical Photography - Technical writer / Technical Editor, Buying Cameras Editor

1997-2000Digital PhotoFX - Developed & launched UK's first digital photography technique magazine

2000-2014Magezine Publishing Ltd - Founded, launched ePHOTOzine (1.6M members) + Pentax User

2008-presentPhotographyAttic - Sheffield used camera specialist

2014-presentFine art prints, travel, music (Logic Pro), peterbargh.com Photo365

Later work - fine art and personal projects

Since retiring from Magezine Publishing in 2014, I continue to photograph extensively: I still take plenty of photographs and now prefer to document my travel adventures. I also enjoy writing music using Logic Pro on a Mac. Having dabbled in just about every genre of photography, I err toward travel, landscape and nature. I sell limited edition prints, stock images, and archives covering black & white landscapes, abstracts, flowers, architecture and sunsets - art.bargh.co.uk. My personal blog peterbargh.com acts as a kind of diary and place to store my memories, featuring Photo365, music gigs and travel.

The foundation of PhotographyAttic

In 2008 I was unfortunate enough to experience a heart attack and I had to take time off work. I had acquired a huge amount of camera equipment over the 50 years and had been selling bits off on eBay so took the advantage of free time to build PhotographyAttic and have a huge clearout. All I'm keeping is my trusty Olympus OM-D and a few Micro 4/3 lenses! This would give me a platform to sell my stuff, commission free, and allow me to grow my basic knowledge of web development. I built a very basic site which has been running from 2008 until mid 2026, but I couldn't develop it further due to lack of advanced skills. Anyone who's purchased from me knows that the site was very basic, but the equipment was generally very accurately described and tested, they also would have experienced fast delivery, competitive pricing and well wrapped products*. Since mid 2026 nothing has changed on those above aspects, but with a rethink on development the item can now be put into a cart, where postage is reduced for two or more items and you can buy using credit card and Apple Pay not just PayPal. Pages also load much faster and the site is easier to navigate with an advanced search and various routes to product ranges.

* I tend to recycle packaging so it may come in all kinds of wrapping, but for sure it will be well protected. Unlike a lot of stuff being sent out these days, in those grey poly bags with no bubble wrap or cardboard protective surround.