Renowned Mumbai-based photographer Dilish Parekh dies; check pictures of his antique camera collection

Late Mumbai-based photographer 69-year-old Dilish Parekh was extremely passionate about photography and he channelled his passion into an illustrious career as a press photographer

He held two world records for owning the largest collection of antique cameras and also the biggest collection of photographic instruments

Parekh had made it to the Guinness World Records (2003) for his collection of 2,634 antique cameras and also a Guinness certificate acknowledging him as owning 4,425 cameras (2013)

He started his hobby in 1977, after which he collected cameras of different shapes and sizes, from different manufacturers all over the world

Parekh's collection comprised Leicas, Rolliflexes, Zeiss, Linofs, Canons, Nikons, Kodaks

The most valuable and rare piece- a 1934 made Leica 250. The camera is one of only 1,000 ever made, and can hold bulk film rolls that are almost 33 feet long; that’s 250 exposures per roll, hence the name

Another notable one was a German-made Bessa II, produced in 1962, the Tessina L, said to be the world's tiniest and lightest 35mm camera, weighing just 155 gms, a twin-lens reflex camera from 1959 produced by Concava, Switzerland

Though collectors world over were interested in buying out his full or partial collection at fabulous prices, Parekh fiercely guarded it and never sold the cameras