Hayden Garfield
Cofounder
Product Engineer
Photographer and filmmaker who has traveled the world shooting analog. A cancer survivor who still shoots film.
Connecting photographers nationwide to buy and sell film cameras
Our story
Some cameras move fine on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist. Others sit for months. Someone out there might be looking for that same camera, and they just aren't in your town. Light Leak came from a simple idea: buying and selling film cameras doesn't have to stop at local pickup.
We wanted one dedicated place for film cameras and analog gear. Finding the camera you want should be straightforward, and sellers should be able to reach buyers who are looking for what they have. Trust and connection are the point.
We're based in Santa Barbara. Even here, it can be hard to find the camera you want if you don't have Southern California's inventory around the corner. Light Leak is for photographers who know what they want, and for people who buy and sell cameras often, whether they're trying new setups or selling as a side hustle.
We're not another Facebook Marketplace, KEH, or Craigslist. Those places are useful for plenty of things, and they'll keep existing. For serious buyers and sellers, we want something more focused: ship the camera, skip the meetup logistics, and build a marketplace around trust.
Meet the founders
A small team building a used film camera marketplace we thought should exist.
Find the camera.
Sell it farther.
We want buyers to get the cameras and analog gear they're looking for, and sellers to reach more photographers and move cameras faster. Nationwide, with shipping built in, and a community grounded in trust.
0
items sold on Light Leak
$0
in completed sales
0
listings live right now
What we're building toward
Nationwide, with shipping
List a camera once and reach photographers outside your zip code. Built in shipping means the deal doesn't stop at local pickup.
One place for the camera you want
Used cameras and analog gear sit scattered across apps and shop floors. Light Leak is a dedicated marketplace so searching and selling stays in one spot.
Purchase Protection
Eligible checkout purchases are covered for buyers when something goes wrong. Sellers aren't charged an extra protection fee.
Purchase Protection is central to what we do
Trust is the most important part of this business. Purchase Protection is how we stand behind eligible purchases paid through Light Leak checkout.
For buyers, that means coverage when something covered goes wrong: the item never arrives, isn't as described in a material way, or arrives damaged in transit. When a claim is approved, there is a path to a refund. There's no extra protection fee on eligible purchases.
For sellers, eligible sales are under the same program, and you aren't charged an additional protection fee on your payout. Claims follow a clear policy, we review them with the evidence on record, and returns (when required) use a documented flow with tracking.
Who Light Leak is for
We're early. We're working on this every day, honestly, and without the flash.
Photographers who know what they want
If your local options are thin, even outside the deep inventory of Southern California, you shouldn't have to settle. Browse cameras from across the country.
People who buy and sell often
Trying a lot of setups, rotating a kit, or selling cameras on the side. Light Leak is meant to feel professional enough for that kind of volume.
Sellers who want a wider audience
A camera that sits for months on a local listing might be exactly what someone elsewhere is hunting for. We help you reach them.
Buyers and sellers who care about trust
Checkout stays on Light Leak when it counts. Purchase Protection and clear rules are how we try to make the exchange feel fair on both sides.
Questions or something that doesn't look right? Tell us. Contact us or email hayden@reswell.app.