Oldcamera.blog News
Comment on Plaubel folder by Tori
https://oldcamera.blog/2019/06/1...I found your site while looking for an image of the film mask used in these cameras to take a smaller 2 1/4 x 1 5/8 negative. From what i have seen in the manual the film mask has the same cutouts as the camera gate. So i think the raised rectangular bits are for aligning the film mask rather than to allow air pressure to be regulated. I am yet to find a photo of an actual mask however, it seems every single one has been lost haha
6.2.2025 23:41Comment on Plaubel folder by Tori
https://oldcamera.blog/2019/06/1...Comment on Wizen AW 818 by Electro
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<p>My uncle gave me a bunch of cameras and this one was in the pack. Searching a bit on Google, I found that Yashica made exactly the same camera with the same model name. Yashica also has a few cameras named Wizen so maybe it was a collaboration or a sub-brand to sell cheaper cameras without associating them with Yashica? </p>
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<p>It's stated that the lens were made in Japan, which is where Yashica was too, so it's highly probable that it's a yashica disguised under another brand </p>
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<p>I haven't been able to test the camera yet, because one of the contacts corroded so badly it literally disappeared. Hopefully I can fix it soon! </p>
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29.1.2025 02:28Comment on Wizen AW 818 by Electro
https://oldcamera.blog/2017/09/1...Comment on Zeiss Ikon Contaflex by Ron Anderson
https://oldcamera.blog/2011/04/0...In reply to <a href="https://oldcamera.blog/2011/04/02/zeiss-ikon-contaflex/comment-page-1/#comment-19966">John Margetts</a>.
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<p>I have a Zeiss Icon Contaflex I inherited from my great Uncle about 40 years ago. Was just going through some boxes of family stuff and found this along with the original cover/case. It’s all in pristine condition and there are some additional lenses and manuals. I have no interest in holding onto this. Do you know anyone that would be interested in this as a collector or whatever?</p>
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25.1.2025 22:20Comment on Zeiss Ikon Contaflex by Ron Anderson
https://oldcamera.blog/2011/04/0...Comment on Ihagee Exa 1a by David John Boyle
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<p>m</p>
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<p>My wife brought me this camera in 1963 and I began my life long passion for photography. I recently digitised all my negatives and was surprised that some of my best photos were taken with this camera. I was gripped with nostalgia and immediately brought an EXA 1 on eBay and I couldn’t believe what a solid little camera it was, I had completely forgotten. However I now found it really fiddly to use. </p>
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22.12.2024 13:12Comment on Ihagee Exa 1a by David John Boyle
https://oldcamera.blog/2012/10/1...Ensign Midget model 2
https://oldcamera.blog/2024/03/0...The Ensign Midget model 2 is a compact camera with a fascinating history. Made in 1934, it features an Ensar lens, leaf shutter, and a folding viewfinder. Designed by Magnus Niell, it was renamed Ensign Midget 55 in 1936. The camera's small size and unique design reflect the Art Nouveau style of the time. With a serial number of H3006, it uses unperforated 35 mm film with a paper backing. The back lacks a pressure plate but has two metal straps to hold the film in place. Despite its age, this camera remains a remarkable piece of photographic history.
1.3.2024 20:29Ensign Midget model 2
https://oldcamera.blog/2024/03/0...Nikon FG
https://oldcamera.blog/2024/01/0...The Nikon FG is a compact SLR camera with automatic exposure capabilities. It features a frame counter, film advance lever, shutter speed selector, and an audio warning system switch on the top plate. The viewfinder includes a focus screen with micro-prisms, a split-image rangefinder, and LED indicators for selected shutter speeds. The front of the camera has a lens mount with AI technology, a self-timer, and connections for a grip. The base plate includes a tripod socket, battery compartment, motor drive contacts, and a film rewind button.
2.1.2024 16:41Nikon FG
https://oldcamera.blog/2024/01/0...Pentax S1a
https://oldcamera.blog/2023/10/0...The Asahi Pentax S1a is a 35mm SLR camera from the late 1950s to mid-1960s, featuring the Asahi Super Takumar lens with a focal length of 55mm and apertures ranging from ƒ/1.8 to ƒ/16. It boasts a cloth focal plane shutter with speeds from 1 second to 1/500 and includes two PC sockets for flash and a film advance lever. The camera, made from die-cast aluminum alloy, shares similarities with other Pentax models. Additionally, it offers insights into the optional light meter and the automatic Asahi Super-Takumar lens, despite potential concerns about its condition.
8.10.2023 17:59Pentax S1a
https://oldcamera.blog/2023/10/0...Ricoh Auto Shot
https://oldcamera.blog/2023/03/0...This is a review of the Ricoh Auto Shot, a compact camera dating back to 1964. The camera features a heavy die-cast aluminum alloy body and a fixed shutter speed of 1/125 second. It boasts a selenium light meter for automatic exposure control, with the option to switch to manual settings. The camera's unique layout includes controls on the base and a film speed selector with ASA and DIN scales. The front houses the light meter, shutter, and Rikenon lens, while the back features a foam light seal. Its compact design omits a sprocket shaft for film advancement. Despite some limitations, it remains a notable addition to any camera collection.
7.3.2023 17:07Ricoh Auto Shot
https://oldcamera.blog/2023/03/0...Zeiss Ikon Cocarette 514/2
https://oldcamera.blog/2023/01/1...The Cocarette is a vintage folding camera produced by Zeiss Ikon in the early 20th century. It features a Dominar lens with a focal length of 105mm and apertures ranging from ƒ/4.5 to ƒ/22. The camera uses a unique method for loading film, with the film sliding in sideways between steel strips to prevent curling. The camera also incorporates helical focusing for improved accuracy and a Happy Snapper facility for hyperfocal distance. The Telma shutter offers speeds of 1/25, 1/50, and 1/100, as well as a self-delay timer for group photos. The camera's serial number indicates a production date of 1930.
12.1.2023 19:28Zeiss Ikon Cocarette 514/2
https://oldcamera.blog/2023/01/1...Ricoh TLS 401
https://oldcamera.blog/2022/12/1...The Ricoh TLS 401 is a 1960s 35mm SLR camera with historical significance. Descended from the Nikkorex F and featuring a unique idiosyncrasy, it boasts a copal square shutter, a Rikenon 50mm lens with apertures from ƒ/1.7 to ƒ/16, and a metal vertical focal plane shutter. The camera's pentamirror viewfinder impacts brightness, and the light meter features spot and average metering. The self-timer and shutter speed/film speed selector dial offer versatility, and the M42 lens mount and unique film gate round out its features. The camera body, made of die-cast aluminum and pressed aluminum alloy, adds durability and aesthetic appeal.
12.12.2022 15:50Ricoh TLS 401
https://oldcamera.blog/2022/12/1...Leitz Eldia
https://oldcamera.blog/2022/11/2...The device purchased on eBay is a Leitz Wetzlar printing device for transparency film strips, likely from the period after 1930. It is a manually operated, well-designed box made from brass, with knobs and controls for film handling and exposure. It features a red glass window and a hinged flap with the maker's logo, allowing for the creation of black and white positives or color slides from negatives. The device's simplicity and German manufacturing further add to its historical value and potential use for film duplication.
26.11.2022 18:36Leitz Eldia
https://oldcamera.blog/2022/11/2...Mir or Мир
https://oldcamera.blog/2022/10/2...The camera in focus is the Soviet KMZ Mir, a derivative of the Zorki 4 produced exclusively for the internal Soviet market. Made of die-cast aluminum alloy, this camera measures 142 by 90 by 35 mm and weighs 595 g. Notable for its Leica II heritage, it features a range of unique mechanisms like the shutter speed selector and flash synchronizing delay. Complete with an Industar-50 lens, offering a focus range from one meter to infinity and apertures from ƒ/3.5 to ƒ/16, this camera remains a prized possession for photographers.
28.10.2022 18:04Mir or Мир
https://oldcamera.blog/2022/10/2...Rajar No 6
https://oldcamera.blog/2022/09/2...The Rajar No 6 camera, an Art Deco design made of Bakelite, features a meniscus lens with a focal length of 85mm, fixed aperture of ƒ/12, and simple shutter with I & T speeds. The rectangular body, adorned with minimal ornamentation, extends to reveal the lens board held in place by folding struts. The camera relies on film's exposure latitude for usable pictures, and uses Rajar's own 6 film. Its viewfinder is a swiveling Brilliant finder, and the sturdy wire clips secure the back. The camera's inside is plain, dominated by the film gate, and uses loose film spools. Despite its simplicity, the Rajar No 6 holds historical significance as a representative of early plastic cameras.
27.9.2022 18:35Rajar No 6
https://oldcamera.blog/2022/09/2...Dating Cameras.
https://oldcamera.blog/2022/09/2...Collectors interested in the precise age of cameras can rely on various sources for dating. Advertisements in publications like the British Journal of Photography Almanac and the Wallace Heaton Blue Book can indicate the availability of camera models in specific years. Manufacturer and retailer catalogues also offer valuable insights, and serial numbers can be useful, although some limitations exist. Makers like Kodak and Hasselblad used code words, while some Soviet manufacturers incorporated the year of manufacture into serial numbers. However, discrepancies may arise due to batch manufacturing and repair or updates. Ultimately, enthusiasts can consult established serial number date ranges and exercise caution when interpreting serial number variations.
27.9.2022 17:00Dating Cameras.
https://oldcamera.blog/2022/09/2...Soho Model B
https://oldcamera.blog/2022/08/0...This Art Deco camera, dating back to the 1930s, is made primarily of Bakelite and features a collapsible design. The camera body has minimal controls, with a folding metal key to advance the film and a lens board housing the rest of the features. The lens is a simple meniscus type with a focal length of 100mm and fixed aperture of ƒ/14. It also includes a hinged Brilliant finder and settings for instantaneous and time exposure. The camera's back can be easily opened, and the interior features a film gate, film spool chambers, and a T-shaped steel spring to keep the film taut.
6.8.2022 11:30Soho Model B
https://oldcamera.blog/2022/08/0...Wirgin Supreme
https://oldcamera.blog/2022/07/2...This German folding camera, likely a Wirgin Supreme from 1938, features a Trioplan lens, Vario shutter, and 120 film size. Despite unsuccessful searches in camera catalogues and photography almanacs, internet results identified it as a Wirgin model. The camera's steel body, leather cover, and rusty edges reflect its age. Its features, like the shutter and tripod socket, are consistent with 1920s and 1930s designs. The lens door, held by struts, houses the lens and shutter assembly connected by bellows. This vintage camera embodies historical photography technology, offering insights into early 20th-century imaging.
26.7.2022 15:56Wirgin Supreme
https://oldcamera.blog/2022/07/2...Appraising Old Cameras and pricing.
https://oldcamera.blog/2022/07/1...This chapter discusses the process of deciding whether a specific camera is worth adding to one's collection. The author emphasizes the importance of assessing the physical condition of the camera, highlighting concerns such as dents, cracks, water damage, oil residue, and missing components. Additionally, the author offers insights on evaluating accessories and lenses when considering a purchase. Factors such as lens condition, potential fungus growth, and the presence of the original manual are also addressed. Throughout the discussion, the author shares personal experiences and considerations relevant to collecting cameras, offering valuable guidance for prospective buyers.
14.7.2022 19:01Appraising Old Cameras and pricing.
https://oldcamera.blog/2022/07/1...Sources of Old Cameras.
https://oldcamera.blog/2022/07/0...If you're looking to start a camera collection, there are various ways to acquire them. Inform your social circle of your hobby; many people may have old cameras they're willing to give away. Car-boot sales can yield bargains, but sellers often overvalue items. Charity shops used to be a great source, but they've turned to online sales. Auction rooms offer clean and well-described cameras, but they may be pricey. Online auctions like eBay are the writer's primary source. Be cautious of dishonest sellers; inspect photographs, descriptions, and ask specific questions. Consider postage costs when setting your maximum bid to avoid overspending.
5.7.2022 17:56Sources of Old Cameras.
https://oldcamera.blog/2022/07/0...