Classic Camera Collector

Nikon FM-2n A Legend Among All-Manual Cameras This is such a great camera, and I don't say this lightly. This was my daily user for many years and made me regret the digital age ever happened. This camera is a legend among pros. It is extremely versatile and very well-built. Much has been said about this camera, so I will only had my own experience. Why this camera? Why choose this camera over the F, F2, F3, F4, etc? It's all manual , it's light, it has a very fast shutter and the list goes on. The "F" series tend to be heavier overall. The F and F2 are all manual but don't have the latitude of the FM-2 which can be set up to 1/4000 sec. That's very fast for an all-manual camera. The F3 and F4 and others among the "F" family of cameras are big, heavy, and depend on electronic shutters that need batteries to operate. The FM-2 has a battery that is only used to power the light meter. In intense cold it has a provision of adding a wire t

Seagull 4-A 202 TLR A Nice Camera As I have said before, I am not a big fan of Twin Lens Reflex cameras but I must say they are nice looking. I just find the perspective is odd even though the sharpness is excellent generally speaking. Also, they're a little clumsy to carry and operate... I guess I could get used to them, they do have their charm. This is Model 4-A is the pro version, the 4-B is the budget consumer version. This Seagull uses 6x6, 120 film (A mask may be available for 6x4.5cm). It has an exposure help diagram on a knob on the right. It has a leaf shutter so can synch flash at any speed. It is basically a copy of a Rolleiflex. Manufacturer Shangai Seagull Camera Ltd., Shangai, China Name Seagull  Model 4-A Year 1968  Type Twin Lens Reflex Film 120 (6x6cm) Lens Haiou-31,1:3,5/75mm (lower taking lens) Shutter speeds B-1/300 + self-timer Apertures f 3.5 - f 22 Light meter  no

Agfa-Ansco VIKING Medium Format My First Love... That camera started me collecting.... I first saw this camera on a shelf in a second-hand store. I immediately felt attracted to it. I had never really seen this type of camera. I couldn't get any information on the camera or on the lens in those days. It needed some TLC so I had it overhauled at a specialized shop. It cost 140CDN $, I remember... A mistake... I spent way too much for a "bottom-feeder", the lowest lens/shutter (Agfa Agnar lens with Vario shutter) combination available in this line. I later managed to brake off the fragile flash connector post mounted on the lens shutter. I did manage to take a few rolls with it. I was really impressed! At the proper settings (f11, 1/60th) the quality is truly remarkable. Of course, it uses a 6x9 negative! It gave me the medium format bug. From that moment, I was hooked on folding cameras and learned all I could about them. This camera dates from the 50'

Konica C35 An Attractive Pocket-Sized Shooter... This well-made and very attractive small 35mm camera has a lot of charm and a good lens with a minimum aperture of 2.8. The rangefinder window is very bright and easy to use with speed and aperture combinations clearly marked and indicated by a moving needle,  as long as the battery is installed that is. It is comparable in size to the Olympus 35 RC . This camera can only be used in automatic mode and requires a battery. You adjust the ASA and focus and the camera decides the rest. The camera has a self-timer. There is a flash cable entry on the side and a flash hot-shoe at the top.  Overall a solid beauty. Too bad it doesn't have a manual mode, it would give the Olympus 35RC a good run for the money with that nice body and very nice Hexanon ƒ2,8 lens. Manufaturer Konica Name C35 Model C35 Year 1970's Type Fixed-lens rangefinder, automatic only Film 35mm Lens Hexanon, 1:2.8, f 38mm Shutter speeds A

Collecting And Using Classic Cameras Welcome! This site is dedicated to classic film cameras. It is for people who have discovered the joy of collecting, owning, and using vintage cameras. Although most are from the 50’s, some are pre-war and some are more contemporary, like the FM-2n that I consider to be a modern classics. The quest for the ultimate shooting device is on. Of course to each his own, and one camera cannot fit every situation and purpose. What are you looking for in your photos? Sharpness, mood, colour? Or do you shoot portraits, landscapes? Candid street photos? A single camera may not be capable of fulfilling all these roles. Or you may not shoot all those things. Narrowing down your needs is probably the best starting point. As far as cameras go, the choice of film cameras can be disconcerting at first, so it is wise to concentrate on your own favorite and move on eventually. I have been collecting for several years, I have bought and sold a many cameras. I hav

Olympus 35 RC A Small Wonder ... A Great Classic A precision built camera. A world class small body 35mm rangefinder camera with a superior fixed Zuiko lens. Olympus has been making quality cameras for a long time. These little jewel is a highlight of any camera collection, so the current prices reflect this. It is great shooter with a very bright viewfinder. The rangefinder is easy to use and precise. This camera has a built-in exposure meter that requires a battery to operate, but the camera can be used without a battery. I put a piece of paper to fit a modern battery in the battery compartment. A simple, easy to use little camera that you can put in your pocket. Highly recommended in its class! lens Manufacturer Olympus Name 35 RC Model 35 RC Year -- Type Fixed-lens rangefinder Film 35mm Lens Zuiko, 42mm 1:2.8 Shutter speeds B-1/15-1/30-1/60-1/125-1/250-1/500 Apertures f 2,8 - f 16 Light meter yes

Lomo LUBITEL Twin-Lens Medium Format Not The Prettiest.... I have not used this camera yet. It is made mostly of plastic. I am not a big fan of twin-lens cameras. Mostly because they are bulky and I find the perspective of the lenses very flat. I have used a high-quality Mamiya twin-lens camera and, although it had one of the sharpest lens I have ever seen, it lacked "depth", hard to explain.

FED-2 So Many Versions, So Little Time ... Solid little 35mm camera made in USSR camera. This camera is a copy of the Leica and has interchangeable lenses. Like other Russian camera it is safer to set the speed before winding the film in order not to damage the shutter. Throughout the years a great variety of models you made based on this camera. All are interesting and can be had for little money, Beware of Luftwaffe and other Leica copies... You should always have at least one in your collection!

Kiev-4AM (a) The Contax Grip.... Beautiful camera. As you know it is basically the same design as a classic Contax. I received mine in perfect shape from a Russian seller in St-Petersburg. This is the later model, with black rewind knob and Helios-103 as a standard lens. The focusing is extremely precise on these cameras, the rangefinder base is very wide. I was intimidated the first time I focused this camera. To use the rangefinder on the Kiev one must use the "Contax grip" in order not to block the rangefinder windows. BE CAREFUL: On these cameras, you MUST rewind BEFORE changing shutter speed. otherwise you will damage the shutter assembly Kiev-4 AM(a) with Helios-103 lens KIev-4 AM (a)  winder release button  There are many Kiev manuals online but they don't seem to make a distinction between different models, especially the newer Kiev-4 AM. Small changes were made to the camera along the years. To rewind film, there is no button t

Miranda RE A Capable Japanese Built Camera... A very versatile and professional 35mm film camera. It does have a light meter. The viewfinder can be removed like a Nikon F for example. This was a serious camera in its days, it just never really made to the top of the charts.

Moskva-4 Medium Format Good Lineage! Basically a Zeiss Ikonta copy. And a very good one. The Moskva 4 is one of a family of cameras produced in the USSR after WW2. It follows the 1, 2, and the rare 3 models. It uses a rangefinder mechanism to focus. The focusing ring is on the lens shutter. This one has blue leather covering. Manufacturer KMZ Name Moskva Model 4 Year Type Fixed-lens rangefinder Film 120 (6x9 or 6x6 with mask) Lens Industar-24, 105mm Shutter speeds B-1/250 + self timer Apertures f 3.5 - f 32 Light meter  no

Moskva-5 Medium Format A Sophisticated Medium Format Camera I have used the Moskva for street shooting as well as for tripod photography. I own 3 of them...I was aiming to make a 3-d set-up, with double Moskvas and a double cable release... They are nice cameras. It's great to carry a 6x9 (or 6x6 with a removable mask) medium format camera "in your pocket". The Moskva is the Russian cousin of the the Zeiss Ikonta.  The Moskva is a bit slow to operate because of non-coupled film advance, It is impossible to do multiple exposures because of the lock mechanism. This is too bad. To fix this situation you can disengage the mechanism or buy a Moskva-2 (it doesn't have a lock). I have noticed the coating colour varies from one Moskva to another. From blue to purple. Always impressed with that big coated lens though. If you intend to buy this camera, inquire about the mask, they are quite frequently lost! Manufacturer KMZ Krasnogorsk Name Moskva

Konica Auto S2 Big Brother... A larger rangefinder from the 70's. The S2 dwarves cameras like the Olympus 35. This camera has an i ntegrated lens shade which is an unusual feature. It also has a large knob for smooth focusing, also a bit unusual. It can run without a battery in full manual mode, the battery powers the light meter on top . This camera handles nicely and the rangefinder is very bright and very pleasant and easy to use. I really like this camera even if the body is on the large size. Manufacturer Konica Name Auto Model S2 Year -- Type Fixed-lens rangefinder, manual and auromatic modes Film 35mm Lens Hexanon, 45mm 1:1,8 Shutter speeds B-1-1/2-1/4-1/8-1/15-1/30-1/60-1/125-1/250-1/500 Apertures f 1,8 - f 16 Light meter yes

Lomo Smena 8M The Smena Hold ... This a Russian consumer camera made by LOMO. It is mostly constructed of plastic. This Smena 8M was given to me by a friend who knew I collected cameras. Well, I couldn't resist of course and had to run film through it. It was kind of fun going out with this camera. I had the feeling it was just a toy. It as some "programs' or settings for different situations. The Smena is marked with icons around the lens assembly. Cloudy, sunny, landscape, people.... You learn fast enough to use the Smena grip... That is, you have to hold it so the shutter doesn't accidentally hit your finger while travelling up. Funny, no? Well, it hurts.... the exposures. When I received the prints from the lab I was impressed. That little - diminutive - coated T-43 lens turned out to be a big performer. This "toy" can take very nice pictures. There were a few double exposures though. This camera has no lock to prevent double exposures, you can t

GAF Memo 35 EE What's In A Name? Gaf (General Aniline & Film) is the name Ansco started using after 1967... No wonder it's fairly unknown... Ansco had been making cameras for long time, but I guess this name change never caught on... At any rate, this little camera branded GAF is not bad. It's just not the stuff of legends... Its mode of operation is automatic only, therefore requires a battery at all time. Too bad. It is very similar to the Konica C35 in size, operation, clarity of the viewfinder, but lacks the element of quality... It just doesn't feel and look as good. Manufacturer GAF Name Memo Model 35 EE Year 1970's Type Fixed-lens rangefinder, automatic mode Film 35mm Lens Chinon, 38mm 1:2.7 Shutter speeds Automatic (1/30,1/60,1/125,1/650) Apertures f 2.7 - f 14 Light meter yes

Polaroid SX-70 Sonar Land Camera A Bit Of A Cult This is a very nice Polaroid camera. It folds flat and uses leather and metal surfaces as well as sporting a glass lens. The feel is high-end. It has a slot for a flash bar and a tripod mount. It has a sonar attachment wish helps establish focus with the use of an ultra-sonic signal, very avant-garde... Certainly the most portable and versatile polaroid ever made. The SX-70 has become a little bit of a cult camera and has a following of fans. This vlogger has an informative video . Film can be had here: Impossible film at Amazon. New covering material is also available for these cameras.