Using vintage, unusual or wierd photo equipment?

Please contact me at "bombasticidiot@yahoo.com"

-- Daniel Clark (bombasticidiot@yahoo.com), September 23, 1999

Answers

I recently picked up a 1958 Kodak Signet35, a nice little rangefinder made out of cast aluminum with a sort of art deco appearance. In fact, it has a strange resemblance to the Kodak Hawkeye building on St. Paul St. here in Rochester NY. The shutter didn't work, so the camera was only $5. I did a CLA on the shutter, reset the B spring, and am still optimizing the rangefinder adjustment. Lens is a 44mm f/3.5 Ektar. Having a blast with the thing. It's small, and I'm learning to judge exposure pretty accurately by just looking. One of my better $5 investments. It has an interesting effect on people, as they don't take it seriously like when I shoot with a heavy and noisy Nikon. I can get more of a "snapshot" quality- if you consider that a good thing.

-- Conrad Hoffman (choffman@rpa.net), September 23, 1999.

Check out my little piece on stereo madness in Austin at http://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/Stereo/stereo.html. My friend Gary has put two old polariod cameras together in a housing that allows him to make instant stereo photos. He sells them at fairs with a little cardboard stereo viewer. There are also photos of us viewing stereo slides with his Stereo Vivid Deluxe projector.

-- Ed Buffaloe (edbuffaloe@unblinkingeye.com), September 23, 1999.

Let's see. The ones I use on a regular basis include my Realist, my View-Master Personal and my TDC 716 projector. The ones I use occasionally include a Bolsey model C, an Edinar, and a Voightlander Bessamatic. The one I would dearly like to use once but cant find film for is an Agfa PD16 Anatar ( this camera has a personal history to it so I would like to shoot it at least once to connect with it). If anyone knows of a source of size 616 film I would like to know it. Film For Classics appearantly doesn't roll this size anymore sadly.

-- Fritz M. Brown (brownf@idhw.state.id.us), September 23, 1999.

My two daily companions are a 1956 Minox IIIS (usually loaded with T- Max 100) and a 1968 Olympus Pen EES-2 (usually loaded with Royal Gold 400.) The better old subminiature cameras give downright magnificent results with modern film emulsions, and (at least the Minox) is easier to carry and less obtrusive to use than nearly any modern camera with its continually whirring focus and advance motors. There's actually quite an active little photographic subculture using old "subminis." (If you're curious about this, check out The Sub Club as a starting point: http://members.aol.com/xkaes/index.htm)

I also enjoy using my dad's old (F2) Nikons, Yashica TLRs, Balda rangefinder, prewar Retina, 4x5s, etc. I love "vintage" and "weird" equipment. Among other reasons, it tends to separate those who really understand the craft of photography from those who depend on the extensive electronics used in current cameras. Is this a semi-luddite viewpoint? Sure it is, but I learned photography on manual equipment 30 years ago, and properly used, it's still great stuff. And the conversation-piece value of something as cool as a Minox blows away just about any modern autoeverything p&s, little APS box, or big black SLR with monster zoom...

Nothin' wrong with modern equipment, but many of the old classics have real STYLE, and they're both a lot of fun to use and darn fine instruments. I'm not suggesting they're for everybody, but for those who appreciate them, they're an absolute joy...

-- Michael Goldfarb (mgoldfar@mobius-inc.com), September 23, 1999.

I agree with Michael on style. Count be in with my Zorki 2, Retina IIa, Speed Graphic, and Bessa. There is something really wonderful about the 'ownership' of the image you get when you capture it with a manual camera. I make my living in computers and music.... the old cameras are a great way to be in touch with another kind of thinking.

-- chuck k (kleesattel@webtv.com), September 23, 1999.

Oh good, someone else appreciates Balda rangefinders. I use 35mm TLRs, 5x4 SLR, P&S 5x4, Stereo Realist, a whole variety of wonderful stuff. I rarely work with anything less than 25 years old. Most of my cameras are about 50 years old, some 100. Why? They were cheap, high quality, and they do what I tell them to, not what they think I might prefer. Am I a Luddite? Possibly, although I'm also doing a fair bit of digital work (sourced from film).

-- Alan Gibson (Alan.Gibson@technologist.com), September 24, 1999.

I love my Kodak Box Cameras for the 6x9 negs to make contact prints. Beat up flea market Polaroids for image manipulations. Holgas, "its like handling a snake" . Recently, no camera at all, just photograms. Still planning that refrigerator size pinhole. My F-5 is jealous.

-- bill zelinski (willy226@yahoo.com), September 24, 1999.

Recently my father gave me his 1952 Agfa Issolette I folding camera. The focus was jamed and a shutter spring broken. After discovering that you can still buy 120 film, I spent nights and repaired the focus, shutter, and a small light leak in the bellows. I know this is old hat for you folks, but until now my idea of a good camera was a auto everything P&S. This camera is totally manual! I bought a roll from the pro shop, Shot it using the cheet sheet that was on the film box, and just had it developed becouse I was sure that only 1 or 2 of the 12 shots would come out at all. To my surprise all but 1 (out of focus) came out great. Even one night shot! The only real downer to the whole thing is the cost of the pro 120 color film and processing. After finding this and other web sites I have decided that a good use for this camera is to learn B&W and process my own. I have found some low cost lab equipment in a junk store, including a 6x6 B&W enlarger. I also work in the computer industry and find the whole thing a nice change of pace. I am still working on it so any advice is helpfull.

-- Andy Clements (a_clements2@juno.com), September 24, 1999.

I, too, own, and use, a selection of oldies: my two lovingly acquired and carefully used motorized Nikon F's (1969 and 1974 vintages), my 1959 Rolleiflex E2, and my (approximately) 1940 Graphic View 4x5, complete with a Kodak 203mm f/7.7 Ektar!

Old equipment is easier to fix (it's all mechanical, although parts supply is a bit of a problem, to put it mildly), and has a certain cachet that the more modern (and expensive) high-tech cameras simply don't have. Like a suit handed down to you from your father, that was one your grandfather's!

-- Terrence Brennan (tbrennan13@hotmail.com), September 24, 1999.

I don't know if my Kodak Master 8 X 10 counts or not. It's older than I am, as are the uncoated convertible lenses and self-cocking shutters. I prefer the older (post war) wooden holders as they seem to be better made and more durable than the plastic ones. It's simple and relatively fast as these things go, but it's not particularly funky. It's the only camera I use.

-- Sean yates (yatescats@yahoo.com), September 24, 1999.

p.s. Dan, you've got the best e-mail address I've ever seen!

-- Sean yates (yatescats@yahoo.com), September 24, 1999.

I didn't realize until now that my Nikon F2's are vintage models.... Of course they are made in the 70's, but..... Maybe I'm a vintage model myself and the cameras have become older with me ;). My Pentax 6x7 is in the same agegroup, so is my Linhof Technicardan. Those I use continuously and have never longed for newer cameras. Every now and then I blow dust off my Moskva 5 of -58. It is a nice piece of German design (Zeiss Ikon) made in Russia with old German machines, I suppose. The negative size of Moskvas is 6x9 cm or with separate mask 2 1/4 x 2 1/4", they use 120 film and the optics is rather good, rangefinder accurate, shutter is working fine now, I got it adjusted a couple of years ago. I actually own 3-5 of those cameras, they used to be very cheap in Russia, but only one has been serviced and is in working condition. Working with an old bellows rangefinder is really fun sometimes - the autums colors for instance have to be recorded with it!

Sakari

-- Sakari Mdkeld (sakari.makela@koulut.vantaa.fi), September 26, 1999.

I use a mid-1950's Toyo 4x5 metal field camera, which I purchased very cheaply just to try out large format. I think it's excellent - the sense of control over exposure, zone of sharpness, the whole creative process, takes you into a totally different field. My modern Nikon system just cannot compete with this!

-- fw (finneganswake@altavista.net), September 26, 1999.

In 1970-71, I used Leica IIIf's and M-3's, although they really weren't totally vintage then. They were great. I wish I could afford the optics today.

I just bought a Kodak Retina IIa, in my effort to get back to basics. The rangefinder doesn't work and there's no light meter. I've run T400CN through it with good results, probably because estimating distance/depth of field and exposure forces me to slow down. I also have to do a bit of estimating in the viewfinder -- it's awfully small and these older eyes wear glasses. Hard to see the limits of the frame.

I bought the Retina because of the German optics, and that model has a nice f/2.0 lens. It's also solid German steel. Folded, and in my hip pocket, I know I'm sitting on something substantial.

I was interested to read your eval of the Kodak 35. Does anyone else have basic 35mm manual cameras that have worked well for them?

-- Jeff Polaski (polaski@acm.org), September 28, 1999.

Hi Jeff,

Still using a Petri FT SLR 35mm 1963 model. Have run hunderds of rolls thru it. still works like a charm. Use it daily to make a few bucks with. tried one of the do it all for cameras and thought it did not even need me .

-- Larrye Edye (WA4GMS@webtv.net), September 28, 1999.

re: Using vintage, unusual or wierd photo equipment?

Depending on the subject decides what camera for me. Right now some of my favorites to use are a 1930 Kodak Anniversary Special, a Brownie Hawkeye coverted to a pinhole with the shutter put back in(I can reload this camera in the field, 6X6), a couple of Holgas, a 1902 Brownie 2(I cut 4x5 down for this one) along with many more box and my "good" cameras. Check out my Brownie gallery at: http://members.aol.com/chuck02178/brownie.htm

or my "odd camera" gallery room at: http://members.aol.com/chuck9toe/index.htm

I love shooting with these old cameras and I've found additional tools to get the image I want from what I'm seeing.

Chuck

-- Chuck Baker (chuck9toe@aol.com), October 01, 1999.

USING VINTAGE EQUIPMENT:

I have an Olympus 35SP as a back-up for my main RF. It was the first 35mm camera with dual metering systems: center weighted and spot. Nice little camera, ahead of it's time.

-- Asher (schachter@a1.tch.harvard.edu), October 03, 1999.

c1,super tech 111, twin C330's, twin B&J press graphics(30's), xk,srt,hi-matic minoltas...an old agfa tropical,,,,I use a ancient wooden 4x contact printer the one that looks like a shoe-polishing box with a built-in safelight....a pre WWII slider d2 enlarger.....the modern cameras that I own, besides one P&S, are manual/mechanical so those may fit into the weird category ....these days anyway. I inherited some cans of old ansco powdered chems(price tags say 1947)...that still look good...maybe I'll try them someday soon.

-- trib (linhof6@hotmail.com), October 08, 1999.

I bought a used Pentax kit about 10 years ago which had an SV body, 55mm, 35mm, and 105mm Super-Takumar lenses. I now use a newer body - a Honeywell SL. Got rid of the 35mm and 105mm and got a 50mm f/1.4 with the SL body. If you can find a good screw mount lens, they're dirt cheap! I got a 17mm fisheye Super-Takumar for less than $100 and an 85-300 macro for $130 (brand new). I took some photos for a friend who was running a local political campaign, and on the night of the election, a news photographer noticed my old Pentax and told me he used to use Pentax cameras and said they were built like tanks. What a compliment - especially considering the three Nikons hanging from his neck!

-- Dave Internoscia (af202@acorn.net), October 17, 1999.