Your "Old" Cameras - post an image of yours

[BillN_33]

I seem to remember the manuals for my Pentaxes simply referred to a coin for opening the battery compartment. I found any of the coins in my pocket fitted well enough, with a 2p being ideal for it's slightly larger diameter, soft materials & minimal value.

The system doesn't work quite so well now as I often don't carry cash. I suspect those battery compartments could make a right mess of a credit card!

maybe it was just developed folklore that the 1 yen coin was used - but it is ideal and you do see so many of the small battery covers especially of SLR's with the sides of the groove damaged - (The Austrian 10 groschen coin is very similar, size and material - see image below) - the 10 groschen and the 1 yen are very small coins just slightly bigger than the UK 5p piece

 

[BillN_33]

One of my favourite Cameras - mid 1970's - MF with built in exposure meter - the battery is under the mirror, (you flip the mirror up with a small switch and put a battery underneath to work the exposure meter) - the battery was good for years.

A very simple to use camera - was considered maybe a consumer type at the time - perfect if you want a strong simple film SLR camera, that will probably last forever

The lens "told" the body the aperture value through the "rabbit ears"

(Nikon) Nikkormat EL - heavy, beautifully built and brass

 

[BillN_33]

I've been cleaning all these cameras as I've got them out - just a few points if you are thinking about getting one, maybe they will be useful - easy bits - where applicable the focusing screen needed cleaning - I would replace all the light seals just to be safe, (but it's a fiddle), the form strip that the mirror hits, (damping) on the SLR's - 90% need replacing, (again a fiddle) - I've only checked the shutter speeds is by ear and all seem OK, I'm thinking about getting one of those electronic things off eBay to check the shutter speeds and of course most needed new batteries, (I took them out years ago, again just to be careful - modern replacements for the original are cheap and all seem to be available).
Only one of the cameras had a sticking shutter - I had to take the bottom plate off to free it - fired it 50 or so times and it's now OK

all the MF lenses work perfectly, all are clear of dust, fungus and haze and will last forever

If anything comes up I'll post

(has anyone got the small hand grip, (cover) for a Nikon FA that they don't need - they seem a common loss because people used this camera with the MD 15 - I've lost mine and would like to get another)

 

[Garry Edwards]

There was something special about the Vito B (but not the Vito A). About the same price as similar models from other makers but so much nicer to use and so much better made.

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

One thing you could always say about the Nikon professional series is that they were pretty much unstopable. The Nikon F4 was, so far as I'm concerned, the peak of the range but your mileage, as they say, may vary...



In auto mode, it made an excellent, if gigantic, snapshot camera...

 

[Fixer]

Okay, so a camera I bought but have not used . . . I bought it to compliment that radioactive Asahi f1.4 50mm lens you see that I do use on my Canon 5DSr

2Y3A4805 by Stephen, on Flickr

 

[Garry Edwards]

The old Pentax cameras were amazing. I came across them in the early 60's, when I was working at Wallace Heatons' a very snobbish shop. Most of the staff just pretended that they didn't exist and tried to steer customers on to the much more expensive Leica, Exacta or similar, but the Pentax models were streets ahead of everything else at that time, and very good VFM too.

 

[justpix]

The old Pentax cameras were amazing. I came across them in the early 60's, when I was working at Wallace Heatons' a very snobbish shop. Most of the staff just pretended that they didn't exist and tried to steer customers on to the much more expensive Leica, Exacta or similar, but the Pentax models were streets ahead of everything else at that time, and very good VFM too.

Hi, yes they were. I would have liked to buy one in 1973, but as a uni student I could not afford one. So I bought a PORTST CX6, a re-branded Practica ... ---

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

...but the Pentax models were streets ahead of everything else at that time, and very good VFM too.

I was getting into photography in the second half of the 'sixties.

I still have the 1965-66 Blue Book and the next two editions. They were good value for half a crown The only other thing I ever bought from the company was a roll of FP3 in the New Bond Street branch, when I ran out of bulk load film in central London on a Saturday, so I couldn't get into the school darkroom to load some more. As a young looking fourteen year old, I was used to snootiness from shop staff, so I wouldn't have paid any attention if they were.

 

[Garry Edwards]

I was getting into photography in the second half of the 'sixties.

I still have the 1965-66 Blue Book and the next two editions. They were good value for half a crown The only other thing I ever bought from the company was a roll of FP3 in the New Bond Street branch, when I ran out of bulk load film in central London on a Saturday, so I couldn't get into the school darkroom to load some more. As a young looking fourteen year old, I was used to snootiness from shop staff, so I wouldn't have paid any attention if they were.

View attachment 428006

I used to work at the 127 New Bond St branch and you shouldn't have bought that roll of film from them. It was stored in a room in the basement, right next to the boiler room, not exactly cool storage

Incidentally, I made the mistake of giving honest advice to a customer, who wanted to buy the Ilford Sportsman (AKA the Ilford film tearing machine) and I steered him towards the Vito B, at the same price. The manager then told me that I was sacked, go to the 4th floor and get my cards. Whilst I was waiting one of the Directors came in, the famous W.D. Emmanuel. He asked me what it was about, spoke to the manager and then said "Well, I cannot overide Mr Mills' decision, but as it happens we have a vacancy in our commercial photography studio, does that interest you?"

Long story short, they got me onto one of the C&G day release courses, almost impossible to do, and then sponsored my degree.

 

[Plain Nev]

The old Pentax cameras were amazing. I came across them in the early 60's, when I was working at Wallace Heatons' a very snobbish shop. Most of the staff just pretended that they didn't exist and tried to steer customers on to the much more expensive Leica, Exacta or similar, but the Pentax models were streets ahead of everything else at that time, and very good VFM too.

Funny you should mention that. I have an S1A that came from Heatons.

 

[BillN_33]

Here's another marvellous Nikon, albeit very heavy for a simple manual camera with a battery light meter

Nikkormat FT2 - produced for a couple of years from mid 1995

 

[Plain Nev]

Here's another marvellous Nikon, albeit very heavy for a simple manual camera with a battery light meter

Nikkormat FT2 - produced for a couple of years from mid 1995

Lovely looking camera. I must admit I was never a Nikon man. Although, I could be persuaded. To me, at least, it's not immediately apparent how you change the shutter speed. Am I missing something?

 

[BillN_33]

Lovely looking camera. I must admit I was never a Nikon man. Although, I could be persuaded. To me, at least, it's not immediately apparent how you change the shutter speed. Am I missing something?

The shutter speed setting are on the side - part of the lens mount, if you get my meaning - there's a tab on the other side to push it around - unusual

with these cameras you had to set the aperture on the lens to f5.6, (I think for all) and then flick it around from the minimum aperture to the maximum for the lens to register correctly with the light meter - plus there is another marking on the side with usually three marks 1.2, 2.8 and 5.6 - so that when the lens is on the camera, it indicates that you have mounted it successfully - I always found this somewhat confusing

 

[BillN_33]

This is the only camera I have a film, (B & W), in today - I take it with me, now and again, when I'm using my normal digital cameras, but still only fired the shutter 8 times in a month - digital is just too easy - again I would have bought this 30 odd years ago - but it's still in great condition - I sold my Leica "old" - maybe say "film" lenses years ago, so that a modern Zeiss - maybe I need to get a couple of M lens from the 60's

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

We've talked about various Nikons but what about the original Uber SLR - the "F"...



Our daughter was known to grab one of mine on occasion...

 

[BillN_33]

We've talked about various Nikons but what about the original Uber SLR - the "F"...

View attachment 428024

Our daughter was known to grab one of mine on occasion...

View attachment 428025

Here's one, my F2 Photomic - the model was made from 1971 to 1976 with the DP-1 metered prism - this prism/light meter works with non Ai Nikon lens

The camera is almost 50 years old - this one is in great condition

looks like you can now pick up one of the original "F's" for £100 to £300 on eBay

I've got a few more original "F's"

 

[hamster100]

Who could forget the Zenit E? This is mine, taken during a lockdown evening in 2020, whilst trying to occupy my mind. Sadly, mine doesn't function anymore, it all seems to work, the shutter opens and closes but it doesn't seem to expose the film for some reason. Still, it's a beautiful thing, makes a great feature on one of my shelves. I was gifted this a long time ago and technically, it is actually my first 35mm camera, though I didn't buy it, as I did my EOS 500.


View attachment 427754

I had an EM, built like a brick. You could drop it on a concrete floor and the concrete would break ! Still I learned an awful lot with it. Then moved to a Pentax MX , live moving from a Skoda to a Rolls Royce

 

[Topsy]

I had an EM, built like a brick. You could drop it on a concrete floor and the concrete would break ! Still I learned an awful lot with it. Then moved to a Pentax MX , live moving from a Skoda to a Rolls Royce

I had a posh Zenit, the TTL, it was my first SLR and like you say built like a tank.

 

[BillN_33]

obviously there are different types of film - but film is film - same media

I wonder how the new Pentax 17 will compare against a basic 50 year old Pentax at one tenth of the price?

also is the lens on the Pentax 17, what might be called a "digitally sharp" lens, presumably it is a modern design and construction

 

[alfbranch]

Lovely looking camera. I must admit I was never a Nikon man. Although, I could be persuaded. To me, at least, it's not immediately apparent how you change the shutter speed. Am I missing something?

I have never owned Nikon either and I am not likely to.

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

Here's one, my F2 Photomic - the model was made from 1971 to 1976 with the DP-1 metered prism - this prism/light meter works with non Ai Nikon lens

The F2 was the one I missed out on, my next "F" series camera being the F3, which I don't seem to have kept a picture of.

Instead, I went on a Canon kick and got hold of a mint F1, with three lenses, for a silly price. I really liked that camera and it's high on my list of regreted sales...



and a grab shot of our local vicar at the time, in full tea party mode...

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

At some point I (foolishly) sold on my Canon F1, albeit at a small profit, and a bit later got a F1n, which turned out to be a bad mistake.

I didn't like the layout, I didn't like the feel of that anodised finish and I really didn't like the tinny sound the shutter made. It didn't last long and I was only glad that I managed to break even on the thing...



I think this must have been made using the F1n because it says F1 in the file name and was taken in 1996, a few years after I sold its predecessor...

 

[BillN_33]

At some point I (foolishly) sold on my Canon F1, albeit at a small profit, and a bit later got a F1n, which turned out to be a bad mistake.

I didn't like the layout, I didn't like the feel of that anodised finish and I really didn't like the tinny sound the shutter made. It didn't last long and I was only glad that I managed to break even on the thing...

View attachment 428122

I think this must have been made using the F1n because it says F1 in the file name and was taken in 1996, a few years after I sold its predecessor...

View attachment 428123

That's nice Andrew - I have never ever sold a film camera, (I tried to sell a couple recently with no success), they are really almost worthless and the older ones are, (were), really tactile to use - plus it's the way most of us "learned" about photography ........ so maybe I'll buy a few more as looking on eBay there are some good ones that turn up

 

[hamster100]

Well here are my compact old school cameras that I still have. The Canon still gets a small amount of use & produces some really nice pictures, despite the small, sensor all 3.2mp, and I ought to buy a roll to film to put through the Minox. I love the portability of both of these cameras. I still wish i has kept my Pentax MX and lenses , loved that camera.

20240707_104457 by Doug, on Flickr

 

[digitaria]

My Minolta Dimage 7i, from 2004, I think.

5MP CCD sensor. Minolta colours and a very decent lens. Still works perfectly, but I like to shoot raw and that requires patience with this camera, because it locks up during the write to card and takes 10-20 seconds for one image.

Minolta Dimage 7i by digitaria, on Flickr

 

[BillN_33]

Here's my F3 with the 55mm f1.2 non-Ai lens, (a lens made in the 1960's), which was converted years ago - fresh batteries and it fired up as normal - you have to use "stop down" metering with non-Ai lens, as there is noway the camera will know the AV, which is a bit fiddly but not a problem - there was still a film in the camera - I'd put the cardboard box top in the holder on the back but I thought I'd left it there by mistake - but I did open the back so light will have got in.

(just a note - like many "good" film camera of the day, the shutter speed is stuck at a "lower" speed, on the F3 1/80th sec, until you wind the film past "1" - basically to stop light flooding into the camera when you land the film and wind it on a couple of frames with the back "open")

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

(just a note - like many "good" film camera of the day, the shutter speed is stuck at a "lower" speed, on the F3 1/80th sec, until you wind the film past "1" - basically to stop light flooding into the camera when you land the film and wind it on a couple of frames with the back "open")

It is truly said "By gum, you learn summat new every day". When I had my F3, I never knew that!

Mine had the HP prism which was good but not a patch on the F4's standard prism.

 

[BillN_33]

It is truly said "By gum, you learn summat new every day". When I had my F3, I never knew that!

Mine had the HP prism which was good but not a patch on the F4's standard prism.

I'm remembering all this "useless info" as my wife would probably put it - but I now seem to forget a lot more than I can remember - (I've just posted an image of a White Wagtail - a few years ago, when I took the image in our back garden, I'd read up on white wagtails and their various differences but could I remember, no I couldn't - all I remember was cutting the grass and that seem to attract the birds)

 

[Sangoma]

Some of my Voightlanders




And some Russians



Ans one very good but rarely seen




(all rubbish photos, but they weren't taken for any purpose than to label the boxes they are stored in)

 

[BillN_33]

Another Nikon marvel - the Nikkormat FTn - the basic FT - beautiful, tactile and feels great in your hand - built like a Tank and Crocodile Dundee could have used this rather than a can of beans

(the lens is the pre Ai, (NAI) Nikkor - H Auto 28mm f3.5, a 1960's lens, launched with the Nikon F, described by Rørslett as a "venerable old-timer" - probably like most of it's users today) -

this model has the basic focusing screen, (no split focus) - which is not that clear - not sure if they were all like that as it's the basic model - I don't think that it can be changed?

 

[BillN_33]

another of my Nikon F's

This is the basic F, (early 1960's - 1962 I think?), but with the exposure meter driven by a battery in the detachable prism, (I don't have the basic F with the no exposure meter prism).

The early "F's" had a detachable back that you slid down to open - this changed with the F2 which moved to a conventional hinged back

(the Nikon "F's" and the Nikkormats were sold, side by side, as it were) - (for many the Nikon F is the "best" or one of the best, cameras ever made)

Just saw on eBay that the Chinese are now making copies of the AR-1

 

[Jammy Dodger]

Nikon F3-235 by Fraser White, on Flickr

Leica MP by Fraser White, on Flickr

Rollei 35SE by Fraser White, on Flickr

s-l1600 (1) by Fraser White, on Flickr

s-l1600 by Fraser White, on Flickr

 

[BillN_33]

another "bullet-proof" and classic Nikon - really a step forward at the time because of it's small size and lighter weight versus the "F" as well as being considered as a semi professional grade - it had an improved light meter which ran on 2 x 1.5 batteries that last years, (LR44's - today).

Here's my Nikon FM with the classic Nikon Nikkor 50mm f1.8 ....... the first 50mm f1.8 "F' mount that Nikon made, (I think), being a development of their 50mm f2 lens - it's was known as the "Longnose" and was released at the same time as the FM - 1978 - the FM can take all Nikon lens from the NAI's right through the the AF Nikkors - a plus of the FM is that I can be used without batteries in pure manual mode

It must still rate as one of the best Nikon film cameras and is relevant to use today now that there has been a resurgence on film usage

 

[justpix]

Hi, ... :

 

[g4aaw]

Agfa Isolette III

Agfa Isolette III by Pete Miller, on Flickr

 

[BillN_33]

Something a little different - I've got a few Barnacks as they are known

This is a Leica II from 1936 with a Leitz Elmat 5cm f3.5 lens from the same year

It's solid and in good condition, (images never flatter!), the shutter speeds sound good, the curtain is very good and the RF patch is at least visible

 

[welshwizard645]

A 37 year long itch, scratched. Just as I was getting into photography this and the Pentax P50 were what I was after and I could afford neither. This was mint, with an FD50/1.8 lens for €49 at Kamera Express in Luebeck. I spent more on the strap and film than I did on the camera. The P50 itch was scratched a few years ago.

 

[Plain Nev]

I have only recently discovered the joys of the Canon T70. I had no idea at the time, but it's clean appearance and tactile buttons intrigued me. It's very nice to handle and works well. It hasn't let me down.

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

Agfa Isolette III

Agfa Isolette III by Pete Miller, on Flickr

I had an Isolette III for a few years.

It was a good piece of kit but the spring on front standard was so fierce, that I got into the habit of holding the camera door in the palm of my hand, when opening it. Otherwise the film was sucked through the gate and I found myself with a well blurred picture!