| Author | Message | ||
     Xl1200r |
Anyone into them? My friends call me "rerun" because I'm into anything old - stereos, cars, bikes, anything. I just recently got a hold of an old camera - Yashicamat-LM, circa 1962 I believe. To save you time, it a 100% mechanical TLR camera, takes 120mm film only. I also have a collapsable fan flash that goes with it. Anyone know any 'tricks' to using one of these old TLR cameras? I've been digital for a while now, though I used simple 35mm stuff when I was younger. I'm excited to play around with this thing. Feel free to look up the model - it's rather full featured - shutter speeds from 1 to 1/500 sec and B, 8-second self-timer, light meter, and all kinds of manual control and wheels and what not that I don't have the faintest idea what they do. I'll try to post some pictures of it with my other new toy, Panasonic Lumix TZ3 ;) | ||
| Slaughter |
I'm heavily into film. Pic below won me a trip to Papua New Guinea - on a 50 year old Nikonos 2 with a newer strobe. All manual. http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-9/403336/gari. jpg.jpg I even have a chemical cookbook and buy the stuff to mix my own soup and do my own film developing. There are a few of us still shooting the old fashioned way. I even slice my own microfilm for Nikonos "spy cameras" - and shoot medium format too (Pentax 67II) Good stuff! | ||
| Midknyte |
Haven't done film in forever either, but I'm keeping my Nikon FG just the same. The FG was real nice in that it has manual focus and manual/automatic exposure modes, which allows noob to casual users learn/play and take really good pics while experienced users can take full control. | ||
| Vegasbueller |
Dang Steve! I wish I had nkown that when you were out here! But, I guess we were all busy talking methods of crashing and recovery. I bought the new XTi, but I still love my 30 year old Minolta. There is nothing automatic on that camera! I have been searching for an older view camera, more so to actually use as a prop in photo shoots. Sammie and I are enrolling in a local university to study photography, video, and film work. XL: Let us see the old new toy as well! Nick | ||
| Elf |
I collect old cameras (well, not exactly collect per se, as it's prohibitably expensive - I pick them up when I can) and have a Rolleiflex that's basically the same as your Yashicamat. I love them! I've amassed a decent collection over time, and 99% of them work (my Exacta's shutter sticks...)They make nice display pieces, and I keep mine in a little glass curio with some old-style photos. If you use them, these old cameras really force you to think about what you're doing (lighting, composition, etc...) Does the lightmeter still work? Throw a roll of Kodak Tri-X or Ilford Delta in there and go experiment! | ||
| Ragnagwar |
Glad I looked at this thread. I've had this for years and have no idea where or when I got it. Everything seems to be in German, any ideas?   | ||
| Danger_dave |
How quaint.  | ||
| Slaughter |
Dangit Dave, we're trying to hide from you digital types. Go 'way, leave us alone!  | ||
| Vegasbueller |
Dave's still looking for the on/off switch! | ||
| Slaughter |
Dave's still looking for the on/off switch! Yabbut when he finds that "ON" switch, he does arright! | ||
| Slaughter |
by the way - trying to UN-Hijack the thread here. I'm in a couple Minox groups online. Collect and trade the Minox cameras - the "spy cameras" I have to imagine there would be a user group for ANY camera - especially the "classic" 120 film cameras. Google them up. Something that is almost a fetish with me is longer exposure available light shooting. Exterior night shots and some black and white stage images at different theatres of modern dance. Tri-X is a great utility film and I've been able to push it 3 full stops. Gets kinda grainy but I like the look. T-Max isn't too bad either. I truly miss Agfa APX25 - still have a couple hundred rolls in the freezer. I used to carry a meter around with me and play "guess the exposure" games all the time so that when I needed to, I could get a shot off without feeling the need to bracket. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
Funny that you ask. I have about a hundred of them.  I guess the highlights of the collection would be the Leicas, models l, ll and lllf, Nikons F, F2, F3 and a dozen others, Deardorf 8x10, a matched pair of 4x5 Speed graphics, and my personal favorite, the Univex Mercury from Brooklyn.  | ||
| Slaughter |
Heck, I even have 2 titanium bodied Nikon F3HP cameras. Excellent camera and if you need to protect yourself from bear attack or gunfire, they'll do the job. I hear they'll drive a 16penny nail if your framing hammer handle breaks. | ||
| Elf |
Ragnagwar - Looks like an AGFA. Definitely German. If memory serves me correctly they took 620 film, which is the same as 120/220 but has a metal spool with thinner ends. It's NLA, but if you have the spools (and a "black bag" or darkroom), you can roll some 120 on them and go shoot it. GJ - Very nice! Reminds me of the Exacta I mentioned before! I wish it didn't have the sticky shutter. It's got razor-sharp Schneider glass and is GREAT for long exposures! Do you shoot the view cameras? Had a Linhof, but had to sell it  (my ex cleaned me out ). Had to sell a nice Hasselblad setup too... Slaughter - Always wanted one of those! I do have the F3P version. Bought it from an old newsie when I worked in a camera shop years ago! It works great, but it's kinda ugly. Definitely looks the "Press" part! | ||
| Danger_dave |
lol - all good. There is a divide between the high art and commercial process. Silver Nitrate still lines the high road. Pixels are disposable yet more commercially viable. (Message edited by danger_dave on August 21, 2007) | ||
| Slaughter |
Believe it or not, I also got a vintage underwater housing for macro work using a 60mm lens and the Sport Finder on the F3HP. I still have to overhaul the housing, new seals, etc. Switch the strobe ports to newer config. I also have my Father's Nikonos I camera AND an operational underwater FLASHBULB gun! I'm dying to just take it down for old times sake. | ||
| Edstevens |
I have a Kodak 35mm twin lens steroscopic camera from about 1956. I takes slides that are about 5 inches long with two films mounted on it. The left film was taken by the left lens and the right film was taken by the right giving a steroscopic view that really has to been seen to see how objects just jump out of the background. These slides could be viewed on a handheld electric viewer with eye width adjustment and focus adjustment. The other way to view the slides is with a stero slide projector. These pictures are the most life like I have ever viewed. | ||
| Hexangler |
Yeah, I've got the bug too. Just finished assembling an 8x10 enlarger in my nitch circa 1942. Also, I just quit a job as a camera jerk--Camera/Arts Sacramento--Nikon, Canon, Leica, and Hasselblad as well as great used gear. Here is a scanned Illford FP4 negative developed in Hutching's Pyro(PMK) (this is the best film/developer combo I know). I took it at MotoGP at this year's start of the GP race. The only camera I brought that day was my 1920's Brownie 2 for 120 film. I got off 32 shots, most of which were blurry due to camera shake. Got 5 keepers. If anybody wants to buy an 11x14 silver fiber print of this image, PM me--$25 USA plus shipping. Hex  | ||
| Xl1200r |
I took some pictures of the camera, but I'm having troub;e positing them... I'll try again tonight when I get home from work. I did play with a little last night (still no film...), and the light meter does appear to work, though I don't know how well. When I put it right up to a 60w incadescent bulb it reads about a 5 or 6 out of 10... | ||
| Davegess |
Cool stuff. I am about to leave the world of film and buy a Rebal XTI. My last OM4T took a dump and I see no reason to fix it as I need to move to digital anyway as almost all the mags would prefer this now. I still like film and will continue to use the Leica M2 and may have to dust off the Rolliflex 2 1/4 camera and shoot some B&W. For really nice large color prints it is tough to beat ciba/ilfa chrome prints from kodachrome slides. I have a few i did 20 years ago and they are as crisp and saturated as when new. | ||
| Vegasbueller |
Davegess..long time no see! Great to see you here. I think you will love that camera. I love mine more with every shot. DD: I am going to steal the pixel quote. I love that! ...and yeah, you do alright for a guy from down under. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
Classics from Chicago. The redoubtable Deardorf 8x10 mounting a 14" Commercial Ektar. Support supplied by a Saltzman studio tripod with the rare side mount, which allowed a lower camera position. As the center tube was cranked up, the camera went down. This was the basic camera in the best commercial studios during the forties and fifties, and a favorite of such reknowned photographers as Ansel Adams and Richard Avedon. I found both of these unused for decades, restored them, and now have them on display. I use a Canon 1Ds Mk ll to actually take pictures.  (Message edited by gentleman_jon on August 22, 2007) | ||
| Bads1 |
Heres a coupleold camera's I have around the house. Are they worth anything??? What can you guy's tell me about them?? Agfa AMBI SILETTE.  Ansco, Rediflex.  Bell & Howell,Director series 8mm electric eye movie camera.   | ||
| Bads1 |
Slaughter,you know nothing about these?? Somebody?? | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
OK, Dana if you must know.............. The Bell and Howell Movie camera, looks like a 1957 Electric Eye model, 8mm. Auto exposure. Worth $10 on a good day, Not collectible. No amateur movie cameras are, with the possible exception of the high end Bolex. The video camera has not been kind to the value of old movie cameras. The Ansco Rediflex is a 1950's bakelite twin lens reflex. Takes 120 film, I believe. Kodak and Argus made similar models. Personally I like these fifties plastic cameras, and I have about a half dozen of them. They often had innovative styling touches. I sprung a buck for a similar Spartus model the other day. My girlfriend thinks I might have over paid a little. The star of the show is most certainly the Agfa Ambi Silette, made in Germany for advanced amateur photographers, it had interchangeable lenses, a leaf shutter, and was called the "poor man's Leica". 1957-1961 not too rare. This one is in nice condition, has a good f2.8 Solinar lens. This beauty could be worth as much as $25 to a Silette collector. There aren't very many Silette collectors, but you never know. Happy now? | ||
| Bads1 |
Thanks Jon, All these camera's belonged to my Dad that passed almost 10 years ago. They were all bought new by him. I even have the booklets for them. I'm really not interested in selling them just wondered what they are and may be worth. One of these days I may decide to try them out. Look's like fun |
