Thread: The 35mm film cameras I do not use

Bored in the office the other day as well as a few months ago, I decided to shoot the film cameras, I may have used or not used in the past but will probably never shoot with again. The vintage 35mm part of my office camera collection.
The first ones were shot with a Ricoh GXR in January.
This is an Ansco camera one of the earlist 35mm cameras, I found it years ago while working South Africa

this next one was my first real serious compact the Nikon 35 AF

that was replaced by a Contax TVS

then came the Contax TVS II

the Stereo Realist

Most of these I have been collecting for a little while.
All shot the other day with their modern day replacement the Fuji XPro1
first a Leica IIIa

a Leica IIIf

a Nikon S

A Nikon S2

A Contax IIIa

a few more still with the XPro1
A Leica M3

A Leica M4

A Robot Juinor, Robots were one of the earliest motorized camera, they used a wind up knob

A Robot Royal, their Leica type rangefinder, the motor wind up is a key on the bottom, this camera is built like a tank

Thanks Luke, depending upon on how one looks at obsessions I still also own and occasionally shoot with two vintage and one semi-vintage 35mm systems, 2 bodies each with a small assortment of lens for them, Nikon SP, Nikon F and Contax G2. I guess I like my cameras.

And then I look at the cameras in your signature for fun and for work........ at some point it goes from being a personal collection to a museum. I've seen this a lot (albeit in a different hobby) in my line of work when a lunatic record collector passes away and I get the call and arrive on the scene and see crate after crate, and shelf after shelf and room after room of carefully selected records (or cameras....or whatever someone collects). When you live with it, it doesn't seem so odd or so fantastic because you accumulate it over time. But you have a nice collection there and thanks for sharing it. (And let your kids know where to take it should something unfortunate happen).

I'd love to see more some time....... any time.

Noooo...

PLEASE set them free! Sell your unused cameras to somebody who will give them a new lease of life. I'm on a long train journey right now, on business. In my briefcase is a 1929 Leica (upgraded I to Ii) with a 5cm nickel Elmar. I use it every week and carry it regularly. I also have a 50 year old M2 and a Rolleicord of similar vintage - I delight in using them all.

We don't own cameras like this. They just reside with us until they are ready for their next adventure. Don't let them seize up on a shelf - please!

Wow! And just today I discovered two film cameras in mum's cupboard. I wish I had found any of these instead of the Yashicas I did find. My dad had pretty much the worst taste in cameras.

Bob,

Beautiful set of cameras. I too have a number of film cameras that will probably not see a roll of film again (at least not in my hands), but none as nice as your Leicas, Nikons and the Contax. I would take the M3 and M4 out for a spin more than every once in a while, though, and the III's as well.

Thank you for sharing!

Cheers,

Antonio

Originally Posted by Boid

Wow! And just today I discovered two film cameras in mum's cupboard. I wish I had found any of these instead of the Yashicas I did find. My dad had pretty much the worst taste in cameras.

With a few exceptions, the Yashica 35mm cameras are quite good. What models did you find?

As far as collecting film cameras: there are many more film cameras than people that want to use them. I have a LOT (~200?) of cameras, cannot use them all. Repair the ones that I like, even if they do not get more than a roll of film through them. Otherwise, Many would end up in someone's trash or the junk bins at a thrift shop.

Originally Posted by Brian

With a few exceptions, the Yashica 35mm cameras are quite good. What models did you find?

No really, these are the worst Yashicas ever devised by man or beast. One's "fully automatic" with no controls of any sort apart from ISO, that Dad bought for me. Really bad build quality, feels like a toy holga. Here's a picture I found -

http://cache0.bigcartel.com/product_...77045/yas2.jpg

I can just about imagine the camera salesperson giving dad the spiel about how everything is automatic, and one just has to press the button and the camera does the thinking for you, etc. And my dad sagely nodding along thinking "yes yes, even my idiot son will be able to make pictures out of this without hurting himself"

The other is Yashica 108 SLR with a 24 - 85mm, 3.5-4.8 lens. It could have been the FX3 or the TL Electro 35 or a Pentamatic, but no such luck. It was this -

http://www.rockycameras.com/ekmps/sh....99-4696-p.jpgAttachment 3323Attachment 3323

(Not posting images on purpose, because it will pretty much ruin this gorgeous thread)