Vintage film cameras

My Argus bricks are stored someplace, and my collapsable 6x6 rangefinder camera is MIA.

But, here's my 1983 Pentax Super Program with the motor A drive and 135MM tele.

As well as my pride and joy. . . . a 1984 Mamiya 645 1000S commemorative issue camera affectionately known as 'The Lizard'. I bought it with 'the works' because no one wanted it when it first came out, and was sitting upstairs in the camera store's warehouse for over a year. Metered Prism, three 220 inserts, three 120 inserts, motor drive, 80mm/f1.9, 150mm/f3.5, 45mm/f2.8, a Sunpak 622 Pro flash, and a Stroboframe. He sold me the entire package for 40% off!

These days, one of these in this type of condition is a true collectors item. I used it very heavily for 10 years as a wedding photographer, proms, senior portaits, and martial arts photography; and it still sees action at least twice a year.

Plus, it's outlasted two RB67's.

Buying 'The Lizard' was undoubtedly the best camera investment I've ever made.




MamiyaLizardsm.jpg

Your 645 makes mine really look boring! That's an awesome camera!
 
Guess What I Found Today!!. . .

My collapsible 6x6.

It's a Zeiss Ikon and it's the Super Ikonta model. Rangefinder with leaf shutter. Even though the bellows is weathered, there are no light leaks; and the camera still works great.

ZeissIkon-SuperIkontaSM.jpg



ZeissIkon-SuperIkonta-OpenSM.jpg


. . Falcon
 
I also have the Super Ikonta 6x6. Looks like the same version. Sadly, the shutter is sticky and getting someone to service a Zeiss shutter is like buying a Rolls. These are excellent picture takers and working examples still command a good price. I suspect that years from now when the Bronicas, etc. are gathering dust, these pre-war and early post war cameras will still be getting field time.
 
6x6 Folder CLA

Brian

I bought my Agfa Super Isolette from this guy: http://www.certo6.com/

He also services folders. As with any good vintage repair guy he's pretty busy though.

Don't know what he charges, but the Agfa I got from him was in real nice shape.

-- Steve A.
 
I'm surprised that you are having difficulty finding someone to service your shutter. Leaf shutters usually just need cleaning, and is basically simple to do -- you could learn to do it yourself if you are at all handy and have reasonable vision and/or a good magnifier. Ed Romney used to sell all sorts of guides to camera repair, and while I think after his death his business faded out, the Thomosy repair books are excellent and still available, I believe.
If the shutter is broken (an unusual state of affairs since Compurs and Sheikoshas etc are pretty darn rugged) there are lots of parts shutters out there.
 
Not an issue of finding someone but the response when I tell them it is a Zeiss. Each has never even mentioned price, just that they did not care to do the work on the camera. I have several Zeiss models besides the Super and each has the same shutter problems. As for repairing them myself - forget it. Neither the inclination nor patience any longer. 30 years ago I'd have them serviced but today, as I have the Rolleiflex, Bronica and Leica just not a desire.
 
My collapsible 6x6.

It's a Zeiss Ikon and it's the Super Ikonta model. Rangefinder with leaf shutter. Even though the bellows is weathered, there are no light leaks; and the camera still works great.






. . Falcon

that is a very very cool camera...
 
OH gee's now you've gone and done it.

Here's some of my vintage cameras. including in the pile are 11 Canon FD mount bodies from the black FTb with the chrome nose 55mm f1.2 on the corner of the little shelf. A pair of New F-1's with winders on the shelf(one is a US NAVY veteran) and of course the pair of T-90's (the most advanced manual focus 35mm camera ever made) and about 38 lenses from 17mm to 600mm including a 35mm f2.8 tilt and shift and 85mm f2.8 soft focus (only about 2400-2500 made) And a couple apple boxes of flashes macro gear and other accessories for the Canon system.

The longest white lens is a 600mm f4.5 nFD that after I worked for 2 weeks removing the horrid black and green paint some moron put on it and had my repair guy completely tune it up I discovered it wasn't as sharp as my 500mm f4.5L if I blew those prints up farther so off it went to eBay.

Far left on the wood box is a 1957 Canon L-1 Rangefinder with I believe the Leitz Elmar f2.8 I finally sold off a while back to buy my Scott 233 amp. Then on the wall of note is my 1955 Leica Ig RD sporting a Canon black and chrome 35mm f1.8 and my pair of Canonet G-III QL-17's one chrome and one black (very rare) also hangin up there is a 1951 Canon model III with the uber rare rapid winder and my 1956 Rolleiflex 3.5E and Yashica 44 in pearl gray TLR's a pair of Canon Demi's (1/2 frame) There are a couple dozen more hiding in cases and that wine box. Lots of Braun Paxettes. a Retina a real nice Voigtlander Vito II with all the accessories a couple Kodaks and Zeiss folders.

Anyway you made me do this.


Oh did I mention I collected cameras before I got into stereo stuff?

wow Mark... now we need to see some or your Pics
 
Brian: I'm baffled at why the repair people you've talked to don't want to work on your cameras. There are Zeiss cameras that are very ticklish to work on, with cosmetic parts that have to be damaged to remove them and replacements unavailable for decades now -- the various Contarexes spring to mind. But the Super Ikontas etc use utterly standard Compur shutters, which shouldn't challenge any competant repair person. The rangefinder versions are a bit more difficult since you have to remove the contrarotating rangefinder prisms and then reset them when reassembling, but even that's not hard.
But I suppose I shouldn't be surprised -- I once was asked to repair an original version Canon F1. Canon USA wouldn't touch it -- no parts they said. Peachtree, the biggest Canon warrantee repair place in the US wouldn't touch it -- no parts... Precision Camera Repair in Chicopee Ma wouldn't, again, for the same reason.
I fixed the camera in 3 minutes -- a cam in the wind section out of place.
Took me longer to give it back to the guy than to fix it.
But I understand their logic -- if they open it up, they have to charge a fee, and if they can't fix it because the part isn't available (though what repair place doesn't have donor bodies?) then the owner is pissed off having to pay for nothing. And even if they can fix it, suddenly, for whatever warrantee period they offer, they are liable for everyother thing that can go wrong, and so they could take a real bath.
 
Hi again.
Looked at the Certo6 website, and he (Jurgen) seems to know what he's talking about, and he seems to be pretty straighforward about how long it will take etc, which is a good sign, I would guess. But his work is not cheap (though I think the 60 bucks he charges to replace the bellows might be a good deal). This may be because he does a full disassembly and ultrasonic cleaning of the shutter, which will certainly take more time than simply flushing the shutter. I'm less pessimistic than he is about the effectiveness and adequacy of flushing, but there's no question that theoretically his way is best.
 
i'll join in...

Just a smattering from my photo/optics collection

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Agfa Isolette II, Canon AE-1, Pentax ME Super, Celestron C-90 1000mm, Tasco model 317 12x50

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Closeup of Isolette.. This is my favorite 120 camera by far. I've had a bunch.

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A smattering of Brownies

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Kodak Pony 135, another favorite of mine. Simple and fun. It's sitting on one of my DCM Macrophones.
 
Not an issue of finding someone but the response when I tell them it is a Zeiss. Each has never even mentioned price, just that they did not care to do the work on the camera. I have several Zeiss models besides the Super and each has the same shutter problems. As for repairing them myself - forget it. Neither the inclination nor patience any longer. 30 years ago I'd have them serviced but today, as I have the Rolleiflex, Bronica and Leica just not a desire.
When I was looking for information on the Yashica tlr, I got directed to flutotscamerarepair.com out here in the LA area. It looks like they specialize in shutters. Might be worth a try.

Murray
 
Thanks for all the suggestions. The Pony 135 was my first 35mm camera as a kid Before that I used my parents' Argus tlr. The Pony was a nice little camera and with the retarcting lens, made it very pocketable.
 
Here are my 3 vintage SLR's, all purchased by me new, way back when. :)

Nikon F3 HP (55mm f2.8 Micro Nikkor)
Nikon FM2/T (titanium top and bottom plates) (50mm f1.8 Nikkor)
Olympus OM-1n (50mm f1.4 Zuiko)

nik01-1.jpg


fm2.jpg


om1.jpg
 
Nice Olympus. Always liked their stuff. They had 1st rate glass that I liked almost as much as my Leica and Minox glass.
 
I have a yashica 44. Made in 1958. That would make it vintage. This is not the actual picture of it. mine has a blue case. It's a TLR 127 MM box camera. The last time I used it was in 1982.
 

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Nice Olympus. Always liked their stuff. They had 1st rate glass that I liked almost as much as my Leica and Minox glass.

Thanks! Yes, the Zuiko lenses did take a great picture. Here are a few more pics of my OM-1n (minus the winder, taken with a Sony DSC-F707 digital camera)...

om11.jpg


om12.jpg


om13.jpg


om14.jpg
 
Okay, rub it in ;). I was tracking an OM-10 that had the manual adaptor on the auction site in the past week but wifey caught me.
 
what's the "N" stand for on the OM-1(N)?
I don't remember that model/designation.
Always liked the OM-1, though.
 
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