Finetta 88 Camera

My Finetta 88 camera

The Finetta 88 camera caught my eye on a visit to London a year or so ago when I had about an hour during a walk down Portabello Road. I met with Juliano, the owner of Cameras London, who was still in the process of setting up. As I was looking over his extensive items on the multiple tables he has, I saw the grey body of the Finetta 88 camera. 

 If you are a camera enthusiast and can go to Portabello Road during the weekends, I highly recommend seeing Juliano. He has an incredible selection of older wood cameras with brass lenses and many of the more common 35mm point-and-shoot cameras that seem to be all the rage now.

 As I've mentioned a few times, I'm always drawn to the camera with either a different color or if there is something odd or unusual about the item. Not only is the Finetta that I saw covered in a gray covering on the camera, but the lens is somewhat off-center, giving the camera an "out of the ordinary" look. I put the Finetta 88 camera aside and looked over many other cameras I wanted to purchase. As we discussed the price, I picked up the Finetta again and added it to the few items I purchased that day, and I'm glad I did.

The Company

Finetta-Werk was a German camera manufacturer with roots tracing back to Kamerawerk Peter Saraber, a company founded by Peter Saraber in 1945 in Goslar, Germany. Saraber, a Dutch engineer, initially focused on producing precision optical equipment in the post-war era during heightened demand for affordable and efficient photographic devices. Saraber teamed up with a Voigtlander engineer, Helmet Finke, around 1947 to design and develop a new camera.

 "Finetta" was introduced in the late 1940s, marking the company's transition toward a more consumer-friendly image. The Finetta cameras, characterized by their simplicity, durability, and relatively low cost, appealed to post-war Europe's growing middle class. Early models, such as the Finetta 88, showcased Saraber's dedication to compactness and practicality, featuring a straightforward mechanism for capturing 35mm images, including a new two-leaf shutter system, which they applied for a patent. They also invented a new film advance system with double exposure prevention.

Ad for Finetta 88 camera taken from Mike Eckman website.

 By the 1950s, the company rebranded as Finetta-Werk and expanded its product lineup. The Finetta 99 was notable for its interchangeable lenses, which had a new three-prong lens mount and included a series of four different lenses. The lenses included a Colorfinar 70mm f/5.3, a Telec 90mm f/4.5, a wide-angle 35mm Berthiot lens, and the normal Finetar 45mm f2.8 lens. Along with the lenses, Finetta improved design quality, reflecting a shift toward competing with established brands like Kodak and Agfa. 

 Another interesting fact is that in 1954, Finetta started working with Jacques Bolesy of the Bolsey camera company to help with the design and production of their small, compact Bolsey 8 subminiature still and movie camera. Unfortunately, Finetta went out of business soon after and closed their factory in 1957.

 Finetta cameras were often praised for their ergonomic designs and mechanical reliability, offering a stepping stone for amateur photographers transitioning into more serious photographic endeavors.

My Camera:

My Finetta 88 camera is covered in an odd fabric. It has a herringbone-style pattern and is not the normal leather or leatherette covered in most cameras. It is more of a fabric material, but it does have a great feel to it, and I like the greyish color, which gives the camera an elegant appearance. 

 

The Finetta is 3" tall by 5 1/8" wide by 2.5" deep from the front of the lens to the back of the camera, and weighs 1lb, and .7 ozs, and comes with a Finetar 45mm f2.8 lens which has a three-prong bayonet. There is no locking mechanism on the lens mount, so you must be careful when focusing on the camera. If you turn the lens too far, the mount will start to move, and the lens will pop off, which is pretty small. The lens does "click" into place, but it can somewhat easily come off without the locking pin.

My lens focuses from 2.8 feet to infinity. It may focus closer as the lens rotates past the 2.8-foot mark on the lens. The aperture settings are on the inside of the focus ring. The camera doesn't have an internal focus system, so all the focus is guesswork, judging the distance, and setting focus. The aperture range is from f2.8 to f16 and is indicated by a small notch on the setting ring.

 With the lens removed, you can easily see the two-leaf shutter system. The camera only has a few different shutter speeds, ranging from 1/250, 1/100, 1/50, 1/25, and "B" for timed exposures. The shutter speeds are set on a very small and challenging knob next to the lens. 

One thing I noticed about the camera when I first picked it up and started to play with it was that things seemed backward from what I am used to. I'm used to filming advanced turning in a clockwise movement, but this camera goes counterclockwise. It's the same as taking the back off the camera to load the film. To open the back, you turn the knob on the bottom in a clockwise motion. The back is held onto the camera with none other than a bolt-style fastener which is held onto the camera with a larger circular nut that screws on to keep the back onto the camera body. To me, that is the motion to tighten, but on this camera, it's the motion to untighten and remove the back to load the film.

 When I removed the back from the camera, I noticed a couple of things right away. My Finetta 88 had a film cassette in the camera. I'm not 100% sure who makes this cassette. Still, it's very similar to the Leica cassettes in design, with two outer compartments and an inner spool. The cassette is also held into the camera with a locking lever that slides over the end of the cassette to keep it in place. The second item I noticed was a bright and shiny pressure plate over the shutter area to keep the film flat as it's transported across the chamber. The pressure plate needs to be lifted when loading the 35mm film. The third item noticed was a larger, thicker take-up spool on the camera's right side. This one is similar to what I wrote about with the Corfield Periflex camera. There is a slot to put the 35mm leader into, which is needed to load the camera.

A built-in, double exposure prevention system is within the camera's transport. Once you trip the shutter, under the take-up spool is a small piece of metal that pushes out and stays out until you wind the camera, which cocks the shutter and flattens that piece of metal, allowing you to take the next photo. I guess there's a pin that pushes out the metal piece, and when the film is advanced, it will enable the pin to fall back into place for the next photo.

On top of the camera is nothing more than the film advance knob on the right side, which turns counterclockwise to advance to the next frame. The frame counter, accessory/flash shoe, and rewind knob are on the far left.

 

My Results:

The camera is very straightforward and somewhat basic in its operations. I didn't use the 35mm cassette that came with the camera; I just used a regular 35mm roll of film. I put in a roll of T-Max 125 film and walked through the neighborhood to see what kind of results the camera could produce. After I got back from my walk through the neighborhood, I processed the film, and here are a few of the shots I took.

My Conclusion:

The Finetta 88 camera took a bit to get used to. I kept on trying to turn the advance knob in the wrong direction; the shutter speed dial was small and difficult to turn. That may be more of a camera cleaning issue, but I changed to other speeds. The lens did start to unmount a couple of times, but nothing disastrous to the point where the lens fell off the camera. The focus is smooth on my camera; it was more operator malfunction than anything, but overall, the camera was enjoyable to shoot with, and I think the lens I have on this camera is sharp.

 I'll definitely want to shoot with this camera in the future. It was fun and a pleasant experience overall.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes from your day to learn about this interesting mid-century camera I have in my collection.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Bolsey Model C-Twin Lens Reflex

My Bolsey C camera

Very early in my camera collecting career, the Bolsey cameras have been a steady companion in my collection. I believe this goes back to when, in my 20s, I'd go to local Flea markets, which were usually held in older Drive-in theatres due to their expensive areas, and find Bolsey cameras. Usually, they were the B2 models and generally in fair to poor condition.

 Every once in a while, I'd find one in working condition, which was a rarity. The thing that drew me to these cameras was the odd shape they have. They are generally smaller than the standard 35mm camera. Still, they have an odd shape where the front of the camera is much broader than the rear. The corners of the cameras are rounded off, giving them a sleek and modern look for their time. I compare them to the shape of automobiles of the time, which generally had rounded curves and were comfortable to use.

 The Bolsey C was a camera that I've always had my eye on to add to my collection for many years. I can remember looking through the Bible of all camera collectors, McKeown's camera guide, and seeing the Model C and the other Model B and Jubilee models, with thoughts that someday I'll have one in my collection. That day was about 4 years ago when I purchased another "lot" of cameras with the Model C within that lot. To my surprise, the camera was almost mint and had a working shutter. Even the fitted case was in excellent condition. The camera appeared almost unused for 70-75 years since the camera was initially introduced in 1950.

History:

Bolsey Camera Company can be traced back to Yakov Bogopolsky, a trailblazing figure in the early 20th-century photographic industry, who played a pivotal role in the evolution of compact cameras. Born in 1895 in Ukraine, Bogopolsky left for Switzerland in 1913-14, where he studied medicine in Geneva. Due to the Russian Revolution and WWI outbreak, he could not return to Russia. While studying medicine, he worked as a portrait photographer to earn money. During his time in Switzerland, he changed his name to Jacques Bolskey. While in Switzerland, his passion for photography grew. He even invented a camera that photographed the beating heart of a dog, which was used in surgery.

 One of Bolskey's earliest successes was the Bolex line of cameras he designed while working for Paillard, a Swiss company. These cameras, primarily for motion pictures, became highly regarded for their precision and durability. While in Switzerland, he also worked as a designer at Swiss watchmaker Pignons S.A., which produced the first Alpa camera.

 After 22 years in Switzerland and being denied citizenship there, he eventually immigrated to the United States in 1939, changing his name to Jacques Bolsey. Bogopolsky's most significant contributions were realized through the Bolsey Camera Company, which he founded in the 1940s in New York. 

Bolsey's hallmark was producing user-friendly, affordable cameras that maintained quality. His most iconic designs were the Bolsey B series of cameras, which debuted in the mid-1940s. These cameras, such as the Bolsey B, B2, and Jubilee, were compact and housed in durable cast aluminum bodies. They featured a coupled rangefinder and a fixed-focus lens, making them accessible to amateur photographers. The Bolsey cameras were marketed as an ideal solution for everyday photography, emphasizing ease of use and portability.

 One of Bolsey's key innovations was incorporating a built-in flash synchronization system, a feature uncommon in consumer-grade cameras at the time. This innovation further solidified the company's reputation for blending functionality with convenience. The cameras became popular in the United States, particularly among families looking to capture moments during the post-war era.

 Despite its early success, the Bolsey Camera Company struggled to compete with emerging Japanese camera manufacturers in the 1950s and 1960s. Companies like Nikon and Canon began producing more advanced and competitively priced cameras, dominating the global market. Bolsey's commitment to simplicity and compact design became less appealing as photographers demanded more advanced features.

 By the mid-1960s, the Bolsey Camera Company ceased operations. While short-lived, Bolsey left a lasting impact on camera design, particularly democratizing photography. The company's cameras remain collectors' items today, valued for their unique blend of aesthetics, engineering, and historical significance. Jacques Bolsey's vision and ingenuity continue to be celebrated in the world of vintage photography.

My Camera:

My Bolsey Model C is two cameras in one. It's a twin-lens 35mm camera that incorporates both a waist-level finder and rangefinder into the same camera body. The camera is 3.75" tall with the chimney down and 4.75" tall in the up position, 4.25" wide by 2.5" deep, and weighs 1 lb 2.6oz. The camera is made from aluminum and has a gleaming finish. The camera has a Wollensak Anastigmat 44mm f3.2 lens in a Wollensak shutter. My Bolsey C also still has the red round Bolsey emblem intact on the viewing chimney. So many Bolsey cameras are missing this, as they are easily lost.

 The camera has a waist-level finder with ground glass at the top for focusing and is parallax corrected to 2', which is also the minimum focusing distance. According to the Instruction manual, the waist-level finder is "exactly as you will shoot it. "The waist-level lens is also the same as the taking lens.

 The camera also has a coupled rangefinder with split image capability built into it. It has the best of both worlds for focusing. Both the waist level and the rangefinder on my camera are bright and accurate. The separate viewfinder is offset on the right side of the camera for framing purposes. Also, on the back of the camera, there are two sockets on the left side made for the flash unit that snaps into them. A flash with a normal PC cord won't work on this camera.

To load the camera, the back is removed from the camera body by switching a lever on the bottom of the camera to the "open" position. The back slides off, exposing the standard 35mm camera film chamber. You slide in a 35mm film cartridge into the open area on the left, bringing the leader over the roller and the drive gear with the sprockets, and slide the leader into the take-up spool. IMPORTANT: wind the camera; you need to pull the winding lever up slightly before the camera will allow the camera to advance to the next frame. If you don't do this step, you'll tear the sprocket holes from the film because the drive gear is locked until you pull the winding lever up before winding. Put the back onto the camera and lock it. At this point, lift the winding lever and advance two times to get it to the first frame. On the back of the camera is a depth-of-field scale.

One other function of the winding lever is cocking the shutter. The Bolsey Model C uses a bar to prevent users from taking double exposures. The shutter release is a lever on the right side of the camera. Behind the shutter release is a bar with a red dot on the end. After you take a photo, the bar with the red dot springs forward, preventing the shutter release from returning to the normal "taking" position. After you take the photo, lift the winding knob, and advance to the next frame, the bar with the red dot is pulled back into the camera, allowing the shutter release to move back to the "taking" position and cocking the shutter. If you try to take a photo with the red dot showing, the shutter doesn't trip, and no exposure is made. Not all Bolsey cameras have the red dot bar to prevent double exposure. I have several other Bolsey cameras (B2 Special in red and a grey B3) that don't incorporate this feature.

The camera only has 5 shutter speeds, 1/200, 1/100, 1/50, 1/25, and 1/10, along with "B" and "T" for timed exposures. The 1/25 and 1/20 are in red, warning of slow speed to use a tripod or some way to keep the camera steady. The control of the shutter speed is a slider bar above the speed indicating which speed will be used. The aperture settings go from f3.2 to f22. These are controlled by a separate sliding bar under the lens with a pointer pointing at the set aperture.

Close up of shutter spped and aperture controls on Bolsey C camera

My results:

Where I live, it's usually overcast and raining, but I had a few hours where the sun almost poked its head out, so I loaded a roll of film into the camera and drove to two different places close to my home to take photos. The first was a local park with a playground, and the second was a home with a massive Christmas display. The display mainly consists of plastic figures on the front of the house. I figured I get a few good photos here. Here are the results of the photo journey.

Conclusion:

I need to admit, I wasn't sure how this camera would perform or if I would like to use this somewhat oddball camera. I have to admit, the camera worked great, and it was really fun to shoot with. I really enjoyed the waist-level finder and thought it was bright and accurate in its ability to focus sharply. I also tried the rangefinder, which performed just as well. On a scale of 1-10, I'd give this an 8, maybe even an 8.5, in its usability, a joy to use, and results.

 You can get good results using either the rangefinder or waist-level finder. It's the best of two worlds built into one camera. If you don't have one, you should add this to your collection. Try to find a good working example to take out and use. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes to read about this fantastic camera.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Ansco Memo Camera

My Ansco Memo camera

The Ansco Memo camera is this week's camera that I'm spotlighting, and it's a camera I've been itching to use for a while now. It's also the second time I've owned this particular camera. The first time was almost 35 years ago when I came across it at a camera show and was struck by its vertical design with the small round viewfinder on top. At first, I thought it may have been a small, odd box camera, but upon further inspection, it was a fairly early 35mm camera.

 My camera collection is constantly evolving, and I had sold the Memo camera I owned. However, my fascination with the Ansco Memo camera persisted, leading me to seek out another one a few years back. This time, I was on the lookout for the Boy Scout version of the Memo camera, a rare find that commands a price twice that of the standard version. 

 I found the current Memo camera online at an excellent price. The purchase was during the lost COVID years. The camera came with a significantly worn leather case, but it didn't have the needed film cassettes to use the camera. The Ansco camera was introduced between 1926-27, and the regular 35mm cassettes we're accustomed to now weren't standardized until 1934. Any camera manufacturer that made 35mm cameras during this time period had their own 35mm cassettes to use in their cameras. There is another Memo camera that's made by Agfa, which has similar cassettes and is somewhat interchangeable with the Ansco version. Still, I'll talk more about that later in the post.

 My Memo camera appeared to be in good working condition, with a functional shutter, so I was eager to use it for this post. I reached out to my friends in the camera-collecting community, and one of them, who had acquired a substantial collection in the past, came to my rescue. He not only had the empty cassettes I needed but also a roll of Agfa pre-loaded film in a cassette that would fit my Ansco camera. His generosity was overwhelming, and I was now fully equipped to use my camera.

My Ansco Memo camera with very worn case.

The Company:

The Ansco Camera Company has a fascinating history and is a key player in the evolution of photography. Its roots can be traced back to 1842 when Edward Anthony, a prominent photographic supplier in New York, established E. Anthony & Co. Initially, the company focused on importing and selling daguerreotype supplies, but as the industry progressed, it began producing its own photographic equipment.

 In 1854, Edward's brother, Henry T. Anthony, joined the business, leading to its rebranding as E. & H.T. Anthony & Co. The company thrived during the American Civil War by supplying cameras, chemicals, and photographic plates, which were critical for documenting the conflict. By the late 19th century, Anthony & Co. was one of the largest photographic supply houses in the United States.

 The pivotal moment in the company's history came in 1902 when it merged with the Scovill & Adams Company, a long-time competitor. This merger resulted in the formation of the Anthony & Scovill Company, which adopted the name "Ansco" for branding purposes. Ansco emerged as a significant player in the early 20th century, producing cameras, film, and related accessories.

Ansco Memo Ad.

 Ansco's fortunes were closely tied to innovation and competition. It introduced popular products like the Ansco Memo in 1927, one of the earliest subminiature cameras, and the Anscoflex in the 1950s, a unique twin-lens reflex camera designed by the famous industrial designer Raymond Loewy. Its cameras were known for reliability and affordability, appealing to amateur photographers.

During World War II, Ansco faced a significant challenge due to its ties to the German company Agfa. Ansco was owned by the German chemical conglomerate IG Farben, leading to its seizure by the U.S. government under the Trading with the Enemy Act. Post-war, the company was Americanized, and its assets were sold to General Aniline & Film (GAF) Corporation in 1943.

Under GAF, Ansco continued to produce innovative products, including cameras and color film. However, by the 1960s, it struggled to compete with industry giants like Eastman Kodak and Polaroid. GAF eventually shifted its focus to industrial applications of photographic film, and Ansco's consumer products gradually disappeared from the market.

 Despite its decline, Ansco's legacy endures in the history of photography as a company that made significant contributions to camera technology and film production. Its influence is still appreciated by collectors and photography enthusiasts who treasure its vintage cameras and historical impact on the field.

My Camera:

My Ansco Camera is 5" tall, including the round viewfinder, by 2 3/8" wide, including the shutter release, by 2 5/8" deep, and weighs 13.8 oz with two empty film cassettes in the camera. The original Ansco Memo camera wasn't leather-covered like mine is or has the shutter release guard. It was a stained wood camera with just a knob ion a lever sticking out of the camera to release the shutter. It wasn't until later in the camera's production that Ansco covered the camera in black leather and then added the shutter release guard to help prevent unnecessary shutter tripping. A wire handle on top of the camera makes it easy to carry the camera when you're not shooting.

 The camera has a Wollensak Velostigmat F6.3 lens with an unknown focal length and fixed focus. The camera only has three different shutter speeds, 1/25, 1/50, and 1/100, along with "B." The lens does offer aperture control that goes from f6.3-f16. Both the shutter speed setting on top of the lens and the aperture settings on the bottom of the lens are set by a small slider arm. The shutter release is on the right side of the camera and is protected by a small curved piece of metal intended to help with unexpected double exposures when you're not using the camera. It was more of a nuance than a help. The viewfinder on the top of the camera is easy to look through but doesn't give you an actual rectangular image. It has a more square look, so you must keep that in mind when framing your images.

During this era, 35mm film was mainly used in motion picture cameras. The Ansco Memo uses 35mm, which travels vertically in the camera instead of horizontally, which is more commonplace nowadays. To transport the film across the shutter, the camera utilizes a "claw" method of grabbing the film sprockets on the edge of the 35mm frame and pulling it down across the shutter. The back of the camera, which is removable to lead the film, has a claw mechanism. The film doesn't need to be moved very far as the Ansco Memo isn't a full frame 35mm camera (24mmx36mm). It has a half-frame size of 18mm x 24mm and is in the horizontal format when holding the camera. The film only needs to move about 19-20mm to get to the following exposure.

I was gifted two different cassettes for this camera. I received an original Ansco cassette with a curved side and a fully loaded Agfa cassette, which is the squared-off version. Due to how the camera is made, you can put the Agfa version on top of the Ansco camera. The top is for unexposed film, and the take-up of the cassette with the curved side needs to go on the bottom of the camera. If you look at the camera's take-up area, there are some wooden braces that don't allow the squared-off cassettes into it, but the curved cassettes fit as they should. At this point, I put the unexposed Agfa cassette into the top of the camera and put the film leader into the take-up cassette, and we're ready to go. 

 To open the film cassettes, one of the sides comes off the cassette. The easiest way to open it is to slightly pince the corner of the cassette; this will release some pressure, and the cap will come right off. Inside the cassette is a coiled wire, which is used to guide the film into the cassette and not have it bunch up. When loading film into the cassette or unloading it into my processing reel, the film would move very smoothly, and there was no problem getting the film in or out, which was a worry when I first started.

To open the camera to load the film, on top of the camera is a slider that you push over, and the back of the camera comes off. Due to the smaller frame size, the Ansco camera takes 50 images on a pre-loaded roll of film. The frame counter on the camera advances up to 50. To advance the film to the next frame, you slide the advance bar on the back of the camera down once, advancing the film to the next frame. Similar to the current 35mm camera, the camera is in the horizontal format, and to take a vertical image, you need to turn the camera. This is awkward, but it wasn't bad when I ran some film through the camera.

My Results:

I put the roll of Agfa Rapid film into the camera and shot about 50 images of walking my dog around the neighborhood. I didn't have a good sense of processing time since the film was close to 90 years out of date. I did a lot of exposure bracketing for each image and exposed the film as if it was around ISO 5 due to the time past prime. After I processed the film, it was completely black, so I figured it was either at some point opened, but there was absolutely nothing on the frames. I looked under a very bright light to see if I could see anything that resembled an image, but absolutely nothing. Not even on the film's perforations.

 I have another roll of 35mm film, a roll of Tri-X, which came with another lot of cameras purchased, and on the cassette, it said fresh roll, and knowing that this roll may be bad, I thought I'd load it into the cassettes and give it a whirl. I pulled out the dark bag and loaded this roll of film into the cassettes. This was very easy, and I went through the neighborhood, taking more images. I got home and processed this film roll. I know that Tri-X has been an older film. I did some push processing, and the film turned out OK, but it wasn't a fresh roll of film, and there were other exposures on it.

I didn't want to postpone this post any further, so some of the images have double exposure. I picked the images that either had one or very little, so upfront, my humble apologies for the images from this camera, but overall, these aren't that bad.

Conclusion:

This camera did a fantastic job for a camera approaching 100 years old, and you need to remember it's a half-frame camera.

 Besides the bad film on the first roll taken and the double exposures on the second, the camera was fun to shoot. The film cassettes were easy to load with some current film. Now, I'll need to get a fresh roll and try it for the third time. Just knowing the shutter is working and the camera takes images is 90% of the battle. Now I can take my time and update the post with cleaner images once I get some film for the holidays, shoot images, and repost them here.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes from your day to look over this post. I can't tell you how much it means to me. Please feel free to email me if you have questions or concerns.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Arsen Camera

My Arsen Camera

When I first started collecting cameras, I was drawn to colored cameras, like the Kodak Beau brownies, the Rainbow Hawkeyes, Kodak Petites, and other brand colors or odd and unusual-looking cameras. I also like cameras with bold designs or odd or unusual faceplates on box cameras. I've always liked cameras with a bit of color or pazazz, as opposed to the more common black box or folding camera, which has black bellows. Heck, I still have many Kodaks and other brands with red bellows, which I prefer.

 I got a bug about purchasing another Gelto gold-finished camera a while back. I've owned a few in my camera-collecting life but sold them, and soon after doing so, I regretted that I did. I can remember looking on eBay and coming across a seller who was selling a couple of Gelto cameras, hoping that one of them was the gold version. However, the price for both was really low, so I pulled the trigger and purchased both what I thought were Gelto cameras.

 Upon the arrival of the package, I eagerly anticipated two distinct Gelto cameras. However, as I unveiled the contents and examined them closely, I was taken aback. One of the cameras was indeed a Gelto, but the other I had yet to anticipate, an Arsen camera. This unexpected discovery piqued my curiosity, prompting me to delve into the origins and features of the Arsen camera. To my surprise, I learned that the Arsen is a cousin of Gelto, which is produced by the same company.

The Company:

The Gelto, Arsen, and a few other cameras were made by camera maker Tōa Kōki, who might have been called Takahashi Kōgaku in the company's early years. The company was based in Tokyo. The earliest document with the Tōa Kōki name is from 1939, so it's unclear what the former name was. There were advertisements in 1937 and 1938 that have Gelto Camera Werke, but there's no record that was the actual name.

Ad for a Gelto Camera

 Before WWII, Tōa Kōki introduced the Gelto cameras in late 1936 or early 1937. They were a 3x4 format camera with 127 size film and a telescoping lens focused on a helicoid. Tōa Kōki survived WWII and was one of the 17 early members of the Optical and Precision Instruments Manufacturers' Association in Japan. Production of the Gelto cameras resumed in 1946.

From all my research, the Arsen camera was introduced in 1938 and was sold through Ars, which was Ars Seiki Kōgyō and the owner of the publication Ars Camera. It is the belief that's where the name of the Arsen camera originated from. Production of the camera ran through 1944. The Arsen camera had a different film format, 4x4, but still utilized 127 film. Another unique feature of the Arsen camera was that it used an "auto-stop" mechanism in the film's advance.

 By 1952, Gelto was now advertised by  Shinwa Seiki and was still based in Tokyo. It's not documented when the company ceased production, but it's assumed they closed soon after 1952.

My Camera:

My Arsen camera is 3.75" wide by 3.25" tall by 2.25" deep with the lens retracted and 2.75" deep with the lens extended. My camera weighs 15.5 oz. so the camera is relatively small, compact, lightweight, and easy to carry around. ARSEN is embossed into the leather on the left side of the camera. My camera has a metal lens cap, which a previous owner painted black, and it is difficult to read "Arsen" through all the scratches screwed to the camera body with a small chain is how the camera was originally sold.

The camera has an Anastigmat Grimmel 50mm f4.5 lens mounted in a retractable tube that you extend to take photos and then push back for transport. The lens aperture ranges from f4.5 to f22. To set the aperture, you rotate a ring on the back side of the lens tube to the desired aperture. 

 The shutter speeds on the Arsen camera go from 1/250 down to 1/5 sec. along with "B" for bulb exposure and "T" for timed exposure. The shutter speed settings are located on a ring on the outside of the lens tube, which you rotate to set the desired speed. ARSEN is written along the bottom of the camera, under the lens, and on the same faceplate as the shutter speeds. Also on the film tube is the helicoid focus. An arm rotates to focus the lens from 0.5 meters to infinity. The focus marker is on the ring the lens pulls away from. There is also a "stop" on the focus ring, so you cannot move the focus ring past the minimum focus distance and infinity.

Like most cameras, you'd think the baseplate comes off to load film into it, but on the Arsen camera, the baseplate only contains the serial number (my serial number is 26725) and tripod socket. The camera is loaded by removing the top of the camera.

 A locking lever with a turning key is on the top of the Arsen camera. Lift up the turning lever and turn from "L" to "O" to unlock the top from the camera body. Lift the top off the camera to expose where you load the film. The film advance knob is on the right side of the camera, so you need to take the empty spool from the left out of the camera. The camera loads similarly to a Leica, where you need to start to load the film onto the take-up spool before you put both the take-up spool and roll of film into the camera. 

Sliding both the unexposed film on the left and the take-up spool with some of the film's rolled paper backing onto the take-up spool, sliding the paper backing into the small slot behind the lens. It's easy, but it is something that could be more intuitive. Holding both the roll of unexposed film, the take-up spool with some of the paper backings rolled onto it, and trying to slide both into their slots and the paper backing into a small slot behind the lens took me a few tries, but it happened.

 Once the film is in the camera, you open the door covering the back window and wind the film until you see the number 1 in the window. The camera does have a film auto stop built into the winding mechanism. Just to the right of the viewfinder on top of the camera is a small lever you must pull out to let the camera advance to the next frame. I needed to pull this lever several times until I got to frame number 1. This will need to be done to rotate the winding knob to advance the film to the next frame. There is also a frame counter on the top of the camera just to the left of the winding knob.

Top plate showing Winding knob, Frame counter, Locking mechanism, Lock release for auto-stop on film advance, Viewfinder and accessory shoe.

 Also on the top of the camera is the small viewfinder, which is easy to view through, and an accessory shoe. The shoe is for a flash attachment or accessory rangefinder if you want a more critical focus on the camera instead of using your best judgment on guessing distance.

My results:

I loaded the last roll of 127 film into my Arsen camera and took it with me when I took my dog for a walk around the block. As I pulled the lens away from the body, I started to turn the lens, and it came out of the lens mount. I was getting ready to take my first photo and I have the lens loose still on the camera. I got the lens back onto the camera but lost a few shots of the film. I was also still determining where the proper settings would be regarding the focus of the lens, but I guessed. After processing the film, there were images, but still determining if the focus or lack of focus could be attributed to the mounting of the lens in the field. Most likely, it's not where it should be, and the camera actually performs better than what these photos show.

Conclusion:

The Arsen camera isn't rare or unusual, but like many cameras in my collection, it's fun to use. That's something I enjoy about trying, and using so many different cameras is how they all work just a bit differently, so it's all about how you feel and how easy it is to use. This camera was very average. Other than the auto-stop with the film advance, there's nothing earth-shattering about the camera, but still fun to shoot.

 This is the last camera review before the holidays. For all my Christian friends, Merry Christmas; my Jewish friends, Happy Hanukkah; and my African American friends, Happy Kwanza; and for all others, Happy Holidays. May you be healthy and enjoy it with friends and family

 Until next week, please be safe.

 

The Vena Venaret Camera

While the Netherlands is renowned for its windmills, tulips, canals, and bike riding, it's not often associated with camera manufacturing. However, it's home to some unique camera companies, including the popular Cambo. In fact, there were around 20 camera manufacturers in the country, such as Philips, which I've previously featured in a blog post, and other lesser-known companies like Tahbes, Foka, and a few smaller ones.

 My connection to these cameras is quite recent, as I was drawn to them by their vibrant colors. As I've shared in previous posts, I have a fondness for colored cameras, a fascination that still holds true today. Whether it's a blue, green, rose, or any other uniquely colored camera, I'm immediately captivated and feel a strong desire to own it. In this case, I was fortunate to acquire two cameras-a striking green one with a black faceplate, and a brown version with a matching faceplate. 

 After doing a little digging on the camera and company, I found that the two I purchased were also different models. The brown camera is the Vena Venaret due to the accessory shoe on the top of the camera, while the green is the Vena Venaret Jr., the same model but without the accessory shoe. The good news is that the Venaret Jr. I purchased has a leather fitted case that was in excellent condition, and it is the model I shot in the blog post.

The Company:

Vena Optical Devices was founded in Amsterdam in  1940 by Evert Verlegh and Samuel Naarden. The company's name is a mixture of the starting letter from each founder's last name: VE from Verlegh and NA from Naarden. It was a difficult time to start a company due to the war, as Samuel was making optical lenses for Old Delft Company. While many of the company's Jewish employees were deported, it was difficult for them to do anything regarding the cameras made until after WWII ended.

 In 1948, Vena came out with the Venaret camera. According to the instruction manual, the camera was designed by F. Kochman, the former manufacturer of the Reflex-Korelle camera. Mr. Kochman was living in The Netherlands for a few years, was an employee of Vena, and designed the Venaret camera; according to the manual, "His long experience in the field of camera construction is already a guarantee for the good health of the newborn." With this knowledge, the Venaret looks similar to the Reflex-Korelle camera, although a much simpler version.

 The Venaret had a few different versions. The camera was produced with a black faceplate and black covering, a white faceplate with black covering, or a brown faceplate and brown covering, which is the model I recently received.

 The Venaret Jr. camera has a white faceplate with a black covering, a black faceplate with a black covering, and a white faceplate with a green covering, and the model I recently received has a black faceplate with a green covering. 

 In 1949, Vena produced a couple of straightforward box cameras, the Vena Box and Sport Box. It's estimated that Vena produced between 20,000 and 30,000 cameras before it went bankrupt and closed its doors in 1951. This was a very short-lived camera company, but it produced some brightly colored and very simply designed cameras.

My Camera:

My camera is 5.25" wide by 3.5" tall, including the viewfinder, 3 3/8" deep, and weighs 14.9 oz. and has a very cube shape. There are two shutter speeds on the camera, 1/25 and 1/50, along with "T" for timed exposures. The camera has a 75mm f7.7 Meniscus lens with four aperture settings, F7.7, F9, F11, and F16. The shutter speeds are set with a toggle switch above the lens with the "T" setting in the middle. The aperture settings are on the side of the lens. The shutter release is on the right side of the camera. There is no cocking of the shutter. Pressing down the shutter lever to take the photo is very simple.

To open the camera to load the film is easy once you figure it out. On top of the camera is a sliding lever. Slide it to the "O" or open position. Grab the lens protruding area and pull up from the back of the camera. There is a small channel that the front of the camera slides into that allows the front of the camera to slide out of, which exposes the film camera where you can load or unload the film, depending on if all photos are taken. Once the film is loaded or unloaded, put the ridge of the back of the camera into the channel on the front and slide down until the top fits snuggly into the back, then slide the lever on the top to the right to lock the camera while taking photos.

There is no lens focusing, and the minimum focus is approx. 3 meters, about 10'. I found this out when I processed the negatives after taking the camera out and shot with it on a sometimes sunny afternoon, which was rare in the Portland area in November. Looking at the photos, I initially thought 3' was the minimum focus, but those images are blurry while the background is sharp. After I thought about it, I realized that many cameras that don't have focus ability have a "close up" filter or lens when you want to take photos from 1-3 meters, so that mistake was on me.

 

Note the shutter speed and aperture settings.

This is a very simple camera without many bells or whistles, but I wanted to shoot with it to see how it performed. In today's cameras, this would be considered a "point and shoot" style, with minimal settings and no focus ability.

My Results:

After putting in a roll of film, walking through the neighborhood, and taking simple, composed images, I went to my darkroom to process the negatives and see the results. 

 Here are a few of the images I took with this colorful gem of a camera:

Conclusion:

Except for my thinking the camera would focus closer than 10', the images are relatively sharp and clean. I didn't purchase these cameras, but I wanted to see how sharp they could produce, and they were pretty decent.

 Thank you for taking the time to delve into the history of this short-lived camera company from a country not typically associated with camera manufacturing. Despite its brief existence, Vena Optical Devices managed to create a truly beautiful and functional camera.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Zeiss Kolibri-The Hummingbird

My Zeiss Kolibri Camera

The Zeiss Kolibri, which means "Hummingbird" in German, has always been a camera I wanted for my collection. I liked it mainly because it's very sleek and petite and resembles a 35mm camera, but its main attraction was its use of a larger 127 film size. The camera was built only for a few years, from 1930 through 1932, but I've seen ads for it through 1935.

 I had the opportunity to purchase one when I visited an antique store while on a trip to Minneapolis a couple of years ago. Still, I didn't pull the trigger to buy it, and ever since that trip, I've regretted it, so when I noticed an online auction for a few of the Zeiss Kolibri cameras come up for auction, I jumped on the opportunity and bid on two. At first, I thought these were different years of production, one being older than the other. One is more worn and used than the other. Both have the "cane," which keeps the camera upright, and both are in working condition.

 I won the cameras in the auction for a fair price, including the auction house commission and shipping fees. When the cameras arrived, I was pleased to see both in good working condition. One of the cameras seemed well used, and the other needed the aperture scale indicator, something I didn't notice when I bid on the items. Still, overall, I was pleased with the purchase and wanted to take one of the cameras out to see how it would perform.

History:

The story of Zeiss cameras is deeply intertwined with the evolution of optical technology and the art of photography. Founded in 1846 by Carl Zeiss in Jena, Germany, the company began as a precision mechanics and optics workshop. While its early focus was microscopes, the company's commitment to innovation soon extended to camera lenses and photographic equipment, establishing Zeiss as a pioneer in the optical and photographic industries.

The two Kolibri cameras purchased

 In the late 19th century, Zeiss gained prominence for its advancements in lens manufacturing. In collaboration with physicist Ernst Abbe, the company introduced revolutionary optical theories that improved lens quality and design. This partnership led to the creation of the Zeiss Anastigmat lens in 1889, which minimized distortions and chromatic aberrations, setting new standards for photographic lenses.

First Zeiss Logo

As photography gained popularity in the early 20th century, Zeiss partnered with other manufacturers to produce complete cameras. In 1926, Zeiss joined forces with several German camera companies to form Zeiss Ikon, consolidating its leadership in the industry. Zeiss Ikon cameras, like the Contessa-Nettel and the Ikonta, became renowned for their precision engineering and exceptional optics.

 One of Zeiss's most iconic contributions to photography was the Contax series, introduced in 1932 to compete with Leica. The Contax cameras were known for their innovative designs, including using a rangefinder system and superior Zeiss lenses like the Sonnar and Biotar. These cameras quickly became favorites among professionals and enthusiasts for their sharpness and reliability.

Ad for Zeiss Kolibri camera

During this period, Zeiss also developed a range of lenses that became benchmarks in the industry. The Tessar lens, introduced in 1902, remains one of the most widely used lens designs in photographic history, praised for its sharpness and compact size.

World War II disrupted Zeiss's operations, splitting the company into East and West divisions. The East German division, headquartered in Jena, retained the Zeiss Ikon name, while the West German division, based in Oberkochen, became Carl Zeiss AG. Despite the division, both branches continued producing high-quality photographic equipment.

In the 1950s, Zeiss partnered with Japanese camera manufacturers, most notably Yashica, to produce the Contax series. This collaboration introduced groundbreaking features like TTL metering, which became an industry standard.

 By the late 20th century, Zeiss shifted its focus from producing cameras to developing advanced lenses for various manufacturers. The company collaborated with brands like Sony, Hasselblad, and Nokia, bringing Zeiss optics to a broader audience. In 1996, the Contax G2, a rangefinder camera with autofocus and electronic control, became a cult favorite, blending modern technology with classic Zeiss craftsmanship.

In the digital era, Zeiss continues to push the boundaries of optical technology. Its lenses are widely used in professional photography, cinematography, and even smartphones. The company's commitment to precision, innovation, and excellence defines its legacy.

 From its beginnings in 19th-century Jena to its status as a global leader in optical technology, Zeiss has profoundly shaped the world of photography. Its cameras and lenses have captured countless iconic moments, leaving an indelible mark on history. Today, Zeiss is synonymous with unparalleled optical quality, a testament to over 175 years of innovation and craftsmanship.

My Camera:

My Kolibri camera is 4.5" tall without the viewfinder erected and 5.5" with it erected, by 3" wide and 2" deep without the lens in the taking position and 2.75" with the lens popped out and in the taking position. My camera weighs just over 1 lbs at 1 lbs .6oz. With the viewfinder down and the lens retracted, it's a very compact and sturdy camera that takes 16, 3x4cm images on 127-size film. The Zeiss Kolibri (523/18) has a couple of different lens and shutter combinations. The one I used to take the photos has a Novar Anastigmat 5cm F4.5 lens in a TELMA shutter. The other camera I received has a Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 5cm F3.5 lens in a Compur shutter. A third model has a Zeiss Biotar 5cm F2 lens. All of the different lens/shutter combinations are in a chrome polished tube that pulls out to take the photos and to retract, grab the "wings" on either side of the lens, turn the lens slightly counter-clockwise, and press the lens back into the camera body. You also grab the "wings" to pull the lens out to take photos.

The Telma shutter has only three shutter speeds, 1/100, 1/50, and 1/25, along with "B" and "T" for timed exposures. The Compur shutter is more extensive, with shutter speeds starting at 1/300, 1/100, 1/50, etc., to 1 sec along with "B" & "T." The shutter release is on the left-hand side with the Telma shutter, and you do not need to cock the shutter; just press the shutter release and the shutter fires. On the Compur shutter, the cocking mechanism is on top of the shutter, and the shutter release is below, so there is a little difference between the two cameras in the shutter and shutter release function.

Telma shutter

On both cameras, the aperture settings are under the lens with a little slide that points to the aperture setting. Focus on both cameras is done by a slider knob on top of the camera, with the closest focus at 1 meter. On the bottom of the ring that has the "wings" on it is a hole that the "cane" or strut fits into to keep the camera upright, with either the lens out or retracted. Using the "cane" is excellent for timed exposures, connecting a cable release to take a timed exposure. There is a cable release socket on both cameras incorporated into the shutter.

The aperture ring is under the lens. The shutter release is on the left, and the self-timer is on the right with a red dot.

To load the film, you slide the knurled knob on the top of the camera in the direction of the arrow to open the back to load and unload the film. Once you open the back, you take the empty spool and put it on the left end, which has the winding knob, then put the fresh roll of film into the film chamber, pull the leader to the empty spool, put the leader into the slot on the reel and turn the winding knob until you see "start" on the film's paper backing. At this point, close the back of the camera and wind until you see the number 1 in the lower of the two windows. Now that you're ready to take your first photo, lift up the front and rear viewfinders so you can frame the image and take your photo.

 Since the camera has two red windows on the camera's back, the spacing between the top and bottom windows is the same as the negative size. You would take the photo once you wind the film so the number 1 appears on the bottom window. Once the photo is taken, wind until you see the number 1 in the top window, then take the picture. After you take the photo with the number 1 on the top window, roll until you see the number 2 on the bottom window and do this through the number 8.

Here's where I had some issues, and it's something I kept in mind when I was done taking the photos. In my small and simple mind, as I was holding the camera in a vertical position, it was in my mind that the camera would take a vertical photo. Unfortunately, that's not the case. If you're holding the camera in the vertical position, the camera is taking a horizontal image due to the orientation of the frame area in the camera. So, the photos I took that should have been horizontal were taken vertically and vice versa. I felt like an amateur when I finished taking the photos, only to realize I did it wrong.

 The viewfinder is tiny, and since I wear glasses, it's challenging to use. Its size also made it difficult to frame the photo accurately. Toward the end of the roll, I would just point the camera at the subject and "guess" on the framing, which seemed pretty good, with the exception of the vertical/horizontal format mishap.

Small viewfinder and glasses do not mix well.

 Once the photos were taken, I unloaded the film and processed them, and they turned out nicely.

 The serial numbers for my two Kolibri cameras are only 40 pieces off. The more well-used version is S.98995, and the Kolibri with the Compur shutter is S.98955, so they were built relatively close to each other. 

 My initial belief was that the camera with the Telma shutter was an older version. I believed that it was an older model because one camera was more used than the other. Now, I realize that the shutter and lens combination would be for a more or less expensive model that the consumer would purchase. If someone wanted the less expensive Telma shutter with a slower lens or the more expensive faster lens and Compur shutter, that made more sense to me.

My Results:

Here are some of the images taken with my more well-used Kolibri camera. I used it because the other camera didn't have the aperture settings, and I would have had to guess at the aperture. That would have been okay, and I'm a pretty good judge of that, as I could have marked on the camera what I thought the aperture setting should be.

Conclusion:

Except for my confusion about the vertical/horizontal format and the camera orientation, it's a fun camera. It is very well made, the photos are nice and sharp, and the camera fits nicely in my pocket when the lens is retracted and the viewfinder is down. As it is compact and sturdy, I can use it more often.

I look forward to shooting more photos with this in the future, but I must remember that when the camera is vertical, it's taking a horizontal photo.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes from your day to read about this gem of a camera. I hope to see you next week when I review another camera from my collection.

 Until next week, please be safe.

 

Hasselblad 1600F Camera

Looking through my collection, I had a couple of different cameras in mind, but they use 127-size film, which I ordered a few days before the intended day to take photos. Unfortunately, the film hasn't arrived in time for me to shoot photographs when the weather is nice and sunny, so I'll put them off for the next blog. 

 As I gazed at the items in my collection, the Hasselblad 1600F caught my eye. I had purchased it many years ago, and the last time I had the pleasure of using it was a couple of years ago. The thought of loading a roll and exercising the focal plane shutter in this early version of the Hasselblad camera filled me with anticipation. 

 I generally use the Zeiss 80mm f2.8 lens on the camera, but looking through some of the lenses I have for this and the 1000F, I do have the Kodak Ektar 80mm f2.8 lens, which was the lens initially sold with the 1600F here in the US, and later the Zeiss 80mm f2.8 was available. For this shoot, I got out a roll of Ilford FP4 125 film, which I loaded into the film back, and I put on the Ektar lens to see how it would work. I was pleasantly surprised.

The Company:

When I think of cameras that have made an indelible mark on the field of photography, Hasselblad undoubtedly comes to mind. They are known for capturing iconic moments on Earth and beyond. Hasselblad cameras are synonymous with precision, durability, and unmatched image quality. At the heart of this remarkable brand is the story of its founder, Victor Hasselblad, and his relentless pursuit of excellence.

Original Swedish Ad for Hasselblad 1600f

 Victor Hasselblad was born in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1906 into a family with a photography and photographic supplies background. While Victor initially followed in his family's footsteps, he soon developed a desire to innovate and improve upon existing camera technology. At 18, he traveled to Dresden, Germany, to work with the best optical manufacturers of the time, gaining invaluable experience in the technical aspects of cameras and photography. This laid the foundation for his future endeavors and innovations.

 During World War II, Victor's knowledge of cameras caught the attention of the Swedish Air Force. They approached him with a German aerial surveillance camera they wanted to replicate. Victor accepted the challenge and famously responded, "I don't want to make a copy of it—I want to make a better one." This led to the development of the first Hasselblad camera, the HK7, designed explicitly for military aerial photography. Victor's ingenuity soon proved invaluable, and his cameras became crucial tools for aerial reconnaissance.

 After the war, Victor focused on developing cameras for the consumer market. In 1948, the first consumer-oriented Hasselblad, the 1600F, was introduced. This camera was revolutionary for its time, featuring a modular design that allowed photographers to change lenses, viewfinders, and film magazines, making it highly versatile. The 1600F also used medium-format film, which produced images of superior quality compared to 35mm film cameras available at the time. However, the early models faced technical issues, particularly durability, and required further refinement.

Ad for the Hasselblad 1600F

Despite the initial technical issues, Hasselblad was committed to improving its designs. By the 1950s, Hasselblad cameras had developed a reputation for being highly reliable, and photographers worldwide began to take notice. In 1952, Hasselblad introduced the 1000F with an improved shutter and slower maximum speed of 1/1000. The camera also came with a Zeiss 80mm f2.8 lens, marking a significant improvement in the brand's offerings.

 

The subsequent 500C model, released in 1957, solidified Hasselblad's place in the professional photography world. With its leaf-shutter system and modular components, the 500C became a workhorse for studio photographers, renowned for its reliability and image quality. This camera design remained in production, with upgrades, for decades and became the foundation of Hasselblad's success.

 

Hasselblad cameras are most famous for their role in space exploration. In 1962, NASA astronaut Walter Schirra brought a Hasselblad 500C on the Mercury-Atlas 8 mission, sparking a long-standing relationship between Hasselblad and NASA. The camera's build quality, high resolution, and adaptability made it an ideal choice for capturing images in the challenging conditions of space.

Walter Schirra and the Hasselblad 500C

 Hasselblad worked closely with NASA to modify the cameras for space use. The resulting 500EL model was specially adapted for the Apollo missions, where it would ultimately capture some of the most iconic images in history, including the first steps on the moon by Neil Armstrong in 1969. The modifications included [specific modifications], which allowed the camera to function effectively in the challenging conditions of space. To this day, the image of Earth from space, known as the 'Blue Marble,' remains one of the most famous photographs ever taken, and it was captured with a Hasselblad. The brand's involvement in the space program elevated its reputation further and established Hasselblad as a premium name in photography.

 With the arrival of digital photography, Hasselblad continued to innovate, embracing the transition while retaining the high standards that defined its analog cameras. In the early 2000s, Hasselblad launched the H-System, a line of digital medium-format cameras that maintained the quality associated with the brand while integrating advanced digital features. This line set new benchmarks in the industry, offering extremely high-resolution sensors, modular components, and sophisticated imaging capabilities that appealed to professional photographers and high-end studios alike.

 More recently, Hasselblad has also embraced the mirrorless trend, launching the X1D, a compact digital medium-format camera that balances portability with the image quality of medium format. This new direction has helped the brand stay relevant, catering to a new generation of photographers who demand portability without sacrificing image quality.

 Today, Hasselblad remains a symbol of excellence in photography. Known for its attention to detail, superior image quality, and dedication to craftsmanship, Hasselblad has cultivated a loyal following of professional photographers, collectors, and photography enthusiasts. While the digital age has transformed the landscape of photography, Hasselblad continues to adapt and push the boundaries of what is possible, ensuring that its legacy endures.

Victor Hasselblad's legacy is a testament to the power of innovation, and his vision inspires photographers worldwide. From capturing wartime reconnaissance to the moon's surface and beyond, Hasselblad has not only documented history but has become a part of it.

My Camera:

My Hasselblad with the Kodak Ektar 80mm f2.8 lens is 6.5" long by 4.5" wide, including the winding knob, and is 4" tall with the waist level finder closed. The camera weighs in at 2 lbs. 15.9oz. This camera is in excellent condition for being around 75 years old. Hasselblad made this camera with a maximum shutter speed of 1/1600, which was very ambitious for a medium-format camera. There is some minor tarnish on some chrome, a small dent in one of the shutter curtains,  and the leatherette is starting to come loose around the waist level finder, but that seems to be it. It's also important to know that the 1600F and the 1000F use focal plane shutters. After these models, the 500c and model moving forward have leaf shutters in the lenses, not the camera body. The exception was the 2000FC model.

Having owned several different Hasselblad models, the camera operations are similar to mine. The film back on my camera is the older C12 film back. To load the film, you need to take the film back off the camera. Well, you don't need to, but I've always done it. You have to have the dark slide in the slot on the left to remove the film back from the camera. The dark slide in the holder presses a pin within the film back that allows the back to come off. If the dark slide isn't in the film back, you cannot take the back off the camera. To remove the film, on the top of it is a sliding circle with a Hasselblad "V" logo that you slide to the right and pull back down to remove it from the body.

 On the left side of the film back is the lock. Pull up the tab on the lock and turn it counterclockwise until it stops, then pull it away from the film back, and the insert will pull out. The film insert is what you load the film into. With the lock on the left, take the empty film spool from the bottom holder by pulling out the roll holder on a hinge to quickly load and unload the rolls of film. Put the empty spool onto the top. The top has a knurled grip on the hinged holder to wind the film before loading it back into the film back to shoot. Put your fresh roll of film into the lower holding area, pull the paper over the black pressure plate and slide the leader into the empty spool and turn the knurled knob to load the film onto the reel. Keep turning the knob until you see the "start" word on the paper backing. 

 Slide the film into the body portion and lock the back securely into the body. On the right side of the film back is a winding knob. Lift one of the handles and wind. On my film back, which is a C12 back, there is a hinged door where you can see the frame numbers as you turn the winding handle. Open the backdoor, watch for "1" to appear, and stop winding. At this point, turn the winding lever in a counterclockwise motion, and the frame counter under the winding knob will reset to number 1. Put the back onto the camera and prepare for the first photo. As you take photos, the film will advance back in, and you can check the frame counter on the film back to see what frame you're on.

Now that the film is loaded into the camera let's go out and shoot a few frames. Remove the front lens cap to focus the camera and pop up the waist level finder. A smaller "V" Hasselblad logo slider is on top of the waist level finder to open the finder. Slide that to the right, and the waist-level finder will pop open, showing an image you're pointing the camera toward. Turn the focus ring on the lens to get a sharp image. If you want a more critical focus, you can slide the slider to the right again, and a magnifying lens will pop up. You can put your eye closer to the magnifying lens to see an enlarged area of the focusing screen to fine focus on your subject. To close the waist level finder, one by one, flip down the side panels over the focusing screen, then the back panel, and close the top, which will click when closed.

 Before you press the shutter button on the front of the camera in the lower right corner, as you're holding the camera, you need to take out the dark slide from the film's back. The camera will not fire if the dark slide is engaged in the film's back. Be sure the shutter is cocked and ready to shoot. To cock the shutter, there is a large knob on the right side of the camera. Pull out the dark slide and turn that knob in a clockwise motion, or so the knob is going forward. This cocks the shutter. Set the shutter speed, which is on the right side of the camera, on the knob that cocks the shutter. 

 Because this model and the 1000F cameras use a focal plane shutter, it's VERY IMPORTANT: DO NOT SET THE SHUTTER SPEED WITHOUT COCKING THE SHUTTER FIRST. If you do, the camera can jam, and with this and the 1000F models, it's extremely expensive to service and, due to the age, possibly not able to be serviced due to lack of parts.

On my Eastman Kodak Ektar lens, the aperture is entirely manual, meaning you need to open the aperture for focus and then stop down to take the photo. Being used to "automatic" apertures where the aperture closes during exposure and opens after the exposure, it's easy not to remember to stop the lens down before taking the photo. Being one that uses a myriad of different cameras, I'm getting used to checking before, but every once in a while, I forget and need to retake the photo.

 If you want to change the lens on your camera, as you hold the camera, there is a button on the front of the camera in the lower left corner, opposite the shutter release. Press the button and turn the lens in a counterclockwise motion to release the lens and put on a new one. To put on a different lens, line up the red dot on the lens and the red dot on the camera body and turn the lens clockwise until the lens "clicks" into place and is secure on the body.

 Now that you've shot the 12 frames on the roll of film, it's time to take the film out, get it processed, and see how you did. To do so, take the dark slide out of the film back, remove the film back from the camera, open the film chamber, unload the film, and put in a fresh roll to shoot some more.

My Results:

After walking around my block taking photos on a sunny afternoon, I wanted to see how the lens would handle and the image quality it would produce. The lens focuses close, down to 20" from the film plane, so I was able to get in close for detail. Here are the results from the Eastman Kodak Ektar 80mm f2.8 lens.

 

 Conclusion:

I'm a photo nerd. I love using cameras, especially the older mechanical versions. There's something gratifying and calming about having a mechanical camera in my hands. Whether looking through an eye-level or waist-level finder, taking photos is an absolute joy.

 The Ektar 80mm f2.8 lens is terrific. I liked how the focus was fluid and easy to turn, the ease of opening and closing the aperture, and the picture quality was better than expected. The older Ektar lenses are superb, like those on the Ektar 35mm camera.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes out of your day to read about this early Hasselblad camera. I plan to use it for more shoots in the upcoming months.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Reference:

Hasselblad Website: https://www.hasselblad.com/about/history/first-consumer-camera/

Expo Watch Camera

This week's camera blog is about another unusual camera given to me many years ago by one of my sisters' in-laws who passed away. The family members knew I enjoyed cameras, so they gifted the camera to me and asked me to take care of it for the man who passed. 

My Expo Watch Camera

 When I first received the Expo Watch camera, I was utterly surprised and deeply touched by the generosity. Opening the small box to reveal the fantastic camera in good working condition was a moment I'll never forget. It was a revelation that the person who passed knew about my love for cameras. It could have been my wonderful sister who had shared my passion with the family.

 Needless to say, it's in a prominent place in my collection and something I look at almost daily and think about the generosity of the person who gifted it to me.

 To add to the story of this blog and the Expo Watch camera, about three to four years ago, I purchased a "lot" of camera items. Among the other items I bought were accessories from what I thought were for the Expo Watch camera. However, after researching the cameras, I found that they are actually for the slightly later British version made by Houghton, the Ticka camera. They fit and work on both the Expo and Ticka cameras.

The Company:

Patent for Expo Camera

The camera was designed and invented by a Swedish designer, Magnus Niéll, who lived in Sweden and New York. The patent for the Expo Watch camera was approved on September 6, 1904. This camera was a significant innovation in the history of photography, as it was one of the first to feature a daylight-loadable film cassette with 25, 16mm x 22mm, or 5/8" x 7/8" exposures in each cassette.

 The Expo Camera Company, located at 256 West 23rd Street, New York, manufactured the Expo Watch camera. It also produced the Expo Police Camera and developed and enlarged accessories for both cameras. The company offered film processing and printing to its customers. If interested, here's a copy of the full Expo Camera Pricelist and Manual.

In an ad I found published in 1917, the purchase price for the Expo Watch Camera was $2.50. According to the price list above, the processing fee was 10 cents to develop per roll of film. Contact prints (5/8"x7/8") were .10 cents per dozen, .07 cents per 2x3 enlargement, and .10 cents per 3x4 enlargement. I also enjoyed their statement that "Cash should accompany all orders for development, printing, and enlarging."

Ad for Expo Watch Camera

 The Expo Watch camera started in 1905, was taken over in the late 1920s by the dealer G Gennart, who produced several different names on the camera. In 1935, there were red, blue, and black enamel cameras, which were extremely rare. 

 In 1905, or shortly after, Magnus Niéll offered the camera's design to the British camera manufacturer Houghton, who produced the same camera under the Ticka name. The Ticka camera was available in the United Kingdom from 1905 to 1914. Some of the later Ticka models had a replica watch face on the front, with the hand indicating the angle of view the photographer would have when taking a photo.

Magnus Niéll designed other cameras for Houghton, such as the Ensign Midget, Ensignette, and the unusual design folding plate Lopa camera made by Kindermann. 

My Camera:

My Expo Watch camera measures 2 3/8" in diameter across the body of the camera, and if you measure from the front of the lens, including the fob ring, to the rear of the camera is 3" long and 1" deep, including the winding knob and the camera weighs 2.7oz. The camera is made from Nickel and has a highly polished chrome top and bottom.

The camera was designed like a pocket watch so it would be inconspicuous for the people the photographer wanted to photograph. This design feature allowed the user of the Expo Watch camera to easily keep it in one of his vest pockets, making it ideal for candid photography. The photographer could remove the camera from his pocket, take the cap off the lens, point it at his subject, and take a photo.

Beneath the fob ring is a lens cap resembling a pocket camera's winding stem. Under the lens cap is a fixed focus, 25mm lens. The camera has two settings for shutter speeds. There is "I" for an instant, approximately 1/125 speed, and the other setting is "T" for a time exposure. The shutter settings are done on the side of the camera with a lever you pull down. The shutter release butting is a small pin on the underside of the camera set at the one o'clock position. Once the camera's shutter is cocked, you press that pin in, and the shutter releases, making the photo.

The shutter release button on Expo Watch Camera

The shutter is not self-capping, meaning that when you cock the shutter, you're exposing the film to light, so it was recommended to keep the lens cap on until you're ready to make the exposure. 

Shutter cocking Mechanist and settings for Shutter speed.

 The lens cap served as the shutter time if you were doing time exposures. You set it to "T," click the shutter, take the lens cap off for exposure, put the lens cap on to end exposure, and the cock the shutter again for the following exposure. I can almost 100% guarantee that 99.9% of these images are blurry due to the person's hand holding the camera for any period of time, along with the movement of taking off and putting on the lens cap, and the negative being so small.

On the underside of the camera, or the opposite side of the removable plate with the beautifully etched "EXPO," is the winding lever you turn to advance the film. Just to the left of the winding knob is a small window that tells the photographer what frame number they're on. Above the winding knob is another logo for the camera company, which includes EXPO in the center of an oval. Around the oval is Pat throughout the world. On top and under is The Expo Camera New York USA

On the bottom of the camera is a lever you can turn to help pop off the etched plate, which comes off to load the film. I'm too afraid to turn this lever too hard, as I don't want the lever to snap off, so to remove the etched plate, I use my fingernails and pull the plate off to expose where the film goes. Once the plate is removed, the film cassette fits into the bottom portion of the camera.

The Expo Camera did have two different viewfinders available that would fit around the collar of the lens, under the winding stem. A simple model A ground glass viewfinder sold for .50 cents, and a model B brilliant finder sold for .75 cents.

 I also have an item made for the Ticka Camera in the group. There were a few accessories, such as the time exposure lens cap. This item fits over the lens and is held into place by a tension screw. Once in place, you can pull the lever up/down depending on how it is mounted to open the lens, exposing the film to light. Using the time exposure cap is considerably easier than taking the lens cap on and off for time exposures. Another item I have is a separate finder lens which is a larger glass item with a convex lens and attaches onto the camera like the other viewfinders. It has the exact attaching mechanism that fits around the lens collar. From what I'm seeing online, both the time exposure lens cap and the larger window finder were made for the TICKA camera.

Conclusion:

The Expo Watch Camera is a fun and exciting camera to have in my collection. I cherish the way I received it. The more I researched the camera and its different variations, the more I'd like to expand my collection to include the Ticka model with the watch face on it or even some of the colored models I'm always drawn to.

 

Reference:

Pacific Rim:  https://www.pacificrimcamera.com/rl/01266/01266.pdf

Historic Cameras:  http://www.historiccamera.com/cgi-bin/librarium2/pm.cgi?action=app_display&app=datasheet&app_id=919&

Submini.com:  http://www.submin.com/large/collection/expo/introduction.htm

Vintage photo:  http://www.vintagephoto.tv/expowatch.shtml

Konishiroku Snappy Camera

It's been a few weeks since I wrote my last camera collecting blog post because I've started a new position. Now that I feel comfortable in the new job, I think it's time to write about some of my cameras. I love the new responsibilities, the company I'm working for again. I also think I have my nose above water and can take on other enjoyable tasks such as writing about one of my passions: cameras within my collection

My Konishiroku Snappy Camera

My Konishiroku Snappy Camera

Looking over the cameras above my desk, I came across this small and what I believe is an underappreciated gem of a camera. So, in this week's blog post, I wanted to write about the Konishiroku Kogaku Snappy camera. A camera is exceptionally well built, especially for a subminiature-style camera coming out of Japan just after WWII.

Company History

Konishiroku is one of the oldest photographic companies coming out of Japan, even older than Kodak. The company traces back to 1873 when a pharmacist, Rokusaburo Sugiura, started selling photographic items out of the largest pharmacy in Toyoko that he owned. In 1878, Rokusaburo gave the original shop to his younger brother and launched a new shop, Konishi Honten, in Tokyo's Nihonbashi district.

In 1882, Konishi began to produce photography-related materials in Japan. In 1902, Konishi started to sell the Cherrimportedy Portable Camera, the first Japanese-built camera made for the public. In 1921, Konishi named his son Konishi Honten to succeed in the family business. The company turned into Konishiroku Honten, later Konishiroku, an abbreviation of their names Konishi Rokuemon.

 After WWII, Konishiroku was well known for its Konica brand of cameras, which they released the Konica I camera in 1948. Later in 1965, Konica produced the first auto-exposure SLR camera, the Konica Autoreflex. In 2003, they merged with Minolta and exited the photo market in 2006. they are now more recognized in the copier business.

The Camera

The Konishiroku Snappy was designed, developed, and sold in 1949. According to sources, the Snappy original design was in spring, with the first model released in August 1949. They were somewhat popular and sold approximately 40,000 units.

The camera has a trapezoidal-shaped camera that incorporates items seen in 35mm cameras of its time. The camera is a "system" with other lenses and accessories. In form, it reminds me of the VP Exakta, model B, which I wrote about in an earlier post, only considerably smaller. The camera measures 2.5" wide by 1 5/8" deep and 1.5" tall and weighs 5 oz. with a very sturdy and well-built leather case.

 Another item the camera has is a pull-up rewind knob that allows you to open the back. There are integrated shutter speeds of "B," 25, 50, 100. The lens is an Option 25mm f3.5 lens that allows the photographer to set aperture settings between f3.5-16 by turning the lens's outer ring. You would think this operation would focus the lens, but the lens is a fixed focus, and you're changing the aperture settings.

The camera has a horizontal running guillotine shutter tripped by the shutter release on the top of the camera. The winding leaver on the back of the camera advances the film and cocks the shutter.

 When you lift the rewind knob and swing the door open as you would a 35mm camera, you see there are rill film reels in the camera. The camera shoots 14x14mm square images on the 17.5 paper-backed roll film, which was popular in the "Hit" style cameras, but the Snappy film was much better quality.

The System

The lenses on the Snappy are also interchangeable, and they unscrew from the camera body. There is a Cherry 40mm f5.6 telephoto lens which also comes with an auxiliary frame that fits the front viewfinder window. Other accessories for the Snappy camera are Close up lens, which fits over the standard 25mm Optor lens, hoods and filters, tripod adapter, and the sturdy brown leather case with strap. The Snappy came in a kit with all the accessories in one red and black presentation box.

Conclusion

The Snappy is an excellent camera and a camera that I enjoy having in my collections. Having researched the camera, I'll need to hunt down the other accessories for the camera, especially the telephoto lens and filters. Maybe it's time to see if I can find the whole kit. Now that would be the crowning gem.

 Thank you for taking time from your busy schedule to read my blog post. I'll do my best to do this every other week, time permitting. Until next time, please be safe.

Pouva Start

Whenever my wife and I travel, I'm always looking to see if the country we're going to has a flea market or someplace where there might be a possibility to find cameras. It might be in a run-down antique store in Vietnam where I found a few cameras. One of my all-time favorite places was a flea market outside of Prague, Czechoslovakia.

My Pouva Start original model with sport finder opened and lens out.

My Pouva Start original model with sport finder opened and lens out.

The flea market itself was a wild experience. The people-watching and the different items at the vendor's tables was pretty fantastic in itself. I didn't know how many cameras I would find but figured there'd be a good mix of Russian and European cameras. I was correct on both counts, and one of my favorite cameras found there was the Pouva Start. In my opinion, this is a classic 6x6 format Lomography camera. Something compact, well built, and extremely simple to use. Let me tell you a bit about the camera and the company that made it.

Karl Pouva

The Pouva Start camera was built by Karl Pouva AG, who first started his company making simple Bakelite slide projectors in Freitel, a city near Dresden, Germany, in 1939. After the war, that area of Germany was a part of East Germany. In 1951, with his experience with Bakelite, he decided to build a simple camera. Something easy to use, low cost, and a camera to get the youth started to take photos. At the time, the camera cost 16.50 Deutsche Mark (east), which was very affordable for young people.

There have been several different changes in the Pouva Start camera over the years. I am starting with the camera I have, with the pop-up sports finder. Later, in 1956, they updated the design to incorporate an optical viewfinder into the camera and symbols for aperture settings. A sun symbol for smaller aperture settings, and clouds for larger aperture settings. The one thing that stayed constant on the cameras was the screw out lens, which acts as a locking mechanism for the camera.

The Camera

This camera has a very classic design, with a spiral threaded lens system, which is very similar to the Kodak Bullet cameras built in the early 1930s. When the lens is threaded back into the camera body, the shutter mechanism is locked so you cannot take unwanted photos. Once you wind the lens into the taking position, the shutter firing system engages with the shutter button, and the shutter now fires.

On the lens are just four settings, two for the shutter and two for the aperture settings. There is a toggle switch on the shutter side that goes from "Zeit" for timed exposures and "Moment" for a regular shutter speed of 1/30 second. On the aperture side, there is another toggle between "Sonne" Sunny or F16 and "Trub" Cloudy F8. In the later versions, as stated, they used symbols for sunny/cloudy. The camera incorporates a Duplar F8 lens, which has two elements in two groups for simplicity.

On top of the camera is the pop-up sports finder, the shutter release button, a cable release button to thread a cable release into and trigger the shutter: the film transport winding knob, and two metal levers. One of the levers is next to the shutter release button, which you can slide over to lock the shutter for time exposures. The second is by the film winding knob. This lever opens the back of the camera for film loading.

That lever is the one that stumped me for the longest time. I kept wondering how to open the back to load the film. I pulled and twisted several different areas without success. Then I pressed the lever forward, and the back started to come off. The back is held into place by friction and seats tightly onto the camera very well. The lever is attached to a small piece of Bakelite that, when pressed forward, separates the back from the camera, allowing you to take the back off. Ingenious!!!! I love this. So simple.

Photos from the camera:

Lake-Quinault-9-2020_047.jpg
Lake-Quinault-9-2020_001-copy.jpg
Lake-Quinault-9-2020_045.jpg

Conclusion:

The camera is enjoyable to use and doesn't take a horrible photo. I was surprised at how the pictures turned out. They're not the sharpest photos I've taken, but for a simple lens, they're not bad. If you like the Lomography style of cameras, I search out this camera and try it out, as I think you'll enjoy using it and the photos that come from it too.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes out of your day to read this post. I always enjoy it when I hear from you, so please feel free to email me any questions or comments about this or any other camera I've written about. Until next week, please be safe.

R. F. Hunter, Gilbert Box Camera

The cameras that caught my eye early in my collecting years were mainly colored cameras. Red, blue, green, brown tan cameras were the cameras I enjoy. If they had the original color bellows, it was that much better, or If the cameras had some design, even better still. Then I started to add red bellows cameras, as well as the odd and unusual cameras. When I first got a look at the Gilbert Box camera, which had the name R. F. Hunter LTD. London, under the lens, I knew I needed to own one. I thought it was not only a great camera but close to a work of art and a mid-century masterpiece.

R.F. Hunter, Gilbert Box Camera with filter

R.F. Hunter, Gilbert Box Camera with filter

Company Background

R. F. Hunter, LTD. London was an importing and distribution company which was initially located at 40 Doughty St., in central London, England. In their later days before going out of business, they were located at 51 Gray's Inn Road, London. They started in the early 1930s, mainly distributing cine projectors and cameras.

Their main claim to fame was Franke & Heidecke Rollei products in the UK in the 1930s. This was the first distribution of their products outside of Germany, mainly due to Cyril Hunter, the Managing Director of R. F. Hunter's close relationship with Herr Franke. The story goes that Herr Franke brought his son to the UK just before WWII and asked Cyril Hunter to watch him in the UK during the wartime. He did so but needed to report to the authorities frequently with his son.

After the war, Franke & Heidecke went back into full production, but licensing the UK's distribution was limited. It wasn't until 1950 that the country changed the licenses, and robust distribution could of the product started to flow freely. According to advertising for the Gilbert camera, R.F. Hunter introduced it in 1953.

The Camera

The brushed stainless steel body with lizard skin sides are what drew me to this camera. When I first saw it, I needed to have it for my collection, just for the camera's refined look, the shine, the color, and Lizard skin sides. It had everything someone like me coveted. It had it all. Once I bought it and received it and started to play with it, I knew I had a superb camera. The whole viewfinder rotates for vertical or horizontal photos. The camera has a double exposure lock, so you can't take multiple images on the same frame. It takes 8-6x9 negatives on 120 film.

The camera measures 4.5" tall by 3.5" wide by 5" deep, including the lens. The lens is an approximate 105mm lens with two aperture setting (Dull) F5.6 or (Sunny) F11. The aperture settings are controlled by lifting or depressing a tab on the camera's upper right, next to the viewfinder. There are two shutter speeds for taking photos (fast) 1/50 and (slow) 1/30, a tab on the camera's left side. My camera doesn't allow me to pull up the tab to get the "slow" settings, so mine is 1/50. There is another setting located on the shutter release of the camera. If you pull the shutter release away from the body, there s an option for "T" or time exposure if needed. Another oddity about this camera is on the side where you focus the lens. As you rotate the lens, there are settings for 8,12, or 20 feet. I wonder why this was in feet as opposed to meters? Was this made for the US market?

On the left side of the camera is the film advance knob, which also cock the shutter, preventing double exposure. Behind the film advance wheel is a liftable latch that holds the camera's body portion to the lens/shutter area. Lifting the latch and pulling the body away from the lens, opens the camera for film loading. The camera's back has a slight curve outwards to replicate the film plane's arc, and there's a window that opens/closes so the photographer can see the frame numbers pass by when advancing the film.

Looking at the top's rotating viewfinder, you can see the etched line for registering your image for vertical or horizontal photos. I prefer the etched lines instead of the cropped corners many other box cameras have. My camera also came with the yellow filter, which fits snuggly into the lens. Next to the shutter release is a couple of flash sync posts. The camera's bottom has a tripod socket in the middle of 3 legs that prevent the camera from sitting directly on a table or ledge, which keeps the bottom from getting scuffed up.

Images

I loaded the camera up with Ilford Delta 125, black and white film. I only wished I had a faster film to shoot as the day I went to shoot was very overcast, so the photos are a bit dark, but not too bad. These images are also unretouched and quickly scanned for the post.

Conclusion

I've enjoyed this camera for many years from afar as it was sitting with my other cameras, but I am happy that I took it off the shelf and took photos with it. To me, it's a beautiful camera. I love the design, the look, and the lizard skin coverings. It is a mid-century beauty that I intend to cherish for many more years for an almost seventy-year-old camera.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes out of your day to look this over. I'd love to hear from you about your experience with the camera and if you've taken it out to use. If you have questions or comments about this or any of the other cameras I've written about, drop me a line. Until next week, please be safe.