This is my sixth Exakta camera. The first five (Varex IIb, Exa IIb, Exa Ia, Exa 500 Exakta TL500) were made by the still independent Ihagee company in Dresden. Eventually, Ihagee was absorbed into the Pentacon combine with Zeiss Ikon, KW and some others. This fifth Exakta dates to the Pentacon period. The basic shape and … More Exakta RTL1000
A film 35mm camera from Mamiya in Japan. … More Mamiya/Sekor 500DTL
This is a heavy fixed lens SLR from Japan. It has a leaf shutter in the lens rather than the focal plane shutter most SLR cameras have. This uses the same system as used by Zeiss Ikon with their Contaflex cameras and Voigtlander with their Bessamatic cameras. In the case of the German cameras, they … More Mamiya Korvette (aka Family)
This is my second electronic Praktica – the other is the BC1. It has minimal controls – essentially the aperture – making it a very easy camera to use. lens: Prakticar MC focal length: 50 mm apertures: f/2.4 to f/16 focus range: 0.45 m lens fitting: Praktica bayonet shutter: metal focal plane speeds: 1 second … More Praktica B100 electronic
This is a 35 mm viewfinder camera from the Soviet Union. It is not quite a point-and-shoot but not far off. There are the usual settings of shutter speed, aperture and distance, but no light meter or rangefinder. lens: Lomo T-43 focal length: 40 mm apertures: f/4 to f/16 focus range: 3 feet to infinity … More Cosmic 35 (aka Smena 8)
Welta were a relatively minor camera manufacturer – at least when compared to the likes of Zeiss Ikon and Voigtländer. Their cameras do not appear for sale so often and seem to attract generous prices at auction. lens: Steinheil Cassar focal length: 50 mm apertures: f/2.9 to f/16 focus range: 1 m to infinity lens … More Welta Weltix
This is a Chinese camera made by Seagull. The only Chinese camera I have come across before is my Hakin Halina 30 5X. This has been prejudicing my opinion of Chinese cameras. I have never heard of the Phenix brand before but looking at a Chinese auction site, it seems that they made a range … More Phenix 205DS
Paxina 29 medium format film camera made by Carl Braun of Nurnberg. … More Paxina 29
f/ number This is a ratio of the lens’ focal length divided by the aperture diameter. It gives a measure of light transmittance independent of the lens focal length. f/5.6 (for example) on one lens will transmit the same amount of light as f/5.6 on any other lens. (but see T number) fascia A decorative … More Glossary of Photographic Terms (F to I)
This is almost certainly my oldest camera. Until now, that has been my 1918 ICA Icarette. This Ensignette was patented in 1907 – patent number 28484. This information is embossed on the front of the camera. However, I am reliably informed that the camera started production in 1909, just before Christmas and continued in this … More Houghton Ensignette
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Descriptions of my growing collection of old cameras.
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Descriptions of my growing collection of old cameras.
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