Collecting Vintage Cameras

[Ed V]

Alex, we will have the digital images from the competition to critique. Joan will be bringing the files. We will follow the same basic format as we did with the prints two meetings ago.


Regarding the topic at hand here, I will continue to bite my tongue. Opinions are like, well let's just say everyone has one. I am willing to give the floor to any member or speaker to cover whatever photography-related topic they wish. Just let us know and we will schedule a date. No need to spur a revolution.


I guess it is not the topic here that quite frankly troubles me, it is the tone.


"I would love a few meetings where we actually TALK about photography instead of someone telling us how great they are (speaker wise)."

What exactly do you mean by talk about photography? Are you talking gear? Composition? Processing? Or are you talking film? darkroom?


"There is a revival out there of people actually returning to film cameras. They are heard on other photo forums."

There are photo forums devoted to everything and anything. So I do not find it surprising that there are forums devoted to film photography. But knowing marketing the way I do, if there was a revival of film, I think we would see the Canon, Nikons, Oympuses of the world introducing new film cameras.


"Digitals are just point and shoot cameras."

Ah, your film elitism is showing through.


"With film you have to really know photography and there is a great thrill of developing your film and watching your work come to life in the developing tray. "IF YOU NEVER PUT A MINUTE IN, IN A DARKROOM, YOU ARE NOT A PHOTOGRAPHER." (I corrected the typo)

Have you ever watched your work come to life on a computer screen? I, for one, don't see a great deal of difference between a digital darkroom and a wet darkroom. Neither one will allow us to turn a piece of crap into a work of art. Both allow the skilled processor to make a good photograph or image even better. You like film. I can live with that. I like digital. Can you live with that?


"I am happy you found "dem to be fightin' words". I hope to put a spark into the LVPC."

By all means, bring it on. I would be happy to give you a slot at one of our meetings to talk about film photography.


"I am a new member and so far at each meeting I attended I saw no one TALK photography."

Again I ask, what is TALK photography? What are you looking for?


"People join photography clubs to learn how to use their cameras be they digital or film. They seek help. So far I have seen none of this."

Some do and there are vehicles to provide that assistance. There are maybe as many reasons for joining a photography club as there are members. Some join to have a venue to share their work. Some join to enter competitions. Some come to hear the latest and greatest talk about what they do. And some enjoy seeing a "my summer vacation" slide show. We have to try to meet all those needs. But we can't do it all at one time. Look over the past several meetings. We have had a presentation on lighting. We have had a top local photographer (John Barclay) present. It was one of our best attended meetings. We had a joint effort with Olympus which brought in John Isaac. We have had member showcases where folks can share their work. We have had critique sessions. When have we not talked photography?


"What I have seen is people come to a meeting and never come back. So, I am hoping to see some spark and if I start it, good."

So true. As I said above, people have all kinds of reasons for coming. those who joined to compete won't come back until we have another competition. Maybe they won't come back at all. We get our biggest attendance when we have a "name" speaker. Seems to me that that is a measure of what more members want to see from the club. Over the years, I have been an officer of a large Sherlock Holmes scion society, a Jimmy Buffett Parrothead club, a hiking club and now this august organization. Having people come to one meeting and not returning is always an issue. Folks come with expectations which are not met in that one meeting and they are gone. Sad but true.


Now I reiterate Dale, I look forward to meeting you tonight. And I will suggest to the program chair that that we slot you in to talk about film photography if you are willing to do so. But let's reach a truce right now. Please do not disparage digital photography. And I will promise not to disparage film.

I'm not looking for a fight. I just want this club to succeed. Maybe I am oversensitive because I am at home and not feeling well. But I felt your comments deserved response. And I will be there tonight. See you there.

Regards,

Ed Vatza

[diddee]

Good lord Ed, that's a lot of typing.

[Ed V]

Wouldn't have tried it on my iPhone!!

[jefg99]

Why is this all on a thread I started as a place to discuss vintage cameras? Perhaps a bit off-topic? Inquiring minds want to know.

[Ed V]

I guess it is because that's where it started. You suggested taking it to a separate thread. It wasn't. And I just joined in. For not taking it to a separate thread, I apologize Jeff.

It does sound like you are building a heck of a collection. I have a cousin who has a heck of a collection. The darnedest thing is that he is not really a photographer, just a collector! The last time I spoke to him (at a funeral, that seems to be the gathering place these days) he offered to let me exhibit some if I liked. I have no idea what he has but it sounded pretty nice.

[jefg99]

OK, back to collecting vintage cameras...

Here's my list of Kodak cameras in my collection. While I have other brands, my intention was, and is, to have a display of Kodak-brand cameras from the early box cameras of 1900 through current digital. All film types through APS, instant, disc and then digital.

A. KODAK CAMERAS (In order by 1st year of production)
No. 1 Brownie Box Camera (1900 Type, 1901-16))
No. 3-A Folding Pocket (1903-15)
No. 2A Brownie (1907-24)
No. 3 Folding Hawk-Eye Mod 5 (1908-09)
Vest Pocket (1912-14)
No. 0 Brownie (1914-35)
Brownie No. 0 Model A (1914-35)
No. 2 Folding Cartridge Premo (1916-26)
No. 2C Autographic Jr. (1916-27)
No. 2 Cartridge Premo Model B (1916-23)
Vest Pocket Model B (1925-34)
Pocket 1A Autographic (1926-31)
Folding 2A Hawkeye/Anastigmatic (1926-34)
No. 2 Cartridge Hawk-Eye Model B (1926-34) (Fox Model)
Vest Pocket Hawk-Eye Folding (1927-34)
No. 1 Pocket Junior Folding (1929-32)
Pocket Junior Folding 1A Kodo (1929-32)
Rainbow Hawkeye #2 Model C (1929-33)
No 2A Folding Rainbow Hawk Eye Mod B(1930-33)
50th Anniversary Box Camera (1930)
Beau Brownie No. 2A (1930-33)
Recomar Model 33 (1932-40)
Jiffy Kodak Six-16 (1933-37)
Brownie Six-20 (1933-36)
Baby Brownie Bakelite (1934-41)
Jiffy Kodak Vest Pocket (1935-42)
Bullet (1936-42)
Senior Six-20 (1937-39)
Bantam Mini Folding (1938?)
Six-20 Brownie Special (1938-42)
Bantam F8 (1938-42)
Kodak 35 (1938-48)
Baby Brownie Special (1939-54)
Vigilant Junior Six-16 (1940-48)
Kodak 35 with Rangefinder (1940-51)
Target Brownie Six-20 (1941-46)
Brownie Target Six-20 (1946-52)
Brownie Reflex Synchro (1941-52)
Retina 1 (model ) (1945-49?)
Brownie Flash Six-20 (July 1946-54)
Duaflex (I) TLR Art Deco (1947-50)
Flash Bantam (1947-53)
Tourist Folding Camera (1948-51)
Pony 828 (1949-59)
Duaflex II (1950-54)
Pony 135 (1950-54)
Brownie Hawkeye Flash (May 1949-61)
Retina 1a Type 015 Folding (1951-54)
Signet 35 Rangefinder (1951-58)
Bantam RF 828 Rangefinder (1953-57)
Brownie Six-20 Model D (1953-57)
Brownie 127 (April 1953-59)
Retina 1B (Type 018) (1954-57)
Stereo (1954-59)
Brownie Bulls-Eye w/Flash (1954-60)
Duaflex IV Box (1955-60)
Kodak Signet 80 (1958-62)
Startech 127 Medical Version (1959)
Motormatic 35R4 (1960-62)
Brownie Starmite (April 1960-63)
Brownie Flashmite 20 w/Flash (April 1960-65)
Retina Automatic III (039) (1960-63)
Automatic 35F (1962-66)
Retina II F (047) Rangefinder (1963-64)
Brownie VECTA W33 (1963-66)
Instamatic 100 (1963-66)
Instamatic 150 (1964-66)
Instamatic Reflex Type 062 (1968-74)
Pocket Instamatic 10 (1973-76)
Tele-Ektralite 20 (1979)
EK6 Instant Print (1976-78)
Instant Camera EK8 (1977-79)
Disc 6000 (1982-84)
Fisher Price (1984)
VR35 K10 35mm (1986-88)
VR35 K12 Medalist (1986-89)
Mickey-matic (E) (1988)
Star (1993)
DC 20 (1996)
DC 50 Zoom (1996)
Advantix C470 APS (1998?)
C813 Easyshare Digital (2008)
Sport Single-Use Camera
Disposable 35mm Disney Castle (2010)

Brownie 8mm Movie II
Brownie 8mm Turret Movie (1955-61

[Ric]

Is that ALL you got Jeff??? 

[jefg99]

Yes Ric, that's all the KODAK's I've got...sorry to disappoint.  

In fact, I've run out of room and I'm working on my miniature cameras. Want some?

[Gary_W]

My very first camera was a black Kodak Brownie Starflash.

Jeff, your Startech 127 is essentially the same camera. So when does the museum open?

[jefg99]

Gary, it will open once I decide on an appropriate entrance fee.    I have them, all 60+, displayed in one corner curio and a small wall cabinet; that is, the part of the collection that will fit in them. I sense (actually I know as my wife told me) that will be my limit for displaying. The balance will either be rotated in, crammed in, or sold off on E-Bay.

Besides a list, I'm working on putting together pages with a brief desciption of each camera; manufacturer, years made, type of film, camera's history, etc. Next step will be to photograph them and post them (Flickr?).

After that, perhaps nect year a mini-topic at a meeting might be a presentation/discussion on camera history and collecting, and a display of some of the more unusual ones. I know we have at least one othe member who collects.

Anyone interested in starting a small collection? Want a piece to display on the bookshelf, desk or mantel?