Asahi Pentax 6x7 Camera

My Pentax 6x7 camera with 105mm f2.4 lens, TTL Finder and wood grip.

When I started photography, I used an older Univex Twin Lens Reflex-style camera that my uncle gave me when I was around 8-9 years old. From there, palling around with my buddies, that camera was too big and bulky to bring around with us. So, I opted for the smaller, more compact 35mm camera, which I could keep around my neck and under my coat when it was colder outside. 

 The Pentax 6x7 cameras have always held a special place in my heart, perhaps due to their unique blend of size and resemblance to a larger 35mm camera. While I still cherished the Twin Lens Reflex style, there was an undeniable elegance and familiarity about the Pentax 6x7 cameras. The interchangeable lenses and finders were reminiscent of the Nikon system I had grown to love in my later teen years.

 I purchased my Pentax 6x7 camera a few years ago at an online auction. It appeared to be in good condition, and its camera is complete with the TTL finder, standard 105mm lens, wood handle, and Pentax-branded strap, all wrapped up in a wonderful cube-shaped case that it all fits nicely into. I noticed a pouch on the top portion of the case. There were a few accessories in it that the seller didn't show, so when I received the camera, an external battery holder, and covers for the finder, A focus grip was included in the kit. Now it's time to look at the Pentax 6x7 manual to double-check all the ins and outs of the camera.

The Company:

The history of Pentax cameras is deeply rooted in the evolution of photographic technology, with a legacy that spans over a century. Pentax began as Asahi Optical Joint Stock Co., founded in 1919 in Tokyo, Japan. Initially, the company produced lenses for eyeglasses and later expanded into camera lenses and optical equipment. Not until after World War II did Asahi make its mark in photography.

Ads for the Pentax 6x7 camera system

 In 1952, Asahi released its first camera, the Asahiflex, the first Japanese 35mm single-lens reflex (SLR) camera. This launch marked a significant milestone for the company and Japan's emerging camera industry. Asahiflex featured innovative mirror-return mechanisms that set the stage for modern SLR design.

 The turning point came in 1957 with the release of the Asahi Pentax, which gave birth to the Pentax brand name. The camera combined the best features of previous SLRs. It introduced a pentaprism viewfinder, allowing photographers to see their subject right-side up and laterally correct. It also standardized the use of the M42 screw mount, which would become a popular lens mount for decades. The success of the Asahi Pentax was so profound that the company eventually adopted "Pentax" as its corporate name.

 Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Pentax established itself as a leading manufacturer of SLR cameras, competing with brands like Nikon and Canon. They moved into the medium format by introducing the Pentax 6x7 camera. Iconic models like the Spotmatic series (launched in 1964) introduced TTL (through-the-lens) metering, significantly improving exposure accuracy. Pentax cameras became known for their durability, reliability, and affordability, making them popular among professionals and amateurs.

 In 1980, Pentax expanded the medium format market with the Pentax 645, which offered larger film sizes for high-resolution photography. These systems were found to favor studio and landscape photographers.

 Pentax transitioned to digital imaging in the early 2000s with models like the Pentax istD. It later gained attention for its weather-sealed DSLRs and in-body image stabilization. In 2011, Ricoh acquired the brand, becoming Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company.

 Today, Pentax focuses on traditional photography experiences, emphasizing optical viewfinders and rugged build quality in an era dominated by mirrorless technology. Their commitment to DSLR development and legacy lens compatibility maintains a loyal following, preserving the Pentax name as a significant part of photographic history.

My Camera:

Researching the Pentax 6x7 camera for the article revealed three upgrades to the original Pentax 6x7 camera when it was introduced in 1969. The Pentax 6x7 camera was shown at the 1966 Photokina as a prototype camera, and it was called the Pentax 220 and had chrome and black bodies. The official introduction was in 1969, with the name Pentax 6x7, and only black bodies were available. The Honeywell Pentax 6x7 was available for the US market, but here in the US, I rarely see the Honeywell Pentax 6x7 around; the vast majority were Asahi Pentax 6x7.

Dual Bayonet mount for longer or shorter focal length lenses.

 In 1976, the Pentax 6x7 (MLU) camera added a mirror lock-up mechanism, and in 1990, with their third modification, they made a few minor cosmetic changes to the camera. Now, the camera is named Pentax 67. No more 6x7. The fourth change camera in 1999 was when Pentax launched the Pentax 67II camera, which offers a built-in right-hand grip, a brighter viewfinder with interchangeable focusing screens, a more advanced AE metering system with three different modes, a dedicated time mode switch, a self-timer, and multiple exposure capabilities. 

 I own the Asahi Pentax 6x7, so mine is the second-generation camera with the mirror lock-up capability. The camera weighs a whopping 5 lbs. 5 oz without the wood grip. The camera is 7.5" wide by 6" tall by 6.75" deep, measuring from the back of the camera to the front of my 105mm f2.4 lens. The Pentax 6x7 cameras have a dual bayonet lens mounting system, with lenses from 35mm to 300mm fitting inside the body, similar to many 35mm cameras and lenses from 400mm to 1000mm mounting on the outer bayonet. Even the front lens cap has a bayonet mount on my camera, so it's not a clip or press-on style of a lens cap.

The Pentax 6x7 camera is a fully electronic camera system. The entire camera is dependent on the PX28, 6v battery. The meter, or the shutter, won't work without the camera battery. After putting in the battery, I discovered the metered finder was working, which was good news. At first, I thought it wasn't working, but after reading the manual, I learned that you need to remount the lens once the meter is removed so the lens will couple with the meter.  I didn't think it would work because there is a crack on the front running across the nameplate, but you never truly know until you try. With the fresh battery in the camera, I still wasn't sure the camera was working because there needed to be film in the camera for the shutter to fire. 

 Looking online, I did find a video showing a way to trick the camera into thinking there was film in the camera, which is by opening the back of the camera and, before closing the back, turning the frame counter to just past the first frame while holding the frame counter there and closing the back of the camera allows you to wind and fire the camera. The only issue is that there is no way to honestly tell if the shutter is opening or closing when you depress the shutter. You can tell at slower speeds by taking the lens off and looking into the mirror chamber to fire the camera. If you can see the film's pressure plate, you can tell if the shutter is opening and closing. What do you do to achieve faster shutter speeds?

Looking online, I did find a way to trick the camera into thinking there was film in the camera, which is by opening the back of the camera and, before closing the back, turning the frame counter to just past the first frame while holding the frame counter there and closing the back of the camera allows you to wind and fire the camera. The only issue is there is no way to honestly tell if the shutter is opening or closing when you depress the shutter. You can tell at slower speeds by taking the lens off and looking into the mirror chamber to fire the camera. If you can see the film's pressure plate, you can tell if the shutter is opening and closing. What do you do for the faster shutter speeds?

 One thing I did was use my cell phone in video mode and use the "slow motion" setting. I started the video and then tripped the shutter. I could then go back to the video and look at a few of the frames of the video tell if I could see the slit from the shutter move across the film plane. It did, so I knew the shutter was working on all shutter speeds. That's fantastic, so now I was good to go. I prefer to use my Sekonic meter for all my metering needs as they are always more accurate than most camera meters.

 Shutter speeds on the Pentax 67 camera range from 1/1000 to 1 sec. Along with "B" for timed exposures and "X" for flash sync, the shutter speed dial is on the far left side of the camera body and is turned with a large ring that is easy to grip and move. Just below the shutter speed dial is a battery check button, with a red light lighting up just to the right of the shutter speed dial if the battery is good.

Moving around the camera, on the front and the left side of the camera body are the flash sync terminals for both FP and X, and just below the flash terminals is the lens release knob, which needs to be pressed towards the camera's body to unmount the lens. To unmount the lens, press the lens release button and twist the lens counterclockwise. To mount the lens onto the camera body, line up the red dot on the lens to the red dot on the camera body and turn clockwise until the lens clicks into place.

 The mirror lock-up switch is on the other side of the camera body, still on the front. Pressing this switch locks the mirror up to reduce vibration in the camera, which is good for longer exposures or using longer lenses that are more sensitive to camera movement. On the far right side of the camera body is a switch for using either 120 or 220 film.

The film advance lever is on the top, far right side of the camera, with the frame counter inside the center of the winding lever. There is a serrated dial that you can turn to change the frame counter if needed. This is also the knob that I turn to trick the camera, as mentioned previously. Right next to the film advance lever is the shutter release button, which can be locked by turning the outer ring from the white dot to the orange dot to "locked."  

 On top of the meter, a finder is an on/off switch used to turn the meter on. Two silver buttons must be pressed on either side of the camera body to remove the finder and put on a different finder. You can lift the finder off the camera body to replace it with a few different viewfinders available for the camera. The metered finder extends over the shutter speed dial, so when metering, you can change shutter speeds to adjust the meter settings. You should remove the lens before taking the viewfinders off the Pentax 6x7 cameras, then put the lens back on the body once the viewfinder has been reattached.

To load film into the camera, pull down on the silver tab on the left side to open the back door. Two locking switches are on the bottom of the camera, just under where the film reels go. These need to be unlocked, allowing you to pull them down to load the take-up and fresh roll of film into the camera body. Once the film is in the camera, turn them to the locked position to keep them in place. Bring the leader to the take-up spool, thread it into the slot,  and advance the film to start the film advance. Bring the arrow on the film leader to the arrow next to the 120 at the top of the shutter curtain, close the back, and wind until the camera stops. You're now at frame 1 and ready to take 10 photos on a roll of 120 film.

I wanted to put the wood handle on the camera before I took the camera out for a spin and tried it out. I always thought it was odd to have a grip on the camera's left side, as it's the left hand that I cradle under the lens for focus and setting the aperture. Let's give it a try because so many people think it's a great selling point for the camera.  The wood handle also has a cold shoe for a flash attachment or other items you might want to put, like an external meter.

 To put the handle on the camera, you need to unscrew the locking screw, which is located in the middle between the two areas that fit onto the camera lugs, which are on the top and bottom of the left side of the camera. Snap the handle into position and screw down the locking screw to lock the handle into position, which also presses a small knob on the camera in. To take it off, unscrew the knob and pull out the knob and slide the handle up to take the handle off. The handle won't fit on the right side.

 The camera has four lugs located on the front and in each corner. These can be used for the camera strap to carry the camera vertically or horizontally or to put the wood handle on one side and the strap on the other. There are many ways to carry the camera comfortably while lugging 5 pounds around.

My Results:

This time, I walked through the neighborhood, taking a few photos. While I was taking my normal photos, I ran into a good neighbor who is an artist. He was showing me his studio, so I took a picture or two around his studio, then proceeded to take some of the regular photos I do when trying a new camera. 

 Here are the results of my walk through the neighborhood.

Conclusion:

I had a lot of fun shooting with this camera, considerably more than anticipated. I used the wood handle more as a tool to walk around with the camera than to shoot with it because it made transporting a 5-pound camera easy. I had the strap on the camera, but found the handle easier.

 My lens is very sharp, and the camera felt comfortable in my hand. The focus was smooth and accurate, the transport was soft, and all the camera operations seemed effortless. 

 I'll need to look into other lenses for the camera and possibly a few other accessories, as this is a keeper camera for now.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes from your day to read about a fun and extensive camera system to use.

 Until next week, please be safe.

 Here's a link to my other camera reviews if you want to see some of the other cameras in my collection.

 If you're interested in some of the vintage cameras and accessory items I have for sale, please look at my online store: 

Minolta-35 Model II

My Minolta-35, Model II

The Minolta-35 Model II camera I have was an unexpected discovery, purchased with several other cameras through an online auction. It wasn't the camera I was originally after in the lot, but the only thing that distinguished it in the photo was the fitted case, with 'Minolta' proudly displayed on the face.

 There were so many different models of camera from Minolta during this timeframe that I wasn't sure what was actually in the fitted case. Still, when I received the "lot" of cameras and uncased the Minolta-35, someone had painted the camera black. And whoever painted it did an abysmal job of it. I only wish I had photos of the camera in that state, but I didn't think of it then. The camera was painted black, and the shutter wasn't working. The good news is that the camera had a good and clean lens.

 Over the years, I have brought the camera to a few different collectible camera shows in hopes of selling it, but no sales have been made. 

 One day, a few months ago, I was browsing the cameras on my shelf, looking for one to write about, when I picked up the Minolta. I felt a personal connection to it, and determined to do a blog post, I sent it off to my trusty camera technician, Allen, at CameraWerks in NY to have it CLA'd. Despite its modest value, the fact that it's from the early 1950s and a very respectable Leica thread mount 'clone' made it worth the investment for me.

My Minolta-35, Model II with case.

 Before I sent the camera to Allen, I wanted to get the black paint off the camera and bring it back to the original chrome camera it was. I had bought some Acetone to see if I could gently get rid of the paint and not ruin any of the other parts of the camera. Unfortunately, the Acetone didn't work well and didn't take much of the paint off. Then, I noticed that if I used my fingernail, the paint would chip off reasonably easily. I also noticed that in our kitchen, we had some bamboo skewers, which seemed to work OK, so to get into some of the tighter spots, I used the bamboo skewer, and to get into the very tight areas, I used the tip of some of the metal tweezers I have for some very minor repairs.

 The camera still has some very minor spotting of black paint, as you'll see in the photos in the article, but 99.8% of the paint is gone. The camera looks considerably better than it did before. It's in great working condition, and even the rangefinder is clean and accurate, so it was time to do my blog on this early Minolta 35mm rangefinder camera.

The Company:

Minolta was a pioneering Japanese camera manufacturer known for its innovative contributions to photography. Founded in 1928 as Nichi-Doku Shashinki Shōten (which translates to "Japanese-German Camera Company"), the company was renamed Minolta in 1933. The name Minolta is derived from "Mechanismus, Instrumente, Optik und Linsen von Tashima," reflecting its German-Japanese technological collaboration.

Ad for Minolta 35 camera.

 Minolta's early cameras were heavily influenced by German designs, particularly Leica and Contax rangefinders. The company released its first camera, the Nifcarette, in 1929, followed by various medium-format folding cameras in the 1930s. After World War II, Minolta resumed camera production, releasing the Minolta-35 in 1947, which became Japan's first 35mm camera with a coupled rangefinder.

 Minolta's breakthrough came in 1958 with the Minolta SR-2, its first single-lens reflex (SLR) camera. Throughout the 1960s, the company expanded its SLR lineup, introducing the Minolta SR-T 101 in 1966, which featured an innovative through-the-lens (TTL) metering system. The 1970s saw Minolta partner with Leica, resulting in co-developed cameras like the Leica R3 and Minolta XE-7.

 One of Minolta's most revolutionary releases was the Minolta XD-7 (XD-11 in North America) in 1977, the world's first camera with aperture-priority and shutter-priority automatic exposure modes. This technological advancement set the stage for further automation in cameras.

 In 1985, Minolta changed the photography world with the Minolta Maxxum 7000 ( Alpha 7000 in Japan and Dynax 7000in Europe). This was the first SLR camera with fully integrated autofocus, making it far easier for photographers to achieve sharp images quickly. The Maxxum series gained popularity, pushing competitors like Canon and Nikon to accelerate their autofocus developments.

During the 1990s, Minolta expanded into digital imaging and compact cameras while maintaining its SLR dominance with the Dynax (Maxxum) series. The Minolta RD-175, released in 1995, was one of the earliest digital SLRs, marking Minolta's transition into the digital era.

 In 2003, Minolta merged with Konica, another Japanese camera giant, to form Konica Minolta. However, due to declining camera sales, Konica Minolta exited the camera business in 2006, selling its assets, including the popular A-mount system, to Sony. This acquisition helped Sony establish itself in the DSLR market, leading to the Alpha series that continues today.

Though Minolta as a brand no longer produces cameras, its legacy lives on through Sony's Alpha series, which traces its roots back to Minolta's innovative technologies.

My Camera:

My Minolta-35, Model II is 5 3/8" wide by 3" tall by 3" deep, which includes the Chiyoko Super Rokkor 5cm (50mm) F2.8 lens. If I take the lens off, the body only is 1.5" deep. The camera weighs 1 lb. 10.9 oz is a very comfortable camera size and weight, and it fits into my hands nicely. The Minolta-35 Model II has shutter speeds ranging from 1/500 down to 1 second, with "T" for timed exposures and "B" for bulb. 

 The Minolta-35 Model II also splits the shutter speeds into two different dials on the camera with the higher speeds on the top dial, which go from 1/500 to 1/25 and "B" and from 1/25 to 1 sec, and "T" on the secondary shutter speed dial on the front of the camera just above the self-timer. To set the shutter speed, you'll need to lift up the dial and turn it to the desired speed for the exposure. Changing the shutter speeds should only be done once you cock the shutter.

To use the secondary or lower shutter speeds, the top dial needs to be set to 1/25, and the lower speed dial needs to be set at whatever of the slower speeds you'll be shooting. This method is prevalent for Leica copy cameras from this era. 

 The Chiyoko Super Rokkor lens on my Minolta-35 is smooth and in excellent condition. To focus, similar to other Leica thread mount lenses, a locking pin is used to lock the lens to the infinity position. To release the lock and focus to a closer range, press the release button and turn the lens to the desired focus distance. Inside the camera is a built-in rangefinder, which will aid the photographer in the distance needed to take a sharp photo. Along the outer rim of the lens is the lens's aperture ring, which goes from F2.8 to F22.

The shutter release is on the top of the camera, just to the right of the shutter speed dial. A small crown-shaped piece surrounds it, which can be removed to use a cable release for the timed or longer exposure times built into the camera.

 Just above the shutter release is the rewind switch, which you slide to the "R" position to release the camera's drive gear so you can rewind the film back into the film canister when you complete the roll of film. Just to the right of the rewind switch is the film winding knob which has an arrow on top to show the user which direction to turn to advance the film to the next frame. At the bottom of the film winding knob is the frame counter which you need to zero out when you load a new roll of film into the camera so you'll know how many photos you've taken on the roll you loaded into the camera.

On the far left of the camera is the film rewind knob. Lift the knob up to make the rewinding of the film back into the film canisters easier. Once the back of the camera is open, you can lift the rewind knob even higher to remove or load the film canister in or out of the camera.

 Right in the middle of the camera, on the top plate, is the Minolta-35 name along with the serial number, which on my camera is 90899, and Chiyoda Kogaku. I enjoy the modernistic font used on the older Minolta camera, which is very elegant.

Top plate with name on the Minolta-35, Model II camera.

 On the back of the camera is the viewfinder window for focus, and on the outside is a dioptric adjustment. This is for people who wear glasses. Turning the dial around the finder window allows you to adjust your glasses prescription to correct vision issues. You can put the camera to your eye without wearing your glasses and still get a sharp photo. In the center of the back of the camera is the flash sync plug, which is just below the accessory shoe used for a flash attachment.

To open the camera to load film, there is a small knob on the bottom of the Minolta-35 that you'll need to turn counterclockwise until the "open" dot is lining up with the arrow. When this happens, the back of the camera springs open, and you load the camera just like you would any standard 35mm camera. 

Lift the rewind knob to load the film cassette into the camera. Pull the leader across the drive gears and put the film leader into the slot on the take-up spool. Take the tension of the film up by turning the rewind knob clockwise to take the slack up on the film. Close the back turn the open/close knob to the "closed" position to lock the camera's back, and wind to your first frame. Watch that the rewind knob is turning when you advance the film so you know the film is transporting in the camera, and set the frame counter to number one.

 

My Results:

I loaded my Minolta-35 camera with a roll of Ilford Pan F Plus 50 ISO black-and-white film. I wanted to use a slow speed to see how the camera would perform in lower-light situations. I also had my trusty Sekonic L-308 meter with me to achieve accurate exposures. I knew I could always count on Sekonic to give precise light readings. 

 Now that I had film loaded into the newly serviced camera, I walked through my yard and neighborhood to take photos with the Minolta-35 camera. Here are a few of the images I took on my walk.

My Conclusion:

The camera was enjoyable to photograph with. The rangefinder was bright and accurate. I tried many slow shutter speeds to see how the camera performed under these low-light circumstances. I had a great time using this camera and want to continue using it. The overhaul made a tremendous difference; without the black paint on the camera, it also looks terrific.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes from your busy schedule to read about this excellent rangefinder camera from Minolta

 Until next week, please be safe.

Leica I

My Leica I camera

I purchased the Leica I camera and accessories around 6 years ago when I saw a local ad of someone wanting to sell off a recently departed family member's old cameras. I responded to the ad, and for some reason, the person liked my passion for cameras and photography, so when I heard that the camera they had from a grandparent was a Leica, it piqued my interest. They had mentioned that the camera was in good shape and had some accessories in a case; I told them I was interested in seeing what they had.

 I try not to get into situations where you meet someone with some valuable equipment at a random location, so for safety reasons for both parties, we met at a local police station, which was agreeable to both. When they pulled out the case and I saw it was an early Leica, my heart fluttered a bit. 

My Leica I outfit

 Pulling the camera from the case, I found it in excellent condition and working. All the shutter speeds sounded accurate to the ear, and the rangefinder and extra film cassette were in the metal container and within the case, too. The owner wanted to be sure the camera was going to a good home and not just being sold. I reassured the person that I planned on keeping the camera and shooting with it, which they loved.

 Since adding the Leica I to my collection, I've made a point to keep it in top condition. Every now and then, I take it out and give the shutter a few test clicks to ensure it's in good working order. However, due to my busy schedule, I hadn't had the chance to load a roll of film and actually use the camera until recently.

 I wanted to write about the Leica 1 for my blog about a month ago.  I took the camera out and started to put a roll of film into the camera to shoot with it, and the shutter jammed. What bad luck! I called my friend Allen Wade at CameraWerks in NY, who always does a terrific job servicing my cameras and lenses. I sent the Leica 1 along with a few other items to him to get serviced. About a month later, I received the cameras back from him, and they were in fabulous condition. At this point, I put a fresh roll of film into the camera to see how the camera worked so I could write about it.

The Company:

Oskar Barnack was a German optical engineer who revolutionized photography by inventing the first practical 35mm camera, the Leica I. Born in 1879, Barnack initially worked in the optical industry, eventually joining Ernst Leitz Optische Werke, a German company specializing in microscopes and optical instruments. His pioneering work in miniaturizing cameras led to the creation of the Leica, which forever changed the way photographs were taken.

Ad for Leica 1

 Before Barnack's innovation, photography relied on bulky, cumbersome cameras that used large-format glass plates or film sheets. These devices were difficult to transport and required long exposure times, limiting their usability. An enthusiastic amateur photographer, Barnack sought to develop a more compact and convenient camera system that would still produce high-quality images. He turned to 35mm cinema film, which was already used in the motion picture industry, and repurposed it for still photography. He aimed to create a small, lightweight camera that could capture multiple images on a single roll of film.

 Around 1913-1914, Barnack developed a prototype of what would later become the Leica (short for "Leitz Camera"). This early model, known as the "Ur-Leica," used perforated 35mm film and a horizontal transport mechanism. The key innovation was that the film was advanced in small increments, allowing multiple exposures on a roll rather than requiring a single frame per exposure. Barnack also incorporated a focal-plane shutter, providing precise control over exposure times.

 The outbreak of World War I delayed the commercialization of the Leica. Still, in 1924, Ernst Leitz II, head of the Leitz company, decided to move forward with production. The Leica I was officially introduced at the Leipzig Spring Fair in 1925, marking the beginning of the 35mm camera revolution. The camera instantly succeeded due to its portability, superior image quality, and innovative design.

 Leica cameras quickly became popular among professional and amateur photographers, particularly in journalism and street photography. Their ability to take quick, candid shots without cumbersome equipment made Leica the camera of choice for legendary photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Capa.

 Over the decades, Leica continued to innovate, introducing models such as the Leica II (1932) with interchangeable lenses and the Leica M series (1954), which refined the rangefinder design. The company also played a crucial role in developing optical advancements, such as high-quality lenses like the Summicron and Noctilux.

 Today, Leica remains an iconic brand known for its precision engineering and commitment to craftsmanship. Oskar Barnack's vision laid the foundation for modern photography, and his pioneering work continues to influence camera design and photographic culture worldwide.

My Camera:

The first thing I noticed when I started to use the Leica I was how compact the camera is. When the lens is retracted, the camera is one you can put into your coat pocket to have handy when traveling or just for everyday use. The camera is 5.25" wide by 2.5" tall, including the winding knobs and viewfinder, by 1 5/8" deep when the lens is retracted and 2.5" deep when the lens is extended. My Leica 1 weighs just under 1 lb. and comes in at 15.6 oz without film loaded into the camera. The serial number on my camera is 19569, which, according to the lists online, the camera was made in 1929, along with a bit over 8,000 made that year. The Leica 1 cameras were made between 1926 and 1931 and were popular, producing approximately 70,000 cameras during that time. My camera comes with a Leitz Elmar 50mm f3.5 lens, and I've looked everywhere but do not see a serial number on the lens. This could be because the camera didn't have interchangeable lenses, and the serial number for the camera was enough.

The early Leica is different from the later models as the rangefinder is separate and needs to be attached to the accessory shoe for the photographer to achieve fine focus on the subject. Once the photographer uses the rangefinder, they need to transfer the focus distance shown on the rangefinder to the lens focus before taking the photo, so the process is longer and more tedious. The viewfinder on the top is for composition purposes only.

 Also, the lens needs to be extended from the camera body and "locked" into position by turning the lens clockwise until you feel the lens cannot be turned anymore. Now you're in the "taking" position of the lens. To retract the lens for transportation or to put it away, turn it counterclockwise, press it back into the body, and put the lens cap on so you don't damage the optics. The lens on the Leica 1 isn't interchangeable due to a pin at the 11:00 position on the camera body, which prevents the lens from being unscrewed from the camera body. The pin also limits the lens's ability to focus only from the minimum focus distance of 1.5 feet to infinity. Unscrewing the pin will remove the lens from the body for servicing or cleaning if needed.

Also on top of the camera is the shutter speed dial with speeds of 1/500, 1/200, 1/100, 1/60, 1/40, 1/30, 1/20, and "Z" for timed exposures. You must lift and turn the dial to change the shutter speed. Still, it's always recommended to do so after you cock the shutter, which is done by winding the film advance lever until it stops. The shutter release is next to the film advance lever and just behind the switch for film advance, which is in the "A" position, flipping it to "R" for film rewind.

Loading the film on a Leica is different than what people are now used to when they load a 35mm camera. The back on early Leica's and rangefinder cameras do not swing open. You must remove the base plate by turning a switch on the bottom to the "open" position, then pull the baseplate off the camera. You can take out the film's take-up spool, which you can grab and pull out. The easiest way to load the camera is to put the film leader into the take-up spool, then pull a bit of the film leader out so you can slide the film cassette and take-up spool into the camera body at once. Push the cassette and take the spool into position, ensuring the film is behind the shutter. Put back on the baseplate and turn the switch to "locked." 

Before I wind to the first frame, I always take up the slack by turning the rewind knob a bit, so when I do wind to the first frame, I watch the rewind knob turn so I know the film is transporting across the shutter. Set the frame counter to 1, which is around the film advance knob and can be moved by two pegs on either side of the knob. Double-check to ensure the film advance switch is in the "A" position and wind to your first frame.

 Now that I have the camera loaded with film, I'm going to take a stroll through the neighborhood and see how it performs.

My Results.

After attaching the rangefinder to the camera, I wanted to get the whole experience of what it was like to photograph with the Leica I, as people did almost 100 years ago. I also have my trusty Sekonic L-308X-U around my neck for accurate metering; I went walking through the neighborhood, focusing on the subject, then transferring from what the rangefinder said the focus. Using the meter to get proper meter readings and setting both the shutter and aperture to the meter settings. I really took my time taking photos with this camera.

 Here are a few of the different images I took with the early Leica I camera.

Conclusion:

I can see why people would have liked and wanted to use this camera almost 100 years ago. It's small, compact, and lightweight. The process of taking photos was slower. Still, it was fun compared to what they needed to do 100 years ago. As a photographer, taking your time, metering your subject, focusing on your subject, and composing the photo was fun. It's much different than what we have now with autofocus, automatic metering, and film advance.

I made a short video on the Leica 1 Camera, which shows the controls and loading the camera with film.

 I want to start using the Leica I regularly. It's quiet to shoot with, the lens is sharp, and it's small and compact. Overall, it's a great and fun camera.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes from your day to read about this old gem of a camera.

  I'll be taking next week off, as I'll be helping at a photo conference all week. I'll see you in a couple of weeks. Until then, please be safe.

Merten Merit Box Camera

My Merten Merit Box camera.

We're three weeks into February, which I've deemed Box Camera Month for my blog posts. I purchased this camera about five years ago at a camera show I attended in Kent, WA, a suburb of Seattle. This show, which is a gathering of camera enthusiasts and collectors, is coming up again in early April. It's a great opportunity to see a wide variety of vintage cameras and photography equipment. If you're in the Seattle or Portland area, please stop in. I plan on having another few tables to sell off some of my collection.

 Getting back to the camera of the week, I had previously owned the Merten Merit Box camera many years ago. Still, it wasn't nearly as good of condition as this one. It was missing one of the outer viewfinders, and there were many chips in the Bakelite, so I was pleased to see this example at the Kent camera show, and it was at a very reasonable price. One of the things that initially drew me to the camera was the color of the camera. It has a dark brown color with a smooth texture throughout the camera, with the exception of the faceplate, which has a pebble finish to the Bakelite.

 The other nice thing about this camera is that Merten made two different models. The one I had previously was a 6x4.5cm format camera on 127 film. This camera is a rare version as it takes 120 films and produces a 6x9cm format image, so the negative is larger, and the film type is a lot easier to purchase. The other nice thing about this camera was the handle was intact. Due to how the camera is built, I have seen many examples where the strap is broken or missing. This camera has very few chips in the Bakelite, and the strap is intact and in overall great condition. The shutter also works.

 Since all the stars are aligned with a 6x9cm format camera and a working shutter, the camera takes 120 film. I figured it was time for me to take the camera off the shelf, load film into the camera, dust off and clean the lens, and take a walk around the neighborhood to take photos with this wonderful photo-making machine.

The Company:

French ad for Merit Box

In 1906, the Merten brothers Ernst, August, and Emil founded the Gebrüder Merten Gummersbach (GMG) company in Windhagen-Gummersbach, Germany. They started manufacturing electronic installation components. In 1926, they focused their attention on manufacturing plugs and sockets, which is where their business grew.

 In the early 1930s, Mertens used their Bakelite presses for various purposes, such as producing equipment for laboratories and, yes, in 1933, even producing a series of cameras for the rapidly growing photographic market. These were the only cameras produced by Mertens, and they turned their focus back to the electronic field.

 By 1985, Mertens had grown to the point where they were producing electronic accessories items for the commercial trade, and by the year 2000, intelligent devices were added to their portfolio of electronic products. Merten's products for smart buildings are available in more than 130 countries, where they produce electronic products for residential buildings, offices, public buildings, hotels, schools, hospitals, and businesses. 100 years after they started their business, Schneider Electronics purchased Mertens in 2006.

My Camera:

My Merten Merit Box Camera is 4.5" tall, including the leather strap, 3.5" wide with the winding knob 5.5" deep from the front of the lens to the back of the camera. The camera weighs 1 lb, 1.6 oz without film loaded into the camera. The camera is a typical box camera with two different viewfinders, one for vertical images on top of the camera and one for horizontal images on the right side. 

The Merit Box camera has a Rodenstock lens, around 80mm, and the aperture is F11. There are two positions for the shutter, which is set by a toggle arm below the lens, either a line for instant photos or a round circle setting for timed exposures. There is an option to screw in either a self-timer or cable release just above the shutter release button, which is located just to the right of the lens as you're preparing to take a photo. There is also a sliding bar on top of the camera, which allows for three different aperture settings. When the sliding bar is in the lowest position, the aperture is F11. Then, slide the bar up to the following setting, F16, and all the way to the top would be F22.

On the back of the camera is the name of the camera embossed into the Bakelite, the red window to tell the photographer which frame they are on, Germany, Film B-2, which is an Agfa reference to 120-size film, and finally, the film format 6:9.

 One of the very unique features of the camera other than the beautiful dark brown color is the interwoven strap on top of the camera. The strap or top handle doesn't come off. Instead, it has two interlooped sections that allow the strap to lengthen as you take the front off the back of the camera to load film. This makes it more difficult to load the film as you need to deal with both the front of the camera and the rear when you load film into it. It's not difficult to deal with, but at the same time, it's more than most people are used to when loading a simple box camera, mainly used for the less professional photographer.

There are two locking mechanisms on each side of the camera to load the camera. Rotate the knobs counterclockwise to unlock the back from the front. Then, you'll need to slide the strap apart to allow the camera's front and back to be removed from each other. On my camera, the strap holds the two pieces together as the strap is somewhat tight and stiff. Once you slide the two strap pieces apart, the front and rear of the camera open easily; from there, you can load the film into the camera.

 Once I put a roll of film into the camera, I attached the front to the back of the camera. I turned the locking knobs clockwise to lock the two together and slid the strap back to the shorter position so it would hold the front and the back together a bit better. It could quickly be done if I needed to make the handle a bit longer to hold the strap as I used the camera.

The one thing I noticed when I went to load the film into the camera was the winding mechanism didn't engage with the film spool very well. I needed to press the winding knob, and I was turning the knob to advance the film. The flat end of the winding mechanism that fits into the spool didn't seem long or thick enough to fit tightly into the film spool. The whole winding mechanism seemed very wobbly. I did try t tighten the screw, but that didn't help. The camera is almost 100 years old (92 years), and I'm guessing that it's just worn a bit, but I doubt it's been used very much because the strap is in great condition and still intact.

 

My Results:

Now that I had wrestled with the strap and held both the front and rear of the camera in my lap to load the camera with a roll of 120 films, it was time to take a walk through the neighborhood to see the results from this beautiful brown bakelite camera from the early 1930s. Here are some of the results from my walk.

Conclusion:

The one thing that I struggle with when using these simple box cameras is the close distance required to get a somewhat sharp image. Since it was somewhat sunny outside, I figured that using the sunny 16 rule would be my rule of thumb for exposures. 

 For those unfamiliar with the Sunny 16 rule, you use the shutter speed closest to the ASA, or as it's known now, ISO in your camera. (Yes, I'm old school.) If it's sunny outside, you use f16. I had ASA 125 film in the camera and figured the shutter speed was close to that, so I put the aperture setting in the middle setting for my exposures outside.

 I photographed my daughter and her dog, Bean, initially about 4 to 5 feet away. Then I took a step back, and the photo still was out of focus, as were many of the images I took between 4-6 feet from the subject. The one image that is nice and sharp is the more scenic photo of one of the neighbors' houses, which turned out very well. My guess is the best minimum distance is 8-10 feet away, looking at some of the results I achieved.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes from your day to look over this unique and simple camera from about a century ago. It was fun to take it off the shelf and use it as it was intended. The results are the best, and my guess is that due to several different reasons, the Merten Merit Box camera wasn't a huge seller during its time.

 Until next week, please be safe.

KAPSA Box Camera

My Kapsa camera

On my blog, February is a special time for vintage camera enthusiasts like us-it's Box Camera Month, a time to celebrate and explore the unique charm of these classic cameras.

 Looking through my collection, I noticed I had several different box or box-style cameras that I wanted to use and write about. So, in the middle of January, I thought I should spend the month of February using and writing about the four box cameras I was thinking about.

 The first camera that I noticed was the Kapsa camera. It's been on my shelf for a couple of years, and I purchased it in a large group of cameras from an online auction. At first, I didn't think too much of the camera as the items within the group I was primarily interested in were a couple of Olympus Pen F half-frame cameras. As I was unboxing and unwrapping the items I had purchased, the Kapsa was a camera that drew my attention due to the heavy Bakelite material. The name was one that I wasn't aware of.

D. F. Vasconcellos (DFV) Logo

 After doing some research on the camera after the unwrapping, I found out that the camera is rare in North America because it was made and sold in Brazil. I thought that was unusual and dug a bit more into the camera; it also comes in an aqua-blue color, which makes me want to get that version even more because of my love for colored and unusual cameras. I found even more interesting information when I did more digging into the camera and the company that manufactured the camera.

The Company.

D. F. Vasconcellos (DFV) manufactured the Kapsa camera in the 1950s, but the company, which was founded in 1941 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, began manufacturing precision optical instruments, like surgical microscopes and other items for the Brazilian military.

 In the 1950s, D. F. Vasconcellos diversified into consumer items like binoculars, magnifying glasses, and loupes. This was also the time they ventured into camera manufacturing, a move that filled a growing market for photography in Brazil. 

Brazilian ad for Kapsa camera.

 My guess is that companies like Kodak and Agfa, which were making simple cameras and importing them into Brazil, were somewhat expensive for the average Brazilian consumer. Since D. F. Vasconcellos was getting into the consumer market, they decided to manufacture an inexpensive, well-made, but simple camera for the Brazilian market. 

Getting into the camera manufacturing business must have been successful because they made cameras other than the Kapsa for the Brazilian market. They had a total of six cameras in their lineup. Some of the different cameras D. F. Vasconcellos made are very similar to some of the cameras made by Ansco. One camera made by D. F. Vasconcellos was the Zina 25, which is a copy of the Ansco Cadet II. There are thoughts that some of the cameras made by D. F. Vasconcellos were from older Ansco molds. This makes sense, as other cameras within their lineup have similarities to the Ansco line.

 D. F. Vasconcellos continued to manufacture cameras into the mid-1960s. Still, soon after, they shut down their camera manufacturing to concentrate on the items they are known for today. According to their website, D. F. Vasconcellos manufactures surgical microscopes and other specialized equipment used in the Ophthalmology, Veterinary, Otorhinolaryngology, and Dental fields.

My Camera:

My Kapsa camera is the size of many standard box-style cameras from the 1950s. It's 4.5" tall, including the strap lug, 3.75" wide, including the winding knob, 4.75" deep, and weighs 1lb. 2.6 oz and is made of a thicker Bakelite material with a pebble finish over the camera body. The Kapsa camera has a 110mm F11 Vascromat lens. Similar to many other box-style cameras, there are two viewfinders on the camera. The viewfinder on the top of the camera is for vertical format photos, and the second one on the side of the camera is for horizontal format photos.

There are a couple of interesting items within this camera. The first is the controls on the right side of the camera as you hold it, which adds a bit of complexity to the camera. On top is the shutter settings for "I," which stands for instant and has a shutter speed of around 1/100 sec. The other setting is "T" for times exposure. Next to the shutter release is "Trava" or Lock, so the shutter doesn't accidentally trigger while transporting the camera. Under that is the ability to set three different apertures, F11, F16, or F22, and along the bottom is the focus control, which is in meters. There are also flash contacts on the camera for their bulb flash gun, which you can see in the posted ads, but something I don't have.

Camera controls on the Kapsa camera

To open the camera, the locking/unlocking lever is on the left side. This lever allows you to open the camera to load/unload the film. You turn the dial to "ABRE" to open the camera or "FECHA" to lock the camera. Once the camera is unlocked, the right side of the camera pulls away from the camera body so you can load or unload the film.

There are two "wings" on the camera that convert the camera from a 6x9 format camera to a 6x4.5 format camera. I liked this feature as it allows the photographer to get twice as many photos from their roll of film. If you're in the 6x9 format with the "wings" retracted, you'll get eight pictures on the roll, but by flipping the "wings" over the film opening, you'll get 16. The one thing that you'll need to remember, and this alludes to me at times when I do this, is it also changes the format of the image. If you're in the 6x9 format, the camera is in the vertical format when holding the camera vertically. Once you change to the 6x45 format, the format of the image is horizontal even though you're holding the camera vertically. It's just something you need to be conscious of when changing formats.

Many of the articles I read about the Kapsa camera state that it can use either 120 or 620 film. However, my camera is only set up for 120-size film, as the film reel holders have larger openings for 120-size film, not the smaller openings for 620-size film reels.

 My Kapsa camera has a couple of issues. On the back of the camera, there should be two red windows for the two formats the camera can use. The first issue is one of the red windows on the back of the camera, which reads the frame number when advancing the film, is missing.  It's the right window that's missing, and it is used for the 6x4.5 format photos. That's not a deal breaker when it comes to using the camera. I just taped a small piece of foil over the window since I didn't have red acrylic to glue into the camera. Also, there is a small ship in the Bakelite close to the seam where the film insert fits into the camera body, so I added a small piece of black tape when shooting. My camera is also missing the strap.

 

My Results:

Since my camera shoots 120 film, I loaded a roll of Ilford FP4 Plus, 125 ISO film into the camera with the "wings" back so I was shooting 6x9 format images. The plastic winding knob is on the right side of the camera, just behind the horizontal viewfinder. I wound the film in the first frame, walked through the neighborhood, and snapped a few images.

 Once I was done, I got out the dark bag and processing equipment, loaded the reel with the film, and processed it. Here are some of the results. 

Conclusion:

Shooting a box camera brought back some great memories from childhood. I still enjoy holding the camera in a lower position and looking through the waist-level finder to frame the image. Maybe that's why I enjoy medium-format cameras so much; it's the tactile feel of using this mechanical instrument to capture memories that I'm fascinated with.

 The camera was fun to use, and the images are good, especially considering what many people feel is a toy. But the world took millions of images with this style of camera.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes from your busy day to read about this fun and somewhat rare camera from Brazil. Now, I will be on the hunt for the blue model, preferably in better condition than the camera I have.

 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.

 

Gallus Derlux Camera

I can still remember when my wife and I visited Paris about 10-12 years ago and went to a small flea market in one of the arrondissements we were staying near and seeing for the first time the Gallus Derlux camera. My first impression was the camera needed the leather coverings that usually adorn cameras. Still, upon further inspection of the camera, it was made to have a silverish metal body as its covering. This was a camera I needed to have since its appearance was so different from any camera I had seen in the past.

My Gallus Derlux camera

 That was the first Gallus Derlux I've owned over the years. I sold that camera at the Paris flea market a couple of years after purchasing it, and I have bought and sold a couple of other Gallus Derlux cameras over the years. Recently, I had the bug to purchase it again to add to my collection. 

 I talked to a fellow camera collector, and he told me he had one and would sell it to me for a reasonable price, as I know he's downsizing his collection. I need to do the same thing but I purchased it from him. This camera has a working shutter and a nice pouch case. At this point, since I've had a few of these in my life, it's time to put some film in the camera, take it for a spin around the neighborhood, and write a post on it.

The Company:

To discuss the camera company, Gallus, we need to include the German company Foth in this discussion. After WWII, Gallus, which was in Paris, was either licensed by Foth or Foth moved their operation to Pari and renamed the company Gallus due to what was going on in Germany after the war. Let's start with a bit of information on Foth and work our way forward.

 The C.F. Foth Company, established in 1930 in Berlin, Germany, gained recognition for its innovative design and engineering of compact cameras. The Foth Derby series stands out as a celebrated line of cameras known for their portability, affordability, and reliability. The original models were a less expensive alternative to the more expensive Leica and Contax cameras of their time, but they utilized 127 film as opposed to 35mm from Leica and Contax. These cameras catered to the needs of amateur photographers and gained a reputation for their high-quality performance in a compact form.

 The Foth Derby cameras were introduced in the 1930s and remained in production through the late 1940s. They were designed with portability in mind, featuring a folding bellows system and compact dimensions that made them a popular choice for travelers and casual photographers. The cameras used 127 roll film, producing images in 4x6.5 cm format, a size well-suited for personal and artistic photography.

One of the defining features of the Foth Derby was its focal-plane shutter, which was uncommon in compact cameras of its time. This shutter system allowed for faster shutter speeds, up to 1/500th of a second, allowing photographers to capture motion and shoot in bright lighting conditions. The Derby series was also equipped with high-quality lenses, such as the Foth Anastigmat, or later upgraded models like the Foth Derby Anastigmat f/3.5, ensuring sharp and well-resolved images.

 

The Foth Derby evolved through several iterations, each offering incremental improvements and adaptations to meet changing photographic trends. Here are some general differences:

  1. Foth Derby I (1930): The original model featured a basic lens and a simple shutter mechanism. It utilized a 24x36mm format on 127 film and was praised for its ease of use and portability, making it accessible to novice photographers. 

  2. Foth Derby II (1931-): This version introduced the 3x4 (30x40mm) film format. The camera's build quality was also refined for greater durability, and several different lens options were offered.

  3. Foth Derby III (1935-39): This model had several different viewfinder and lens options. Some models had interchangeable mounts that allowed the use of some Zeiss and Dallmeyer lenses.

  4. Foth Derby IV (1936-40): This model had an aluminum front standard that housed an integrated rangefinder for focus. It also offered a choice of different lens options.

 Somewhere around 1937, the combination of both Foth and Gallus became intertwined because in 1937, Foth came out with:

  1. Derby V: Made by C.F. Foth & Cie in Paris. It still has the 30x40 film format on 127 film, but the build quality was a bit rougher coming out of the French factory.

  2. Gallus Derby (1937-) was the start of the Gallus line of cameras, taken from the Foth Derby. The build quality was rougher than that of the German-made cameras and about 10% heavier.

 As a collector, you can see the progression of design and features from the Foth Derby and how it morphed into the Gallus Derlux, using part of the Derby and Delux naming and wanting to separate from the originating company.

My Camera:

My Gallus Derlux camera is 5" wide by 3" tall by 2" deep with the lens retracted and 3" with the lens extended in the usual picture-taking position. My camera weighs just under 15 oz, at 14.9 oz. and has a Gallus 50mm f3.5 lens built into the camera. The camera is a fundamental one without an integrated focusing system, but rather a simple viewfinder on top of the camera for general framing of the photo you desire. The Gallus Derlux has a vertical focal plane shutter and takes 16 30x40mm exposures on a roll of 127 film. 

To take a photo, you must pull the front lens section from the body. The lens plate has a small "hump: on the top and bottom to grip onto to pull the lens plate away from the camera body. The lens plate is on a strut on either side of the plate, which exposes the internal bellows built into the camera. After taking photos, you push the lens plate back into the body, where it stays for transportation. This makes the camera slimmer and more manageable to slip into the case or pocket for transportation.

 The lens and focus system are located on the lens plate. To focus the lens, hold onto the larger focus arm, which is very similar to what's used on the Leica system, and rotate the helicoid lens to the desired guessed distance to the subject. There is a stop arm, so you cannot unscrew the lens from the body. The minimum focus distance is 1 meter to infinity. The aperture settings are on the lens. The aperture goes from f3.5 to F18. To adjust the aperture, turn the lens to the desired aperture settings, which is the same indicator that tells the focus distance. This makes it easy to use because you can set aperture and focus in the same area.

The shutter speeds are set on the camera's top. The shutter speeds go from 1/500 down to 1/25, along with "B" for timed exposures. To set the different shutter speeds, you need to lift the shutter speed dial and rotate the dial to the desired speed, which is indicated by a small dot. You also need to wind the shutter to cock the shutter as it's not incorporated in the winding process, which is what most current cameras have. To cock the shutter, just turn the knob on top of the camera, which have the shutter speed on it in the clockwise direction until it stops. The shutter is now cocked and ready for the subsequent exposure. The shutter release is located on the front of the camera on the right side and just next to the film plate.

Shutter speed dial. Lift and turn to set speed..

The Gallus Derlux utilizes two red (and green) windows on the back of the camera. These two windows are inside an immense depth-of-field scale on the back of the camera. Two windows allow the photographer to get 16 images on 127-size film. 

Back of Gallus Derlux camera

The film doors release is located on the right side of the camera to load the camera with film. Pull down the release button and swing the door open, which exposes the film chamber. Take the blank 127 reels from the right side of the film chamber by pulling up the knob above it and taking out the blank reel. Put the blank 127 film reel into the left side where the film transport knob is located. Lift the winding knob to insert the blank reel. Put your fresh and unexposed roll in the right chamber and press down the knob that holds it into place. Put the paper from the unexposed toll into the blank reel and wind it, ensuring the film moves. Stop when you see "start" and close the back of the camera.

 

To get 16 exposures on your roll of 127 film, wind the roll of film in the camera to frame number 1 to the first window, which on this camera is the window on the right-hand side of the backdoor. After you take that photo, wind the film until you see frame number 1 in the other window or the one on the left side of the backdoor. After you take that photo, frame number 2 will appear on the right side of the red window. Continue this process until frame number 8 is taken on the left side of the window. Wind until the film is all the way onto the take-up spool, open the back, and take the film out for processing.

My Results:

I put a roll of 400 ISO film in the camera and wandered around my backyard and the neighborhood streets. I used 400 ISO because the fall and winter in my neck of the woods are usually overcast. During my walk, the sun just so happened to come out, so I was forced to use the faster speeds on the camera.

After I took the photos and processed the film, I also noticed a gap between the two shutter curtains when winding the shutter to the next photo, causing a light leak on many of the images. I must have pointed the camera down or had the lens in a darker area several times because there were a few good images, but many were terrible. I also don't have a lens cap for this camera, so the next time I use the camera, I'll need to cover the lens when cocking the shutter so I don't expose the film to light before or after exposure.

 

If you have this or similar cameras and are mechanically inclined, I found a great article on someone overhauling the shutter on his Gallus Derby Lux camera.

 

Conclusion:

This was a fun camera to use. It's very simple, takes a nice larger image, and is small and compact. I'll need to find a lens cap for the one before I shoot again or just place my hand over the lens when cocking the shutter.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes from your day to look over this post.

 Until next week, please be safe.