Collecting and Using Old Cameras

 

<Back to Main Photography Page

Okay, I admit it. I have that "collecting bug" that seems to afflict middle-aged males. Well, I have been an entomologist most of my life, so collecting is not foreign to me. I feel that using the camera is as important as acquiring it. Many of these old cameras are over 50 years old, some are closer to 90! Yet, if well-cared for and if they still have film available, they can often perform very well. With today's faster films and the wide latitude of color print film, some of the old box cameras can produce better results today than they did 60 years ago. In addition, try a fine-grained B&W film like Kodak's TechPan for nearly grainless negatives! For some of the roll-film cameras, you can always respool film or cut a larger film stock down to size. Currently, you should check out JandC Photo on the web for odd film sizes.

Many of these older cameras (and some not all that old) have a feel about them that cannot be duplicated by today's plastic electronic marvels. Try out a Pentax Spotmatic to see how well it feels in the hands and how smoothly it works, and you'll know what I mean.

Galleries of Some My Cameras

Yes, I had a Leica Model A for a short time. It was a gift, and I soon sold it on eBay to buy equipment that I could really use.

last updated March 16, 2004