“Magic Of Ramen Noodles” 2011. Minolta CLE with Canon 50mm f/1.5 Serenar ltm lens on Kodak Tri-X 400 developed in T-Max developer in 2011.
It might not be the best thing for you, but it sure feels good in the tummy 😀
Yes, it’s instant ramen, the ultimate poor man’s comfort food. Perfect for those times when you’re absolutely starving or when you have very little time to concoct a fine meal. Once the craving is satisfied, hunger is gone 🙂
The Leica SL (Typ 601) was the Big Daddy for me at this year’s PhotoPlus Expo, no doubt. I mean, after that, where do you go? 🙂
The Leica S and SL gallery of images.
Anyway, I know there’s a lot of other “fish in the ocean” so I’ll try to give you guys a rundown of other things I saw. This is Part II and my final show report for this year’s expo, but it is by no means a “complete” report of the show, it would take way too much time to do that and I’m sorry if I left out anything someone might have been interested in. I leave the complete reporting for sites like dpreview, etc, etc.
CANON
Canon had all their big guns out as well as their hot new lenses. Obviously, the cameras getting the most attention were the Canon 5DS and 5DS R, their 50 megapixel super DSLRs.
I tried the 5DSr and low and behold…it looks and feels like a 5D! I don’t know what else to tell ya! It feels good, it’s dependable, it’s a 5D series camera. Nothing super exciting, but you know it’s going to get the job done.
Trying out the new Canon 5DS R, 50.6 megapixel champion with the 24-70mm f/2.8 II. Nice combo!
The Canon rep did ask, to my surprise, if I wanted to put a card in there and try it out. Of course, I didn’t have a card on me! All these years I’ve gotten used to the idea that manufacturers won’t let you put a card in their demo cameras so I didn’t bring one.
But I don’t regret it. What will I get? Some boring pics of the crowd at the expo? All the samples I need, I can find on the web anyway.
Canon did have some really nice large prints showcasing the capabilities of these cameras.
Prints from the Canon 5DS and 5DS R. I walked right up to the print and saw hairs on the model’s nose. That’s resolution for you! 🙂
They looked gorgeous, superb, but not mind-blowing. I’m not taking anything away from these incredible 50mp cameras, but I didn’t think the prints were anything that you couldn’t do with today’s crop of 20+ megapixel cameras. It’s really a new day in photography when one has a hard time being impressed with 50mp prints!
I did ask the Canon representative if there was a 1DX replacement coming any time soon. The 1DX is nearly five years old now and seems due for an upgrade. The answer was that they do not know. Are you surprised? 🙂
Canon also had all their new lenses out, and I had a good time looking at them, although it’s not like I’m going to be getting any new lenses any time soon.
NIKON
Nikon had their usual DSLR lineup at the show. Of course, the D4s was there, the Df, and surprisingly the very old D3X was also on hand.
“I AM GENERATION IMAGE.” Nikon’s new cool slogan 🙂
All their big daddy lenses out for all to drool and fool around with. Nothing new as far as I can see.
Actually the coolest thing I saw at the Nikon booth was the retro looking black and silver J5 mirrorless camera 🙂
Coolest Nikon at the show! The retro looking Nikon J5 mirrorless.
UPDATE 11/01/15: Just want to pass along some info for our Nikon fans out there that I have been informed of HUGE instant rebates going on for a limited time. You can check out all the Nikon deals HERE. From what I can see some of the instant savings are up to as high as $1100!! on certain Nikon camera/lens combos. If you’re looking to buy new Nikon stuff, this is the time to do it!
You may also find the Nikon deals HERE. While browsing/dreaming, I was amazed at the deals and wish I had the funds! For example, you can now get a new Nikon D7100 for close to the price of a USED D7000. This is a screamin’ deal for some of Nikon’s hottest cameras and lenses.
SONY
I had a good time checking out the new Sony A7RII and A7SII, I couldn’t get my hands on the RX1R II due to lack of time.
The new cameras felt great, but to tell you the truth, since getting my A7R last year I have very little interest in spending any more to ‘upgrade’ a camera that works well for my needs.
I’m finally at a point, thank God, where I really am not interested in the latest and greatest!
Note: Still editing pics, I have some from the Sony booth that I may post. Maybe, maybe not 🙂
FUJIFILM
Fuji had a hot booth showcasing their latest cameras and lenses. I was impressed with the prints from the X-T1. If my old X-Pro 1 had focused anywhere as good as the new Fujis, I would’ve never given up on the X system.
The ever popular Fujifilm spot.
Fuji also had a very cool “retro” area showcasing their popular line of Instax cameras. I give Fuji a lot of credit for being one of the very few manufacturers still dedicated to making instant cameras and instant film.
Fuji posted some wonderful pics, mostly from their X-T1 cameras.
ETC, ETC
Aside from the Leica SL (Typ 601), the only other camera I really wanted to see at the show as the fabled Ricoh/Pentax full-frame. Apparently, they had a near complete mock-up that was shown early on in the show, but it was no longer there when I went on Saturday.
My thoughts on this? Ricoh/Pentax…guys, enough of this hide and seek! If it’s that hard and if it’s going to take you that long to bring out a full-frame DSLR, don’t worry about it! It may be a showcase product, but it’s not like you’ll be selling a boatload of these vs Canon, Nikon, or Sony.
“Imagine. Change.” Ricoh/Pentax’s lineup. Always a very capable system and a great alternative to the Big Boys.
I’m a huge Ricoh/Pentax fan, but they’ve taken way too long with this thing. I’m all for “getting it right” and maybe that’s what they’re doing, but the longer they take, the more likely the tech inside the camera will be outdated.
They did have the awesome 645Z there and the images I’ve seen from this camera at its best eclipses almost anything else out there. At $6995, you can get this 51mp digital Medium Format camera for less than the new Leica SL! Wow!! 🙂
“You Know You Want It.” Ricoh/Pentax rep and customer debating on the hot Pentax 645Z camera system 🙂
Zeiss was on hand with all their HOT lenses! However, I don’t see myself being able to afford one of these any time soon 🙂
Hot lenses!! Who doesn’t love Zeiss? I don’t even know one photographer who doesn’t 🙂
FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE EXPO
The PhotoPlus Expo is always a lot of fun, especially if you’ve never been there. But every year, the cameras and lenses have gotten better to the point where I feel it’s no longer all that exciting…for me, anyway.
I go there to check out the latest gear, yes, but I also go to hook up with good friends who I haven’t seen in a while. Sadly this year I wasn’t able to go on the day when the “Dream Team” was attending and they know who I’m talking about! Sorry about that, and hope to hook up in the near future 🙂
Let me say this; if you have a modern Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, etc, you probably have a camera that’s “good enough” for your needs. We are very lucky to live in an age where cameras can do what they can do, I love it! That said, the better these cameras get, the more film I shoot 🙂
“Film Buddies.” With my analog brother, Mr. Louis Mendes, NYC street photography icon. The Master Blaster has always been good to me and I consider him a friend and an inspiration.
I apologize to anyone who found this report lacking. I know there are a lot of Canon, Nikon, and Sony fans who probably wanted a little more.
I’m not a reporter. I’m a fan. I went to the show as a fan of these manufacturers and their products, and I am relaying what I saw, what I experienced.
Best,
Sam
As a follow up to last night’s article on the Leica SL (Typ 601) mirrorless full frame system from Leica, tonight I am posting some Leica R images, both film and digital that I have taken over the years.
The Leica R system was Leica’s 35mm SLR system. Though it had its own large and cultish following, it never set the world on fire the way Leica’s M system did.
That said, Leica R lenses were every bit as good as their M system equivalents and at one time commanded much lower prices. But through online forums, the internet, and the popularity of alternative lens adapters, the prices for the R lenses have gone way up.
I had an almost complete collection of the “essential” R lenses, including the 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit-R, 50mm f/2 Summicron-R, the 80mm f/1.4 Summilux-R, the 90mm f/2 Summicron-R, the 90mm f/2.8 Elmarit-R and the hard to find 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-R.
While I had to sell most of them when I hit rock bottom, the one I regret selling the most was the 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-R. I had a persistent overseas buyer who offered me twice what I paid for it. I needed the money. That was five years ago. I have yet to find another one as their prices have skyrocketed to the point where I don’t even consider it.
Still, you may find bargains in the R lens lineup that you won’t with the M lenses. So for your Throwback Thursday, I present you a small set of Leica R images that I hope will show some of the characteristics of these fantastic lenses. Please click on the images for a better view. Thanks for lookin’
Best Regards,
Sam
“Blue Bayou” 2008. Leicaflex SL, 90mm f/2 Summicron-R, Kodak Portra film.
“Lots Of Love” 2008. Leica R8, 90mm f/2 Summicron-R, Ilford XP2.
“Bonnie & Clyde” 2008. Leica R8, 90mm f/2 Summicron-R, Ilford XP2.
“UFO” 2012. Leica R4, 80mm f/1.4 Summilux-R, Tri-X film.
“Lonely Still” 2008. Leica R8, 90mm f/2 Summicron-R, Ilford XP2.
“Those Eyes” 2008. Canon EOS 5D, 90mm f/2.8 Elmarit-R
“The Entrance” 2008. Leicaflex SL, 90mm f/2 Summicron-R, Fuji Superia X-Tra 800.
“Ordinary Day” 2013. Canon EOS 1Ds, Leica 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit-R. The focus was off, but I kinda liked it.
It’s that time of the year again. Especially for those of us in the Northeastern part of the country, the autumn leaves are at or approaching their peak. In some parts, they may even be past their peak.
While I haven’t gotten my foliage pics yet this year, I hope to soon. Maybe this weekend or next.
Anyway, I thought this would be a good time to post some fall foliage from years past. Many with gear I no longer have, but how I miss them!
This is a great time to photograph and use some of those Camera Legends in your closet. Don’t miss it!
Update 10/17/15: I did get some shots today, but only have one to post so far. It is the top photo using the EOS-M I reviewed HERE.
“AutM Leaves” 2015. Canon EOS-M, 22mm f/2 STM.
“Change” 2007. Canon EOS 5D, 70-200mm f/2.8L IS.
“Fall Fashion” 2014. Nokia Lumia 1020.
“Red, Green, and Gold” 2008. Nikon D700, Hasselblad 110mm f/2 Planar via adapter.
“Fall Back” 2007. Rolleiflex 2.8F, 80mm f/2.8 Planar, Kodak Portra 400 UC.
“Crown Of Thorns” 2012. Sony NEX-C3, 25mm f/1.4 CCTV lens.
“It’s Raining Leaves” 2008. Contax 645, 80mm f/2.8 Planar, Kodak Portra 400 film.
No dear friends and readers, I have not run out of Camera Legends to profile for you. However, from time to time, I’d like to put up some images I’ve taken over the years, if only to remind myself that I still love photography and also so that readers of this site can see that I actually DO use the gear profiled 🙂
Like many of you out there, I really love cameras and lenses. But just as importantly, I love the equipment more if it helps me take a decent picture.
The photos below are a random sampling of the gear and the photos I’ve taken with them. Some of the cameras used to take these shots have been profiled. Some are previews of possible future postings.
They are not masterworks or anything. Many are from my attempts to learn or test equipment. Most were taken for just the pure joy of photography.
I thank you for taking a look. And not to worry, I have more great gear to profile and review for you coming soon 🙂
Note: Most of these images were posted elsewhere on the web years ago, long before I knew anything about WordPress. As such, some were resized to dimensions much smaller than I’d like to show you, but as I cannot find the originals at this time, this is what I can post. Sorry about that.
“Mom in DC” 1984. Kodak Disc Camera. This image represents one of my earliest attempts at photography, at least the ones I could find. Shot with the long defunct and defiled Kodak Disc Camera, a camera that was bashed by critics and consumers alike. However, I have to say, I really loved that camera and this image brings back a lot of memories.
“Ghetto Blaster” 1985. Minolta X-700, 50mm f/1.7 MD lens. My brother and father with our Cutlass Supreme which we called the “Ghetto-Blaster” with its missing hubcap 🙂 Thirty one years in time, but I’ll be darned if that golden light on the print doesn’t still look as golden as the day I took this shot.
“Bangkok Bride” 2005. Olympus Stylus Epic, 35mm f/2.8, Kodak High Definition 400 film. Shot in Bangkok, Thailand.
“Holy Petal” 1995. Contax G1, 28mm f/2.8 Zeiss Biogon, Fujichrome Velvia. Taken at a temple in Bangkok, Thailand.
“Portrait Of An Addict” 1997. Olympus OM-1, Zuiko 50mm f/1.8, Kodak Tri-X. An attempt to self document one man’s horrible addiction to cigarettes. This photo was accepted to Flickr’s “Film Is Not Dead It Just Smells Funny” group, which is quite a selective bunch so I was honored by their acceptance of this pic.
“Mannequin Fantasy” 2006. Ricoh GR1, Fujicolor Press 800.
“Lots Of Love” 2008. Leica R8, 90mm f/2 Summicron-R, Ilford XP2. I was honored that this image was profiled on Leica’s LFI “Analogue Masters” Gallery a few years ago.
“Rainy Day Blues” 2009. Leica CL, Canon 50mm f/1.2 LTM, Kodak Tri-X 400 developed in HC-110. I was sloppy and something went wrong with the development and I got the blues after seeing the ‘damaged’ roll . But since photography is such a subjective, sometimes emotional thing, I developed a liking for the look of some of the ‘ruined’ images.
“Masked Shooter” 2008. Contax RX, Carl Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 lens. The man with the clandestine figure, the Masked Shooter, has probably shot nearly a thousand cameras 🙂
The Olympus M-1 35mm slr. Basically an OM-1 with a few external and internal differences. The most obvious give away is the “M-1” logo on the top plate of the camera. Otherwise, the M-1 and OM-1 are cosmetically and functionally the same.
The Olympus M-1 is a 35mm SLR introduced by Olympus in 1972. It is the original OM-1.
The M-1 was originally a part of the Olympus “M System” as they called it. They were all set to go, even having a full set of lenses made to support the M-1. Only one thing they forgot…Leica already had an “M System” out!
From all accounts, Olympus changed the designation of the M-1 to the “OM-1” because Leica protested the use of the “M” and “M System” as it conflicted with their M series rangefinders and their lenses.
The M-1 is basically an OM-1, which is among the finest and most iconic systems camera ever made. A modern masterpiece from the brilliant mind of the late great Yoshihisa Maitani, the genius camera designer of Olympus.
There are some differences between the M-1 and OM-1. Main thing you need to know is that the M-1 says “M-1” on the top plate and it cannot accept a motor drive.
There is a wonderful page that tells you everything you need to know about the M-1 if you google “Olympus M-1 film camera.”
As a camera, it has an all manual 1s-1/1000s plus bulb shutter and originally took a PX-13 mercury battery, which has long been outdated/outlawed. The battery is only needed for the meter and yes, the camera can operate without a battery. You can use a replacement battery and my recommendation would be the Wein MRB625 Zinc battery which at 1.35v is closest to the original mercury cells.
RARITY, PRICE AND COLLECTABILTY
This one is not as easy as it looks. While the M-1 is certainly not as common as the OM-1, I don’t think I would call it rare either. “Rarer” would be a better word I guess.
They don’t seem to come up for sale often, but you do see them at fairly regular intervals on eBay, usually by sellers who stress that it’s “RARE.” I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but you know what I mean 🙂
I got mine for $40. It is not in perfect condition, eyepiece and focus screen looks to need replacing, viewfinder needs cleaning, but the shutter works though I haven’t tested it for accuracy. It’s going to be a fixer-upper for me which should be fun.
I have seen people asking up to $500 for this camera, usually on eBay, but they ain’t getting $500! 🙂
Most camera lovers will know or search and find out that the M-1 is basically an OM-1, a camera you can get anywhere from $10-150 dollars depending on condition and how much you want to spend.
A more consistent and fair price for this camera I think is around $150-250 in excellent condition and preferably with a lens thrown in.
“Zuikoholic” 2009. With the black Olympus OM-1 and 40mm f/2 Zuiko lens. As far as I know, the M-1’s were only made in chrome.
Of course, for a collector with money, and if you are a true Zuikoholic you probably wouldn’t mind paying extra just to have that “M-1” in the house 🙂
BOTTOM LINE
The Olympus OM-1 is one of my favorite manual SLR’s of all time. The beautiful styling, mechanical shutter and all manual exposure makes it a pleasure to use just for the pure joy of photography.
When I gave up on my Minolta X-700 from 1985 and after trying Canon and Nikon in the 90s, I settled on a couple of OM-1’s and it carried me through the rest of the decade giving me thousands of precious memories on film. And as the 90s came to an end and digital was dawning, my first digital camera was an Olympus C-3000.
The M-1 being the “rarer” version of the OM-1 makes it just a little more special.
These cameras live on in their OM-D incarnations although I think all the OM-D’s lack the true heft and feel of the classic film OM cameras. As imagers, I think the OM-D’s are great!
“Generations” 2015. The Olympus M-1 film camera on the left and the OM-D EM-5 on the right. Yes, I know that OM-D needs a little dusting off 🙂
In closing, there is no doubt that the Olympus M-1 (and OM-1) is a true Camera Legend that inspired a whole generation of photographers and continues to influence photographers and camera designers, even today.
From 2009, with a Linhof 220 and Tri-X 400 film. This one definitely flew over the cuckoo’s nest! 🙂
Originally written in 2009…
Note: I done told anyone who would listen that my film cameras are far more interesting than my digital gear, and this camera might well be the ‘oddest’ in my collection. It is a Linhof 220, a medium format camera that shoots 6×7, and comes with a fixed 90mm f/3.5 Linhof-Technikar lens.
It’s ‘weird’ not only in its looks, but for a few reasons. For one thing, it’s set up for use mainly for vertical photos, hence it’s more of a portrait camera than it is a landscape camera. I believe it was meant to be a press camera. Of course, you can shoot horizontal if you’d like, but it’s quite cumbersome. It’s also ‘weird’ in the fact that the shutter is a trigger on the pistol grip.
It’s quite a rare bird, but I got her very cheaply (as in less than $100) because she’s got “issues” so to speak. The rangefinder is a bit touch and go, and the camera has a real problem with film spacing, both of which I am trying to repair in my spare time. The times when I can get a good shot out of it, I’m impressed with the sharpness and contrast from the lens, it’s tack sharp.
Update 2015:
Prices for these in good working condition are usually around $400-500 USD. I was able to fix the spacing problem, but the rangefinder is still touch and go. It’s not the most fun camera to use which is why you haven’t seen me post a lot with it, but in my film camera collection it is a standout.
Your best bet to find one of these is on eBay. However, you may also find them through private sellers on Amazon while searching for Medium Format
In a hazy cloud of memories, I still clearly remember the first SLR I ever touched, the Canon AT-1.
This is IT. This is the camera that sparked an obsession with cameras that continues to this day. But first, let me introduce you to the camera…
The Canon AT-1 is a 35mm SLR released by Canon in 1977. It is part of the long defunct, but still highly popular Canon FD system.
The AT-1 uses the Canon FD mount and is a no frills, manual exposure only camera. It does however need a 4LR44 battery to operate, which is probably one reason it seems unpopular or overlooked by the “all manual” club of camera lovers.
The AT-1 is probably at the very low end of the classic Canon FD camera lineup, if not the lowest.
However, I have noticed a slight increase in curiosity and desirability for this camera in recent years. It could be due to the low prices these cameras command or the fact that it’s a good learning tool for the novice photographer or any number of things, but this is what I see.
I do have to admit, I am not fond of manual cameras that need batteries and the AT-1 does not just need batteries for the meter. It needs a battery to work at all 🙂
All that said, I love this camera! This is the camera that changed my life, although not necessarily for the better.
This post is not strictly about the Canon AT-1. It is not an official review of a camera a lot of people don’t know, or don’t really want to know about. It’s the story of how this humble “Plain Jane” camera played a key role in sparking the gear obsession that you see today.
FIRST ENCOUNTER
My first encounter with the Canon AT-1 was in 1981. With the help of a family friend, my parents bought a Canon AT-1 so they could take nicer pictures than what they got with their Kodak 110 camera. The funny thing is, they really weren’t interested in photography, they just wanted nice photos.
The family friend had a nice Canon system built around the highly acclaimed and (at the time) hot Canon A-1. He was really a photo-bug and was always showing people his pictures and telling us of the competitions he entered, etc, etc. He was really a very good photographer.
But to this day, knowing what I’ve come to know about cameras, I still find it questionable why this man would select the AT-1 for his friends knowing full well these two people (my parents) could not figure out an aperture or shutter speed from a door knob. Anyway, there’s more to this, but that’s a story for another posting.
Back in 1981, if any of you remember, cameras before the digital age were considered luxury items. Not everybody had a camera, and certainly not everyone could afford them, especially the SLR’s which made you look “serious.”
Today, as you can see, everyone and their Mom has a camera. Everyone is a “pro” with their DSLRs and battery grips 🙂
But back in the early 80’s this was not the case.
If you look back to cameras from the 40’s up until the mid 90’s, before the dawn of digital, you can see that many people treated them like precious jewelry. That is why you find so many with engravings.
As a collector today, I personally hate engraved cameras. Unless it was from a famous person, the engravings devalue these cameras in my opinion and makes me feel like the ghost of the person who engraved it is there with me and that’s a spooky feeling 🙂
They may still be considered luxury items today, yes, but today’s digital cameras, from the lowest to the highest of the high end cameras are known to be “disposable” inherent to their digital DNA.
My parents apparently felt the camera was so precious, they had relatives look after it and it stayed in its case and in the closet most of the time.
When we took our summer vacation in 1981, I saw the camera and asked my Mom if I could play with it. She said to “be careful” but yes.
It was one of those feelings in life that you can’t describe, that money can’t buy. It was priceless. There I was turning the shutter speed ring, twisting the knob, focusing the lens and seeing things come in and out of focus in that beautiful and bright viewfinder. Wow.
FLASHBACK TO 1982
So on our return to New York in 1981, we were allowed to bring the camera back home with us and I was thrilled.
But once back home, still a young boy not a teenager, the camera stayed again in its case in a closet for almost another year.
Now, we’re in 1982 and I was more interested in the ColecoVision video game system we just bought in the summer of 1982.
It was a clear and sunny September day in 1982. My brother and I took a ride from our humble Bronx abode to our family friend’s house in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
We always looked forward to getting away from the inner city neighborhood in which we lived. Our friends had a nice house with a backyard, plenty of space to walk and run, and the complete feeling of safety, at least to us inner city kids.
Only folks who have lived in the inner city can relate to the feeling to “being trapped” in your apartment once the night arrives. No one dared to venture out. NYC had a reputation for being BAD in the late 70’s and into the 80’s and yes, New York earned it 🙂
Anyway, after a wonderful day in Jersey, we arrived at our apartment, I’m guessing around 9-10pm.
When my mom opened the door, she was surprised it wasn’t locked. She was sure she locked it, she always did. When she flipped on the light, (whoomp!) there it is…
The house looked empty. We looked on the coffee table, the ColecoVision, gone. We looked at the stand; the stereo tuner, turntable, cassette deck, all gone.
I looked in the closet for my precious AT-1…gone.
THE TRAUMA AND THE AFTERMATH
Yes, as you can tell, we were robbed. We all stood there in shock. The place felt empty, it felt “dirty.” We were violated. Our privacy had been broken, and our property, taken.
For my brother and I, it was a shocking arrival at the reality of the world which has an effect to this day.
We all know the effect that crime and vandalism can have on our feelings of security. And we all know how much more magnified this effect can have on children. This is what happened to me.
In some ways it made me better, wiser. I’m always looking over my shoulder. Even today.
THE LEGACY OF THE CANON AT-1
So how does that Canon AT-1 fit into this? Well, after the theft and for over thirty years now, I’ve been completely infatuated with cameras.
If I were to take a psycho-analytical look at this, I would say it’s like winning a million bucks, but never getting to use even one dollar. It’s like having a fabulous meal in front of you, but dropping the plate. It’s like tasting the fruit, but getting only one bite. You want more.
So as an adult, after I started working, I started picking up cameras here and there until it got entirely out of control. I tried to remedy this by selling a bunch of cameras on eBay, but then when got the itch, I’d start buying again.
In the recent years, I have tried to curb this “sickness” with modest success. I have pretty much cured myself of the “latest and greatest” syndrome, so I’m not spending a lot of money, but I still fall deeply for old, weird, and decrepit classic cameras 🙂
In all those years that I’ve been without the AT-1, I never had a desire to buy another one until recently. I got one in 2012 for $10 bucks. I have yet to use it.
Not because I don’t want to. It feels fantastic, solid, great viewfinder, etc, etc. But at any time, I find myself using much more interesting cameras, and the AT-1 gets put in the back burner.
The Canon AT-1 is a member of the legendary Canon FD line of cameras, but it may never be a true Camera Legend as its famous and much more popular sibling, the Canon AE-1 is. However, the AT-1 had a more profound effect on me than any camera, past or present. Even if you take away the trauma of the theft, the feeling of holding my first SLR and looking through its glorious viewfinder still resonates strongly in my head today.
Still, until I am able to put a roll of film in it, you can say, without a doubt, the Canon AT-1 is the greatest camera I never knew 🙂
“Black & Quack” 2015. With the “Black Baby” Rolleiflex 🙂
The Rolleiflex “Baby” models are twin lens reflex cameras made by Rollei. This particular model is the post war “Black Baby” and was made in 1963. The Rolleiflex “Baby” lineage goes all the way back to 1931 and ended around 1968.
The camera takes 127 film or otherwise known as 4×4 (cm) which is considered an obsolete or “dead” format because 127 film is no longer made, at least not in bulk or by major manufacturers.
You can find 127 film quite easily on eBay, but most of these are outdated and overpriced, and usually sold by Eastern European sellers. However, hang around and I’ll tell you where you can buy some fresh 127 film.
I have not used this camera extensively so this is by no means an official “review.” I initially got this as a collector’s piece knowing that I would not be doing much shooting with it.
THE CAMERA
The camera as is stated is pretty much a “baby” Rolleiflex TLR. You focus through the waist level finder using the knob on the left hand side and wind the film with the right hand knob. It’s basically a miniature Rolleiflex TLR.
“Size Matters” 2015. The Black Baby Rolleiflex on the left, and the Rolleiflex 2.8C Xenotar for size comparison.
The shooting lens is a 60mm f/3.5 Schneider Kreuznach Xenar which is basically a Tessar type lens that should be quite sharp and contrasty.
In my experience, you can’t go wrong with either Zeiss or Schneider lenses and on these Rollei cameras, they are top notch.
The camera feels well built, but may be a little awkward to hold and use especially if you are used to “normal” sized TLR’s.
BOTTOM LINE
The Rollei “Baby” models are quite popular with collectors, with the “Baby Grey” being the most popular and abundant. These can go anywhere from $50 to $250 if priced fairly.
The Black Baby goes for a bit more. I personally find this one to be the most desirable model because it is the one that looks closest to a modern Rollei TLR.
I got mine for a little over $300, but I’ve seen sellers asking over $1000 for them. However, those over $1000 usually do not sell. Why? Because people aren’t stupid! They know that 127 film is virtually gone and you can get a 6×6 Rollei for that price. A fair price I would say would be from $300-450 for this particular model.
Even though 127 film is basically obsolete, you can now get 127 film, fresh, from…B&H! Yes, that’s right, good old B&H. The film is only available in ISO 100 speed and is called “Rerapan 100” and it is a little pricey at $11.99 for each roll. If you go in there, tell ’em Sam sent you 🙂
Although I would greatly prefer the added versatility of ISO 400 film and a lower price, I’m happy to have at least one source of fresh 127 film.
Some folks have taken the widely available 120 medium format film, cut it down and re-spooled it into 127 film. I have not had the time, the skills, nor the inclination to do that however, not that it seems that hard.
Needless to say, at $11.99 a roll, this camera will not be a daily shooter for me. As I said in the beginning, I basically bought it for my collection, and to be able to actually shoot it is an added pleasure.
I still have my first roll of 127 film in this camera. When I get the results, and if they’re good enough, I will update you on another posting.
While most of these “Baby” Rollei cameras are sought for collections, they are also great shooters, and they are an interesting part of the Camera Legend that is Rollei.
We can’t always have winners…
In the first post of this series, I take a look at cameras that I have come across, which may or may not be Camera Legends, but somehow they didn’t work out for me.
I’m sure there are cameras that many of you have used, that you heard a lot (or a little) about, you wanted them, and eventually got them, but for some reason or another they didn’t live up to your expectations.
First up is…
THE ROLLEI ROLLEIMATIC
The Rolleimatic is a uniquely designed camera introduced by Rollei around 1980, I believe. It was designed by the famous camera designer Heinz Waaske.
The camera features a 38mm f/2.8 Tessar type lens lens and relies on scale focusing.
The camera’s claim to fame is a rather odd design where the “flap” that covers the lens also doubles as a film advance mechanism.
The camera looked very cool to me, certainly stands out among point and shoot cameras of its era. I love anything retro, so at under a hundred bucks, I had to give it a try. With the legendary Rollei name, you would think this would be an instant winner. However, for me, it wasn’t.
WHY IT DIDN’T JIVE WITH ME
Information on the Rolleimatic is scarce on the web. One great review I read was from a cool guy named Mike Elek, also a classic camera aficionado, and he stated that the camera is a little fidgety to load film.
Well, he was right and then some! I couldn’t get one roll of film to load in this camera! 🙂
Ok, so I thought…maybe there’s something I’m doing wrong. So I found the online manual, I tried and retried, and retried…couldn’t get a damn roll to stick in this camera.
Sometimes, I would get close and it would latch on for like two winds, then the film came loose and I’d have to start over again.
The problem is there is no “slit” in the film take-up like other cameras. Instead there is a “film like thingy” in there that you’re supposed to hook the film up to. I should’ve taken a picture of it, but the best way I could describe it is that the part looks like a piece of 35mm film, but stronger, and is removable. It has “teeth” that is wrapped around the film advance roller and you’re supposed to get your film under the “teeth.” Well, that I did, but it still didn’t work!
Being that he was the only person who seemed to know anything about this camera, I emailed Mike and he was kind enough to write me back. He even made a YouTube video to show how to load the film, what a good guy!
Anyway, despite all his help, I couldn’t do it. Maybe something was wrong with my particular camera.
The camera looked awesome cool, but all it gave me was a headache 🙂
BOTTOM LINE
The camera was sent back for a refund. I’ve been using film for more than thirty years, this was the first camera that I couldn’t load. I’m convinced that it was the ‘funkiness’ of the design 🙂
Mr. Waaske, God Rest His Soul, was a brilliant and creative camera designer. A Legend. I have nothing, but respect for his creations. However, sometimes being too creative might not be such a good thing.
If hunting for one of these, and I’m not sure that’s a good idea, prices are trending at $50-160. So they are not expensive, but they do seem scarce.
The Rolleimatic is one of the Best Cameras I Never Knew. But it is not alone. There will be more to come 🙂
Camera Legend 