Hexar RF

photo copyright by Dante Stella

Leica IIIC

Canon 7s

It's not the original photo of my 7s, but mine is also equipped with the 50mm f/0.95

Kiev 4M Moscow Olympic 1980

Kiev 4A (1976)

K.M.C KINO 300

Olympus XA2 (1980)

Yashica Lynx 5000E (1962)

1963 Petri Pro 7

Olympus SPn

Lens: Olympus G Zuiko lens, 1/1.7 f=42mm
Shutter speed : B, 1, 2, 4, 8, 15, 30, 60, 125, 250, 500
Apperture: f/1.7, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16
Film speed: ASA 25, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800
Mode: Manual & Shutter priority "A"

Olympus 35RC

Lens: Olympus E Zuiko lens, 1:2.8 f=42mm
Shutter speed : B, 15, 30, 60, 125, 250, 500
Apperture: f/2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16
Film speed: ASA 25, 32, 50, 64, 80, 100, 125, 160, 200, 250, 400, 500, 800
self timer
Mode: Manual & Shutter priority "A"

Olympus 35RD

Lens: Olympus F Zuiko lens, six element 1:1.7 f=40mm with 49 mm filters thread
Shutter speed : B, 2, 4, 8, 15, 30, 60, 125, 250, 500, electronic flash sync at all speeds
Apperture: f/1.7, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16
Film speed: ASA 25, 50, 100, 200, 250, 400, 500, 800
Mode: Shutter priority auto exposure "A" with non-metered manual over ride
Powered by: obsolete Mercury 625 batteries
Additional: self timer, hot shoe and PC socket available

Yashica 35

Canonet Junior

Seagull 203

1956 Franka Solida IIE

Polaroid 110A Land Camera

Voigtlander Vitessa 1000 SR

Polaroid 195 Land Camera

Olympus XA

Konica C35EF

Leica Minilux

The Leica Minilux is a topnotch 35mm compact camera that boasts an extremely attractive and durable titanium housing combined with a high-speed Summarit 40mm lens. The Minilux is a little heavier than most compact cameras, and is intended for the serious-minded amateur photographer who insists on the very best. It offers an aperture priority mode, allowing you to manually set the aperture before shooting your picture (the camera will automatically choose the shutter speed). The Minilux also features either automatic or manual focusing. The exposure meter is center-weighted for precise metering, and the built-in flash fires automatically in low light. This camera is guaranteed to net you impressive results and last nearly a lifetime.

One thing about this camera: BEWARE OF THE DREADED EO2! When your LCD reads EO2, your Minilux life is over.

read here for a praise for the Minilux

A bit about my Minilux

So I got a short message in my cell phone from my usual junk camera supplier "Call me now!". So I call him and he told me that he was offered a Leica Minilux for USD150.00 and asked whether I am interested. I said that I might considered it if it was USD100.00 and I told him I will see at weekend. So I went for an internet based research for the Minilux and made aware of the EO2 and so other faulties as well as the current price in Ebay. And so by weekend the offer has go down to USD120.00 and having looking at the overall condition of the Minilux, I decided to took it home. The payment is even deffered for another week.

Here's a couple snapshots taken by Minilux

Yamato Pax 35

Officine Galileo-Ferrania Condor II

There is little information, at least in English, regarding this Italian beauty except it was the fruit of short collaboration (last only couples of years) between Officine Galileo, an Italian company specializing in optical instruments and Ferrania, an Italian film producer. The following is from Top Gabacho's website




This camera is the range finder model that was produced with the Officine Galileo in 1953 and was launched from the Italian biggest film maker Ferrania company. The Officine Galileo is famous as the production company of the GaMi 16 camera which is an elaborate subminiture camera, but they were a reliable optic maker actually, and was supplying many lenses to each company.
This camera is a small size, but litle heavy. The film is wound up by the lever, this system was adopted earlier than the Leica M3. The name of the lens is "Esaog" F=1:2. This is a very highly efficient lens and we feel the height of the technology of the Officine Galileo.
However, the relations of the Officine Galileo and the Ferrania company were bad, they stopped the production of cameras in 55 after all.

A bit about my Condor II

It is currentky not working, will have to repair it.

1956 Voigtlander Vito BL

Voigtlander Vito Cameras - Vito BL by Stephanie Marriott

The Vito BL is based on the Vito B, with the addition of a light-meter. The camera was introduced in 1956, at which time it was fitted with a Bewi-Automat meter. This is operated by pressing a button on the camera back and pointing the camera at the subject. After about a second, a shutter-speed/aperture reading can be taken.
Later versions of the camera have an exposure value scale and are fitted with the Bewi-Automat or a Light Scale Exposure Meter which has a meter needle display. This display can be misleading, as the reading is indicated by the end of the needle, which will rest in one of the alternating black and white zones. The zone should be followed back to the scale and the reading taken; black zones have numbers and white zones can be inferred from the numbers on either side. In the illustration in the 1957 advertisement, the reading is '10'. Although part of the needle is over the '11', 11 is not the correct reading. The meter has no provision for adjustment according to film speed, and an engraved table is provided to convert the figure given to an EV value which can be used to set the shutter and lens. This table covers speeds 6 - 200 ASA.

In 1957, two versions of the camera were available, one with the exposure value scale, which was fitted with the f/2.8 Color-Skopar and 9-speed Prontor SVS (cost c£36) and one with no exposure value scale which offered a choice of f/3.5 or f/2.8 Color-Skopar.

By 1958, a brightline finder had been added to the list of options.

The camera has a die-cast alloy body covered in leather; metal parts are finished in satin chrome and black enamel. An incident light attachment can be fitted to the honeycomb plastic meter front. The camera has lever wind, delayed action, a cable release thread in the shutter release and a frame counter which shows the number of unused frames. As with other similar models, the exposure value scale gives exposures which are obtained using "B" in green. By 1959, the prices were about £37 (with f2.8 lens), £33 (with f3.5 lens and brightline finder) and £31 (with f3.5 lens and no brightline finder). The camera appears to have been discontinued in the early 1960s.

A bit about my Vito BL

I think it's a funny looking camera. It's small and chubby.

Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta C

A bit about the Super Ikonta C from Wikipedia and Pacific Rim Camera

The Super Ikonta 532/2 (in Germany) or Super Ikonta C (in USA) is the most famous folding camera in the world. It was made from the early 1930’s until late 1950's by Zeiss Ikon Germany. It was attached with several different lenses and shutters, the best lenses were the 105/3.5 or 105/4.5 Tessar post war coated version and the best shutter was the post war synced “Synchro Compur” shutter with a max shutter speed of 1/500s. The Super Ikonta C use 120 film and equipped with a film plane mask to enable shooting either 6x9 or 6x4.5 pictures. The Super Ikonta C has separate rangefinder and folding albada viewfinder windows which sits on top of the rangefinder assembly.

A bit about my Super Ikonta

The Super Ikonta 532/2 is my first folding camera. It is in fairly good condition, the bellow is still light tight, its spring out and fold in easily, the shutter is working perfectly in all speed, the leatherette is considerably in good condition. Only the lens is suffering from severe fungus but it does not stop me from taking pictures with it.

The following are pictures taken by the camera loaded with a 135 film. You got an amazing 9cm x 2.5 cm frame!

1961 Leica M3

A bit about the M3 from Wikipedia and Pacific Rim Camera

The Leica M3 was a 35 mm rangefinder camera by Leica AG, introduced in 1954. It was a new starting point for Leitz, which until then had only produced screw-mount Leica cameras that were incremental improvements to its original Leica (Ur-Leica). The M3 introduced several features to the Leica, among them the combination of viewfinder and rangefinder in one bright window and a bayonet lens mount.

This was the first model of Leica to use a rapid lever advance instead of a knob. Early cameras were "double stroke", requiring two short pulls on the lever. After camera number 915,251, it was changed to a single stroke. The engineers thought that a single stroke would tend to tear out sprocket holes in the film.

Production started at camera 700,000, and very early cameras have many differences than later ones. Production ended at camera 1,158,995. It was the most successful model of the M series, with over 220 000 copies sold with 1968 as the last production year. Many people consider this is the finest rangefinder camera, or even camera of any sort ever built, not just for features and design, but for quality of construction as well.

A bit about my ill-fated M3

I can not say much about it right now. It is currently broken.

1961 Canon Canonet, "The Original"

A bit about the Canonet from Wikipedia:

The Original Canon Canonet was released in 1961 and is remembered as Canon's first entry into the intermediate-class camera market, and also the first of the highly successful Canonet series of 35mm automatic-exposure rangefinder cameras.

The top plate only houses the shutter-release, with a locking ring for time-exposures, the frame counter and an accessory shoe.

The clean lines of the top are achieved by putting the advance lever underneath, together with the rewind crank, rewind release and back catch. The advance lever had an end which hinged downwards, making it easy to operate using the left middle- or third-finger. These controls on the bottom necessitate corresponding holes in the every-ready case.

Rangefinder focusing is controlled by a lever attached to the focus ring, also at the bottom of the camera.

The selenium meter cell is arranged around the Canon SE 45mm f1.9 lens - thus automatically compensating for filters; the aperture ring is scaled from f16 down to f1.9, followed by an "auto" setting (with a latch), for shutter priority automation. The Copal SV shutter has speeds from 1/500 down to 1sec, plus B. Film speed is set between 10-400 ASA by a lever in the shutter speed ring.

The viewfinder features a bright-line, and a scale showing the aperture.

There is a PC socket beside the lens, and a switch on the lens barrel for X- or M-flash sync.

There is a self-timer - set by a lever on the lens barrel.

A bit about my Canonet

I found mine at Taman Puring (a flea market in South Jakarta) but didn't pick it up the first time I saw it because there was a disagreement between me and the seller about the price. The day after I went back there only to find it was already gone and I dare not to ask about it to the seller for I will not sacrifice my pride hehehe.....

Apparently the Canonet was meant for me because two months later when I visited Jalan Surabaya (an antique's arcade in Central Jakarta), the Canonet was there, at the display cabinet of my regular antique camera shop. I took the Canonet home for around USD20.00, slightly higher price than the proposed price in Taman Puring. It turn out to be fully functioning, even the selenium meter cell is still working (I doubt it accuracy though...).

I do not I have use it but I will one of this day.

Canon 7

A bit about the Canon 7 from Wikipedia

The Canon 7 was a rangefinder camera produced by Canon Inc., the last compatible with the Leica mounting. It was introduced in September 1961, with an integrated selenium lightmeter cell. Further versions, branded Canon 7s and Canon 7s Type II (or Canon 7sZ), modified the design slightly by introducing a CDS cell.

The Canon 7 came as the first Canon reflex cameras were already on the market, but it was felt that there was a need for a fast-shooting rangefinder camera for reportage. In this niche, the Canon 7 came into direct competition with the Leica M3.

A bit about my Canon 7

I love this camera as much as I love my 1965 Canonet QL17! It is solid and dependable, more dependable than my ill-fated Leica M3! I got mine on the same day I acquire the Leica M3.

I got mine from my regular junk camera supplier for a very reasonable price. It's not cheap but it's certainly worth the price. Mine is not equiped with the "dream lens" but a bright and relatively scrath free Canon Lens 50mm f:1.8. The selenium cell meter is still working but again I will not rely much on its accuracy.

Here's a couple snapshots from my Canon 7

Olympus S

Olympus Pen EE2

Olympus Trip 35

Canon Demi EE2

1970 Canon Canonet QL 17 GIII

1968 Canon Canonet 28

1968 Canon Canonet QL 19

1965 Canon Canonet QL 19 "Quick Loading"

This one is with the "Quick Loading" inscription in front of the camera just below the "Canon" logo.

1965 Canon Canonet QL 25

1965 Canon Canonet QL 19

1965 Canon Canonet QL 17

my favorite...The Canon Canonet QL 17 (1965), rangefinder focusing, 45mm f1.7 lens, aperture range f1.7 to f16, shutter speeds from 1 to 1/500, aperture shown in viewfinder, quick loading feature. Unlike its sibling the QL25, QL17’s (and its other sibling the QL19) light meter only works in auto mode. Everything works well. I have use it with films. Purchased it for about US$20.

Konica Auto S2

Konica IIIA

A bit about the Konica IIIA from Camerapedia

While the nomenclature of Konica's next pair of cameras suggests that neither differed from the III more than, say, the IIA differed from the II, they are improved so dramatically as to be considered separately, perhaps as a misnamed IV and V.

The major change is to the finder, greatly enlarged and with projecting framelines that adjust not only for parallax but also for varying frame angle.

This larger finder necessitates a higher top cover, such that the rewind crank of the III would foul it if not radically redesigned. The crank is therefore stepped.

When viewed from the front, the Konica IIIA (April 1958) has three finder windows, of which the viewfinder is fairly large even by today's standards. The three are for the rangefinder, projected brightlines, and viewfinder (and rangefinder) respectively.

The finder has 1.0× magnification, such that the photographer can easily look through it with right eye while keeping the left eye open. The lens is a 48mm f/2 Hexanon, with LV system; filter size 35.5mm. Dimensions are 133×81×65mm; weight 800g. In July 1958 came the option of a 50mm f/1.8 Hexanon (70mm deep, weight 820g).[37]

A bit about my Konica IIIA

I got mine from my regular junk camera supplier with its original leather case but lack its original lens cap. The lens cap rejoin the camera 2 months later. So far its one of my two strokes machine, the other is my two strokes motorbike. The focusing ring, appperture and speed selector are a bit stiff but they are working anyway. The lens is decorated with fungus here and there, but it still took considerable bright picture.

More on the Konica IIIA from Dante Stella's website

Minolta Hi-Matic F

Minolta Hi-Matic E

Minolta Hi-Matic 9

Minolta Hi-Matic 7S

Minolta Hi-Matic 7

Yashica Lynx 14E