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Post by yashica1943 on Mar 17, 2014 8:34:38 GMT -5
I have just purchased in a charity shop, a Sigma Mark 1 35mm SLR with a screw thread Sigma 39-80mm f 3.5 zoom lens. Ever ready case and instruction book. Plus other accessories.
The camera body is a bit brassed, but appears to be in good working order. The lens is fairly clean, but rather wobbly around the external aperture ring area. It is a big heavy camera with an interesting textured finish to the pentaprism and grip area.
I have been interested in photography and cameras for over 50 years, (currently collecting old Konica and Yashica 35mm slr) but I have never seen one of these before and cannot remember ever seeing any advert for it.
Looking around the internet, I have found out that it was made in 1975 ,but not much more. Any idea of value would be appreciated and any more information.
My old 'What Camera' magazine from '79 shows the lens to be on sale separately at £88 with a YS mount. The camera is not listed at all.
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daveh
Lifetime Member
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Post by daveh on Mar 17, 2014 13:00:43 GMT -5
I do remember the model coming out, but wouldn't have recalled its shape if I hadn't looked it up. It seems quite similar to the Cosina Hi-Lite - I wonder if Cosina made it for them.
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Post by yashica1943 on Mar 17, 2014 13:53:20 GMT -5
Thanks for that, I have found out that it is a Ricoh Singlex with a different suit of clothes. I still think it is a pretty rare camera. I will do some more research tomorrow.
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Post by philbirch on Mar 17, 2014 18:56:12 GMT -5
I had the lens in the interchangeable mount and it was pretty good for the day. It went everywhere on my Exakta and my OM1
I remember selling the camera in the 70's. Nothing special but a good quality workhorse camera without a fancy name.
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Stephen
Lifetime Member
Still collecting.......
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Post by Stephen on Mar 20, 2014 17:39:02 GMT -5
I think Sigma as a camera brand was imported in the UK by CZ Instruments Borehamwood, who handled the lens range, specializing in supply mainly to discount shop chains. The brand later changes to Dixons distribution, which limited sigma to one chain only.
The camera were very well made for the price, manufactured by Ricoh for the early models. Never a top seller, they are uncommon these days.
Stephen.
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Post by philbirch on Mar 21, 2014 15:50:46 GMT -5
I think Sigma as a camera brand was imported in the UK by CZ Instruments Borehamwood, who handled the lens range, specializing in supply mainly to discount shop chains. The brand later changes to Dixons distribution, which limited sigma to one chain only. The camera were very well made for the price, manufactured by Ricoh for the early models. Never a top seller, they are uncommon these days. Stephen. We were Photomarkets, a nationwide discount chain with 8-page ads in Amateur Photographer every week. Thats why we could sell them low price - no competition. |
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daveh
Lifetime Member
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Post by daveh on Mar 23, 2014 18:41:08 GMT -5
Interestingly the Ricoh Singlex TLS was apparently manufactured by Cosina! (Have a look at the Cosina Files at the top of the page.)
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Post by yashica1943 on Jun 29, 2015 10:59:08 GMT -5
Put the Sigma on ebay. Together with a Konica Z-up 140 Super in good condition! and a scrap Canonet for parts. Decided that I too many odd cameras and I will stick with Voigtlander Konica SLR and Yashica with an Olympus OM-1 and Nikon F80 as users.
I also have a Zenit and a Praktica, but not worth selling them.
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Post by biggles3 on Jul 15, 2015 20:04:06 GMT -5
Ah, Memory Lane! I switched from a Pentax SV (couldn't afford the accessory meter) to the Sigma Mk1 in 1976 - oh, the joy of having an integrated meter.... I have a mint Mark 1 again which I bought for £30 on Ebay about 2 years ago; it was an auction and there were about a dozen bids in total with 4 people bidding. I still love the solid feel of the all-metal body. The camera is pretty rare - I see about a dozen on Ebay in a year.
I used it to shoot indoor sports and paired it with a Ultra-Unitor 135mm f1.8 - a very bright lens that was surprisingly sharp wide open; sadly that lens disappeared a long time ago and a Porst replacement (it's identical to the Unitor) is simply too expensive (and also pretty rare).
In 1977, I moved to the Contax RTS and still use Contax/Zeiss/Yashica gear to this day. But the Sigma is a keeper for me - I wouldn't part with one again and, now partnered with the Yashica Tomioka 60mm f2.8 Macro, it produces some great images.
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