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Post by genazzano on Nov 15, 2014 4:10:50 GMT -5
If you collect cameras, you have a box or drawer of cameras that you try to forget. When I look at these I can only think that my brain was somewhere else when I bid on them. This is the infamous Fotron, sold door-to-door by fast talking salesmen. The reasons why this camera is horrible are too many to list here, but I would suggest that you Google it and read this fascinating story. In twenty years I have never even heard of one that actually works. David
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Stephen
Lifetime Member
Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Nov 15, 2014 20:26:09 GMT -5
Only ever read about these in Modern Photography, they were a sales scam, but they did win a court class action against them, in proving they were sold as advertised, and the claims were lax and too far delayed. Most of the cameras work, it was the design limitations that were the problem it was simplified too far, barely more than a box camera with a flash and motor drive.
They contravened the rules in the States about marketing a film that could only be processed by the maker, but won a rebuff as Kodak made the film, not Fotron, who re packed the film into their "film transport package". they were the only processor, but as the film was standard 828 any lab could handle it if needed.
Fotron Salesmen sold it as an advantage that Fotron did the prints as a package that involved a storage system( a photo album!).
All in all it ticks no plus points anywhere, it's all minuses, but in fact it does meet the design principle of discarding as many established methods of taking photos as possible.
Thankfully, it was never sold outside the United States......
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Post by philbirch on Nov 16, 2014 18:12:20 GMT -5
Its a fugly bugger!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2014 16:45:49 GMT -5
Had one that was given to me. Donated it to a thrift store.
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Post by philbirch on Nov 18, 2014 7:16:32 GMT -5
Had one that was given to me. Donated it to a thrift store. Thats cruel.
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Post by genazzano on Nov 18, 2014 14:19:21 GMT -5
I am far from convinced that the Fotron was a fraud. I recall taking one apart and found that the wiring and a assembly was well done which was not what I expected. I suppose I am more comfortable with the idea that this company was out to cheat people, than with the idea that they honestly thought it was a good camera.
David
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Stephen
Lifetime Member
Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Nov 18, 2014 15:40:21 GMT -5
The Nimslo 3d camera was another near scam, it worked after a fashion, but the processing was tied to one laboratory. Dixon's in the UK got involved which did nothelp matters. Over priced and just too specialist, yet aimed at the mass market. It had failure written all over it. Stephen.
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Post by barbarian on Jul 18, 2015 21:32:19 GMT -5
I think every pawn shop in Texas has a Nimslo. I should know. I've been to all of them.
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Post by julio1fer on Jul 19, 2015 18:39:10 GMT -5
Never saw this camera. But that black case looks interesting.
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Post by philbirch on Jul 19, 2015 23:11:47 GMT -5
I saw one of these in Real Camera in Manchester, its way bigger and heavier than the photo would appear to show. Not something I'd want to lug around on my hols.
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Post by camfiend on Jan 19, 2016 4:44:50 GMT -5
old post and maybe a bit late to throw my 2cents worth in but I cant say that I've ever seen or heard of this particular camera in Australia but it appears to be just another one of those "would be" cameras that used to be sold on the back page of comic books, right alongside 'Sea Monkeys'and 'Phantom Rings'(which now actually have some value)
Bob
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Post by philbirch on Jan 20, 2016 17:54:55 GMT -5
old post and maybe a bit late to throw my 2cents worth in but I cant say that I've ever seen or heard of this particular camera in Australia but it appears to be just another one of those "would be" cameras that used to be sold on the back page of comic books, right alongside 'Sea Monkeys'and 'Phantom Rings'(which now actually have some value) Bob Hi Bob, I know where you are coming from re the American comics. Perhaps you could have got it with Bazooka Joe comics, it would seem like the kind of tat you got from them. But... ...until you actually see one in the flesh and they are big, heavy buggers, easily 9 inches wide and a couple of pounds in weight. To the inexpert they are the dogs bo££oks. Techie looking, huge batteries, lots of buttons and heavy. Proper pro!
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Post by camfiend on Jan 21, 2016 1:03:29 GMT -5
OK.. never had the experience of seeing one first hand.. a lot of things from US and UK never made it to Australia, shipping was very expensive way back when and for an individual to import a camera it was a case of going OS and picking it up yourself.. companies only imported what they thought they could market in numbers Still LOOKS like a comic book camera.....
Bob
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