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Post by genazzano on Mar 31, 2013 6:09:26 GMT -5
Well, I'm new here too. It's an active group of enthusiastic photographers/collectors. I think we have found a good place to spend some time. David
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Post by genazzano on Mar 31, 2013 6:06:27 GMT -5
My wife is a teacher in Guidonia where the military airbase is located. I think they have a museum there. I must check. I would hope that some of these wonderful aircraft would be there perhaps. I grew up with aircraft mechanics after dad got out of the Army Air Corps. An interesting bunch I recall. I learned to break down engines by the time I was 12.
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Post by genazzano on Mar 30, 2013 16:39:50 GMT -5
My grandfather who was from Rome idolized Balbo. He complained about the injustice but he did go to Paris to be there when Lindbergh landed and told the stories until he died at 96.
Thanks for solving that problem of the church. Complimenti signore, really. David
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Post by genazzano on Mar 30, 2013 1:22:56 GMT -5
Yo Stephen! That is incredible... I do think it's the same car. Where can I see more?
I sent a note off to my friend to see if there were any usable images from the undeveloped film.
I have nearly 2 dozen rolls of film taken from some of the old cameras when they arrived. They are all frozen -20C in sealed containers with desiccant. One of my "gotta-do-that-someday" projects.
Also, Cicero was quite a notorious town in those days. In the last days of Prohibition, Cicero was still the home of Capone. I haven't been able to ID the church. I had hoped it was Capone's parish (St. Mary of Częstochowa on Cicero St.), but it doesn't appear to be.
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Post by genazzano on Mar 29, 2013 15:32:51 GMT -5
I think I bought my 55mm f/2.8 Micro Nikkor back in the early 1980's along with my F3 and 650 frame back. I've used the F3 and Micro Nikkor continuously and the lens does just fine on my old D70, as you said. Now it has atherosclerosis of the helicals and needs work (wish it was as easy to fix on me).
I haven't seen that particular book but I think I'll look for a copy somewhere online. I do know the collection at Eastman House since an old friend from back in Buffalo had been director there for quite some time. What I miss in so many collections are the little bits of history about each camera. The designs,, patent suits, business failures, crooks and idealists. Even the stories about the previous owners which can turn up some seriously odd stories. That's what I would love to do to accompany the photos of each camera.
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Post by genazzano on Mar 29, 2013 15:18:06 GMT -5
There were a couple rolls undeveloped and several QRS cassettes turned out to be negatives when they were opened. They were all clumped and stuck together. I sent them to a fellow up in Turin who wanted to try to recover the images and did get partial frames, though the emulsion was just too damaged. He scanned what he had and out of 6 rolls, four negatives and two undeveloped film, only a few were usable for printing. The ones shown here were found in the QRS cassettes as negatives. The few partial frames of the undeveloped film gave images and he kept them to experiment with.
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Post by genazzano on Mar 29, 2013 14:54:21 GMT -5
Thanks everyone. The thing looked so ratty that it was pretty cheap. I've had it on my old web site and now I'm writing the page for the new site and I just wanted to get it right. If you run into anything similar, please let me know. Ciao from dark and cold Italy. David
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Post by genazzano on Mar 29, 2013 5:45:21 GMT -5
I bought this a few years ago and it was in rough condition. After repairing and refinishing the case and cleaning up the brass hardware, and a CLA on the shutter and lens, I still don't know for certain who made it. It was first id'd as a Laack Tropical but it could also be a Minerva. It was originally sold in Italy and Koristka lens and Rulex shutter. It's also plated with real gold. Does anyone recognize it? Thanks for any help. David
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Post by genazzano on Mar 28, 2013 3:46:29 GMT -5
Thanks Wayne and Photax. The QRS was a very innovative camera including the format for 35mm film. I am jealous of anyone who has one with a functional crank. In over a decade I've only seen a couple intact examples. I even considered finding a machinist who could fabrication a new one but gave up that idea when I was told by one fellow it would cost €200(!). If anyone knows of one, please let me know. I love the old rags that are still visible in the resin of the body too. The only camera ever to use such material in the pre-plastic days. Based on the fact that this resin-rags material is still solid and most cameras don't show any fractures and chips as seen in Bakelite demonstrates how good this formulation turned out to be. Ciao!
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Post by genazzano on Mar 27, 2013 13:49:18 GMT -5
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Post by genazzano on Mar 24, 2013 9:30:18 GMT -5
Hi again! I've just discovered that my little Cee-Ay was the last camera produced by the makers of Perfex cameras, and was only built for 8 months in 1949 before the dies were sold. The company was bought out by Ciro, who continued making the camera as the Ciro35. Ciro was then bought out by Graflex, the camera was redesigned, and marketed as a Graphic 35. It seems that I've finally found a rare camera for my collection ;D Doug That seems to sum up the life of this design. It seemed to have had a renewed lease on life each time one company was sold to another. David Tomei
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Post by genazzano on Mar 24, 2013 9:00:49 GMT -5
I bought a V600 several months ago and never unpacked the damn thing. I still use my old D70 attached to a PB6 setup with several different 50mm lenses. I suppose I prefer just restoring and fixing old cameras more than shooting with them these days. Any advice on the V600 (short of selling it) would be very much appreciated. I have a backlog of negatives from my 645 (120 and 220) and 127 films. Not sure anymore about the 35mm digitization on the flatbed. David
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Post by genazzano on Mar 24, 2013 8:37:48 GMT -5
Hi. Thanks for the welcome. My family has been in these valleys for centuries. Originally we came from Vico nel Lazio, a small village up in the higher mountains. We're certainly a bit off the more popular areas, though.
Right now I'm working on several cameras but before I do anything, I must cla my old f/2.8 55mm Nikkor macro which needs lubing of the helicals. Need to shoot the cameras as I go along.
Thanks for the note on the avatar, too. That one and the Type III from 1941-42, the last 3A, are among my very favorites.
Later, Ciao. David
L David Tomei Genazzano, Roma Italia
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Post by genazzano on Mar 23, 2013 4:49:25 GMT -5
Even in the thumbnail, the camera looks good. Have you added the camera to the database at Argus Collectors Group? There are many variants collected and display there. I have two C's sitting in front of me right now waiting for me to get off my butt and restore them. Ciao!
David
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Post by genazzano on Mar 23, 2013 4:39:30 GMT -5
Hello all. I have spent some time searching for a forum that would fit my interests in photography, specifically, the history of cameras. After retiring a few years ago from a career in which I used photography as a tool, and even spent considerable time developing technology such as scanning laser imaging, I found that I was not only interested in vintage cameras, but their history - Who made them, what happened to the companies, what odd design quirks did they have, etc. I am less interested in simply posting images taken with old cameras, I must admit.
Currently I am working on the history of Kochmann cameras, and in particular, the work of Franz Kochmann in the 1930's through 1950's. We often read about these cameras and see Kochmann's name, but there is so much more about this man's life and his commitment to camera design that remains to be found.
Camera collecting is often looked down upon by many. I just read a posting on another site where the person asked how he would find the history of a Leica, where and when it had been sold originally, who owned it, etc. The first response came from another member who simply asked "Why would you want to do that?". So, I began looking for a forum where members understood the question.
I live in a small ancient village in the mountains of central Italy. I'm a long way from New York and the world I left behind. I hope my experience may be of some help to others here and that I will find the help I need to seek out the history of my old cameras.
My avatar is a photo of my old Kodak 3A Type II (1936-41).
Ciao!
David
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