PeterW
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Post by PeterW on Oct 4, 2005 9:58:11 GMT -5
Hi all, and welcome to this new section of ‘popular’ post war cameras. So what do we mean by ’popular’, and what will be covered in it? I talked it over with Randy and we both felt there was a need for somewhere for ordinary ‘pocket-money’ collectors to talk about their cameras and ‘finds’ but who might feel that their modest 35mm and rollfilm cameras could be rather overpowered in other sections by Leicas, Super Ikontas, Rolleiflexes, Contaxes and the other highly desirable top precision models that they’d love to collect but, with a mortgage, kids, hire purchase on the car, local taxes (council tax in the UK) and the rest of the demands on their money just can’t justify buying within the family budget. – I’ve been there, done that, got the T-shirt!
Specific models? Well, how about some of the families of cameras from the German industry that flooded out from about 1950 to the 1980s from makers like Braun, Agfa, Voigtländer, Dacora (and the Anglicised versions the Ilford Sportsman range) that start with quite lowly specifications like three-speed shutters and lesser breeds of front-cell focus triplet lenses and go on with the same basic body to have Compur or Prontor shutters, better lenses, coupled rangefinders (the ‘Super’ models) and even auto exposure; the cheaper Zeiss Ikon, Agfa, Voigtländer, Kershaw and Ensign folders; all the post-war box cameras and their better-styled Bakelite cousins with much the same basic specification; all the wannabe TLRs, and even true TLRs, designed down to a market that couldn’t afford Rolleis and such; yes, even the P&S Instamatics and cheap 110s … I could go on and on, and I haven’t even mentioned Japanese or American cameras yet.
In other words all the largely unloved cameras that sit forlornly week after week on stalls or counters in charity shops, flea markets, yard sales, car boot sales and the like, waiting for someone to take pity on them and give the price of a cup of coffee to take them to a new home. If no-one does, then cameras that were once around in their thousands will largely disappear for ever. With ten quid to spare and a bit of luck you can sometimes come home with a bag full of them. All these cameras are not without interest by any means. Oh yes, I almost forgot. In careful hands most of them take darn good pictures. Let’s hear from you!
Peter
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Post by paulatukcamera on Nov 7, 2005 11:30:59 GMT -5
As a fully paid up member of the Montanus Rocca supporters club, I take grave exception to the omission of the humble Rocca. What other camera besides having a superb 3 element Ennagon AND a magnificent 3 speed vario shutter (with a genuine 1/200 top speed) also had a ROSE tinted viewfinder? Come on now, none of the others you mentioned have any claim to improve your view of life have they? Also and this is positively unique - the selenium cell you saw indicated that this was a camera of quality with a coupled meter. Little did the "hoi poloi" know - this was merely a disguise for the exposure calculator above. When you had the money, you could upgrade to add a proper mechanism to fit behind the cell. Imagine a Minolta SR3 that looked like an SR7 but was upgradeable! Absolutely unique! Read the marketing blurb (rather large file - haven't time to cut it to size!) www.ukcamera.com/collect/images/roccaadvert.jpgOh yes! Reading it reminded me that the Rocca had a "Scientifically positioned body release for shake free operation" Bet you, your Mamiyas, Minoltas, Nikons & Pentaxes don't have one of those either! Paul
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PeterW
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Posts: 3,804
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Post by PeterW on Nov 7, 2005 14:27:51 GMT -5
Thanks for your posting Paul. This is just the sort of popular post-war camera I had in mind for this section. I've never owned a Rocca, or any other camera by Montanus, but there were lots of cameras competing for this sector of the market in the 1950s and 60s. Have you got any pics to show us from that superb Ennagon (f/3.5?) Many of the triplets around at this time gave very good results, and Enna had a high reputation. Generally they refused to 'open up' their lenses to big apertures just as a sales feature, and stayed at the maximum aperture that gave good results right across the width of the film. At one time they made the lenses for the Corfield Periflex, with the Lumar name. Enna lenses were sometimes labelled Sandmar and Cintagon in the USA. I think IRC also used Enna lenses on some of the Arguses (Argi?) I may be wrong but I seem to remember there were one or two cameras, names escape me at the moment, that had a 'dummy' selenium cell window on the bottom range models because of commonisation of all the bodies in a range. Looked good, as well as filling a hole! Agifold also had what looked like a rangefinder window, and I've even seen it called a rangefinder on Ebay, but it was, in fact, a window for the built-in visual extinction meter. Oh yes, the 'scientifically positioned body release' (ain't copywriter's language just wonderful?). This came as part and parcel of a lot of shutters from Gauthier; Vario, Pronto, Prontor and so on. They came as a package ready to drop into the camera. Sometimes they had a push button on the front plate, like the one on the Rocca, and sometimes a slide-down button on the camera body, like the Vitoret. Not so nice to use in my opinion, and usually not so smooth as a push button. Rose tinted viewfinder! Now that's something I haven't come across on anything else. Slightly yellow to enhance the contast a bit, yes, but not a gen-yew-yne rose tint. Oh boy, talk about a feel-good factor . Peter
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Post by paulatukcamera on Nov 7, 2005 15:04:19 GMT -5
"Have you got any pics to show us from that superb Ennagon (f/3.5?) "
Er ..... no! I have a confession - can you all keep a secret?
Though I am known far & wide (well on the IDCC & AP boards at least!) for my championship of the said Roccas, I have yet to put a film through any of the five I own!
Its just that, like the Beautys, they looked so lone & forlorn with nary a bid, that I decided that I must own them!
Now Baldas are equally neglected and I can say I have used a Baldessa extensively - in fact it is my favourite vintage "glove box" camera. - not valuable enough to worry about losing it, but good enough to take with me everywhere.
That reminds me - I must put a film through a Beauty and I may put one through a Rocca. However I am going to cheat (well I would, wouldn't I with my photographic reputation here at stake!) I now own the ultimate Rocca - the Roccamatic with 4 element Ennit & 9 speed Prontor SLK. Still with the Rose Tinted view on life, but this time with a Bewi (coupled, no less) meter. I'll use that!
Paul
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Post by Randy on Nov 8, 2005 6:50:15 GMT -5
Interesting camera Paul, almost like looking at the world in 'rose coloured glasses' eh? The longer I'm in this hobby I'm amazed at the amount of cameras that have been made!
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Post by Just Plain Curt on Nov 8, 2005 7:46:10 GMT -5
Hmm, now you've stirred up my interest in some of my oldies. Have film going in today for developing, then casino time (in the US of course since ours sucks big time), pick up my newest eBay goodies at my US mailing drop, then time permitting I'm going to put a roll in my Rocca, Super Westomat 35, Universal Buccaneer, Tougodo Buena (I've used this one recently and am impressed), Neoca Robin 35, Beauty Super L, DeJur D1, and Franka Super Frankarette. Can't say for sure if I'll get them all finished this week, but you've given me a bit more motivation so we'll see. Then I need to master image sizing before I post a picture or two.
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Post by Just Plain Curt on Jun 10, 2006 14:32:53 GMT -5
Had to post a couple of pictures from my Montanus Rocca SLK just to see if this thread has been buried due to lack of interest. . Shot with Kodak 200 exposure unrecorded, Enna Ennit 1:2.8/45mm.
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Post by keith201 on Mar 18, 2012 23:06:51 GMT -5
Unfortunately a lot of images posted just disappear - very frustrating!
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