G'day

[keith201]

Hi. I'm from Taupo, New Zealand. We seem to have a fairly wide spread worldwide of members here.

I got into collecting quite fortuitously. My Minolta 600si was stolen, insurance replaced it with a Sony a350 which got me into digital after a lifetime of film. I hadn't done a lot of photography for a while because of the cost of film and processing on a pension.

I saw some interesting old cameras on Trademe (a NZ only auction site, somewhat like Ebay) and thought it would be interesting to see if I could find any of the old cameras I learned on back in the "40s and '50s. So I started and have a reasonable small collection now starting with the first camera I ever used to take a photo of my mum when I was about 4 yrs old - a No1 Autograph Kodak Jnr which was my dad's. I've managed to get most of them, I'm still short of my very own first camera, a Voigtlander Bessa II, they are pretty costly these days although I have just got a good Kodak Retina IIc for a very reasonable price, NZ$57 which would convert to about GBP28

I'll have to have a good look around and find where I can list my collection, I've been as factual as I can with descriptions

[daveh]

Keith, welcome. It's still yesterday here - for another two and a half hours. I look forward to hearing more about your collection.

On another tack, I was a bit surprised to see NZ go down by nine wickets to South Africa.

Dave.

[nikonbob]

Keith

Welcome to the forum from another pensioner. I do most of my shooting with digital these days but pick up the odd film camera every now and then too. I think there are a few pensioners on here.

Bob

[keith201]

Thanks for the welcome guys.

Here is my collection FWIW.
Actually the Retina hasn't arrived yet, I'll update my listing when I've had a chance to look it over
CAMERA COLLECTION

No. 1 Autograph Kodak Junior, 120 roll film, 6x9cm, folder, 1914-1927, S/N 510751, Kodar anastigmatic 111mm f7.9 lens No. 25661 Kodak ball bearing shutter, (probably manufactured 1922 from internal evidence, assembled in Canada). Very good condition. Cost US$23.00

Kodak Brownie Pliant Six-20, 620 roll film, 6x9cm, folder, 1936, No S/N, f11-32 simple lens. Kodol No.0 shutter 1/50, Very good condition. Found 1936 ad for this model although some sources say c1939. Cost US$40

Kodak Retinette (017), 35mm, viewfinder, folder, 1952-1954, S/N 382408 Schneider-Kreuznach Reomar 50mm f4.5 lens, Prontor-SV shutter. Cost US$59.50. Good condition

Kodak Retina IIc (020) 35mm viewfinder, folder, 1954-1957 S/N 68311 coupled rangefinder, Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Xenon 50mm F2.8 lens S/N 4810931, Syncro-Compur shutter. Very good condition. In terms of sheer beauty, mechanical precision and fit and finish, the IIc simply wins. It was perhaps the apex of Kodak camera quality. Cost new was US$135

Braun Paxette 1b, 35mm, viewfinder, 1954, S/N 368273, extinction light meter, Staeble-Katar 45mm f2.8 lens. Prontor shutter, pristine condition US$50

Braun Gloria, 120 roll film, 6x9cm, viewfinder, folder (tube), 1954, No S/N, uncoupled rangefinder, Praxar Bayreuth 75mm f2.9 lens S/N 36894, Prontor SVS shutter,. Very good condition except rangefinder dual image is not easy to see, a common problem with this model.

Crystar Koki KK.(COC), Crystarflex, 120 roll film, 6x6cm, TLR,, 1954-55, No S/N, Crystar shutter 1/10 – 1/200, C-Master 80mm f3.5 lens Fungus in lens. Non-operational, this is a rather obscure Japanese company, I can find little about it. It seems to have operated from 1953 - 57 and made several folders and TLRs.

Braun Super Paxette, 35mm, viewfinder, 1956, S/N 258435, coupled rangefinder, Prontor SVS shutter, Steinheit Cassarit 45mm f2.8 & Roeschlein- Kreuznach Talenar 135mm f5.6 interchangeable lenses, , Non-operational, stuck shutter, fungus in 135mm lens. US$50 (?)

Zeiss Contina 1b, (526/24) 35mm, viewfinder, 1956, S/N 8656, Novicar 45mm f2.8 lens, Prontor SVS shutter, Very good condition, slight rubbing on the back enamel.

Kodak Brownie Flash II, 620 roll film, box camera, July 1957- 60, No S/N, Single blade shutter, lens: Kodet f14 with close-up lens (one source states f11).. Imitation leather covered metal box with horizontally striped front panel; 2 brilliant viewfinders; pin and screw flash contacts.. Very good condition, slight rubbing on front panel.

Kodak Retinette (022), 35mm, viewfinder, 1958, S/N 368103, Schneider Kreuznach 45mm f3.5 lens. Compur Rapid shutter, Nickel plating on the camera front body rubbed off.

Kodak Brownie 127, (model 2), 127 roll film, 60x40mm, viewfinder, 1959-1963, No S/N, plastic Dakor f11, 1/50 shutter speed. Good condition. GBP 1, 4 shillings, 6d Non-operational. 127 film not available.

Agfa Optima I, 35mm, viewfinder, 1959, S/N BN4005, automatic, Color Angar 45mm f2.8 lens. Zone focusing, Prontor-Lux shutter, Immaculate condition. The first ever camera with programmed exposure..

Agfa Optima II, 35mm, viewfinder, 1960, S/N EH6748, automatic, Color Apotar 45mm f2.8 lens , zone focusing, Prontormator shutter, Programmed exposure, Good working condition, one side of the trim covering the front plate missing.

Voigtlander Vito C . 35mm, viewfinder, 1960, No S/N, Lanthar 50mm f2.8 lens. Pronto shutter, Excellent condition. Slight scuffing on bottom plate. Cost new 18 GBP

Ilford Sportsman, (Style 4), 35mm, viewfinder, 1962, S/N 205115, Dacora 45mm f2.8 lens. Vario shutter, cost GBP12 . Very good condition. In the 1960s the Sportsman range held over 50% of the UK camera market

Kodak Instamatic 233X, 126 cartridge, 26.5x26.5mm, viewfinder, Sept 1970-71.No S/N, Reomar 41mm f6.6 lens,. shutter 1/40, 1/80, Non-operational. 126 film cartridges made from 1963 to 2008 and not available although Adox expect to release 126 film in 2012.

Minolta Autopak 470, 110 cartridge, 13x17mm, viewfinder, 1978, 26mm f3.5 lens, electronic shutter, 2 – 1/1000 sec. programmed exposure. Non-operational 110 film cartridges made from 1972, to Sept 2009.. Adox Pan 400 due to be released in 2012, will be available in 110 size.

Kodak Disc 4000, HR Disc, viewfinder, 1982-1984, ‘CAMEROSITY’ code ‘YOIA’ (June 1982), 12.5mm f2.8 aspheric lens, shutter 1/100 – 1/200, Cost US$68 new, Non-operational (flash appears u/s), HR Disc film cartridges ceased production 1998 and no longer available. Kodak made 8 million disc cameras in 1982

Pentax P30, 35mm, SLR, 1985-1997, S/N 3414375, manual focus, K, KA ,KF mount lenses, SMC Pentax-A 35-70mm, f3.5-4.5, Sigma 70-210mm, f4-5.6, 2x Teleconverter, Excellent condition, built like a tank! Cost US$323.00. Has no provision for a cable release.

Chinon Genesis III, 35mm, ZLR, 1987, S/N 10002878, automatic, fixed 38-110mm zoom f4.4-5.6 lens, 1 –1/ 1000 shutter speed.. Non-operational. This model is effectively a glorified ‘point and shoot’ camera

Minolta 7000i, 35mm, SLR, 1988, Lenses, Sigma 35-70mm zoom, Sigma 70-210mm zoom, Excellent condition. The 2nd generation of integrated autofocus and automatic film advance. Its autofocus was found to infringe Honeywell patents and Minolta was fined US$127.6 million

Minolta 500si, 35mm, SLR, 1993, S/N 997031015, Lenses Minolta AF Zoom 28-80, f3.5(22)-5.6 D, Minolta zoom-xi 80-200 mm f4.5(22)-5.6. Excellent condition. Has no provision for remote release.

.Olympus Superzoom 80 Wide, 35mm, compact, 1994, S/N 1365781, 28-80mm zoom, f4.5-7.8. Contemporary with the Mju series but generally less expensive and more robust. Excellent condition

Olympus Mju 'Wide 80', 35mm, compact, 1998, S/N 1201041, 28-80mm zoom Excellent condition. (I had a 1993 35-70mm model which was stolen)

Hanimex Vision 1, 35mm, viewfinder, 1999-2003, No S/N, plastic 'point and shoot'. Hanimex are mostly rebranded Halina cameras. Good working condition.. The company is named after the owner, Jack Hannes , an Aussie, it stands for Hannes import export,

Minolta 404si, 35mm, SLR, 1999, S/N 00104113, Lenses Minolta 35-70mm zoom, f3.5(22)-5.6 D, Sigma UC Zoom 70-210mm, f4-5.6, good condition.

Canon Sureshot Classic 120, 35mm, compact, 1999, S/N 3707214, 38-120mm zoom, good condition..

Canon Sureshot Z135 Caption, 35mm, compact, 2003, S/N 1707836, 38-135mm zoom Still has unfinished film in it, good condition

Nikon Coolpix P80, digital, bridge, 2008, S/N 70113782, 10Mp, 1/2.33in sensor, Nikkor 18x Optical 4.7-84.2mm zoom VR,f2.8-4.5 (27-486mm, 35mm film equivalent),. 38mm filter thread. NZ$600

Sony A350, DSLR, 2008, S/N 2836438, 14.2Mp, APS-C sensor, (23.6x15.8mm), Lenses Sony 18-70mm f3.5-5.6,(SAL1870) Sony 55-200mm,f 4-5.6, (SAL55200), , Sigma APO Zoom Macro 70-300mm f4-5.6, 2x teleconverter. Crop factor 1.5, NZ$2000

Sony Ericsson C905 Cybershot, camera phone, 2008, 8.1Mp, lens 5.9mm f/2.8

Fujicolor Quicksnap Superia, 35mm, single use, 2009, plastic 30mm f10 lens, shutter 1/140, 800 ISO, Film expired.2009-05

[colray]

Hi Keith welcome and that's a grand looking collection

[grenouille]

Welcome Keith,

Can see you have definitely caught the bug, Regards

Hye

[Deleted]

Welcome, Keith, from another retiree.

Wayne

[photax]

Keith,

Welcome from a working guy. I am sure you`ll like it here

MIK

[keith201]

I began by trying to replace the various cameras I've used during my lif. but decided to expand it to be a collection covering the various periods and styles. I'm still looking for my first two, a Voigtlander Bessa II with a coupled rangefinder. When they are available, they are too pricey for me, also my 2nd camera, a Voigtlander Vito IIa, a 35mm folder. The nearest I have is the Retinette 017 which preceded it. I also have the Retina IIc on its way, I should receive it later this week. Most of the cameras I own have a story to tell, the Sony a350 is my current 'working' camera, my son Cameron who lives with me uses the Nikon P80. He only ever uses it on Auto, ne's a computer wizz and not that interested in photography. However he lent it to Mei, a Maori girl and one of my best mates to take on a trip to the South Island. She sat on it and cracked the rear LCD screen so it's away being repaired.

I am short so far of an APS film camera and my collection will be just about complete. But . . . there's always something interesting just round the corner, isn't there?

[mickeyobe]

Keith,

You have a very nice and varied collection and you have come to the place where every item will be appreciated.

Mickey

[keith201]

I'm trying to find the original cost price of my cameras, I have most of the Kodaks priced after a lot of searching on the Net. It's difficult to get much information on the others though. I would certainly appreciate anything anyone can tell me, not only about the prices but anything else, the more information I can find, the better!

I;ve updated my list with what I've found so far.

This collecting bug sort of creaped up on me and bit me on the bum!

[retina]

G'day Keith,

I've got a good library, and the New Zealand Kodak trade Bulletin for April 1956 lists the Retina Ib at £37 9s 0d, but the buggers don't list the IIc sorry, maybe it was not imported into NZ at that time. The same month Kodak were touting the new high-speed film Kodak Tri-X.

Regards, Chris

[retina]

I knew I had it here someplace. I've turned up a New Zealand Kodak catalogue from around 1959. The Retina IIC was at that time £49/18/6. Chances are high the Retina IIc of a couple of years earlier was very much the same price. Of course, if you were well-heeled, you could always go for the Retina IIIS with 50mm f/1.9 Xenon at only £91/16/-

Regards, Chris

[mickeyobe]

Mar 19, 2012 23:05:02 GMT -5 keith201 said:

I'm trying to find the original cost price of my cameras, I have most of the Kodaks priced after a lot of searching on the
This collecting bug sort of creaped up on me and bit me on the bum!

Keith,

Jim and Joan McKeown's 1981 book
"collectors guide to Kodak cameras"
gives the original selling prices of many of their listings.

If you give me a list of your Kodaks for which you want prices I will try to find their selling prices.

It should be quite easy.

Mickey

[keith201]

I have prices for most of my kodaks from various places on the Net, I am still wanting the price for a 1957 Kodak Brownie Flash II box camera and the 1958 Retinette 022. I'm not sure about the cost of the Brownie Pliant six-20 folder from 1936 or 1939, depends who you believe. The $40 I came across seems high for what it is

It's good to find a familiar face on here Chris, you may have pushed the cost of the Retina up a bit but it's a beautiful little camera, when I compare it with my Retinette 017, the Retina is like a jewel in comparison!

Now I suppose I really should get back to taking some photos, Taupo Camera Club has Macro as this month's subject and I'm still waiting for the insurance to come up with a replacement macro lens for the old Sigma I had which fell on the floor and didn't bounce. Fortunately my camera body survived undamaged, the lens took the shock and the aperture blades all came adrift.