I probably shouldnt answer this as im not more than a camera butcher. I owned and operated a pro studio for thirty years and during that time I shot a lot of camera's. My choice as an inexpensive classic would be the petri 7s rangefinder. Lots of us owned the petri in southeast asia in the sixties. I would expect like me it was some guys first 'real' camera. Those more fortunate would probably toss in the pentex spotmatic but I was a poor enlisted man. The pictures might not have been magazine quality, but pardner you can't afford to buy them from me.

Dear Anonymous/Unregistered,

I think you've made the point. Classics today are those cameras that are fondly remembered, AND that turned out good pics -- much like your Petri 7s. But what about real junk that is called 'classic'?

Cheers,

Roger (www.rogerandfrances.com)

I have a classic "mechanical" Zeiss Ikon Contax 35mm viewfinder camera with focal plane shutter, an oldie in great condition, with a great little Biogon 1:2.8 35mm lens, and would like to discuss its features and value with someone out there that collects these little gems.

I don't know if it counts as classic, but my first camera was a Mamiya ZE some 20 years ago. Fond memories retain.
I sold it after ten ten years of traveling all over Europe with it to get a Nikon F50 (wanted AF).
Now I'm back into manual with an FM2 (also a classic in my eyes) and drool over a Bessa (well, that's more retro) or Contax G2 while my F90 goes on Ebay.

I am new to Shutterbug and this is my first post. No it does not matter- and THAT'S why it does matter to us barmy camera nuts. It is the sheer love of it, the quality feel of the older cameras, releasing the shutter, looking through the viewfinder and whatever turns you on. The classic camera is the one that YOU say is the classic one.
I have just bought a few Kodak Retinas and Retinettes on Ebay, a Weston Master IV and it has brought it all back to me. Wonderful. These late 50s and early cameras were solid and had such a quality feel to them. "Just Hold a Pentax" ?
No thanks, they are not a patch on the "real" ones with metal lens barrels.I am English. Is this an all American website only? Regards to all.

What makes a classic. The people who were so fond of these cameras over the years. Old Kodak folders, Zeiss rangefinders,Oylimpus Pen cameras and Tower series. The list goes on and on, but one thing will always remain. The feel, the memories behind the cameras and the people who made the images. Popularity makes a classsic, but most of all time spend with these cameras made the true classics. Monte Johnson.

I am not a camera collector, however, my classic would be the Kodak Signet I bought at the BX, at K-9, an air base in Korea some time between Sept. 1951 and September 1952. When the cameras came in there weren

Roger,
You produced a nice image. I am not a collecter either, but is is interesting to use these old cameras if nothing more then to get the feel of history. Monte Johnson.

Monte

In an above post you mentioned the "Tower series." Were these the Sears Roebuck cameras? Just wondered.

By the way, I went to the KEH site and looked around for a Kodak Signet 35. No joy. I would love to shoot some chromes with it now that I have the KM 5400 II scanner. I might try E-Bay, but with such an old camera I would be a bit leary. Also, if it is truly a collectable and commands a "high" price, for me, it wouldn't be worth it.

Regards

Roger

Roger,

Yes they were made for sears, I think in 1958. A real solid camera, Monte Johnson.

I believe all cameras with the "Tower" name were sold through Sears. But many firms manufactured them through the years. Bob M

Tower was used by Sears to rebadge their cameras, Focal by Kmart and Wards by Montgomery Wards. Tower cameras were often Pentax, Ricoh, Chinon and Mamiya among others.

Anyone using a Petri 7s? Tell me all about this camera, please. I have bought one in great condition that is on the way to me, I know nothing much about it. Does it take anykind of battery. It has mamiya lenses with it.
Harold

Amen brother, I used a Petri 7s to take propaganda leaflet photos in vietnam in 1966, recently bought one at e-bay for $10, forty years later it still works like a champ, this is a true classic.

Roger ... speaking of classics that C-47 (DC3) certainly fits the bill. With a new retro-fit engine now available many once parked are back in service.

About 10 years ago I had what I thought was a classic stolen.
It was a Kodak folder (620 Roll) 6x9 with an Ektar lens. It was purchased by my Dad in the late 1930s.

My latest acquisition is a classic in my mind and others might say I crazy for investing a little over $250 in a 46 year old Yashica 635. It is two 635 made into one. A mint 635 with Yashikor lens and a

Hello. New member here. I got a real nostalgia hit when I read the first post that set off this thread, when Roger (?) mentioned his two Asahi Pentax SV cameras. The SV was my first "real" camera, purchased during an all expense paid vacation Uncle Sam sent me on back in '67 and '68. During my first few years in photography, cameras came and and went but I hung on to that SV. I'd still have it today except for a fire prone VW that self-immolated in 1974. I see them occasionally on eBay and just may yet get another one. The SV just flat-out felt "right" when you held it. Took nice pictures, too, though that screw mount got old fast.

Roger here is an image token with my Tower 19

You have to be really careful with Petris, Konica AutoS1 and2 and for that mater Minolta SRT 100, 101, 102. When I worked in a camera shop these came to me jammed many times. Always do things one at a time and in the normal order. I was able to unjam many of these cameras by patient trial and error and gentle manipulation. My "classics" include Nikon F and F2 with Pre AI lenses, Canon F1, Leicaflex SL, Rolleiflex, and a Leica IIF and Canon P. I am still hunting the right Leica M model.

Have Fun,

Dwight

Quote:
Tower was used by Sears to rebadge their cameras, Focal by Kmart and Wards by Montgomery Wards. Tower cameras were often Pentax, Ricoh, Chinon and Mamiya among others.

The Tower TLR's were made by Topcon. I have had a couple of them over the years.

A true classic camera is just that in the eyes of the person looking at it. It can be any age or size, but looks are all important. I own close to 100 film cameras of many different formats but the one that still takes my eye is the Kodak Bantam Special in black with horizontal chrome accents. Don't own one yet but hope to someday.

Bob

Hi Bob,
That camera was a real beauty.I also never had one. It was an excellent camera, but again was another attempt by kodak to create a new film format which eventually became one of the "filmless wonders". I also had over 100 cameras at one time, but I sold off my collection a few years ago.

When I think "classic camera" I have to think of the Kodak Retina IIa. My dad bought one when they were new. I remember him telling me that Kodak advertised it as the camera that climbed Everest (or something of that nature) with some stunning shots taken from that lofty perch. As a kid, I coveted that camera, and in my later teens, when I had developed (no pun intended) a strong interet in learning photography, he actually let me use it! It was the first camera I had ever used with adjustable lens and shutter. When he passed, I inherited the camera, but it was later stolen. Some years ago I found another one in a small camera store and bought it. The shutter wasn't working, so I sent it to a repairman I knew and had it fixed. It still works, though I haven't used it in a long time. After reading this thread, I think I might just dig it out and put it to some use!

My all-time favorite camera, though, was the Canon F1n (1st generation new model) that I lucked into. A guy traded it in on a telescope at the store I was working at. He had bought it to take astronomical photos using a Celestron reflex telescope. He had shot 2 or 3 rolls and got bored with it. That sucker was just like brand new and I picked it up for $200! It too was stolen. If I could have that F1 back right now, I'd be in seventh heaven!

Yes! The IIa is a gem. I still have mine, but the shutter is getting sticky so I will have to work it a bit before I run some film through it. And yes, the F1n is a great camera. My only objection was the cost of screens because you had to change them to get different exposure modes (i.e. center weighted, spot, etc.). I really liked that you could get either a winder of a motor drive. My favorite lens was the 85 F1.2L.

My F1 was a first generation; only one meter pattern: the 12% "zone" (a rectangular area visible in the viewfinder). The "zone" meter was great because you could choose your own "average" by placing the rectangle over just the amount of light and dark areas of the scene you wanted. The round "zones" of later Canon SLRs like the T90 just didn't seem to work as well as the rectangle, at least for me. Ah! memories!