Featured Vintage Cameras

Me being a photographer, it’s inevitable that I would have a vintage camera collection.

Here’s a couple random selections from my collection, of the 20th century variety....

1951 Agfa-Gervaert Ventura Box Camera; in working order (made in Germany)

1932 Coronet 020 Box Camera, all mechanisms work, but box is oftentimes somewhat finicky to slide apart, so I leave it intact (made in England)

 

When I left art school, my first job was with a camera where the film was developed inside the camera back. The camera back was large enough for three of us to walk around, comfortably.
Focusing was done by moving the lens board with a 8" crank wheel along a railway line and the subject was lit with four carbon arc lights. Exposures were generally in minutes or fractions thereof. The film came in huge sheets and one wall had a vacuum built into it that held the film sheet in place. I don't know the actual maker but the lens was a Rodenstock that dated from the 1880's.
We made the printing plates for the local newspapers along with other stuff.

 

That sounds amazing, Blooey!

 

I sure got a kick out of it at the time ..I arrived at the job just a year or so before photoengraving was replaced by newer technology. AFAIK the old equipment was scrapped and the building sold.

 

That does sound amazing @blooey I work a lot with digital because of convenience, but I prefer the look I get from film. I shoot a lot with a Hasselblad 500 C/M with a digital back/film swap out. I would have loved to see the camera you used in full operation, must have been an amazing sight❤️

 

Well I wasn't in Winnipeg, but in the 60's and 70's it was the centre of the Canadian universe as far as graphic arts were concerned. Maybe you could find one there still in operation or a museum or something

 

That will be a little side-mission of mine, to see if anyone here knows of this

 

The sort of Monday it will be for me....have a great day Antiquers!

 

I took a photography class in college and I can still remember what the chemicals smelled like. I have my 35mm cam somewhere in a closet with some of the lens part and other things. I wasn't very good at taking pics, my hands shook too much during developing.
My paternal grandfather was excellent at taking photos. He had his own little dark room and I think a Brownie cam which one of my brothers grabbed.

Lovely work VintageMaven.

 

@pearlsnblume We all have a calling for something creatively, you must have found yours somewhere. I guess mine is taking pictures, I was told by an older mentor when I was starting out, I have a unique way of actually “seeing things”. Whenever I take a picture, I see music...if that makes sense. The photos I post to the forum, I actually take using my iPad, I think I do better work with my cameras, but it sure is a lot easier to get a basic concept up using the technology at hand.