Before World War II, 35mm cameras started to gain popularity with rangefinders like Leica and Leica copies like the Zorki. After the war, and especially into the 1950's, the SLR style cameras started to take over. One being the KMZ Start. The KMZ Start (Старт in Russian), is a professional 35mm SLR camera made in… Continue reading The KMZ Start
Tag: 35mm camera
The Leica IIIF – Final Chapter?
The Leica IIIF RD has been the subject of a lot of my articles lately, and for good reason. It has been quite the ride. I first purchased a IIIF RD from KEH last year when I discovered it had pinholes in the shutter curtain. You can read about that here. I was happy to… Continue reading The Leica IIIF – Final Chapter?
The Zenit B – An SLR from the USSR
In 1968, the KMZ plant (Krasnogorski Mekhanicheskii Zavod - Mechanical Factory of Krasnogorsk) located just outside of Moscow, created an SLR called the Zenit B, and more than half a million were produced between 1968-1973. Zenit B Top Plate In Russian it is Зени́т B, and when translated to English it's Zenit-V. Zenit meaning Zenith, a point… Continue reading The Zenit B – An SLR from the USSR
The Pentax ME Super – the Camera that Proves Size Isn’t Everything
If you are just starting out in film photography, the Pentax ME Super is a great choice. It is so small you can carry it in your purse or coat jacket. It also has a great blend of automatic and manual features. There is so much packed into such a small body, and yet it… Continue reading The Pentax ME Super – the Camera that Proves Size Isn’t Everything
The Exakta VX1000 – A Left Handers Dream?
Exakta VX1000 The Exakta is an advanced camera made by a Dutch owned factory named Ihagee Kamerawerk located in Germany in 1936, just before world war 2. That sentence right there says a lot about its history all by itself. There were a series of 8 versions throughout its production. The Exaktas continued to be… Continue reading The Exakta VX1000 – A Left Handers Dream?
The Canon FTb QL
Ilford HP5 400 The Canon FTb QL is a mechanical 35mm SLR for the advanced amateur photographer. It was released in 1971 at the same time as its Pro brother the F-1 and was preceded by the FT QL. (Check out Jim Greys great review of that camera). The FT uses the FL mount lenses… Continue reading The Canon FTb QL
One Shot with Aly – the Abandoned Hotel
Nikon F Fujicolor Pro 400H This beautiful hotel was built in Stuart, Florida in the 1970s. It is one of the few old buildings left in the area. It is located on the water next to a boat store, and I pass it every week when I go to the chiropractor. Every-time I pass it… Continue reading One Shot with Aly – the Abandoned Hotel
The Nikon F – the Camera that Will Outlive You
this tank of a camera just feels indestructible. When you hold a heavy Nikon F you just feel like this monster could never be broken.
The Bell & Howell/ Canon Dial 35
I first saw this camera on a vintage camera Facebook page many years ago and I loved the way it looked. I have an affinity for all things from the 1960's so the design of the camera appealed to me. Back then I wasn't shooting with my collection of vintage cameras because film wasn't as readily available as it is becoming today so I had intended to purchase one for display in my cabinet. For some reason I can't remember, it may have been price, I never bought one. Now that I am shooting film in my cameras I decided to revisit this camera.
Shooting 35mm film with a Rolleiflex Automat
The day it came in the mail, I had just missed the mailman and was so upset because it was a holiday weekend and I didn't want my camera sitting in the post office. I tracked down the mailman and got him to give me my package. I'm too embarrassed to even say how I tracked him down. Yes, Rollei had me going temporarily insane.