29
votes
Accepted
How did this note "19/65 21/90 22/130" help previous owner of this old Zenit 12XP film camera?
Those look like DIN speeds that match values on the GOST meter dial.
GOST was the Soviet film speed standard; it was on the same scale as ASA speed, but 90% the value (so GOST 360 was equivalent to ...
- 6,982
16
votes
What is this called? Old film camera viewer?
It is called a slide viewer.
Unlike photographic negatives, where the darkest parts of the image are lightest and vice-versa, photographic slide film produced a positive image directly on the film ...
- 173k
14
votes
Which cameras were used prior to Apollo 11?
According to this NASA PDF, Apollo 7 and 8 did not take hand-held cameras, instead using vehicle mounted Maurer or custom-built cameras.
Apollo 9 had a Hasselblad Superwide, Apollo 10 had no hand ...
- 17.8k
12
votes
Accepted
What to check when buying used and old film bodies?
I'm not too sure about your mount questions, but I do collect working vintage gear. Here's what I do and look for...
If applicable, bring a battery - There's really no excuse not to bring a fresh ...
- 20.4k
11
votes
Accepted
Can anyone identify the silver rangefinder-style camera in this advertisement?
That is a Contax G1 interchangeable lens autofocus rangefinder camera.
- 134
10
votes
Will an old film camera still work even when not used in a very long time?
Check the battery holder. If the old batteries have been taken out you might be fine.
One of the risks with older equipment is battery corrosion. If the old batteries have not been taken out they may ...
- 1,223
10
votes
Accepted
What is a Nikon "LlBc" screw-on lens filter?
That's actually an L1BC filter (ell one bee cee). It's equivalent to a Skylight 1A, and is meant to cut UV with film. It's of very limited use with digital; primarily to reduce blue-channel ...
- 166
10
votes
How did this note "19/65 21/90 22/130" help previous owner of this old Zenit 12XP film camera?
It's just a little conversion reference for film speeds – equating German DIN standard with Soviet GOST (ГОСТ) standard.
See Table 1 in the Wikipedia article on 'Film Speed' for example film stocks.
- 10.7k
9
votes
Accepted
What is the precise model and background of this Kodak Six-20 camera with bellows?
Six-20, also known as 620, is the film size that fits your camera. The film itself was the same as the more standard 120 film. The only difference is the size of the spool upon which it is wound. A ...
- 173k
9
votes
Will an old film camera still work even when not used in a very long time?
It might. It might not, it all depends on how the camera was used/abused, and how it was stored.
Age can affect things like the light-tightness of rubber seals, sticky grease on aperture blades, and ...
- 50.5k
8
votes
Accepted
Why do I see no photos on my film?
I'm assuming that you are unwinding part of the roll before you have it developed to check the images. The term here is "latent image." There is a chemical change in the film when light strikes it, ...
- 4,016
8
votes
What is this called? Old film camera viewer?
That's a slide viewer - the "little white squares" are 35mm photographic slides.
I have one just like the one in the picture - it's a nice way of checking slides before putting them into a projector ...
7
votes
What is this camera / Can I develop the film?
This is a 8mm movie camera made in Japan about 1956. That was about the date that home movies peaked. Like all 8mm cameras of that period, this camera was loaded with “double 8” film. This is actually ...
- 37.7k
7
votes
Accepted
Where can I find a manual for a vintage Coronet Captain box camera?
Online, your simplest and easiest options are to google on the name of the camera and "user manual", or to find out if the manufacturer still exists and has a website and look through their support/...
- 50.5k
6
votes
Will an old film camera still work even when not used in a very long time?
It really depends on the individual camera and how it has been stored.
Before sourcing a film to run through it, gently try the wind on feature and shutter to see if they work. If things are stiff do ...
- 1,180
6
votes
Why do so many old cameras have camera lenses made in Japan?
Japan was not the only country making cameras and lenses in the 1970's and 1980's but they had a huge market share. (they still do)
Before World War II most good cameras were made in Germany. ...
- 11.9k
6
votes
Will an old film camera still work even when not used in a very long time?
The Olympus 35DC is a rangefinder with an automatic shutter (electronically controlled). I have a couple cameras which are quite similar--the Yashica Electro 35 GSN and the Canon Canonet G-III 17.
...
- 653
6
votes
How do you know if an analog film camera is still working?
To render this answer more generally useful, I will first give some general tests to perform not specific to your particular model of camera:
If the camera needs a battery, get one and pop it in. For ...
- 2,748
5
votes
Why do so many old cameras have camera lenses made in Japan?
As to why Japan was/is so successful a lens-making nation, the summary in this excellent thesis answers your question pretty well:
http://www.academia.edu/891283/...
- 669
5
votes
Accepted
Collodion / Wet Plate: How to guess the exposure time?
This material has super low sensitivity to light. Additionally, it has no sensitivity to red so you can use a safelight. Assume an ISO of 2. The sunny 16 rule of thumb is workable. This will be: ...
- 37.7k
5
votes
How to perfectly overlap two photos?
The essence of the trick is to stand in exactly the same place.
This may require some trial & error.
Perspective will be your single biggest issue. You can only match perspective by observing from ...
- 21.6k
4
votes
Can I remove the lens on a Minolta Hi Matic 9 to add a zoom lens?
The Minolta Hi Matic 9 has a fixed 45mm lens. It is not possible to switch lenses.
Source: oldcamerareview
Lens variety and interchangeability – Nope, you won’t get that either. But, if you ...
- 11.9k
4
votes
What kind of a Polaroid 600-camera is this?
It would seem to be a standard Polaroid 600 in a colour that this dude on flickr refers to as Party Blue. Indeed searching for Polaroid 600 Party Blue on Google yields many results showing that camera....
- 317
4
votes
Accepted
What vintage mechanical camera looks like the Fuji x20?
Fujifilm's recent cameras take their design cues from rangefinder cameras of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. At that time, a look similar to this was typical, just as DSLRs in the 2000s tended to be ...
- 142k
4
votes
What was the price of a brand-new Praktica Super TL 1000?
I purchased my TL 1000 in 1980 from Dixon's and the basic price with the lens was £49.00, the same price as an Olympus trip back then. I may be a little late with this but it may help in the future. ...
- 41
4
votes
What was the price of a brand-new Praktica Super TL 1000?
I bought one today, and I kid you not, it still had its pricetag. R149 - that is South African Rand. In those days the ZAR was trading at R1 to the USD.
- 41
4
votes
Will an old film camera still work even when not used in a very long time?
Where was it previously stored? Check its lens for signs of fungus and haze. Then, Make sure all the dials on the camera are not jammed. This includes the shutter speed dial and the ISO dial (if you ...
- 51
4
votes
What is a Nikon "LlBc" screw-on lens filter?
It's likely that you're not reading the filter correctly. It's probably L1Bc. It's a skylight / UV filter used in the film days. It has a very slight pinkish cast.
It has no value when used with ...
- 31.6k
4
votes
Accepted
How do I activate Depth of Field Preview on a Canon Eos 100?
Can someone either confirm it exists or tell me how?
Page 61 of the EOS 100 user manual explains how to set the various custom functions. There's a list of 7 different settings you can turn on, and (...
- 31.6k
4
votes
Were "shutter speeds" for cameras really in the hours back in the day?
The claim is 'half true'.
Very early photographs did take hours of exposure, but by the time the first portraits were being taken, that was down to 15 minutes or so. A long time to be sitting still, ...
- 21.6k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible