New guy here, so I'll add my contributions. I don't have anything special; just an accumulation of cameras I've used or picked up over the years. My aunt and uncle gave me a Kodak Brownie Bullet for my eighth birthday, and I've been an avid enthusiast since. Oddly enough, I don't have any descent photos of my cameras! Most of these were taken with an early Sony Mavica in 1998 for a web page I made then, and are under 20kb and tiny by today's standards. I need to dig them out and take something a little more recent...
I still have the Bullet I received in 1961, but for some reason don't have a photo. Here was the online image I grabbed at the time.
Kodak No.2 Brownie Model F from a yard sale
Agfa PD16 Readyset from a yard sale
Zeiss Ikon Maximar (207/7) 9X12 w/Zeiss Tessar 135mm f/4.5 lens
This was in a box in the same aunt and uncle's basement when we clean it out after they were gone.
Zeiss Ikon Contessa 35 with Zeiss-Tessar 45mm f/2.8 lens and Synchro Compur MX synch shutter
This was also from their basement, still works beautifully, and takes great photos. I have the case, box, manual, warrantee card, and sales receipt for it from 1953, when it was $214 new.
Yashika Mat 124G TLR well known for its exceptional quality at a reasonable price. It has a Yashinon 80mm f/2.8 viewing lens and a Yashinon 80mm f/3.5 taking lens. I bought this on eBay in the '90s and have used it a fair bit. Just beautiful images!
Minolta 16 sub-miniature camera, also from my uncle's basement. (My aunt gave him a camera every other year, and a new watch the other every other years. My folks sold off a bunch at the time. I probably wouldn't want to know what they are all worth today...) I have the camera (ser# 20000), both close-up lenses, eveready case, wrist strap, manual, guarantee certificate, hang-tag, and blue flocked and lined box.
Whittaker Micro 16 sub-miniature camera from my uncle's basement. (No photo)
Echo 8 sub-miniature camera. (No photo)
Another so-called spy camera, this one uses 8mm film and is in a slightly oversized Zippo-style lighter case. It even has the striker wheel, flint and wick. To use it, you would slide open the hidden panel on top, flip up the lighter's lid, frame your shot with the 90 degree viewfinder, and trip the shutter. To look nonchalant about the whole affair, you could perform the above while trying to light a cigarette. Unfortunately, this camera is not in working condition. It appears that the die cast body of the camera has swelled in the steel case, making it impossible to remove the mechanism or get to the film cartridge. The shutter is stuck, and the film advance will not roll. And in my zeal to get inside, I accidentally broke part of the "lighter" portion. Still, it makes a nice conversation piece.
Minolta Hi-Matic E 35mm Rangefinder from eBay. I still use this one on occasion. It is nearly silent, and yields pretty nice images. (No photo)
Nikon F4s w/MB-20 and MB-21 from eBay. (generic image)
I picked this one up after I switched from my main Minolta X700 35mm film setup to a Nikon D70, then D200, and Now D750 digital setup. I never could have afforded this camera in its hay day, but at $200 after the world went digital, it was a steal. What an amazing piece of machinery. This is my main film camera when I do shoot film, as it uses all of my D750's lenses.
A lot of cameras came and went over the years that I no longer have. Various Kodak 127 and 110 cameras, a Polaroid Swinger in the '70s, and a series of Minoltas before the X700. I learned a lot from all of them, and still have a lot to learn.
Steve
