Macro Monday – simple but elegant machines

August 31, 2020August 31, 2020Chris and Carol 4 Comments

Yashica self-timer ca. 1955

yashica self-timer

Walz self-timer ca. 1957

walz self-timer

Canon self-timer 1953

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I say simple but still amazingly complex and elegant.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to stop by my online camera shop hosted by Etsy at http://www.ccstudio2380.com – Chris

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

SUNday Spotlight! – Discovering some Fuji Fun

August 30, 2020August 30, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Fujifilm = Fuji Fun! Here’s a simple but fun to use point and shoot 35mm film camera from Fuji Photo Film Company – 1993. It’s hard to imagine that this camera is now over 25-years-old and it’s never been used.

It features a Fujinon f8 34mm lens with 3 elements in 3 groups. The shutter operates from 1/40 to 1/600 of a second. Built-in automatic flash and of course, red-eye reduction.

The Discovery line from Fuji was very popular with a ton of models produced in the early 1990s. The Discovery 90 Date listed for ¥18,500 in 1993 (about $160 USD).

It has some pretty nice features for such an easy to use camera. That’s the original film that came with the set – it’s expired but still usable.

I replaced the original CR2025 battery with a fresh one and reset the date.

These “Plastic Fantastic” cameras are a joy to use and with its Fujinon 34mm lens produced some quality images especially loaded with Fujicolor film.

Thanks for stopping by and have a fantastic Sunday! – Chris

http://www.ccstudio2380.com

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

Classic Mamiya M645 – a medium format SLR from 1975

August 29, 2020August 29, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Who hasn’t seen a professional photographer with a Mamiya M645? They were the go-to camera systems for weddings, school photos, and just about any type of photography that benefited from its 6×4.5cm format. I’ll admit, the camera did best on a tripod in a studio but with a steady hand and fast film, it did well on walkabouts.

Here is mine from a recent purchase from the original owner’s estate. Mr. Ken Cobean was a well-known writer and photographer from New Mexico back when it was still part of the old west. Ken’s works were published in magazines such as Time and Life and Ken received two prestigious awards for his photography during the 1964 New York World’s Fair.

Here’s Ken’s Mamiya M645 from 1975.

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It’s a beautifully maintained camera from Ken’s collection of portrait and press photography and it’s available in my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

Thanks for stopping by! – Chris

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

I Like Leica (stuff)!

August 28, 2020August 28, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

More Leica-Leitz stuff. This well-preserved brochure is from March 1949.

The finder was useful from 35mm to 135mm – a must once you started using lenses above 50mm.

The Leica catalog code is ‘VIOOH’ and the catalog number is 66,006a.

The finder was quite expensive for 1949 at $77 plus tax. I believe this brochure is dated 3/49 if I interpret the code correctly.

A somewhat similar viewfinder from Japan ca. 1952 from an unknown maker. This one is dedicated to using 13.5cm lenses.

Thanks so much for stopping by and be sure to visit my “gift shop” at http://www.ccstudio2380.com – Chris

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

Friday Fotos! – Mamiya M645

August 28, 2020August 28, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

The Mamiya M645 – a classic from 1975.

Mamiya M645 – 15 exposures on 120 roll film.

Medium format film camera with Mamiya-Sekor C f/4 150mm portrait lens.

Prism finder mounted in lieu of the standard waist-level finder. No built-in exposure meter.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day (be safe y’all!). – Chris

Be sure to visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com for some truly unique cameras and photographic accessories.

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

wordless wednesday

August 26, 2020August 26, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

pipes

wall arts

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day! – Chris

‘contrasts’

Be sure to visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com for some truly unique cameras and photographic accessories.

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

Large Format Lens – Wollensak Raptar

August 24, 2020August 24, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

It sounds like a bird of prey – Wollensak Raptar. It’s actually a Raptar Serirs II 162mm f/4.5 (Catalog 2) lens that was made from 1947 to 1972. This one is from around 1950 and is in excellent condition with a fully working and accurate Wollensak Rapax 3 Synchromatic lens.

This 162mm lens is equivalent to a 55mm ‘normal’ lens in 35mm photography.

Classic Burke & James Press (4×5) camera from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s (pictured below).

Super clean and shiny.

1946 catalog from Burke & James.

This press camera is designed to shoot with still available 4×5 inch sheet film in both color and black & white negative film and color transparency (slide) film.

An example of a currently available 4×5 sheet film. Kodak, Fujifilm, Ilford, and others are still made and there are many online labs that develop the film.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great and safe day! – Chris

http://www.ccstudio2380.com

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

New ground glass focusing screen for my Burke & James 4×5 Press Camera

August 23, 2020August 23, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

I’ve recently acquired a rather large collection of cameras and various bits of gear from well-known New Mexico writer and photographer Ken Cobean’s estate. His son, Sam Cobean was kind enough to let me appraise his dad’s collection and we’ve since struck a deal for me to purchase it.

One of the cameras in the collection is this very nice Burke & James Press camera (pictured below) from the late 1940s to early 1950s (I haven’t nailed down the exact date of this particular camera as of this post). It may turn out to be a mid-fifties camera and lens set after a tad more research.

4×5 inch large format press camera. Equipped with a Wollensak Rapax Syncromatic shutter with speeds from 1 to 1/200th of a second plus ‘B’ and ‘T’.

The lens is a Wollensak 162mm f/4.5 coated Raptar Series II (Tessar type) made about 1950 or 1951. In 4×5 large format photography, a 162mm focal length lens is considered to be equivalent to a ‘normal’ 55mm lens in 35mm photography.

The ‘C’ with the ‘W’ inside it (in red) indicates that the lens is ‘Wocoted’ or simply has a Wocote coating on all lens surfaces. This lens was produced between 1947 to 1972.

After installing a new custom made ground glass focusing screen I decided to give it a test run in the studio. My Yashica LM proved to be an appropriate subject.

The revolving back on the B&J Press was rotated to take advantage of the verticle nature of the shot. I’m quite pleased with the results.

My ‘studio’ set up. The press camera is in the dark on the lower right.

The original ground glass in the press camera has seen better days.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day! – Chris

http://www.ccstudio2380.com

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

SUNday Spotlight – Chasing Classic Cameras – Leica Bits!

August 23, 2020August 23, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Part of the fun of collecting cameras is discovering something you didn’t know existed. In this case, I recently discovered that Leica Leitz made lens cases out of Bakelite (ancient plastic) that held various Leica lenses in the late 1940s and early 1950s (reportedly as early as the mid-1930s).

The case is designed to hold the lens securely with a small notch for the focus knob.

There are small numbers embossed in the base, 2729, and on the cap 2617. These numbers do not show up currently on a search of Leica catalog numbers.

The outside of the base of the Bakelite case.

‘BCDOO’ was the Leica catalog code for the Bakelite lens case for the 3.5cm Summaron. The translation of the French is “Bakelite boxes with screw-thread cover for…”.

Apparently, at some point in time (I don’t know the date of this catalog) these Bakelite cases were offered with the lenses as either a standard accessory or available as a separate option.

A small sample of the Bakelite cases.

Thanks for stopping by and here’s hoping you have a beautiful day and that you’re about to discover something neat in your camera collection! – Chris

By the way, my camera shop is always open at http://www.ccstudio2380.com so feel free to pop on over.

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

New in the Shop – Cameras, Lenses & Neat Photo Stuff!

August 22, 2020August 22, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Hi all! Hope you’re staying safe and taking care of one another. Here are some new items I’ve added to my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com this week.

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Thanks for stopping by and have a great day! – Chris

My shop is at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris

Yashica cameras and so much more!

Month August 2020

Macro Monday – simple but elegant machines

Yashica self-timer ca. 1955

SUNday Spotlight! – Discovering some Fuji Fun

Fujifilm = Fuji Fun! Here’s a simple but fun to use point and shoot 35mm film camera from Fuji Photo Film Company – 1993. It’s hard to imagine that this camera is now over 25-years-old and it’s never been used.

Classic Mamiya M645 – a medium format SLR from 1975

I Like Leica (stuff)!

More Leica-Leitz stuff. This well-preserved brochure is from March 1949.

Friday Fotos! – Mamiya M645

The Mamiya M645 – a classic from 1975.

wordless wednesday

Large Format Lens – Wollensak Raptar

It sounds like a bird of prey – Wollensak Raptar. It’s actually a Raptar Serirs II 162mm f/4.5 (Catalog 2) lens that was made from 1947 to 1972. This one is from around 1950 and is in excellent condition with a fully working and accurate Wollensak Rapax 3 Synchromatic lens.

New ground glass focusing screen for my Burke & James 4×5 Press Camera

I’ve recently acquired a rather large collection of cameras and various bits of gear from well-known New Mexico writer and photographer Ken Cobean’s estate. His son, Sam Cobean was kind enough to let me appraise his dad’s collection and we’ve since struck a deal for me to purchase it.

SUNday Spotlight – Chasing Classic Cameras – Leica Bits!

Part of the fun of collecting cameras is discovering something you didn’t know existed. In this case, I recently discovered that Leica Leitz made lens cases out of Bakelite (ancient plastic) that held various Leica lenses in the late 1940s and early 1950s (reportedly as early as the mid-1930s).

New in the Shop – Cameras, Lenses & Neat Photo Stuff!

Hi all! Hope you’re staying safe and taking care of one another. Here are some new items I’ve added to my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com this week.