Comments are always welcome; I’ve learned a great deal from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by. While there, visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios, hosted on Etsy). – Chris Whelan
Hi all! I have my last Canon Macrolite ML-1 electronic flash from my collection for sale. This one is the latest version from 1985. It will work perfectly with the Canon New F-1 as well as any of the earlier A-Series cameras. It’s in my Etsy camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com
Comments are always welcome; I’ve learned a great deal from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by. While there, visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios, hosted on Etsy). – Chris Whelan
The Canonflex was released in May 1959. It was Canon’s first 35mm SLR. The Yashica Pentamatic was Yashica’s first 35mm SLR, and it was released in March 1960. It was designed with the help of the recently acquired Nicca Camera Company in 1958. It’s safe to say that without Nicca’s help after the acquisition, the Pentamatic wouldn’t have come to market when it did.
Likely two cameras many have never seen.
As a collector of classic cameras, I appreciate these designs from the late 1950s.What makes them different keeps them the same. Both cameras feature sharp standard f/1.8 lenses. The Canomatic lens is reportedly radioactive. No evidence that the Yashica lens is also radioactive. The lens on the Yashica was made by Tomioka Optical for Yashica. The Canon lens was made by Canon.The Canon is a slightly larger camera than the Yashica. The Pentamatic is slightly more compact compared to the Canonflex. Its all-metal construction puts its weight right there with the larger Canon.Rear view. The serial number on the Canon indicates it was the 5,998th camera made. The Yashica was manufactured in August 1960 and was the 8,101st model produced up to that point in 1960.
Comments are always welcome; I’ve learned a great deal from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by. While there, visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios, hosted on Etsy). – Chris Whelan
Three “new” cameras from 1959. The Asahi Pentax H2 shown here in its Honeywell Heiland badges, the Canon Canonflex, and the Yashica Pentamatic ’35’. All three made their debuts that year, although the Yashica more formally in March 1960. The Asahi is the 4th pentaprism 35mm SLR after their original in 1957. The Canon and Yashica were their first-ever SLRs. The Asahi Pentax more or less set the standard for what a compact 35mm SLR would look like for the next decade. Not pictured with this trio is the Nikon F, which was also released that year.
Three gems from the late 1950s. These were the standard lenses that would have been attached as part of a ‘kit’.The most compact of the three.This one is a beast! It’s about the same size and weight as the Canon F-1, which was released much later in March 1971.Of the three, I think the Yashica has the cleanest design and looks the most modern for the time period.It takes two hands to handle the Canon. The Canon’s lens is radioactive. Not quite enough to heat your dinner (I hope).
Comments are always welcome; I’ve learned a great deal from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by. While there, visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios, hosted on Etsy). – Chris Whelan
Canon’s first 35mm SLR. This one is likely from late 1959 as the serial number is just below 6,000. If you have a chance to get your hands on one, you’ll see straight away that the build quality is top-notch. This one is in mint condition and, except for the slowest speeds, operates like new. The Canon Super-Canomatic R 50mm f/1.8 lens is crystal clear. It’s also an <E.P> marked body. It shares lots of DNA with my early F-1 from August 1971, which is also <E.P> marked.
Canon’s first 35mm SLR. Released in May 1959.Although modern and advanced for 1959, it didn’t catch on. Sales were reported as being disappointing. It’s reported that just shy of 18,000 were sold.My camera’s serial number indicates it was number 5,998 in the first production run. The prism is removable, just like the 1971 Canon F-1.The film advance lever was mounted on the bottom. Unusual but not unheard of for the period. The <E.P> mark was somewhat common in the 1950s, especially on Canon’s rangefinder cameras.It looks just like any modern Canon film camera through the 1980s.A snip from the instruction book from January 1960.It’s claimed that you could shoot and advance up to 3 frames per second!Shared DNA. The Canonflex on the left and my Canon F-1 (1971) on the right.
Comments are always welcome; I’ve learned a great deal from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by. While there, visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios, hosted on Etsy). – Chris Whelan
From 1959. An Asahi Optical Company H2. Shown here with its North American market distributors’ engravings. No self-timer, accessory shoe, or light meter. A clean machine.It still looks modern today.A classic.The Asahi Pentax ‘Original’ or just ‘AP’ as it came to be referred to. From 1957. Asahi’s first 35mm SLR with an eye-level pentaprism.
Comments are always welcome; I’ve learned a great deal from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by. While there, visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios, hosted on Etsy). – Chris Whelan
Comments are always welcome; I’ve learned a great deal from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by. While there, visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios, hosted on Etsy). – Chris Whelan
Comments are always welcome; I’ve learned a great deal from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by. While there, visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios, hosted on Etsy). – Chris Whelan
Classic Canon AE-1 with sharp Canon NFD 50mm f/1.8 lens. A late 1970s staple of the Canon ‘A ‘ Series cameras.This one comes complete as part of the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics set.Sharp little digicam from Fujifilm. The S3100 is a 4 megapixel bridge camera with an outstanding Fujinon 6x zoom lens.CCD sensor for film-like images.Almost new in its original boxed set.I love Fuji cameras!
Comments are always welcome; I’ve learned a great deal from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by. While there, visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios, hosted on Etsy). – Chris Whelan
Comments are always welcome; I’ve learned a great deal from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by. While there, visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios, hosted on Etsy). – Chris Whelan
Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris 