Asahiflex IIa – one of the original 35mm SLRs

June 19, 2025June 19, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

From Japan, released in 1955. The Asahiflex IIa was one of Japan’s first 35mm SLR cameras.

The Asahiflex IIa with a gorgeous Asahi-Kogaku Takumar f/3.5 50mm lens.

The Asahiflex had interchangeable screw-in lenses.

The Asahiflex IIa and a Nicca 3-S. The Nicca is from 1956.

This is a Leica IIIg from 1956. It was made in Germany and features a sharp Leica Summaron f/3.5 3.5cm lens.

It’s a great camera to add to any early 35mm camera collection, and there are plenty still available to collect.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

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Comments are always welcome; I’ve learned quite a bit 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

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, is this blog’s property and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris, Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris. Copyright © 2015-2025 Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris (Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic), Chris Whelan. All rights reserved.

wordless wednesday

June 18, 2025June 18, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

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Contax Classic – 137 MD Quartz

April 8, 2025April 8, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

50th Anniversary Edition (1932-1982). It will be in my camera shop soon.

It can be used as a fully automatic exposure camera (just focus and shoot).

It will include all of the original paperwork and, as a bonus, both the English and Japanese user’s manuals and sales brochures. Watch my shop.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

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Comments are always welcomed, as I’ve learned quite a bit from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by, and while you’re at it, feel free to visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios hosted by Etsy). – Chris Whelan

Friday Fotos! – Contax Crazy

April 4, 2025April 4, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

My Contax RTS with a Contax RTW W-3 and Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 28-70mm f/3.5-4.5 Macro Zoom lens.
www.ccstudio2380.com

The Carl Zeiss lens is super sharp, and the zoom range is perfect for my type of photography.

It’s not complete without the appropriate Contax overdesigned and oversized lens hood.

The original Contax RTS (Real Time System) is a joy to use. If you are looking for a classic 35mm SLR to add to your collection, look no further than the RTS.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

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Happy SUNday! – Canon Crazy

March 30, 2025March 30, 2025Chris and Carol 2 Comments

Canon New F-1 set at the ready. The F-1 is from December 1982, and the lens is from April 1980.

Canon New F-1 with a Canon NFD 20mm f/2.8 lens.

Canon AE Motor Drive FN on my F-1. The drive is from February 1987.

The next time I go for a photo walk, I’ll use the Canon NFD 20mm super wide-angle lens on either this camera or my Fujifilm X-T2.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

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Canon’s amazing 35mm SLR, the EF (1973-1978)

March 9, 2025March 9, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

In many ways, it’s better than the much more famous F-1.

It’s also known as the Canon Black Beauty. It’s built on the F-1’s frame but does not have interchangeable viewfinders or the ability to use a power winder or motor drive.

The EF was first released in 1973, just two years after the F-1. It was Canon’s first aperture-priority camera, well before the AE-1.

The standard lens is the Canon FD 50mm f/1.4 S.S.C. shown here with its lens hood.

Here, a Canon EF and its cousin, the Canon F-1. The F-1 is shown in a limited-edition olive drab.

The Canon EF is a worthy camera for your collection. The ability to electronically time exposures from 1/2 to 30 seconds accurately makes it more versatile than the F-1 in its base form.

The view in the viewfinder. The later EFs had a split-image and microprism focusing screen.

An earlier EF with the FD 50mm F/1.8 S.C. lens.

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Excellent Canon Site (and more, lots more)

March 6, 2025March 6, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

My good friend Paul Sokk has updated his extensive Canon site with exciting finds. It’s worth a visit and a bookmark. Read all about it at http://leica-copies-japan.com/CanonLensesFlashAccs.html#unsynced

Paul is also the author of the world-renowned Yashica TLR site at http://www.yashicatlr.com

http://leica-copies-japan.com/index.html

I visit his sites constantly, as they’re the best sources of accurate information on almost everything related to photography.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

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The Original 35mm SLR from Asahi Pentax

March 1, 2025March 1, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Asahi Pentax

The original Asahi Pentax 35mm SLR (1957-1958), equipped with a Takumar 58mm f/2 lens and an Asahi 46mm UV filter.

It’s a fully functional gem.

The camera was in Australia, and the lens was in Japan; now, they are together in the U.S.

I’m happy to add them to my collection.

It’s credited as being the first modern 35mm SLR camera. It doesn’t look much different from later SLRs from other manufacturers. It was preceded by the Asahiflex pictured below.

The Asahiflex IIa was the first ‘modern’ 35mm SLR from 1955. It featured a pop-up viewing hood instead of an eye-level pentaprism like the later Asahi Pentax original from 1957.

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Single Frame Friday

February 21, 2025February 21, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

J & T Kydd Building, Fernandina Beach, Fl.

The Kydd Building was built in 1873 for J & T Kydd’s Dry Goods, on 301 Centre Street, then a drug store. The adjacent building, the Allen Building, was built in 1911—National Register of Historic Places.
Canon New F-1
Canon FD 24mm f/2.8
Fujifilm 200