Happy SUNday!

August 8, 2021August 8, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

I hope everyone is having an enjoyable day and most importantly, staying safe. We’re entering the final stages of a kitchen and dining room refresh and paint is finally hitting the recently barren walls. We decided on a Sherwin-Williams paint color called Smoky Blue (SW 7604) in a matte finish and we couldn’t be happier with the color and the changes it made in the rooms.

The pantry cabinet is from Ikea, LVT floor from Mannington and labor by yours truly.

This recruiting poster painting is by the famous American artist James Montgomery Flagg ca. 1918. Shown here as a matted giclee print.

An old built-in pantry was removed to make way for the more functional Ikea cabinet.

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

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.

It’s just a box

August 7, 2021August 7, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Chasing boxes — sounds pretty lame and it is in the big picture of collecting classic and vintage cameras but a camera box from the early 1960s can be either a rat or a gem after all these years. They’re just colorful cardboard with some stickers here and there after all and cardboard doesn’t do well if stored improperly. Moisture, bugs, sunlight, heat, pollution and crushing are just a few of the nasty things that can degrade 40, 50, and 60 year-old cardboard.

So, knowing all of the things that are stacked against finding a collectible camera box I’m happy to say that this one is a pleasant surprise. It’s far from perfect but it’s still very nice (no not so funny smells either).

My best guess is that this box was made in late 1962 based on the serial number of the camera that’s written on the bottom of the box.

Originally the area that’s blacked out said 50mm f1.4 lens but a previous owner carelessly modified the box when the body was separated from the lens when sold.

Here’s the camera that came with the box (a nice bonus). The box is nice because the camera is in near mint condition and is fully functional. The Canon Model 7 accepts LTM screw-in lenses from Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Leica, and a bunch of others. The bayonet part around the opening was designed to accept Canon’s ‘dream lens’ the 50mm f/0.95 which you can discover more about it at https://global.canon/en/c-museum/product/s43.html

So there you have it… another aspect to collecting classic film cameras, collecting the boxes that went with them. Most people dispose of the camera box right after they took their new camera out of the box (I’m guilty) and some left the original box at the camera shop when they took their camera home (not guilty).

A scan from a *Canon Product Catalog* from March 1967 (the Canon 7S had already been released). Note the ‘dream lens’ is affixed in this catalog’s image.

Chasing the Canon Model 7

August 5, 2021August 5, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Being a fan of most of Canon’s cameras and lenses it was only a matter of time before I started chasing after the Model 7. Although this model was released while the world was catching the SLR craze, it stood out as one of the best rangefinders Canon had produced up to that point. It also served notice to Nikon and Leica that Canon was a serious competitor capable of building outstanding cameras and lenses. Here’s my Canon 7.

Super bright and accurate view-rangefinder (Leica M challenger).

Dual range selenium cell light meter that’s still very much active and hopefully still accurate.

I haven’t decided on a lens for it yet but I’m looking for a nice 50mm f1.4 lens that would have a serial number in the range of this body. From what I can tell, this camera left the factory with a lens in the range of 114000 to 116000. The chase is on!

I’ll post additional updates on this camera as I get the original box and case “in the studio” for some glamour shots. I’m also chasing after the appropriate instruction booklet for it in either English or Japanese (or both), a brochure, and of course, the proper lens. For now, my trusty Nikkor fits nicely.

New in the Shop – Fuji Discovery 90

August 4, 2021August 4, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

New in my camera shop is this beautiful Fuji point & shoot 35mm compact film camera set in new, never used condition. These still new in the box cameras from the 1990s are getting harder to find and this one is from our “vast” collection of these types of cameras.

Some of its impressive specs:

Fujinon 34mm f/8 glass lens with 3 elements in 3 groups
* 1/40 to 1/600th Shutter
* Built-in Auto Flash
* Drop-in Film Loading
* Uses DX Coded Film
* Automatic Film Rewinding
* Self-timer
* Macro Mode
* Auto Focus
* Red-Eye Reduction

It’s available for purchase in my shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

wordless wednesday

August 4, 2021August 4, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Happy SUNday – Pisa, 1986

August 1, 2021August 1, 2021Chris and Carol 1 Comment

Men in matching caps.

Canon F-1 with FD80-200mm f/4 on Kodachrome 25. The light was fading fast and ASA 25 doesn’t work well when hand held during telephoto photography.

Friday Fotos! – Logos

July 30, 2021July 30, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Red logos as it turns out.

Contax RTS by Fujifilm X-A10

July 29, 2021July 29, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

I haven’t used my Fujifilm X-A10 mirrorless camera in a bit so tonight I thought I would dust it off (only an expression as I keep my gear clean) and try some new settings. The lens is a Super EBC XC 16-50mm f3.5-5.6 OIS II model which I believe is considered a kit lens. I did buy the body and lens separate though. It’s about the most inexpensive way to experience the Fujifilm X Series without breaking the bank. You can check it out in greater detail here.

My subject of the day is my recently acquired Contax RTS with it’s sexy new leather half-case from TP Original, color is “volcano”.

PROVIA film simulation mode, shallow depth of field, 5600K studio lighting.

Shallow depth of field (again) focused on the from of the Yashica lens. Black & White film simulation mode, 5600K studio lighting.

I use the Fujifilm mostly for testing vintage lenses by using the appropriate adapters to mount the lens to the mirrorless camera body.

Here’s my Canon FD 28mm f3.5 lens mounted to the Fujifilm X-A10 using an adapter from Fotodiox.

Since I take lots of images for my listings in my camera shop I believe I’ll go back to using this camera and take a break from the camera I normally use. (Fujifilm FinePix S9900W)

Final image. This time I focused on the CONTAX logo and the shallow depth of field throws off the focus on the front of the lens and the RTS. Maybe only the “TAX” is in true focus.

If you’re looking for a simple and potentially inexpensive mirrorless body than I highly recommend this camera from Fujifilm.

Antique one cent coin – 1889

July 29, 2021July 29, 2021Chris and Carol 2 Comments

As a kid back in the 1960s I remember occasionally getting these coins in change from time to time and what a thrill it was. Our current one cent coin features Lincoln on the obverse and he’s been featured on the coin sine 1909!

This coin is in about uncirculated condition as it shows just a few traces of wear and there’s even some nice toning going on.