Contax RTS ‘Safari Camera Set’

October 5, 2023October 5, 2023Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Not really. I just like the look of my RTS with the brown leather half-case and the green Sigma lens. The Contax RTS is from 1975 – I’m not sure when Sigma made these green body lenses.

Sigma 70-210mm f3.5-4.5 APO Zoom lens in green.

Push-pull zoom with macro capabilities. The matching lens hood is a screw mount.

Here is what Sigma had to say about the lens at its introduction (10 Feb 1986). “The world’s shortest Apochromatic High-Speed Telephoto lens. One-Touch zoom, Helical focusing, which has an advantage for using a polarizing filter. The lens will supply together with an Achromatic Macro Lens for High-Quality close-up photography.” I can’t be 100% certain that my lens is this lens as described but it could be. Further reading hints that ‘APO’ originally meant ‘Advanced Performance Optics’. Either way ‘APO’ indicated that the lens had low dispersion glass.

Since film is so expensive to shoot with I believe I’ll get a FotodioX C/Y to FX adapter to use this lens on my Fujifilm X-T2. I’m interested to know when Sigma first produced green lenses. Any info would be appreciated. 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

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.

Classic Canon Chrome

September 12, 2023September 13, 2023Chris and Carol 2 Comments

Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris –
An original version (l) Canon FD 50mm f/1.8 chrome nose lens from November 1971. I love these early Canon chrome nose gems as they look so classic mounted on the first Canon F-1.
The FD 50mm f/1.8 is a sharp alternative to the f/1.4 and often at a much better price.
I have this one in my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com
Thanks, Chris

Canon FD 50mm f/1.8 Chrome Nose lens – 1971

When Canon released its first true professional 35mm SLR in the Spring of 1971, this was likely the lens that would have been with it. Of course, the f/1.4 was an excellent choice, especially for photographers who needed that extra speed for low-light situations. This lens’ date code is L1106 which indicates it was made in November 1971 and was the last version (l) lenses made. The chrome nose models were replaced by 1973 giving way to a slightly lighter and less expensive model. It has 6 elements in 4 groups, uses 55mm filters, and weighs a hefty 332 grams.

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Early Yashica Zoom Lens – like new!

August 22, 2023August 23, 2023Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Yashica Auto Yashinon Zoom Lens
w/ Yashica Front & Rear Lens Caps,
the Original Factory Box and Case
and Metal Lens Hood.

SN 701123
7 elements/6 groups
55mm filter ring

This is a super sharp early lens in
the Yashica family. Tomioka Optical
made Yashica’s lenses (actually Yashica
acquired Tomioka).

This beautiful lens is now available in my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com
Thanks for stopping by, Chris

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Nikon F3 HP

August 7, 2023August 7, 2023Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Hi all! I have a nice one-owner Nikon F3 HP 35mm SLR film camera for sale in my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

This one was made in July 1983 according to the date code stamped internally.

I’ve also added a few more Nikons in my shop as well as some nice photo gear, film, and color sales brochures (and instruction manuals). Thanks for stopping by, Chris

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Asahi Pentax MZ-L

August 4, 2023August 4, 2023Chris and Carol 2 Comments

I’ve added this beautiful Pentax MZ-L 35mm SLR to my camera shop. It’s complete with a sharp (Asahi) SMC Pentax-FA f3.5-5.6 28-90mm zoom lens. It’s basically NOS as it’s been in my collection since new. Pop on over to www.ccstudio2380.com for a look. This is the last Asahi-Pentax camera in my collection. Time to pass it along to the next photographer.

Comes complete with store display cards!

It’s basically a NOS set direct from Japan.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

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A pair of classic Nikons.

July 27, 2023August 9, 2023Chris and Carol Leave a comment

A pair of classic Nikons ready for their first adventures with me.
On the left is a Nikon F Photomic-T with a Nikkor-S Auto 50mm f1.4 lens with an age-appropriate cap. The camera body is from 1967 and the finder is from 1965. A more appropriate finder for this body would have been the TN. The lens is from 1968. On the right is a Nikon F2A Photomic with the DP-11 finder (that’s what makes it an “A”). The F2 body is a late 1972 to early 1973 model and the finder is from at least 1977. The lens is a Nikkor 50mm f2 from 1978. The strap is NOS that I just happen to like the color scheme on it. The brown half-case on the Photomic-T is a mid-sixties case.
Both meters have been checked and they are accurate – a film test will tell more but on older metered cameras such as these, I shoot color negative film with a wide exposure latitude (Fujifilm 200 and 400).
There you have my entire Nikon collection (almost). I’ve just added the last piece, a gorgeous early F from 1964 which I’ll soon show off. LOL
Thanks for stopping by, Chris
My camera shop is at www.ccstudio2380.com

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It’s the little things that count.

July 25, 2023July 25, 2023Chris and Carol Leave a comment

When collecting vintage and classic film cameras sometimes it’s the little things that add the most to a collection. Chasing down those little extras that the camera manufacturers packaged along with their cameras and lenses.

At first glance, these two items look similar from the front.

The Yashica ‘Sailor Boy’ logo first appeared in 1962. These cloths were available in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Viewed from behind it’s clear that these cloths were made by the same third-party manufacturer. It’s nice to see that Yashica was in the same league with Nikon for a while at least.

I haven’t seen cloths like these with another manufacturer’s logo (yet). Have any of you? Thanks for stopping by, Chris

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3 little Yashicas from the 1960s

July 23, 2023July 27, 2023Chris and Carol 2 Comments

Yashica Minimatic-S. A fully automatic (no autofocus) 35mm rangefinder was released in February 1963. The camera set both the aperture and shutter speed.

Yashica M. Released in June 1960. 35mm rangefinder with a sharp and fast Yashinon f1.9 lens. The “M” was also known as the 35M and 35 Model M.

Yashica Half 17. Capable of shooting up to 72 images on a roll of 36-exposure 35mm film.

Each camera uses selenium cell light meters to assist with setting the proper exposure. If you can find working examples of these classics you’ll enjoy a whole new level of vintage film shooting as the Yashinon lenses are sharp, colorful, and contrasty. Thanks for stopping by, Chris

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Fujica GW690 Professional

July 17, 2023July 17, 2023Chris and Carol 1 Comment

Fujica GW690 Professional 6x9cm Camera
Fully Tested and Working Perfectly

This is the famous “Texas Leica” camera
from the late 1970s. It’s super simple
to use and produces some of the sharpest
and most detailed images imaginable.

*This is from my personal collection
and I’ve used this camera many times over
the years. It works perfectly.

It takes 120 roll films which are still made today.
It requires no batteries.
It has a leaf shutter in the lens – simple and accurate.
It’s available in my camera shop at www.ccstudio2380.com
Thanks, Chris

Follow me on Instagram at @ccphotographyai

Nikon F2A and Canon F-1

July 10, 2023July 10, 2023Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Can you say the Canon is a bit more “compact”?
Both camera systems are products of the 1970s and the design esthetic is classic and clean for the era. Side-by-side the differences are obvious. The Nikon’s metered prism (DP-11) is much larger and taller than the eye-level prism on the Canon (which was the standard prism since its introduction in 1971) and the motor drive is taller on the F2A but wider on the F-1. Which is your favorite? Another difference – is that Canon’s exposure (light) meter was built into the body of the camera vice being located in the prism like it is on the Nikon.