A camera cleaning set from Hansa – 1950s

September 10, 2021September 10, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

I purchased this neat little set the other day – I just had to have it because well, it’s neat and unique and it’s a bit of photo gear history. Hansa was an important Japanese company that made everything from sophisticated cameras and lenses to silly little cleaning kits and everything in between. I’m not 100% sure they actually made these items or had them made (think Vivitar).

Neat set from at least the mid-1950s. I’ve seen this exact same vinyl, color and texture, on other vinyl accessories cases from this same period. I have a flash unit that’s exactly the same but it wasn’t made by Hansa.

Awesome rice paper instruction sheet shows you how to use the items in the set. The only piece I’m missing is a pair of tweezers. The green blower brush is no longer flexible as the rubber has become brittle with age.

Everything tucks away nicely in this little case and it fits nicely inside of your camera bag. I’ve had this piece on display with some of my 1950s cameras.

Of course the most famous Hansa item is the very first Canon camera that’s marked Hansa Canon.

The tribute Hansa Canon camera from 2012 (75th anniversary edition.

Actual Hansa Canon camera from the 1930s (not mine).

Thank you for stopping by and have an awesome (and safe) day!

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.

The Minolta 35, a Leica re-imagined

September 9, 2021September 9, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

I know that the camera brand Minolta conjures up many different images depending on which decade you experienced your first encounter with this popular brand. My good friend and fellow Yashica collector (sorry, we’re researchers) Paul Sokk from Australia has written one of the most comprehensive articles you’ll ever read about the early days of Minolta. I highly recommend you pop on over and give his latest post a good read. While you’re at it, be sure to check out his articles about Yashica, Nicca, and Leotax. Paul’s latest can be enjoyed at http://www.yashicatlr.com/Minolta35.html

Just a small sample from Paul’s site. Thanks for stopping by and have a great evening!

saturday shots – spotless spotmatic

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

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Asahi Pentax 6×7 – one that got away*

August 23, 2021August 23, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

*Sold actually before I really got a chance to bond with it.

After chasing after a really nice Asahi Pentax 6×7 set I found myself in a familiar place. I had collected bit by bit a nice set in mint condition only to discover I was too hesitant to actually use it. So I sold it for way less than I should have and went with a Fujica GW690 with less features and a few more road miles on it. Turns out it was the right thing to do as I enjoy shooting these larger medium-format cameras as the quality of the images are simply awesome. My advice? The AP and Pentax 6×7 are awesome cameras packed with tons of features but if you just want to go big then check out the Fujica.

Fixed lens, no meter, just lots of detail packed into this beast.

A size comparison between a typical 35mm SLR and the Fujica 6×9.

Fernandina Beach (Amelia Island) post office on Fujifilm Acros 100. I couldn’t ask for any more detail and clarity.

Thanks for stopping by and have an awesome day!

Canon Model 7 instruction booklet from 1962

August 16, 2021August 16, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

There’s not many opportunities to find an original Canon Model 7 instruction booklet in Japanese here in the US, but one did pop up on an auction site recently so I added it to my collection.

The date code printed on the bottom center of the back cover (1162) is the date that this booklet was printed. In this case November 1962 which is about a year and a half after the camera was first released.

The back cover (top) translates as – Canon Camera Co., Ltd., Headquarters Factory Shimomaruko-cho, Ota-ku, Tokyo and their sales office at 7-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo (Yamato Building, 3rd Floor).

Here’s a scan from inside the booklet showing how to properly hold the camera. I might mention that any translations come directly from my Google translation app on my phone.

The English Edition of the same booklet but printed in 1966.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day and please, be safe!

Leica-like 35mm Cameras by Paul Sokk

August 15, 2021August 15, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

My good friend Paul Sokk in Australia has one of the best camera sites you’ll ever come across. Paul covers in great detail cameras from Yashica, Nicca, and Leotax to name just a few. Here’s the link to a rather new section that Paul added just recently. http://www.yashicatlr.com/LeicaCopies.html

Paul’s knowledge of Yashica cameras, especially the twin-lens models, is second to none (shameless plug). http://www.yashicatlr.com/index.html

If you decide to give his site a read be sure to let him know what you liked specifically and please share anything of interest as Paul is always seeking out new information and ideas to share with his readers.

Canon Model 7s Instruction Book – 1966

August 14, 2021August 14, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

I’ve decided that I’m unlikely to acquire the Canon Model 7s which was an upgrade to the original Canon 7 (1961-1964). I have ‘lots’ of 35mm rangefinders in my classic camera collection now and adding another would only confirm my diagnosis of ‘GAS’. So, I’d like to pass along this rather hard to find instruction booklet for the 7s.

The Canon 7s was produced between 1965-1968.

My instruction book is in great condition with no missing pages, no writing, and the staples are tight and rust free. There’s some marks on the covers (see pics) and some minor wrinkles here and there but the book overall is solid and would make a nice addition in a collection.

My booklet pictured here was printed in April 1966.

The inside front cover to the 7s instructions. The biggest change from the first Model 7 was the addition of a CdS exposure meter replacing the original selenium cell meter on the 7.

The booklet is available in my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

Thanks for stopping by and be safe.

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.