Happy SUNday! – me and my Nicca 3-S

May 22, 2022May 22, 2022Chris and Carol Leave a comment

I recently rediscovered these images that I had taken with my Nicca 3-S 35mm rangefinder camera a few years back. I say rediscovered because I don’t believe I’ve posted all of the pictures before. They were hiding on a DVD in plain sight.

First, the camera and lens.

Nicca 3-S from 1955.

Super sharp Nippon Kogaku Nikkor-HC f2 5cm lens.

The images are unretouched, just as they were scanned by the photo lab.

Historic District, Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, Florida.

I’m quite pleased with the results. All images were taken on Fujicolor Superia X-TRA 800.

Thanks for stopping by and have a beautiful day! – Chris

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.

flickr friday feature – Nicca 3-S

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

Nicca 3-S distributed by Hinomaruya, Tokyo (1951-1958)
Nicca branded lens hood for the Nikkor 50 mm f/2 lens may have been made by them.
Hinomaruya also distributed the Melton camera and Nikkor lenses.

A classic 35mm rangefinder camera from Nicca. The lens is a Nippon Kogaku Japan W-Nikkor 2.8cm f/3.5 lens with matching 2.8 optical viewfinder.

Random pics from my Flickr site that were recently favored.

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.

Monday’s Camera – 1936 Hansa Canon

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

I wish! If it was the real camera, Canon’s first, it would be worth around ten thousand dollars in average working condition and well a lot more in mint condition. Instead this is a replica of that very first Canon made by Canon to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Canon (2012).

A 1:1.4 scale model (replica) of the original HANSA Canon 35mm rangefinder camera.

Like most of my collectibles this one is still unopened and un-played with.

BTW, the original lens was made by Nikon for Canon. See image below.

The real thing. This is what an original Hansa Canon looks like and it’s available online for around $17.5K on eBay **353374854594**

Since the real thing is beyond my and most people’s budgets, then this fine replica will just have to do. The HANSA Canon existed at the same time as the original 1930s Leicas. Which one was the better camera?

The replica is available in my camera shop.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chasingacoffee

SUNday Spotlight – I have Nikon gear in my shop!

February 21, 2021February 21, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Lots of recent Nikon items have been listed in my shop – if you’re a Nikon collector or are looking for some neat gear please check my shop out at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

Nikon F3 genuine leather semi-soft field case.

Nikon F mount Tamron zoom telephoto AF lens.

Classic Tamrac Expedition 5 Pro camera and lens backpack.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to stop by my shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com – Chris

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.

Friday Fotos! – you’ve been warned!

February 19, 2021February 19, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Nikon Nikkor AI 50mm f1.4 lens test on Nikon D800.

Nothing yet. Lens test Nikon Nikkor AI 50mm f1.4 on Nikon D800.

I recently acquired a few cameras and lenses from a good friend who lives on Long Island. Some of her gear has been sitting around unused for a while so I like to test and inspect (and clean) them. The results with the Nikon Nikkor AI 50mm f1.4 lens are very pleasant. Now to test the Nikon FM10 and Nikon N75 that she also sent. It’s always great fun to “play” with new to me gear.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to stop by my shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com – Chris

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.

A couple of nice Nikons – SUNday Spotlight

January 31, 2021January 31, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Hello all! I’ve added a couple of very nice Nikons in my shop recently – both film and digital.

The Nikon N60 comes complete with a super sharp AF Nikkor 28-80mm f3.5-5.6D lens.

The Nikon N60 can be operated in full manual mode which is perfect for newcomers to film photography.

This Nikon D80 (pictured below) was recently purchased by me from the original local owner. They’ve kept in in excellent condition and I’ve fully tested it. The D80 was released in 2006 and features a 10.2 MP CCD imaging sensor in the DX format. It’s a true DSLR and uses all Nikon F-mount lenses.

The camera only has 8,475 shutter actuations which is considered to be about 18% of the cameras capability.

Test images (see below) with the Nikon D80 and AF Nikkor 28-80mm f3.5-5.6D lens.

If you’re a fan of Nikon and Nikkor lenses then these cameras are for you. I’ve been very impressed with the ruggedness of the N60 as it was built with a metal frame. The lens mount is a metal Nikon F-mount (not plastic).

The D80 is a joy to use as it doesn’t feel like a rock hanging around your neck. The color LCD screen is super bright and clear as is the optical viewfinder which features a diopter adjustment and padded eyepiece.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to stop by my shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com – Chris

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.

Nikon’s Gem of a Lens – f/1.4 50mm AI

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

Nikon Nikkor lenses have been praised since the dawn of time (a slight exaggeration) and in some cases rightly so. This Nikkor lens is right up there in its reputation as a fast quality lens that’s as relevant today as when it was made.

Nikon Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 AI lens made between 1977 to 1981. Don’t confuse this with the later AIS lens which immediately followed this lens.

It takes 52mm filters and caps, has a seven blade aperture, features seven elements in six groups, close focusses to 1.5 feet, and weighs in at 255 grams. It uses the famous Nikon F-mount.

Here I’ve included a nice B+W 52E 010 1X filter for protection. The lens is of course made in Japan.

This lens functions perfectly and the front and rear elements are clean and clear but there is some dust specs inside and some light haze. In my test shots with my Nikon D800 the lens performed well with the imperfections not visible in the final images.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to stop by my shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com – Chris

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.

Happy SUNday! – Nikkor Lens Test

December 20, 2020December 20, 2020Chris and Carol 2 Comments

Nippon Kogaku W-Nikkor C F3.5 2.8cm wide angle lens (1954).

One of the best and most useful features of having a mirrorless digital camera like this Fujifilm X-A10 is the ability to test and use some of my vintage lenses by using an adapter between the lens and the body.

It was a generally cloudy day with the sunlight filtered through some cirrus clouds so no harsh shadows and low contrast images.

My trusty boulder and gravel test subjects.

Here’s where a 28mm wide angle lens comes in handy.

I’m very happy with the resolution and detail of this vintage Nikkor glass.

I used a Fotodiox Lens Mount Adapter M39 – FX to mount my Nikkor lens to my Fujifilm camera body. Fotodiox makes a wide range of quality adapters for use on almost any mirrorless body and vintage lens. You can find them at https://fotodioxpro.com/collections/lens-mount-adapters

Thanks for stopping by and have a beautiful day! – Chris

Be sure to stop by my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

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.

Saturday Spotlight – My favorite RF

December 19, 2020December 19, 2020Chris and Carol 1 Comment

Whenever I reminisce about classic cameras from the 1950s it’s hard not to think of this Nicca camera inspired by the iconic Leica 35mm rangefinder (RF).

By today’s standards there’s nothing easy about using a camera from this era. Some of the “negatives” – manual focusing using a rangefinder (not thru the lens like an SLR), manual exposure and shutter speed settings, difficult film loading, and lots of add-ons just to be able to shoot with a wide angle or telephoto lens to name just a few. The positives – this is considered to be a miniature camera (compared to other film cameras), interchangeable lenses, rugged construction, excellent lens choices, and portability. I like this camera because it just feels right cradled in your hand.

Tiny 2.8cm (28mm) wide angle lens made by Nippon Kogaku (Nikkor-Nikon).

Optical viewfinder that provided the correct angle of view of the 2.8cm lens.

Nippon Kogaku W-Nikkor.C f3.5 2.8cm lens.

Optical viewfinder mounted on the Nicca’s accessory shoe.

If you want to experience film photography in its purest form then check out one of these amazing machines from the 1950s. Leica, Nicca, Yashica, Canon, Nikon, Leotax, and dozens more.

Totally random here but I wanted to give a shout out to my friend Peggy’s WordPress site at https://cameragocamera.com/ It’s a lot of fun to visit and she’s tested nearly every camera on the planet (almost) nearly every camera. Pop on over for a read and be sure to click follow while you’re there.

Thanks for stopping by and have a safe and beautiful day! – Chris

Be sure to stop by my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

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.

Nikon D800 on HDR

December 5, 2020December 5, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

I’m still getting to know my Nikon D800 and while “testing” the HDR function I discovered that if you move the camera even slightly then you end up with this (actually pretty cool).

Obviously I was trying to get a good image of this oak but with HDR on it caused the combined image to be blurry. Below is the very next image with HDR still on.

Both images were taken with my Nikon D800 and AF Nikkor 24mm f2.8 D lens. I’ll need to learn to use the D800 more fully. Now that the weather has changed and the heat and humidity of summer is gone there will be more opportunities to go out and get some images under my belt.

Thanks for stopping by! – Chris

Be sure to stop by my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

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

Yashica cameras and so much more!

Tag Nikkor Lenses

Happy SUNday! – me and my Nicca 3-S

flickr friday feature – Nicca 3-S

Monday’s Camera – 1936 Hansa Canon

SUNday Spotlight – I have Nikon gear in my shop!

Friday Fotos! – you’ve been warned!

A couple of nice Nikons – SUNday Spotlight

Nikon’s Gem of a Lens – f/1.4 50mm AI

Happy SUNday! – Nikkor Lens Test

Saturday Spotlight – My favorite RF

Nikon D800 on HDR