It seems to me that everyone who owns classic cameras – whether to collect them or to use them – takes an awful lot of pictures of their cameras. I’m no exception. A few years back I photographed all of my cameras against a white backdrop and illuminated with a shoot-through umbrella. Like this. I’veContinue reading “Staple of photography”
Tag Archives: camera
Camera chooser flowchart
I’ve been off work ill for the past couple of days, and boredom is setting in. I slept for most of today, but during the time I was awake I decided to make a Really Useful™ flowchart to recommend film cameras for various situations. The writing is tiny, so click for the full-size version. ForContinue reading “Camera chooser flowchart”
Ensign Cameo
Released c1928 I was given this camera by my father-in-law as a birthday present. It’s a strange cross between a view camera and a more common folding camera. It has a ground glass focusing screen and front rise, but also has a pop-up sports finder and waist-level finder. Unusually, its default orientation is portrait ratherContinue reading “Ensign Cameo”
Canon A-1
Released 1978 I own several Canon FD-mount SLRs but I’ve fancied an A-1 for a while. I think it’s the alluring black paint, rather than the silver fixtures of most contemporary SLRs. I think these hard-edged SLRs are much prettier than the curved plastic bodies that appeared in the 1980s. The A-1 also has theContinue reading “Canon A-1”
Objet d’art
On Sunday I had a strong desire to head out into Somerset and photograph some more churches and other old structures. I always enjoy photographing buildings in rural settings and I’ve now got quite a collection of churches such as the beautiful church of St Etheldreda in West Quantoxhead. For a while I’ve been thinkingContinue reading “Objet d’art”
Mayoral CDS ZI
I know very little about this camera. It’s a silent Super 8 cine camera with auto-exposure, manual zoom and fixed focus. It shoots only at 18 fps and the only control is a trigger to start and stop.
Cardboard camera
This week I picked up a kit to make your own camera out of cardboard. The box said it was OK for ages 12 and up so there was a vague possibility than even I might manage to build it! I’m not known for my patience, but I managed to construct the camera in theContinue reading “Cardboard camera”
Lens designations
These days, camera lenses are high-tech pieces of kit. Each manufacturer uses many abbreviations and acronyms to refer to the various technologies and it can get confusing to compare lenses – especially when different manufacturers use different names to refer to the same technology. You can look up the abbreviations on each manufacturer’s website (seeContinue reading “Lens designations”
KMZ Zenit 12xp
Released 1983 Along with the Praktica Super TL 1000, this is my first foray into the world of M42 lenses. The Zenit 12xp is a fully manual camera with battery-powered metering. At a glance Lens M42 mount Film 135 Focus SLR with microprism Meter CdS with match needle
Praktica Super TL 1000
Released 1980 Along with the Zenit 12xp, this is my first foray into the world of M42 lenses. The Praktica Super TL 1000 is a fully manual camera with battery-powered metering. At a glance Lens M42 mount Film 135 Focus SLR with microprism Meter CdS with match needle
Jonathan Gazeley 