I never meant for this to happen – honestly, I didn’t. I am in full-swing vintage rangefinder madness here, and there’s perhaps no end in sight. That’s good, right?!
As you recall, it was just a few weeks back that I picked up a few film cameras after many years of avoiding the stuff to give them a whirl for my auto photography this season. I figured, vintage cameras shooting vintage cars would be very authentic and interesting, so why not? I’ll tell you why not. Because you can pick them up for a song these days because no one wants them now that digital is in full effect. And before you jump on me, by saying, “no one wants them”, I mean your average person, not a photo enthusiast; we know better. Now, why is this bad? Because it makes it REALLY EASY to go nuts and build up a collection of these things in no time flat and for relatively little outlay. And that’s exactly what I’ve been doing (which oddly enough, my wife doesn’t seem to have an issue with. Maybe she’s sick . . . )
To date, here are the latest additions to the clan:
Konica Auto-S, 1963-65
This I picked up off of eBay, and as can be seen in the photo, it’s practically mint. If it was used, it was used very little, and it shows. It’s the most expensive RF camera I’ve got so far, but it is still waaaaaay cheaper than any DSLR, or even a lens (a cheap lens at that), so it’s still a steal. After a little research, apparently this is considered (by Konica at least) to be the first RF with auto-exposure ever produced. The AE is basically shutter-priority – you pick the shutter speed and it’ll pick the aperture to match. You can shoot manually, but to do so is a bit cumbersome. First, you meter the shot, then set the aperture based on what the meter tells you. Since there’s no indication of your current aperture in the viewfinder, and the meter doesn’t vary depending on your aperture setting, you literally have to take the camera down from your eye, set the aperture, and then shoot. Not very efficient, but it works and is actually the way a lot of these cams did it at the time. Oddly enough, the Petri 7s I have has a better manual metering system in that it’s a simple match-needle system ala a Pentax K1000 or most manual modes on DSLRs these days, even though it was a significantly cheaper camera. That said though, there really is no reason short of flash shooting to use manual on this camera, and to get the aperture you want in auto just adjust the shutter speed until the indicator in the viewfinder matches the aperture you want and shoot. It’s easy, quick, and works well.
Build quality is top-notch, and it is a really solid, heavy camera, much moreso than the Petri, which was surprising. It’s also pretty big too, though it may not show in the photo. The viewfinder is very bright and clear and features auto-parallax correction, and overall operation is exceptionally smooth and sublime. The lens is a 47mm f1.9 Hexanon, and from the test shots I saw when I purchased it, very sharp and of excellent quality. Interestingly, these aren’t very popular these days, which may have to do with the meter location, which is the little lens under the shutter release. The Auto-S2, the S’ successor, is the popular date with most photographers as the meter is in the lens mount right over the front element. It’s more convenient I’m sure, but the S’ meter seems to work just fine from what I’ve seen. In any case, it’s a cool camera, and very reasonable considering the quality level. I plan to enjoy it to the utmost.
Canon CanonetQL17-GIII, 1972-82
This is a sweet little camera, and by little, I mean little – it’s about 2/3 the size of the Auto-S, and somewhat smaller than the Petri as well. It still weighs as much as the others though, so it’s no lightweight. The lens is a very fast 40mm f1.7, and the camera features auto and manual modes that work exactly like the Auto-S, with the addition of full auto flash exposure as well. There is a matching electronic flash for these, the Canolite D, but mine didn’t come with one. Pictures I’ve seen from these cameras are sharp and very clear, and they are amazingly popular right now, partly because of the quality and size, and partly because of the movie “Pecker”, whose main character toted one around with him. With a little hunting, you can find one for under $100 easily, though it may need a little TLC to get it in top running shape. In my case, I found this at a local antique mall, still in the case and box, for $15(!), in absolutely pristine almost untouched condition. The case was near rubble from age, but it kept the camera well protected, so a good sacrifice I’d say. Only thing I had to do was replace the light seals, which is common with these, and clean and adjust the rangefinder, which I did all on my own. Total outlay including camera, $27! And the quality of it is simply outstanding; I was grinning from ear to ear when I found it and saw the price.
Kodak Brownie 2 8mm movie camera w/ f2.3 lens, 1956-60
What? That’s not a rangefinder camera, or even a still camera for that matter! True, but look at it, IT’S COOOOL! And it was $10 in near mint shape at the local flea market. Only thing is finding film for it is a bit of a chore, but it’s out there, long live the internet. It even came with the original box, manual, blank warranty card, a filter and instructions, plus some random Kodak film instructions. You can’t beat that, and it works like a dream. I may haul this out to the drag track and shoot some movies just for shits and giggles, ’cause you can’t get much more authentic than that. And, we luckily have a mint 8mm/Super 8 Bell & Howell projector sitting here (actually 2) to show them on once I do. How’s that for a movie night at home with the fam?
And that’s it for now, but I can assure you there’s probably going to be more to come as there’s flea markets, antique stores, and garage sales a’plenty around here, and thankfully most people could care less about these old cams to warrant asking real money for them. It won’t last though, so time to make hay (and pics) while the suns shines.