Zipper City Cameras

Minolta X-700

My workhorse black and white film camera. I actually own two copies of this in case one dies. It was released in 1981 and was the last top line Minolta manual focus SLR before they went on to make auto-focus cameras. I've run quite a few rolls of film through this camera and it still shoots like a dream. I almost always shoot it in aperture priority mode and use the exposure compensation dial to over-ride the meter when necessary. I especially like it paired with my favorite lens - the Rokkor 55mm f/1.7(with red filter) - a lens I acquired on a Minolta SRT-101. The only work I've done to this camera was replacing all the light seals around the film door and on the mirror damper - pretty standard for a camera of this age. I'm impressed how well its done for me considering it was made when camera manufactures were switching to plastic parts and electronically controlled everything(it can't be shot without batteries).

My Pentax K1000 is a slight enigma - only the K1000SE was supposidly sold with the brown leatherette - but at that time it would have been made in Japan - mine is stamped "Assembled in Hong Kong". So I'm not sure if it is the 'SE' or not - regardless it is one of the true classic 35mm SLR Cameras. It was sold from 1976 all the way until 1997 and is one of the most basic SLRs possible - all manual(only needs a battery for the meter), no mirror lock up, self timer or DOF preview - there isn't even a power switch(you just remove the lens cap). All of this leads to it being a favorite workhorse - there is nothing to break. Mine is extra-special as it was a gift from a friend - it belonged to his mom who passed away. Its a joy to use and shoots like a dream.

Many people say that the Nikon F3(in production from 1980-2001) is the best 35mm manual-focus camera of all time - while I can't comment on that I can say that it is the best camera in my collection. The camera feels like a tank and every feature you could want is present and right where it should be. The light meter is amazing - anytime I've bracketed shots (second guessing it) I'm the one who has been wrong. A friend gave me my copy of this camera and it was my go to color film camera - and with its excellent meter it shines with slide film. Unfortunately it was already clearly used extensively and after a few years and a bunch of great rolls of film it died. To get it repaired would probably cost about the same as finding a "new" one so I'm holding out hope a F3 will re-enter my life one day.

A simple Kodak camera made from 1950 to 1961 that must have been extremely popular - I've seen them at many estate sales and thrift stores - I myself have two different versions(an earlier one and a later one). Its my favorite box camera for one special reason - I don't have to re-spool 120mm film onto 620mm film reels to use it. As long as the take-up spool is an old 620mm one a modern 120mm film can be used in it without modification. I took my older model apart and cleaned the lens before using it. I've now run a few rolls of film through it - its a fun camera to shoot provided you hold it very steady - the shutter speed is estimated at between 1/30th - 1/5th a second.

Released in 1983 this was Nikon's first point and shoot camera to feature Auto-Focus. Although they were behind the competition in releasing a camera of this type its high-specifications set it apart. I really like the fact that it has a focus scale in the viewfinder so you have a pretty good idea if you are going to get correct focus. The lens is quite sharp as well. I carry this camera when I want to shoot an auto-focus camera with a built in flash but I don't want to carry expensive equipment. I actually have two of these - my first one died but I came across a pristine copy at an estate sale. I've shot a fair bit of film between these two great little Nikon's.

This Canon was made from 1971 to 1976 and was a cheaper, consumer version of Canon's pro rangefinder cameras. I replaced the light seals on mine and ordered a replacement battery from Amazon.com(the mercury batteries it originally took are no longer made - and because these older cameras had no voltage regulator modern alkaline batteries won't give you reliable light meter readings). I tested this camera on St. Patrick's Day 2012 and thought that it would be the perfect camera to carry with me to shoot black and white film on my farm job. I did get good images with the camera but after a few rolls at the farm I missed the control of my SLRs and switched back.

A huge estate sale score, I paid 20 bucks for my 1972 original folding Polaroid SX-70. While I missed the boat on shooting original Polaroid SX-70 film(I'm not buying the over-priced expired stuff from e-bay) I did shoot a pack of the Impossible Project's PX-600 Silver Shade film in it. I had to use the filter to correct exposure for the SX-70 and there a certain other challenges to using this film - but I still managed a few good results and it was fun using this truly classic camera. I plan to shoot it more but probably after trying out a few of my other SX-70 models.

When I first started getting back into shooting film I knew one of the first cameras I wanted to try was the classic Minolta SR-T 101. The camera was in production for 10 years starting in 1966 and was known for its many first including full aperture TTL metering(taken for granted know but a big deal at the time). The camera is weighty and built like a tank - everything is mechanical - it only needs batteries to make the light meter work(it will probably survive armageddon). Shooting this camera was my first photographic history lesson - it has match needle metering - you adjust the settings until a needle is "matched" with a second needle with a circle at the end. Its a fun camera to shoot and with my considerable Rokkor lens collection I'll be putting rolls of film through it for years.

(I actually have two of these and they both work).

This little box camera takes 620 film and was made for 5 years starting in 1941. It is very simple to use - you have two different apertures and two different shutter speeds(the regular speed is around 1/50 or you can shoot it on "bulb" mode). Since 620 film is no longer made I had to respool 120 film onto an old metal 620 reel to use this camera. I've done it a few times and it isn't too hard - just takes a little bit of patience as you obviously have to do it in complete darkness.

The Kalimar TLR 100 is the export name of the Soviet-made Lubitel 2. It was made by the Gomz or Lomo company. This was the first TLR(twin lens reflex camera) I have ever attempted to use. The focusing on this one was quite hard - I could tell to a point how close I was getting and then it all looked the same(even though the viewfinder is quite bright). I actually ended up using the scale on the viewing lens to guess the focus. There is no light meter so I used am external meter(or Sunny16ed it). All the controls are fairly small, you have to cock the shutter before each shot, and there is no mechanism to prevent double exposure - despite all of this I really enjoyed shooting this camera and I'm sure I will do it again!

Polaroid introduced the Spectra cameras in the early 80's - the film is the same as 600 film in every way except for the size(rectangle instead of square). I've read that Spectra cameras are supposed to be superior in quality compared to the 600s. This Spectra 2 is actually kind of a stripped down version of a Spectra as it has less controls than other models. I've only shot one film pack through it - a very expired film pack which probably accounts for the washed out colors. I only paid 3 bucks for this at the thrift store and it came with the box and manual.

Minolta added the X-570 to the X line of cameras in 1983 - it was the kind of the X-700s little brother. One great thing about this camera compared to the 700 is that the viewfinder not only tells you what speed you should set the shutter too but what speed you do have the shutter set to - it may not sound like a big deal unless you have ever taken your eye away from the viewfinder of a camera to check your setting only to miss a shot. It also has a larger ISO range(up to 3200) - the only thing it doesn't have is the +/- exposure adjustment of 2 stops(which I use often on the X-700). Unfortunately I took the time to replace the light seals on this camera only to have it die after a few rolls - the shutter keeps getting stuck and ruining every few exposures.

Kodak made Duaflex cameras from 1947-1960 with this one here being the last and best looking model. The IV has the nice feature of having to turn the knob before you can press the shutter which will prevent accidental double exposures - but it has a switch to over-ride that feature too(which you will see below I used). Besides that the only other control is the shutter speed - 1/50 or "bulb" (or "time"/"Int." as labeled). Kodak did make slightly nicer(and rarer) versions of these cameras with some focus and aperture controls.

I came across this camera at an antique mall and it was in pristine condition - I had to buy it. It is a early 1940s box camera with two apertures and either "time" setting or instant. Besides the face plate I believe it is exactly the same as my reversed-named Target Brownie Six-20. Both are handsome art-deco-looking cameras. I shot this one on "Six-20 Day" - which is June 20th. I respooled Iflord Delta 100 onto metal 620 spools for the occasion.

The Minolta XG1 was released the year I was born - my copy belonged to my parent who gave it to me for my high school photography class. This is the camera that got me into Minolta's and real photography(not just snap shooting). I never use the camera anymore because I have Minolta's of better quality and XG series Minolta's don't show the light meter in full manual mode(only aperture priority which is how they are meant to be shot). The XG series was for people who didn't want to spend the money on the higher-end XDs but still wanted an SLR. This is probably the most important camera in my collection because it changed my life forever...

(This camera is also part of another 'first' for me - this was the first time I used off-camera flash to try and take a photo of one of my cameras(or anything)).

This Zeiss 120mm box camera was made in 1936 for the Italian market. The Balilla name comes from Mussolini's Fascist youth group. I bought this camera at a flea market when I was in Rome, Italy and haggled it all the way down to 25 Euros - which turned out to be a real steal - the camera goes for over $400 on Ebay. It shoots 3x4cm images but the numbers in the back window lined up for 6x9cm images - so I only got half of the 16 shots I should have! I need to figure out how to adapt the counting from this old camera to modern film. Regardless - it is a simple, fun and cool looking camera to carry.

Miranda made cameras in Japan from the 50's until they went bankrupt in 1976 - this Miranda D was made in 1960. "It had several unusual features for the time, including lever wind, instant-return mirror, automatic diaphragm and one of the viewfinders featured an early example of TTL metering" - from Camerapedia. It does not have split-image focusing which takes a little practice to get used to - for me anyways. Another unusual feature is the two seperate dials for shutter speed - a "normal" dial for fast speeds and a separate lever underneath it for slower speeds. I scored three Miranda's on the same day at the thrift store and they all have interchangable viewfinders. I used the finder from the Miranda S when I shot the 'D'.

The Super BC was on of the last in the line of Zeiss Ikon's Contaflex series - released in 1965 it was the first one to have TTL metering. I picked this up at a flea market as a full kit for next to nothing. Unfortunately the battery compartment on mine is corroded shut and I haven't yet attempted to fix it - on the plus side the camera is fully functional without a battery except for the light meter. I wanted to try this camera out so I loaded it with Kodak Ultra Max 400 and brought an external light meter. All of the controls for the camera are on the lens - which took a bit of getting used to - and the film loading is a different than most cameras because the Contaflex's had interchangeable film back. The spit-image focusing was a piece of cake and the lens was tack-sharp. For a mechanically complex 40 year old camera the thing shot like a dream - now to fix that battery compartment.

The Zenit ET is a Soviet made camera from the early 80s. I bought my copy at a flea market in Rome - which was an interesting negotiation(neither of us were fluent in each other's language). The metering is not TTL(through the lens) which was pretty standard in most cameras of this time - you actually have to enter your setting on the left side of the camera to get a accurate reading. The shutter release button is interesting too - you push it half way down and it sets the lens to the selected aperture - pushing all the way trips the shutter - it takes a little getting used too. The best thing about the camera is that it uses the M42 screw mount which was invented by Zeiss but popularized by Pentax - I have multiple lenses with this mount from different manufacturers. The focusing screen is not a split prism and I did miss focus a few times. I've only shot one roll with this camera, which was well expired and of poor quality, so I can't really judge the Helios lens at all.

I had a lucky day where I walked into the thrift store and bought three Miranda cameras for 20 bucks. This is the second one I've used - the 1965 Automex III and I shot with the 50mm Soligar f/1.9 lens. For the third version of this camera Miranda switched from a selenium meter to a Cds - but I didn't have the right battery so I used an external meter. Since I shot with the goofy Rollei Redbird film I wouldn't have really been able to judge how accurate the meter was anyways. The film has a diffuse look but I was still able to determine that I like the lens - probably the only f/1.9 in my collection. The viewfinder isn't a split prism but the microprism makes focusing fairly easy. My Mirandas are simple but really cool looking cameras...fun to carry - alright to shoot.

The Flash Six-20 is similar control-wise to most Brownie box cameras - a lever for "instant" shots or "b" for long exposures and a second lever for focus "5 - 10 feet" or "beyond 10 feet" focus. This camera is better made than most of my other Brownies(metal not cardboard(or plastic)) and its shutter mechanism feels much more solid. The photos look pretty similar though - a little dreamy with corner vignetting and blur if not held very still. This camera model was made from 1946 - 1955 and was considered a little expensive for a post-war Brownie. It originally came with an unwieldy flash bulb holder - thus the "flash" in the name(I do not have it). I respooled my 120mm TMax 100 onto 620 spools to use it but I think it might work by simply using a 620 take-up spool. I'll probably shoot this little guy again...

The Nikon FTn came out in 1967 - a classic 60s SLR. Nikkormats were Nikon's consumer line of camera. Mine is in great working shape - I just need to replace the light seals. I have a nice collection of Nikkor lenses that are dying to be used...

Mamiya/Sekor 1000TL

Another classic 60s SLR - this thing is weapon - so big and heavy. It uses the popular M42 screw mount for lenses - of which I have many across different brands. This is on my list as a camera that I will shoot when I get to fixing the crumbling light seals.

Canon Rebel XT

My first digital camera - the 2005 Rebel XT - only "vintage" in digital terms. A camera the proves its not the number of megapixels - but how you use them. I still have photos in my portfolio I shot with this and impressive 11x14 prints.

My girlfriend bought me this 1964 Canon SLR at a flea market in Central Ohio. It uses Canon's short-lived FL mount. Canon came out with this camera and mount a matter of months before SLRs started to be released with TTL(through the lens metering). The mount couldn't be saved and Canon switched to the mount they used into the early 90s. This copy works well and I've been planning on shooting this since the day it was given to me.

Canon AE-1

One of the all time classics and best selling SLRs ever. This was the first camera with a microprocessor. High on my list of "to shoots" - a roll needs to be run through this for historical purposes!

Minolta Super A

1957 interchangeable lens rangefinder - maybe the closest thing to a classic Leica I will(when I finally get around to it). This is one of my best finds - its a fairly rare camera and I only paid 20 or so buck for it at the thrift store - it goes for a few hundred on ebay. The flagship of my extensive Minolta collection.

Olympus OM-10

This 1979 Olympus SLR was the first in their line of "consumer SLRs" - the "pro models" had one digit numbers. I paid a few bucks for this at the thrift store - it is the only Olympus in my collection - although I'd like to get my hands on an early 70s model.

Konica AutoReflex T

These were originally produced in 1968 but mine is probably slightly later because it is technically a "T2"(only slight differences). this was Konica's first true "hit" in the SLR marketplace. I bought this camera in a whole bag full of gear at the flea market - I've shot some of the rolls of film that were in there. This solid camera just feels and sounds great - another one that just needs new light seals.

Fuji Fujica STX-1

A fully mechanical SLR released in the U.S. by Fuji in 1979 that I picked up for next to nothing. It only needs a battery for the light meter. Unfortunately I cannot get the battery compartment on mine open - it is probably corroded shut. I still might try it out someday with an external meter.

Ricoh XR-2

Ricoh's 1977 higher end SLR. The camera uses Pentax's K-Mount for its lenses(which I use on my Pentax K1000) - Ricoh actually recently purchased Pentax.

Kodak Retina IIIc

I traded some photography assistant work for this 1960 Kodak rangefinder. It has a fair bit of collector value as it was the best 35mm cameras Kodak made. It has a reputation for being very mechanically complicated. This one belonged to the mom of the person who traded it to me - so I have all the cases, bags and manuals - even purchase receipt!

Polaroid Model 850

This 1961 instant camera took roll film that has been long discontinued. People do convert them to be able to shoot other types of film. Mine came in a leather case with all the fixins.

1900-1902

Wilkin-Welsh was only in business for a couple of years. I believe I have the model name of this camera right but there is not much info out there and mine looks slightly different than any camera I have found online. This camera was a gift from a friend of my Dad's who has a mind-blowing camera collection.

Vivitar 400/SL

An SLR made by Cosina in 1975 that uses the popular M42 lens mount. Very rugged camera in line with the others made at the time.

Agfa Pioneer

A simple point and shoot 620 film camera manufactured starting in 1940. I was planning on shooting this one until testing revealed that the shutter sometimes sticks. Its not worth respooling modern 120 film onto 620 spools only to miss some shots when I have so many other cameras on the shelf waiting patiently.

Argus C3

This camera was originally sold in 1939 and sold over 2 million units during its 27 year production run - one of the most popular cameras of all time. I see one at almost every flea market I got to. Don't buy one of these thinking you're going to become rich on ebay! My copy is probably from the early 60s - or the copy pictured here I should say - you think I only have one of these!?!? I'm going to have to shoot this "brick" at some point - and I already don't look forward to it.

Sears Roebuck Tower Box Camera

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"Tower" was the branding Sears used on its cameras back in the day - I'm not sure who actually manufactured these. This is a simple box camera that takes 120mm film. The shutter on mine does not work - but I bought it really cheap at an antique mall because I like its looks.

Bencini Comet II

I bought this simple little camera at a flea market in Rome, Italy. It was an interesting negotiation as we each only knew a nominal amount of the others language. This camera took 127mm film and was made in Milan in 1951. I just had to get my hands on an Italian camera while I was oversees...

Minolta XG-7

The 1977 XG-7 was the first in Minolta's XG line of cameras - they were consider simple, cheaper, consumer cameras - the XD line being more sophisticated and expensive. My first camera was the 1979 XG-1 which was an even farther stripped down version of this camera. I bought this camera mainly because it came in the original box and I'm a little Minolta obsessed. The thing I find super annoying about the XG line is that there is no metering in full manual mode. I know these were meant to be shot in "auto" but still... Thats why I stick to my X-700.

Minolta introduced this budget SR-T in 1970 4 years after the SR-T101 was released. They stripped out the mirror lock-up, self timer, had a less informational viewfinder display, and a slower max shutter speed. I picked this up for only a few bucks mainly to get its lens. Having two working SR-T101's I will probably never shoot this camera.

Minolta XE-7

This 1974 Minolta is an awesome camera - or would be if it worked. I picked it up for next to nothing because I wanted it on my shelf - and thought maybe I could learn how to fix it(doubtful after more research). Anyways, this camera was built in collaboration with Leica(and has a Leica branded sister model - the R3). Many consider this the finest SLR film camera Minolta ever made - it is only a slight step down from their pro camera the XK. Unlike the SR-T line this was electronically controlled. I hope to score a working version some day to replace this one.

Minolta SR-T200

The Minolta SR-T200 was just an update of the budget-minded SR-T100. It was released in 1975 and had an increase in shutter speed of one stop. Another camera I picked up as part of my Minolta fetish(and it was only a couple of bucks).

Minolta X-370

I bought this camera for its bag full of Minolta accessories and old 35mm film. It came out a year after my beloved X-570 and was solidly aimed at the consumer who wanted an auto-exposure camera with interchangeable lenses.

Minolta Hi-Matic F

Minolta's rangefinder line of cameras were called Hi-Matic. The "F" was released in 1972 and was a simple fairly cheap auto-exposure camera. Its very small and I've intended to get some batteries for this one and try it out. It would be a great camera for street photography.

Minolta Hi-Matic FP

This s just a Hi-Matic F but in black and with a self timer. FP baby.

Minolta 110 Zoom

This is what's called a "submini slr". It came out in 1976 and took 110mm film - that came in little cartridges. Why make a fairly high-end, super odd looking slr camera for the lowly 110 pocket film - I don't know - but Minolta did it anyways. I couldn't pass up this historic footnote when I found it at the thrift store.

This is a 1969 camera designed to take Kodak's 126 cartridges. It was designed to be a simple-to-use camera. I bought it as an oddity and it does have an odd feature - it has a clockwork wind up motor so that you don't have to manually advance the film.

Minolta Hi-Matic AF2

Released in 1981 this is argued to be the first true auto-focus camera ever. It is a point and shoot camera with built in flash. I bought this at the thrift store and it launched my camera collection.

Canon Canonet

This 1961 camera was the first in a long running line of rangefinders named "Canonet". It is interesting because Canon was only known as a high-end camera maker at the time - this was there first consumer camera. I also think it looks cool with the light meter surrounding the lens. I bought this with the intention to use it - but the shutter is stuck.