gary_turner1

<p>Tower was a Sears brand. So many Towers; some made in Japan, some Germany and probably elsewhere. In this case it was most likely made by Kamerawerke Wilhelm Witt in Germany. Possible models: Tower 51 = Iloca Rapid-B. Sears Tower 52 = Iloca Rapid-II (same as Argus V-100).<br> Nice photos that prove that a Steinheil Cassar S lens can be quite capable.<br> Here's a link to the possible Iloca (hope I'm not breaking rules by listing it):<br> http://www.photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00Y3ar</p>

<p>Then there was an early Zeiss Ikarex 35 & 35 TM. Discontinued 1971</p> <p>Exakta RTL 1000 previously mentioned, by Praktica 1969-73</p> <p>That Praktica L2, previously mentioned, made 1976-80, sounds rather recent</p>

<p>Miranda Sensomat RS 1970-71. I'm guessing that may have been the last of Miranda non metered 35mm SLR cameras.</p> <p>Nikon F was made up until 1973 (?) but not exactly modern either. Vintage = modern?</p> <p>Kiev 17 1977-84</p> <p>Zenit B model without meters were made for several years 1968-73</p>

<p>One is lucky just to have a metered camera that reacts to light after so many years. My collecting & using experience: At least 50% of the battery driven meters are already dead, and I'm guessing the rest are on a downhill slide. Some likely culprits: dust, oxidation to the wires, environmental pollutants, heat, cold, dropped cameras, sticky needles, batteries left in the camera that seriously leaked powder and goo.<br> Maybe part of that 50% failure rate is due to the incorrect battery voltage? Who will ever know.<br> I have used 1.5 v alkaline & silver batteries for many years in cameras with working meters designed for 1.35 v. I really can't say the results were beyond the latitude of the film I used. Also, those camera meters did not seem to suffer subsequent battery caused failure year after year that I'm yet aware of, but I'm sure failures will eventually occur for any number of reasons. Then there's those camera meters that have friendlier circuitry (bridged?) where the exposure presumably stays the same?<br> One wonders why a company like Mamiya chose to use silver batteries in various 35mm cameras way back in the 1960's while so many other companies preferred mercury?</p>

<p>Wonder why Pentax Spotmatics initially went with a rather obscure battery, the PX-400 / RM-400-R instead of the common S-76 or PX-625?<br> Spotmatic F fortunately used the more common 625. Can't think of any other camera makes that used that small 400 battery. What's a good substitute short of using hearing aid / zink batteries?</p>

<p>I have an original focal plane type 35mm SLR Contarex (not the much more popular Contaflex series with the lens shutter and black out viewfinder) and it works fully auto. Supposedly that first model was introduced to the press in 1958 but took awhile to get to consumers.<br> The Contarex meets all the criteria that an over engineered, way too bulky, heavy, full featured and expensive camera that Germany was well known for....like some of their WWII tanks that the Russian tanks ran circles around. Not necessarily a fair stereotype across the board since the early Praktica SLR's in comparison were of rather humble origins, far more affordable and very manageable in size.<br> Apparently by the time Germans got around to designing small body 35mm SLR's to meet the Asian competition it was time to move production elsewhere or close shop all together.</p>

<p>With the FX-2: I should have indicated 'actuating mechanism' not pin. M42 lenses had the pin.<br> Oh well, auto diaphragm lenses were at least a step in the right direction for more convenient operation.</p>

<p>One could say the original Zeiss Contarex was earlier with auto diaphragm than the Canonflex or Nikon F but apparently consumers couldn't see them in stores until early 1960. What a beast.<br> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br> Fully auto diaphragm lenses on some cameras does not mean a lot in a practical sense unless the cameras feature instant return mirrors. Pentacon for example did not have a true / fully instant return mirror camera until its VF model of 1964. Although a Praktica FX-2 featured auto diaphragm capability via actuating pin inside the body, the camera itself blacked out its viewfinder until its shutter was cocked again and the mirror dropped down. I have a similar situation with my Minolta SR-2 using Auto MC lenses but maybe something is wrong with the camera (?).</p>

<p>Canonflex 35mm SLR apparently edged out Nikon F by one month during 1959 with its early auto diaphragm Super-Canomatic lens (but not to become a popular camera model or lens).</p>

<p>Woops. Correction: Zunow</p>

<p>Zunov 35mm SLR - 1958? Wish I had one!</p>