American Cameras - Few Words in cmc/CMC/Classic Manual Cameras

<p>Rick, I'm always glad to see a fellow WW2 enthusiast (if that is an appropriate word!). One of my dream finds is to come across a huge chest of 35mm negatives from the war. Plus the Leicas that took them. ;-)</p>

<p>Funny how some of these cameras are really pretty - and yet the companies that made them go on to make some of the most hideous things I've ever seen.</p>

<p>Here's the oldest American camera I own: a folding 3A Brownie from the early 'teens (from Rochester, New York).</p><div></div>

I'm quite shocked that nobody has posted the mainstay of press photography for over half a century.

The american made press camera. Crown Graphic in this case, Others include Burke and James and Busch. I would also like to see some of the RB series graflex cameras represented here! Come on and get em' out guys and gals!<div></div>

If anyone actually owns a Combat Graphic, I'd like to see that here too!

<p>Cliff, you must have missed Rick Van Nooij's post, hist first frame has two Speed Graphics...</p>

Yeah I did miss them, the pictures were so dark and I didn't have my glasses on and read the print. Sorry Rick!

Here's another "Top Shelf" American camera made in Rochester, NY

This is a model II that is I guess better than the model I<div></div>

<p>OK, let's see, I have some that have not been shown yet.<br>

Acro Model R, Chicago ILL<br>

<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2598/3709033404_b86e82c46a_z.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Webster Winpro 35, Rochester NY:<br>

<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2774/4188292332_ae95829075_z.jpg" alt="" /><br>

Kodak Signet 80, Rochester NY:<br>

<img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/4188292514_e5201e39d8_z.jpg" alt="" /><br>

Uniflex II, NY NY:<br>

<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2738/4518717960_9cb88d66df_z.jpg" alt="" width="464" height="640" /></p>

<p>Anybody know where the Revere Eye-Matic 127 was made? Chicago perhaps?<br>

<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2728/4188984344_6ec29247d3_z.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="509" /></p>

<p>Cool thread, really enjoying it a lot! Something tells me that Gene M owns all of these lol :)<br>

I feel very left out, I should really get some US made cameras... I really want a Crown Graphic, and someday I will get one, but I think I'll start with an Argus of some sort - I actually think they are very stylish looking.<br>

Rick - that Kodak 35RF looks like the result of a drunken night of debauchery between Robocop and a camera ;)</p>

<p>Sorry Cliff I don't have a Combat 4x5 Graphic. JDM used one in the past didn't he? I wish I had one, but they are getting very expensive.<br /> Or did you mean the Graphic 70?</p>

<p>Those are some wonderful cameras Erik! That Acro Model R really takes my fancy. Shame it's in 127 format, means I have to develop the film myself ;)</p>

<p>Peter, the 35RF was Kodak's "OH SH!T"-answer to the Argus C-3. If they had taken the time to design another RF camera, who knows what kind of beauty they could've dreamed up. *cough* Ektra *cough*</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Cliff, that Hawkeye Instamatic was my very first camera. I never used it with flash (not knowing what battery was supposed to go in the bottom of the camera) but I shot with it for 4 years until I asked for a got a Kodak 110 camera with built in electronic flash for Christmas. That I used for a couple years until I began using my mothers Canon Canonet GIII QL17. I also bought my own 35mm camera, a Chinon Bellami (for $75, while I really wanted to buy an Olympus XA, which by 1985 was hard to find new). </p>

<p>I wish I had the "Marine Combat Graphic", as we called it then. It was the property of the Smithsonian Institution - River Basin Surveys - Missouri Basin Project.</p>

<p>Later I just used various Graphics/Graflexes in 4x5, often with Polaroid Type 72. Plus-X was really super in 4x5.</p>

<p>Here's the real thing, not to be confused with merely olive-drab-colored Graphics or the 70mm "super Contax" Graphic. Note the entire camera is a wooden box covered with OD. The lens front when carried has a door that is shown below, snapped up under the lens area. (Folmer Graflex Corp., Rochester, NY)</p><div></div>

I remember you talking about them before. The thing that made me mention wanting to see one , is that I just came across a Pre-anniversary Speed that someone spray painted green and were calling it a "Combat Graphic" and I thought the real thing had the bellows totally enclosed, and was quite well armored.

<p>Here's the one that started it all for me...the Kodak Instamatic X-15.</p><div></div>

<p>Here's another Kodak from Rochester, I believe. It's a Kodak No.2 Folding Autographic Brownie. This one still has the original stylus that came with it!</p><div></div>

<p>I've got one of those too, Andy. Though the bellows on mine are riddled with pinholes.</p>

<p>?????????????????????????????????????????????????<br>

I can't believe it... How could it possibly be, that nobody has so far posted a photo of one of the cutest US cameras ever!?!</p>

 

<p>?????????????????????????????????????????????????<br>

I can't believe it... How could it possibly be, that nobody has so far posted a photo of one of the cutest US cameras ever!?!</p>

 

<p>Well, where is my photo now? Let's try again...</p>

<p>Third attempt....</p>

<div></div>

Here is another very loved Argus model. The Seventy-five !<div></div>

And what about the Infamous Holiday Flash! Now that's cute!<div></div>

And another little dream from Argus, the 21 Markfinder.<div></div>

<p>From New York's Universal Camera Corporation, ca. 1938 :</p><div></div>

<p>My contribution is a c. 1903 Seneca Chautauqua plate camera, acquired one late night on Fleabay US. It's the rarer version in rosewood, most being in Henry Ford-approved black. It's also the oldest camera in my entire collection, and is unrestored. Some family just looked after it exceedingly well, for which I'm eternally grateful. (Pete In Perth)</p><div></div>