History of 35mm, Part 2

This is the second part of Modern Photography's history series. It was in the July 1953 issue.

 

History 35mm 1 sm 2

Here is an article by Keppler, Rothschild, and Kramer on interchangeable lenses.

 

 

IL 1 sm 2

Here are this month's camera equipment ads.

 

 

Ansco 1 sm 2

Here is an article on interchangeable lenses for 35mm cameras.

 

Lens List 1 sm 2

Here is a test of the Kodak Signet camera.

 

 

Signet Test 1 sm 2

Here are this month's dealer ads.

 

BB 1 sm 2

Great series, Marc. The Signet test reminded me of a great aunt that I had. She and my great uncle worked for Hersey's and managed a sugar cane plantation in Cuba. She took hundreds of Kodachrome slides with her Signet, I inherited some of her slides. My parents went to see them in Cuba in 1951. I have the 8 mm movies that made on that visit. My uncle and aunt left Cuba a few years before Castro's rule.

Great post and thanks.

$1975.00 for the ‘53 Ford in the equipment ad contest.

This all seems surreal looking back.

Thanks for the posts.

Aaaaah! Signet!!!!

The only camera I ever really, really disliked. I had to use it as a field recording camera (Kodachrome, of course), a task for which it was not really intended.

 

Thanks all the same:(

Ah, as soon as I saw the words "Signet Test" I knew JDM's hackles would rise...Since acquiring a Signet about three years ago I've put only one film through it, and I'm now motivated to try another. Thanks for another interesting edition, Marc.

Marc, many thanks for these posts. Please keep them coming.

 

The second part of 35mm history is excellent. Japanese optics are mentioned in 1953 as a surprise; I enjoyed the Wolff information, old photo books were full of Wolff pictures. Those early Leica pictures by Barnack are very interesting indeed.

 

The basic article on interchangeable lenses is a very good introduction, even today. Keppler's hand is visible in this piece. 28mm was ultra-wide at the time, there were already Angenieux retrofocus designs available. There was a 24mm for the Prominent - I wonder what would be a current price for that one.

 

Never used a Signet, so I pass on comments. The article is quite optimistic and well synchronized with the ad, anyway. And it was 5 bucks cheaper than a Konica I, FWIW.

 

In the ads, the Summicron was in the market along with the Konica I, Mamiyaflex, Pentacon with a lens named Biotar, and Vitessa. Some crop!

Earlier this year I got a Signet 35 (the model as reviewed in the link given above - thanks for that). I've shot a couple of rolls with it, I quite like it. It has a neat form factor and the controls fall nicely under the fingers for me.

Aaaaah! Signet!!!!

The only camera I ever really, really disliked. I had to use it as a field recording camera (Kodachrome, of course), a task for which it was not really intended.

 

Thanks all the same:(

What about the Signet makes it so ill-suited for use in the field?

Ah, as soon as I saw the words "Signet Test" I knew JDM's hackles would rise...Since acquiring a Signet about three years ago I've put only one film through it, and I'm now motivated to try another. Thanks for another interesting edition, Marc.

It looks quite similar in overall design to the Baldas.