mike_elek1

I've looked closely at the photos and thought about this. I'm inclined to think that this was a "one off" custom job.

 

The chrome looks to be polished, rather than the traditional powder chrome finish that was used. The screw heads also are damaged, which really is an indicator that someone opened the camera at some point.

 

Also, a close look at the accessory shoe shows some paint, and I wonder if the paint on the upper inside of the rails is black.

 

In any case, we'll never know. I think it's an interesting camera, for sure.

A corrupted digital image has no romanticism in the way that an old film image does. A corrupted digital image simply looks like crap.

Jack, you're right. It's doubtful that digital cameras will attract collectors with the same passion as the older cameras. Today's digital cameras, especially the P&S models, are made for immediacy -- the here and now with little or no thought about the future. When they stop working, they're useless -- just as it is with most electronic devices.

 

The designs lack creativity, and you probably can lump 90% of the P&S models into the SoCanoNikoPenta square blob of chromed plastic junk category. Scratched-up plastic looks like hell, which is why the Japanese SLRs and P&Ss of the 1990s sell so cheaply. Same applies to a well-used digital. Most of them can't survive five years -- how many will survive 50 years? And in 50 years, which of the proprietary batteries will still be available?

 

It's OK, because the purpose of digital is to satisfy the need to have the photo now. Nothing wrong with that.

 

Nope, there won't be much of a market for old digital cameras and certainly not the same passion that is attached to the classic film cameras.

The popularity and availability of classic cameras, especially on eBay, come and go. That also is true of the

prices on eBay. Sometimes, eBay prices are quite low. Sometimes, eBay prices are quite high. And sometimes within

days of each other.

 

There's always the chance that people are holding on to their cameras, so the available supply on eBay and

elsewhere has dropped a bit.

 

I also notice that certain eBay sellers are asking ridiculously high prices, which has had the overall effect of

convincing other eBay sellers that they should ask similar prices. That might, in turn, be pushing up prices

overall, including on eBay.

 

By the way, is it still frowned upon to mention eBay by name? Oops -- at least I had one sentence where I didn't

use eBay.

Hey Kerry -- I've been really crazy busy with life and all sorts of things. Most of them bad, but you take the bad with the good and in the end it all evens out. I think.

<p>For folding cameras, I've tried to restrict myself to Zeiss Ikon and Agfa Isolettes and some of the

Kodak/Nagels -- the reason being that you can spend an enormous amount of time and money (mostly money) buying

them.</p>

<p><b><i>Favorites</i></b></p>

<p>-- <b>Super Ikonta 531 with Tessar:</b> Compact little folder that you can slip into a coat pocket. Very easy

to use, although the van Albada viewfinder is a bit dim for my taste. Even so, outstanding build quality, and a

sharp Tessar lens.<br>

<a target="_blank" href=http://elekm.net/pages/cameras/sikonta531.htm>Mini-review</a></p>

<p>-- <b>Super Ikonta 532/16 with Tessar:</b> Solid camera, excellent lens. You give up one frame to the

autospacing mechanism. Typically Zeiss Ikon in build, which is to say that it's large, somewhat heavy and screams

quality. The 533/16 has an integrated, uncoupled selenium light meter and is a monster-sized camera -- I need to

service mine before I use it.<br>

<a target="_blank" href="http://elekm.net/pages/cameras/sikonta532-16.htm">Mini-review</a></p>

<p>-- <b>Mess Ikonta 524/16 with Tessar:</b> Excellent coated lens and very easy to use, even with the uncoupled

rangefinder.<br>

<a target="_blank" href=http://elekm.net/pages/cameras/ikonta_524-16.htm>Mini-review</a></p>

<p>-- <b>Mess Ikonta 524/2 with Tessar:</b> Another Zeiss Ikon classic. You can't beat 6x9.<br>

<a target="_blank" href=http://elekm.net/pages/cameras/ikonta524-2.htm>Mini-review</a></p>

<p>-- <b>Ikonta 520/2 with Tessar:</b> Hands-down, one of the sharpest lenses that I've encountered. Its ability

to resolve fine detail is amazing. From f/8, its scary how much information it records.<br>

<a target="_blank" href=http://elekm.net/pages/cameras/ikonta520-2.htm>Mini-review</a> (Check out the two Zoomify

samples)</p>

<p>-- <b>Super Ikonta 530/2 with Tessar:</b> Another excellent camera with the added benefit of a rangefinder.<br>

<a target="_blank" href=http://elekm.net/pages/cameras/sikonta530-2.htm>Mini-review</a></p>

<p>-- <b>Agfa Isolette III with Apotar (triplet) or Solinar (Tessar-type formula):</b> Lightweight yet sturdy

camera with a great uncoupled rangefinder. That dial is the way to go. This camera has a high "fun" factor.<br>

<a target="_blank" href=http://elekm.net/pages/cameras/isolette-iii.htm>Mini-review</a></p>

<p>-- <b>Voigtlander Bessa (6x9):</b> Lightweight camera with the Voigtlander focus-by-dial. Nice shutter release

and good build. Viewfinder is far to the right, while the rangefinder window is in the middle. Typical

Voigtlander oddities when it comes to ergonomics. Mine has the Helomar -- a well-designed triplet. Sorry, no

review.</p>

<p>-- <b>Kodak/Nagel Duo 620, Series II:</b> Great folding cameras with uncoated, sharp lenses. The shutter

release travel is a bit too deep, I think. Plus, you have to respool 120 -- not a huge pain, but an inconvenient

truth (when it comes to 620 cameras).<br>

<a target="_blank" href=http://elekm.net/pages/cameras/duo620.htm>Mini-review</a></p>

<p>Certainly, there are other quite capable cameras, including the Voigtlanders, Balda, Welta, Ihagee, a number

of Kodaks and a couple from Konica and other Japanese makers.</p>

This is a lens for the Contaflex 126 SLR, which uses 126 film.

Hey Cliff, that was hilarious.

Good advice. The semi-gilded coating is easily wiped away, especially if you make the mistake of using a liquid. That pretty much leaves you with a plain piece of glass and a useless rangefinder.

Short version: That photographer is unprofessional. Owning a camera doesn't make you a photographer, and photographing weddings for pay doesn't make you a professional.

 

Any person who yells at a customer/client shouldn't be in business. And certainly won't be for long.