a sad history?

[leica M2 fan]

I remember those Sears (and Montgomery Ward) camera catalogs, too. I still remember that a Contax III cost $444.00, in about 1954. ( I don't remember which lens, and in those days it was sure to come with a "never-ready" case.) I was in high school, and that price was probably more than my dad made in a couple of months. Look on ebay - they still sell for about that, except that the dollar amount is peanuts in comparison. That's progress.

Yes, with my collection of FSU cameras (Zorki and FED and Kiev) , I'm sure we are helping to preserve a priceless heritage of photo history. I even have three old VX-model Exaktas. Wonder what one of those Russian film-holders would have cost back then - except that back then we probably weren't on speaking terms with anyone who mattered in the USSR.

In 1956 I bought an Exakta VXlla for $429, an enormous amount of money at the time.That camera despite its many quirks served me very well for about 15 years. I still have it and the little EXA I purchased a year or so later with its Meyer lens.The big camera had a Schneider Xenon lens. I remember looking at photo mags just drooling at lenses that were available. Also drooled over the ALPA Reflex cameras which I still would like to have, especially the 8b.

 

[Byuphoto]

In 1960 my sister let me order a Kodak box camera, of some forgotten type, from Sears. She would buy and process me one roll of film a month. I remember waiting for that Sears package then i remember waiting for those Fox Foto envelopes to arrive

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

I figure this hobby of mine is still less than beer and hookers(well less self destructive anyway) 😀
Rob

Maybe we should make up some tokens like the old west brothels use to give out. Many of them read like this:

1)Adobe Concert Hall, one first class lay, Goldfield Nevada, satisfaction guaranteed.

2)Southern Belle Saloon, whiskey tobacco and fancy women, Mississippi Steamboat.

3)The Octoroon, Madame Bolanger, you will receive sport enough to last for a year to come, Los Angles.

4)Uncle Sam Hotel, 12 beautiful young ladies to assist you, Yuma, Arizona Territories.

5)Railhead Saloon, good for one dollar in trade girls, whiskey, tobacco, Tombstone Arizona Territory.

Each rangefinder camera company could have their own slogan. Use your imagination, thinking of rangefinders as your vice. I would modify number four above to read somthing like this:

Canon rangefinders, 12 beautiful mature models to assist you.

Wayne

 

[yossarian]

"Surrounding myself with possessions,
I surely have more than I need.
I don't know if this is justice hard earned,
Or simply a matter of greed".

--Dan Fogelberg, "Loose Ends"

Fred

 

[ch1]

"Surrounding myself with possessions,
I surely have more than I need.
I don't know if this is justice hard earned,
Or simply a matter of greed".

--Dan Fogelberg, "Loose Ends"

Fred

"Or maybe I've just been frugal,
and careful in my way.
So now I can enjoy the fruit
of my hard-earned pay."

-- George "RFF Blues"

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

"Or maybe I've just been frugal,
and careful in my way.
So now I can enjoy the fruit
of my hard-earned pay."

-- George "RFF Blues"

Excellent, George. My sentiments exactly.

wayne

 

[DougK]

At least it's a harmless obsession, although I'm sure my friends are tired of being "shot" by an endless parade of cameras. What the heck, I get my photos, they burn off a few calories trying to dodge my lens... everybody wins, right?

 

[dll927]

Leica M2 fan -- Do you remember the PP days of Norman Rothschild? He was a dedicated Exakta user. Why? Because lenses for it could focus closer than just about anything else. As for the Exakta's 'foibles', it must be about the only famous camera that seems to have been designed by a left-hander. But they can still be fun to play with, even if theydon't the presnt-day bells and whistles. Wonder how many ever made much use of that internal knife to cut the fim in mid-roll.