Cameras I Love to Hate: From flawed masterpieces to common clunkers
A collection of clueless classics & botched designs that missed the mark
By Jason Schneider
I must confess that I deliberately overstated the title above to get your attention. Hate is a rather strong word, and I can’t think of any camera I truly detest. However, there are many that amuse me by their pretension, inartful execution, and uncanny ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory by starting out with a great idea, then screwing it up. I have taken pictures with all these curious critters and would be loath to do so again, though several do reside in my motley collection.
There are of course a few classic clunkers that are simply too charming to include in any hate list—like the Argus C3, the original Kine Exakta of 1936, and the ungainly Kodak 35 Rangefinder (35RF) of 1940 to 1951, to name three. That’s why these and other cameras of similar ilk, are not included here. Everything else is fair game, so here goes.
Mamiya/Sekor Auto XTL: When introduced in 1971 the Auto XTL was considered an exceptionally advanced 35mm SLR, offering shutter-priority autoexposure and dual 6% spot and averaging TTL metering at the film plane using two CdS cells, a full information viewfinder showing both aperture and shutter speed, a focal plane shutter with speeds of 1-1/1000 sec plus B, and ES bayonet mount lenses from 21mm to 135mm, including a nice 55mm f/1.4. Both the Auto XTL and its successor the Auto X-1000 were produced in very limited quantities, largely due to poor sales. Original selling prices: $319.60 with f/1.8 normal lens; $349.50 with f/1.4 normal lens, the latter figure equal to $2,806.80 in 2026 dollars!
Mamiya/Sekor Auto XTL Exceptionally advanced for a 1971 SLR it had dual TTL metering, but its complex electronics are unreliable and repairs are tough.
Users report that the Auto XTL can be “clunky” to operate despite decent ergonomics, has a dim viewfinder thanks to the use of a pellicle mirror, and that its complex electronics are unreliable, and often impossible to repair since parts are no longer unavailable. Essentially, if the electronics fail the camera is inoperable. The unique ES bayonet mount also limits the lens selection. Despite its foibles the Mamiya/Sekor Auto XTL is considered highly collectible. Current price on the used market: a mere $200 or so in pristine working condition with 55mm f/1.4 lens!
Miranda Sensorex: In production from 1966 to 1971, the top-of-the-line Sensorex was essentially a classic mechanical Miranda 35mm SLR with the addition of built-in TTL CdS match-needle metering system with about 60% of its sensitivity concentrated in the bottom 2/3 of the frame. It employs a dual lens mount combining Miranda’s 4-claw bayonet and a 44mm screw mount to ensure backward compatibility with older Miranda lenses, and an interchangeable prism finder that provides about 92% magnification. The metering system reads from behind the mirror, allowing the meter to function properly no matter which finder is used, but it was originally powered by a 1.35v mercury cell (PX625) so it must be professionally modified to work with current 1.5v alkaline or silver-oxide cells. The Miranda Sensorex II introduced in 1971-1972 has av more convenient aperture selector, updated VFE viewfinders, somewhat cleaner body styling, and provision for open-aperture metering.
Miranda Sensorex was trcnically advanced for a '60s SLR but plagued by reliability problens.
Other Miranda Sensorex features include: A focal plane shutter with speeds of 1 to 1/000 sec plus B and X sync at 1/60 sec; a ratcheted film wind lever, folding rewind crank with self-resetting release button; sensitivity settings of ISO 25 to 1600. The Sensorex measures 5.8 x 3.7 x 3.4 inches (W x H x D) with 50mm f/1.8 lens and weighs about 31.7 ounces with 50mm f/1.9 Auto Miranda lens and 38.6 ounces (a hulking 2.4 pounds) with 50mm f/1.4 Auto Miranda lens, both with standard pentaprism finder. This is one great honking camera!
User reviews of the Miranda Sensorex often cite its ruggedness, tanklike build quality, and vintage esthetics, but warn against persistent reliability problems, especially shutter and metering system woes. Its optics, ergonomics, versatility, and bright viewfinder earn some praise, but shutter-capping (curtain closing) problems are all too frequent and finding technicians willing to work on the beast can be problematic, and expensive. Other complaints: Its weight can be daunting on long walks, and the metering circuitry must be upgraded to work properly with modern batteries. Verdict: it’s not a terrible camera but it’s one only a Miranda fanatic would consider using as a daily shooter.
The Miranda Sensorex sold for about $249.50 (sometimes a bit higher) with a 50mm f/1.9 Soligor lens when it was first released in 1966, which is equal to about $2,500 in 2026 dollars. You can currently snag a used example in clean working condition with 50mm f/1.9 Auto Miranda lens for around $125 to $200, which is (relatively speaking) a bargain.
Rollei Magic (the original model, aka the Rollei Magic I): It seemed like a reasonable idea at the time. In the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, twin-lens reflex cameras (TLRs) were immensely popular among photo enthusiasts and pros, and the Rolleiflex was the leading brand. So why not offer an autoexposure point-and-shoot TLR to appeal to the legions of snap-shooters that didn’t want to bother with f/stops, shutter speeds, and exposure settings? Once the Prontormat-S shutter arrived, Rolleiflex makers Franke & Heidecke of Braunschweig, Germany was able to accomplish that goal, and thus the Rollei Magic was born.
Rollei Magic I, Conceved as a high quality point-and shoot TLR for the mass market it had no good way to adjust the exposure
A nicely made autoexposure TLR with a large rectangular selenium meter cell placed above the 75mm f/3.5 Heidosmat viewing lens, this ill-fated camera was in production for only 2 years between 1960 and 1962 and only about 25,000 units were turned out. The taking lens is a high-quality front-celli-focusing 75mm f/3.5 Schneider Xenar, the Prontormat-S shutter (model 565k1) provides automatic exposure speeds of 1/30 to 1/300 sec and auto apertures ranging from f/3.5 to f/22, but the only manual shutter settings are 1/30 sec for flash, and B, both allowing apertures from f/3.5 to f/22 to be set manually. Film speed settings range from ASA 12 to 1600, and the camera measures 3.5 x 4.2x 5.8 inches (W x D x H) and weighs in at a hefty 35.3 ounces (2.2 pounds). The original price in Germany was 450 DM, equal to $107.89 in US dollars at the time and equivalent to about $1,185 in 2026 dollars. In its day, the camera was considered quite expensive.
As you can infer from the specs, the Rollei Magic had a serious problem: it provides no good way of setting exposures manually. Its auto-exposure system relies on the selenium cell to set a combination of apertures and shutter speeds that (hopefully) result in the correct exposure but if the AE system goes on the fritz the camera is kaput! True, you canchoose apertures, but only at shutter settings of 1/30 sec and B, which isn’t very useful, and you can increase or decrease the ASA setting to adjust the overall exposure, but exposure control is very limited, and the camera is essentially a glorified point-and-shoot!
Rollei Magic II. It added manual exposure settings in response to vociferous complaints about the Rollei Magic I, but it still didn't sell!
As the result of much rancorous feedback from Rollei Magic users complaining about the camera’s lack of exposure-setting flexibility Rollei finally addressed the problem in 1962 with the introduction of (you guessed it) the Rollei Magic II which incorporated a Prontormatic-S shutter (model 602 k) which provides manual shutter speed settings from 1/30 sec to 1/500 sec plus B, and also allows a full range of aperture settings from f/3.5 to f/22 at any speed. The Rollei Magic II was in production from 1962 to 1968, and about 16,600 units were produced. Current price ranges for used models in pristine working condition: Rollei Magic I: $100 to $250; Rollei Magic II, $150 to $350. Sage advice: If you plan to shoot with it, opt for the Rollei Magic II!
Nikkorex Zoom: The Nikkorex Zoom is often cited as the archetype for the “bridge camera,” a camera that bridges the gap between a compact point-and-shoot and a full fledged SLR. Coined in the 1980s, this term is still applied to digital cameras today. While technically a bridge camera, the Nikkorex Zoom of 1963 to 1965, which gets its name from its noninterchangeable 9-element, 7-group Zoom Nikkor Auto 43-86mm f/3.5 lens, is anything but compact. Indeed, it’s often described by users as ponderous and bulky, and it weighs in at over 35 ounces (2.2 pounds). While the boxy Zoom Nikkorex qualifies as a technological landmark, a thing of beauty it is not. And based on the mediocre performance of its 2:1 zoom, low-tech features, and so-so reliability, it’s often described as the worst camera Nikon ever made. I find this assessment not only overly harsh, but also inaccurate. While Nikon furnished the lens for the Nikkorex Zoom and may even have had a hand in designing it, the camera was, in fact, manufactured by Mamiya at Nikon’s behest!
Nikkorex Zoom. A technological landmark, it's an inelegant clunker with a so-so zoom lens, but still funky and fun!
The Nikkorex Zoom is a leaf-shutter 35mm SLR with a fixed zoom lens aimed at the broad-spectrum amateur market. It has a built-in, coupled match-needle metering system employing a large external (non-TTL) rectangular selenium cell above the lens, with readouts displayed both in the finder and in a metering window atop the camera. To save weight and cost, the camera uses a porro-prism assembled of mirrors instead of a solid glass pentaprism to provide a laterally and vertically correct viewing and focusing image. This, combined with the moderate f/3.5 constant aperture of the zoom lens, results in a somewhat dim viewing image. The camera also lacks an instant-return mirror—you must wind the film-advance lever to the next frame to return the mirror to viewing position. The leaf shutter is a Seikosha-SLV with MX sync at speeds of 1-1/500 sec and provides a B setting for time exposures, and a self-timer. Focusing (down to about 4 feet) and zooming are controlled by separate rings on the lens barrel. Other features: Film speed settings ASA 10 to 1600, single-stroke film advance lever, auto-resetting frame counter, folding rewind crank.
While many users say they enjoy shooting with their Nikkorex Zooms, common complaints include poor reliability (especially sticking or non-working shutters), a dim viewfinder, a heavy, unwieldy form factor, mediocre sharpness, considerable falloff at the widest lens apertures, and unavailability of parts and repairs. Despite its flaws the Nikkorex Zoom is a sought-after collector’s item because if its unique character and historical significance. The original list price of the Nikkorex Zoom was $220.00, but many stores sold it for $200.00, equal to an astronomical $2,500.00 or thereabouts in 2026 dollars. There are numerous Nikkorex Zoom cameras listed at the major online auction sites at ridiculously low prices in the $25 to $50 range but be prepared to shell out about $100 if you want a fully functional example in pristine condition.
Contax I prototype is super rare, but is quite similar to the production model. Note cool collapsible 50mm f/2.8 Zeiss Tessar lens nickel finished parts.
Contax I: The first Contax rangefinder 35, the Contax I of 1932, an original Zeiss-Ikon design, was an unabashed attempt to produce the world’s best interchangeable-lens 35mm rangefinder camera. It was certainly more technically audacious than the Leica D introduced in the same year, which was basically a 1930 Leica C with small, coupled rangefinder affixed to the top. Among the Contax I’s then-state-of-the-art features: A long-base coupled rangefinder with separate viewfinder, removable back, bayonet-mount lenses, top-mounted focusing wheel directly in front of the shutter release, and a unique vertical-travel roller-blind focal-plane shutter with speeds from 1/25-1/1000 sec (later extended to 1/2 sec). Beautifully made and elegantly finished in black enamel with nickel trim, the camera’s boxy contours were not nearly as ergonomic as the Leica’s rounded ends, and the front-mounted, combined film-wind-knob and shutter-speed dial was none too convenient. While the Zeiss lenses (including a super-speed 50mm f/1.5 Sonnar) were as good as anything then available, the shutter was notoriously unreliable and a bear to repair. Indeed, it went through 9 iterations to try to improve it but the last version was only marginally better than the first. Other unusual features: The excellent rangefinder uses contra-rotating prism wedges instead of a pivoting prism or mirror and rewinding was clutch-less--instead of declutching the sprocket wheel to let it turn in reverse as with most 35s, the rewind lever lifts the film off the sprockets! Despite its ingenuity, high quality, and devoted following, the Contax I did not surpass the Leica, either as a functional camera or in the marketplace, but it did sow the seeds of some important future developments, like vertical metal focal-plane shutters and bayonet-mount lenses. It was succeeded by the more refined and integrated Contax II of 1936, which had a more reliable shutter and is considered one of the great rangefinder 35s of all time.
Contax I, version 5. This well used example has a classic 50mm f/2 Sonnar lens. Despite valiant effiorts Zeiss was never able to fix its unreliable shutter.
In the mid-1930s the Contax I was positioned as a premium, higher-priced alternative to the Leica II (Model D). A 1935 catalog shows the Leica II with 5cm f/3.5 Elmar lens was priced at $130.50, while the Contax I listed at $156.00 to $299.00 depending in lens, making it significantly more expensive. The higher cost of the Contax I was largely due to the “expensive high-performance Carl Zeiss lenses” (which included the super-speed 50mm f/1.5 Sonnar),its complex, innovative rangefinder system, and its complex (but unreliable) shutter mechanism. Contax I’s are certainly collectible, but understandably hard to find in working condition. Clean examples, purportedly in working condition, with original uncoated 50mm f/2 Sonnar lens, currently go for about $1,000 to $1,500. However, according to my most trusted repairmen, there is nothing you can do to magically transform a Contax I shutter so it performs reliably, and user-collectors are strongly advised to steer clear of this flawed classic.
Kodak Bantam Special. This exquisite folding rangefinder camera is an art deco masterpiece designed by Walter Dorwin Teague. The Bantam Special was the top-of-the-line Kodak camera based on the 828 format—essentially an 8-exposure roll of paper-backed 35mm roll film that provides a 28 x 40mm format that’s about 30% larger than full frame 35mm. This film lacks the usual double perforations of 35mm film but there are more widely spaced perforations along the film edge to engage the automatic film-stop mechanism. Kodak discontinued 828 film in 1985, but custom rolled 828 film is still available in a variety of black & white and color negative emulsions from major retailers at prices ranging from about $20 to $28 per roll (a hefty price for only 8 exposures!)
Kodak Bantam Special, first version with uncoated 45mm Ektar lens. Gorgeous Art Deco classic had a fatal flaw--a wobbly front standard.
A beautifully made folding rangefinder camera resembling a miniature refrigerator, the posh original Special introduced in 1936 had an uncoated 45mm f/2 Kodak Anastigmat lens in German Compur-Rapid shutter, and the prized 1941 model had a coated (!) 45mm f/2 Ektar and Kodak’s own Supermatic No. 0 shutter with speeds of 1-1/400 sec plus B and T. Despite its impressive specs, the front standard supporting the lens was hardly a paragon of rigidity, and lens sharpness at wide apertures was only so-so. And while the Bantam Special was easy to open, closing it required moving the lens in beyond the infinity position before closing the front door. If you didn’t and tried to force it closed, you could easily wreck the camera, and a fair number of beautiful Bantam Specials suffered this cruel fate
The Kodak Bantam Special was introduced in 1936 at a list price of $110.00 (the equivalent of $2,586.07 in 2026 dollars). but during its time of production prices fluctuated between $87.50 and $115.00. A clean working Kodak Bantam Special (original model) will set you back about $400, and the less common 1941 model with coated 45mm f/2 Ektar lens in Supermatic shutter runs about $600. It’s a gorgeous collector’s heart throb that will grace the stateroom of your vintage Chris Craft, but it’s not much of a practical picture taker.
Ansco Automatic Reflex 1947. The most ambitious and mechanically advanced 2-1/4 x 2-1-/4 twin-lens reflex camera ever manufactured in the U.S., the Ansco Reflex went all out to capture the TLR market from the Europeans. Unfortunately, it didn’t. It’s a substantial machine (it measures about 3-1/4 x 4-1/4 x 5-3/4 inches (W x D x H) and weighs a whopping 2 lbs., 12 oz.). It’s exquisitely finished, and features focusing by left-hand knob, or with either hand using two ingenuous, interconnected front-mounted wheels. Film advance is by short-throw crank, after you set frame one in ye olde red window. The lens board is suspended in four self-lubricating grooves and focuses via four cams, a durable but extremely costly arrangement. The Ansco has a Wollensak Rapax leaf shutter (the 1947 version with no flash sync, the c.1949 version with standard flash sync) with speeds from 1-1/400 sec plus B, and an 83mm f/3.5 Ansco Anastigmat talking lens, also made by Wollensak. The lens generally performs quite well—it’s very sharp in the center with some edge falloff at the widest apertures—but it’s a triplet (3-element) design that seems out of place on such an audacious and costly top-of- the-line TLR that debuted in 1947 at a list price of $275.00, equivalent to over $4,000.00 in 2026 dollars! It is widely conjectured that, at the tail end if its design and production cycle, Ansco simply ran out if money and fitted the Wollensak Anastigmat triplet, instead of the available alternative 4-element Wollensak Raptar, to save money.
Ansco Automatic Reflex. The most audacious American TLR had a superb focusing system, many cool features, and was beautifuuly made, but its reliability is so-so and it deserved a better lens.
The Ansco Automatic Reflex was designed by Henry Dreyfuss with the goal of producing a “pleasing and ergonomic form.” Its body is constructed of six high-precision aluminum castings, is finished in satin chrome, and has a black Morocco grain leather covering. Other features: semi-automatic film advance via short-throe folding crank; automatic frame counter with double exposure prevention; ground glass waist-level finder with built-in magnifier loupe and reverse eye-level Galilean sports finder; parallax-compensation markings for more accurate framing at distances under 4 feet (the camera focuses down to 3 feet, 8 inches); aperture settings f/3.5 to f/32; and a slightly faster, coated 83mm f/3.2 viewing lens to provide a brighter view and more precise focusing.
Users praise the Ansco Automatic Reflex as a beautifully made and useable vintage American classic that can take sharp pictures (though noting some edge falloff at wide apertures) but caution that it can be temperamental and often requires expensive, hard-to-obtain professional servicing (given its age, complexity, and use of older lubricants) to render it fully operational. The shutter release must be fully depressed to unlock the double exposure prevention mechanism, otherwise the film won’t advance to the next frame; the film loading process is overly complicated and “unintuitive,” requiring practice; the viewfinder is bright enough for outdoor use but too dim indoors, and the ground glass has a “grainy texture.” While Ansco’s finest matched the Rolleiflex in terns if build quality and “professional feel” its idiosyncratic design reliability problems prevented it from attaining the same legendary status. Today it’s a relatively affordable exotic and the fact that it takes 120 film is certainly a big plus for user-collectors.
The Ansco Automatic Reflex (either version) is readily available used at online auctions and specialty dealers at prices ranging from $200 to $350 in “clean working condition”. However, if you intend to shoot with this ponderous but lovable beast, be prepared to fork over about $150 to your esteemed expert camera repair person to give it a full CLA.
Contarex: The original “Bullseye” Contarex, also affectionately known as the “Cyclops,” got its nicknames from the large round selenium “meter eye” prominently perched on the front of its pentaprism housing. Announced by Zeiss-Ikon at Photokina 1958, but not generally available until 1960, it was the world’s first focal plane shutter SLR with a light meter linked to the camera’s aperture, shutter speed and film speed settings. While exquisitely made and beautifully finished, known for its robust all metal construction, and sporting such advanced features as interchangeable film backs, the Contarex was widely mocked as the paradigm of German camera overdesign, and is considered a marketing failure despite its technological brilliance. It had over 1,200 parts (more than enough to assemble 3 typical 35mm SLR bodies!) and required nearly 4,000 assembly steps, making it notoriously hard to repair. Indeed, 42 distinct steps are needed just to remove the top cover! The Contarex was also huge, ponderous, and extremely expensive. It measures about 6.1 x 3.9 x 4.1 inches (W x H x D), and weighs in at 2.8 pounds with the 50mm f/2 Planar, the most common normal lens. In 1961 the Bullseye Contarex with 50mm f/2 Planar lens was priced at $499.00 in the U.S., equivalent to a stratospheric $5,450.00 in 2026. Not surprisingly it didn’t sell very well, and only 32,000 units were produced in total between 1959 and 1966. Indeed, its high cost of production, the resulting high retail price, and its poor market performance contributed to the demise of Zeiss-Ikon in 1971-1972.
Contarex Bullseye with 50mm f/2 Planar lens. A masterpiece of Germam overdesigm, it's huge and heavy and had great Zeiss lenses!
Despite its shortcomings the Contarex Bullseye has its charms. Contarex lenses such as the 50mm f/2 Planar and the 15mm Hologon are still considered some of the sharpest, best-performing lenses ever made and are prized by modern digital adaptors. The viewfinder is exceptionally bright, clear and easy to focus, and Zeiss-Ikon produced a complete professional system of Contarex lenses and accessories (though many are hard to find and quite expensive today). If you do take the plunge, make sure that the Contarex of your dreams comes with a no questions asked, full money back guarantee, and that the lens or lenses are focusing smoothly. Some Contarex lenses are afflicted with degraded lubricants leading to sticky shutter blades, haze in glass elements, and (worst of all) a stiff or complete jammed focusing helical that requires complete disassembly and may not always be repairable. The good news: You can acquire what sellers describe as a “clean, fully functional Bullseye Contarex” body for around $350 to $550, and a near-mint example with 50mm f/2 Planar lens for $650 to $1,500 on the leading online auction sites or from dealers specializing in vintage cameras. If you always wanted a gorgeously finished eccentric 35mm SLR that’s the same size as a medium format SLR, this is a great deal!
A collection of clueless classics & botched designs that missed the mark
By Jason Schneider
I must confess that I deliberately overstated the title above to get your attention. Hate is a rather strong word, and I can’t think of any camera I truly detest. However, there are many that amuse me by their pretension, inartful execution, and uncanny ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory by starting out with a great idea, then screwing it up. I have taken pictures with all these curious critters and would be loath to do so again, though several do reside in my motley collection.
There are of course a few classic clunkers that are simply too charming to include in any hate list—like the Argus C3, the original Kine Exakta of 1936, and the ungainly Kodak 35 Rangefinder (35RF) of 1940 to 1951, to name three. That’s why these and other cameras of similar ilk, are not included here. Everything else is fair game, so here goes.
Mamiya/Sekor Auto XTL: When introduced in 1971 the Auto XTL was considered an exceptionally advanced 35mm SLR, offering shutter-priority autoexposure and dual 6% spot and averaging TTL metering at the film plane using two CdS cells, a full information viewfinder showing both aperture and shutter speed, a focal plane shutter with speeds of 1-1/1000 sec plus B, and ES bayonet mount lenses from 21mm to 135mm, including a nice 55mm f/1.4. Both the Auto XTL and its successor the Auto X-1000 were produced in very limited quantities, largely due to poor sales. Original selling prices: $319.60 with f/1.8 normal lens; $349.50 with f/1.4 normal lens, the latter figure equal to $2,806.80 in 2026 dollars!
Mamiya/Sekor Auto XTL Exceptionally advanced for a 1971 SLR it had dual TTL metering, but its complex electronics are unreliable and repairs are tough.
Users report that the Auto XTL can be “clunky” to operate despite decent ergonomics, has a dim viewfinder thanks to the use of a pellicle mirror, and that its complex electronics are unreliable, and often impossible to repair since parts are no longer unavailable. Essentially, if the electronics fail the camera is inoperable. The unique ES bayonet mount also limits the lens selection. Despite its foibles the Mamiya/Sekor Auto XTL is considered highly collectible. Current price on the used market: a mere $200 or so in pristine working condition with 55mm f/1.4 lens!
Miranda Sensorex: In production from 1966 to 1971, the top-of-the-line Sensorex was essentially a classic mechanical Miranda 35mm SLR with the addition of built-in TTL CdS match-needle metering system with about 60% of its sensitivity concentrated in the bottom 2/3 of the frame. It employs a dual lens mount combining Miranda’s 4-claw bayonet and a 44mm screw mount to ensure backward compatibility with older Miranda lenses, and an interchangeable prism finder that provides about 92% magnification. The metering system reads from behind the mirror, allowing the meter to function properly no matter which finder is used, but it was originally powered by a 1.35v mercury cell (PX625) so it must be professionally modified to work with current 1.5v alkaline or silver-oxide cells. The Miranda Sensorex II introduced in 1971-1972 has av more convenient aperture selector, updated VFE viewfinders, somewhat cleaner body styling, and provision for open-aperture metering.
Miranda Sensorex was trcnically advanced for a '60s SLR but plagued by reliability problens.
Other Miranda Sensorex features include: A focal plane shutter with speeds of 1 to 1/000 sec plus B and X sync at 1/60 sec; a ratcheted film wind lever, folding rewind crank with self-resetting release button; sensitivity settings of ISO 25 to 1600. The Sensorex measures 5.8 x 3.7 x 3.4 inches (W x H x D) with 50mm f/1.8 lens and weighs about 31.7 ounces with 50mm f/1.9 Auto Miranda lens and 38.6 ounces (a hulking 2.4 pounds) with 50mm f/1.4 Auto Miranda lens, both with standard pentaprism finder. This is one great honking camera!
User reviews of the Miranda Sensorex often cite its ruggedness, tanklike build quality, and vintage esthetics, but warn against persistent reliability problems, especially shutter and metering system woes. Its optics, ergonomics, versatility, and bright viewfinder earn some praise, but shutter-capping (curtain closing) problems are all too frequent and finding technicians willing to work on the beast can be problematic, and expensive. Other complaints: Its weight can be daunting on long walks, and the metering circuitry must be upgraded to work properly with modern batteries. Verdict: it’s not a terrible camera but it’s one only a Miranda fanatic would consider using as a daily shooter.
The Miranda Sensorex sold for about $249.50 (sometimes a bit higher) with a 50mm f/1.9 Soligor lens when it was first released in 1966, which is equal to about $2,500 in 2026 dollars. You can currently snag a used example in clean working condition with 50mm f/1.9 Auto Miranda lens for around $125 to $200, which is (relatively speaking) a bargain.
Rollei Magic (the original model, aka the Rollei Magic I): It seemed like a reasonable idea at the time. In the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, twin-lens reflex cameras (TLRs) were immensely popular among photo enthusiasts and pros, and the Rolleiflex was the leading brand. So why not offer an autoexposure point-and-shoot TLR to appeal to the legions of snap-shooters that didn’t want to bother with f/stops, shutter speeds, and exposure settings? Once the Prontormat-S shutter arrived, Rolleiflex makers Franke & Heidecke of Braunschweig, Germany was able to accomplish that goal, and thus the Rollei Magic was born.
Rollei Magic I, Conceved as a high quality point-and shoot TLR for the mass market it had no good way to adjust the exposure
A nicely made autoexposure TLR with a large rectangular selenium meter cell placed above the 75mm f/3.5 Heidosmat viewing lens, this ill-fated camera was in production for only 2 years between 1960 and 1962 and only about 25,000 units were turned out. The taking lens is a high-quality front-celli-focusing 75mm f/3.5 Schneider Xenar, the Prontormat-S shutter (model 565k1) provides automatic exposure speeds of 1/30 to 1/300 sec and auto apertures ranging from f/3.5 to f/22, but the only manual shutter settings are 1/30 sec for flash, and B, both allowing apertures from f/3.5 to f/22 to be set manually. Film speed settings range from ASA 12 to 1600, and the camera measures 3.5 x 4.2x 5.8 inches (W x D x H) and weighs in at a hefty 35.3 ounces (2.2 pounds). The original price in Germany was 450 DM, equal to $107.89 in US dollars at the time and equivalent to about $1,185 in 2026 dollars. In its day, the camera was considered quite expensive.
As you can infer from the specs, the Rollei Magic had a serious problem: it provides no good way of setting exposures manually. Its auto-exposure system relies on the selenium cell to set a combination of apertures and shutter speeds that (hopefully) result in the correct exposure but if the AE system goes on the fritz the camera is kaput! True, you canchoose apertures, but only at shutter settings of 1/30 sec and B, which isn’t very useful, and you can increase or decrease the ASA setting to adjust the overall exposure, but exposure control is very limited, and the camera is essentially a glorified point-and-shoot!
Rollei Magic II. It added manual exposure settings in response to vociferous complaints about the Rollei Magic I, but it still didn't sell!
As the result of much rancorous feedback from Rollei Magic users complaining about the camera’s lack of exposure-setting flexibility Rollei finally addressed the problem in 1962 with the introduction of (you guessed it) the Rollei Magic II which incorporated a Prontormatic-S shutter (model 602 k) which provides manual shutter speed settings from 1/30 sec to 1/500 sec plus B, and also allows a full range of aperture settings from f/3.5 to f/22 at any speed. The Rollei Magic II was in production from 1962 to 1968, and about 16,600 units were produced. Current price ranges for used models in pristine working condition: Rollei Magic I: $100 to $250; Rollei Magic II, $150 to $350. Sage advice: If you plan to shoot with it, opt for the Rollei Magic II!
Nikkorex Zoom: The Nikkorex Zoom is often cited as the archetype for the “bridge camera,” a camera that bridges the gap between a compact point-and-shoot and a full fledged SLR. Coined in the 1980s, this term is still applied to digital cameras today. While technically a bridge camera, the Nikkorex Zoom of 1963 to 1965, which gets its name from its noninterchangeable 9-element, 7-group Zoom Nikkor Auto 43-86mm f/3.5 lens, is anything but compact. Indeed, it’s often described by users as ponderous and bulky, and it weighs in at over 35 ounces (2.2 pounds). While the boxy Zoom Nikkorex qualifies as a technological landmark, a thing of beauty it is not. And based on the mediocre performance of its 2:1 zoom, low-tech features, and so-so reliability, it’s often described as the worst camera Nikon ever made. I find this assessment not only overly harsh, but also inaccurate. While Nikon furnished the lens for the Nikkorex Zoom and may even have had a hand in designing it, the camera was, in fact, manufactured by Mamiya at Nikon’s behest!
Nikkorex Zoom. A technological landmark, it's an inelegant clunker with a so-so zoom lens, but still funky and fun!
The Nikkorex Zoom is a leaf-shutter 35mm SLR with a fixed zoom lens aimed at the broad-spectrum amateur market. It has a built-in, coupled match-needle metering system employing a large external (non-TTL) rectangular selenium cell above the lens, with readouts displayed both in the finder and in a metering window atop the camera. To save weight and cost, the camera uses a porro-prism assembled of mirrors instead of a solid glass pentaprism to provide a laterally and vertically correct viewing and focusing image. This, combined with the moderate f/3.5 constant aperture of the zoom lens, results in a somewhat dim viewing image. The camera also lacks an instant-return mirror—you must wind the film-advance lever to the next frame to return the mirror to viewing position. The leaf shutter is a Seikosha-SLV with MX sync at speeds of 1-1/500 sec and provides a B setting for time exposures, and a self-timer. Focusing (down to about 4 feet) and zooming are controlled by separate rings on the lens barrel. Other features: Film speed settings ASA 10 to 1600, single-stroke film advance lever, auto-resetting frame counter, folding rewind crank.
While many users say they enjoy shooting with their Nikkorex Zooms, common complaints include poor reliability (especially sticking or non-working shutters), a dim viewfinder, a heavy, unwieldy form factor, mediocre sharpness, considerable falloff at the widest lens apertures, and unavailability of parts and repairs. Despite its flaws the Nikkorex Zoom is a sought-after collector’s item because if its unique character and historical significance. The original list price of the Nikkorex Zoom was $220.00, but many stores sold it for $200.00, equal to an astronomical $2,500.00 or thereabouts in 2026 dollars. There are numerous Nikkorex Zoom cameras listed at the major online auction sites at ridiculously low prices in the $25 to $50 range but be prepared to shell out about $100 if you want a fully functional example in pristine condition.
Contax I prototype is super rare, but is quite similar to the production model. Note cool collapsible 50mm f/2.8 Zeiss Tessar lens nickel finished parts.
Contax I: The first Contax rangefinder 35, the Contax I of 1932, an original Zeiss-Ikon design, was an unabashed attempt to produce the world’s best interchangeable-lens 35mm rangefinder camera. It was certainly more technically audacious than the Leica D introduced in the same year, which was basically a 1930 Leica C with small, coupled rangefinder affixed to the top. Among the Contax I’s then-state-of-the-art features: A long-base coupled rangefinder with separate viewfinder, removable back, bayonet-mount lenses, top-mounted focusing wheel directly in front of the shutter release, and a unique vertical-travel roller-blind focal-plane shutter with speeds from 1/25-1/1000 sec (later extended to 1/2 sec). Beautifully made and elegantly finished in black enamel with nickel trim, the camera’s boxy contours were not nearly as ergonomic as the Leica’s rounded ends, and the front-mounted, combined film-wind-knob and shutter-speed dial was none too convenient. While the Zeiss lenses (including a super-speed 50mm f/1.5 Sonnar) were as good as anything then available, the shutter was notoriously unreliable and a bear to repair. Indeed, it went through 9 iterations to try to improve it but the last version was only marginally better than the first. Other unusual features: The excellent rangefinder uses contra-rotating prism wedges instead of a pivoting prism or mirror and rewinding was clutch-less--instead of declutching the sprocket wheel to let it turn in reverse as with most 35s, the rewind lever lifts the film off the sprockets! Despite its ingenuity, high quality, and devoted following, the Contax I did not surpass the Leica, either as a functional camera or in the marketplace, but it did sow the seeds of some important future developments, like vertical metal focal-plane shutters and bayonet-mount lenses. It was succeeded by the more refined and integrated Contax II of 1936, which had a more reliable shutter and is considered one of the great rangefinder 35s of all time.
Contax I, version 5. This well used example has a classic 50mm f/2 Sonnar lens. Despite valiant effiorts Zeiss was never able to fix its unreliable shutter.
In the mid-1930s the Contax I was positioned as a premium, higher-priced alternative to the Leica II (Model D). A 1935 catalog shows the Leica II with 5cm f/3.5 Elmar lens was priced at $130.50, while the Contax I listed at $156.00 to $299.00 depending in lens, making it significantly more expensive. The higher cost of the Contax I was largely due to the “expensive high-performance Carl Zeiss lenses” (which included the super-speed 50mm f/1.5 Sonnar),its complex, innovative rangefinder system, and its complex (but unreliable) shutter mechanism. Contax I’s are certainly collectible, but understandably hard to find in working condition. Clean examples, purportedly in working condition, with original uncoated 50mm f/2 Sonnar lens, currently go for about $1,000 to $1,500. However, according to my most trusted repairmen, there is nothing you can do to magically transform a Contax I shutter so it performs reliably, and user-collectors are strongly advised to steer clear of this flawed classic.
Kodak Bantam Special. This exquisite folding rangefinder camera is an art deco masterpiece designed by Walter Dorwin Teague. The Bantam Special was the top-of-the-line Kodak camera based on the 828 format—essentially an 8-exposure roll of paper-backed 35mm roll film that provides a 28 x 40mm format that’s about 30% larger than full frame 35mm. This film lacks the usual double perforations of 35mm film but there are more widely spaced perforations along the film edge to engage the automatic film-stop mechanism. Kodak discontinued 828 film in 1985, but custom rolled 828 film is still available in a variety of black & white and color negative emulsions from major retailers at prices ranging from about $20 to $28 per roll (a hefty price for only 8 exposures!)
Kodak Bantam Special, first version with uncoated 45mm Ektar lens. Gorgeous Art Deco classic had a fatal flaw--a wobbly front standard.
A beautifully made folding rangefinder camera resembling a miniature refrigerator, the posh original Special introduced in 1936 had an uncoated 45mm f/2 Kodak Anastigmat lens in German Compur-Rapid shutter, and the prized 1941 model had a coated (!) 45mm f/2 Ektar and Kodak’s own Supermatic No. 0 shutter with speeds of 1-1/400 sec plus B and T. Despite its impressive specs, the front standard supporting the lens was hardly a paragon of rigidity, and lens sharpness at wide apertures was only so-so. And while the Bantam Special was easy to open, closing it required moving the lens in beyond the infinity position before closing the front door. If you didn’t and tried to force it closed, you could easily wreck the camera, and a fair number of beautiful Bantam Specials suffered this cruel fate
The Kodak Bantam Special was introduced in 1936 at a list price of $110.00 (the equivalent of $2,586.07 in 2026 dollars). but during its time of production prices fluctuated between $87.50 and $115.00. A clean working Kodak Bantam Special (original model) will set you back about $400, and the less common 1941 model with coated 45mm f/2 Ektar lens in Supermatic shutter runs about $600. It’s a gorgeous collector’s heart throb that will grace the stateroom of your vintage Chris Craft, but it’s not much of a practical picture taker.
Ansco Automatic Reflex 1947. The most ambitious and mechanically advanced 2-1/4 x 2-1-/4 twin-lens reflex camera ever manufactured in the U.S., the Ansco Reflex went all out to capture the TLR market from the Europeans. Unfortunately, it didn’t. It’s a substantial machine (it measures about 3-1/4 x 4-1/4 x 5-3/4 inches (W x D x H) and weighs a whopping 2 lbs., 12 oz.). It’s exquisitely finished, and features focusing by left-hand knob, or with either hand using two ingenuous, interconnected front-mounted wheels. Film advance is by short-throw crank, after you set frame one in ye olde red window. The lens board is suspended in four self-lubricating grooves and focuses via four cams, a durable but extremely costly arrangement. The Ansco has a Wollensak Rapax leaf shutter (the 1947 version with no flash sync, the c.1949 version with standard flash sync) with speeds from 1-1/400 sec plus B, and an 83mm f/3.5 Ansco Anastigmat talking lens, also made by Wollensak. The lens generally performs quite well—it’s very sharp in the center with some edge falloff at the widest apertures—but it’s a triplet (3-element) design that seems out of place on such an audacious and costly top-of- the-line TLR that debuted in 1947 at a list price of $275.00, equivalent to over $4,000.00 in 2026 dollars! It is widely conjectured that, at the tail end if its design and production cycle, Ansco simply ran out if money and fitted the Wollensak Anastigmat triplet, instead of the available alternative 4-element Wollensak Raptar, to save money.
Ansco Automatic Reflex. The most audacious American TLR had a superb focusing system, many cool features, and was beautifuuly made, but its reliability is so-so and it deserved a better lens.
The Ansco Automatic Reflex was designed by Henry Dreyfuss with the goal of producing a “pleasing and ergonomic form.” Its body is constructed of six high-precision aluminum castings, is finished in satin chrome, and has a black Morocco grain leather covering. Other features: semi-automatic film advance via short-throe folding crank; automatic frame counter with double exposure prevention; ground glass waist-level finder with built-in magnifier loupe and reverse eye-level Galilean sports finder; parallax-compensation markings for more accurate framing at distances under 4 feet (the camera focuses down to 3 feet, 8 inches); aperture settings f/3.5 to f/32; and a slightly faster, coated 83mm f/3.2 viewing lens to provide a brighter view and more precise focusing.
Users praise the Ansco Automatic Reflex as a beautifully made and useable vintage American classic that can take sharp pictures (though noting some edge falloff at wide apertures) but caution that it can be temperamental and often requires expensive, hard-to-obtain professional servicing (given its age, complexity, and use of older lubricants) to render it fully operational. The shutter release must be fully depressed to unlock the double exposure prevention mechanism, otherwise the film won’t advance to the next frame; the film loading process is overly complicated and “unintuitive,” requiring practice; the viewfinder is bright enough for outdoor use but too dim indoors, and the ground glass has a “grainy texture.” While Ansco’s finest matched the Rolleiflex in terns if build quality and “professional feel” its idiosyncratic design reliability problems prevented it from attaining the same legendary status. Today it’s a relatively affordable exotic and the fact that it takes 120 film is certainly a big plus for user-collectors.
The Ansco Automatic Reflex (either version) is readily available used at online auctions and specialty dealers at prices ranging from $200 to $350 in “clean working condition”. However, if you intend to shoot with this ponderous but lovable beast, be prepared to fork over about $150 to your esteemed expert camera repair person to give it a full CLA.
Contarex: The original “Bullseye” Contarex, also affectionately known as the “Cyclops,” got its nicknames from the large round selenium “meter eye” prominently perched on the front of its pentaprism housing. Announced by Zeiss-Ikon at Photokina 1958, but not generally available until 1960, it was the world’s first focal plane shutter SLR with a light meter linked to the camera’s aperture, shutter speed and film speed settings. While exquisitely made and beautifully finished, known for its robust all metal construction, and sporting such advanced features as interchangeable film backs, the Contarex was widely mocked as the paradigm of German camera overdesign, and is considered a marketing failure despite its technological brilliance. It had over 1,200 parts (more than enough to assemble 3 typical 35mm SLR bodies!) and required nearly 4,000 assembly steps, making it notoriously hard to repair. Indeed, 42 distinct steps are needed just to remove the top cover! The Contarex was also huge, ponderous, and extremely expensive. It measures about 6.1 x 3.9 x 4.1 inches (W x H x D), and weighs in at 2.8 pounds with the 50mm f/2 Planar, the most common normal lens. In 1961 the Bullseye Contarex with 50mm f/2 Planar lens was priced at $499.00 in the U.S., equivalent to a stratospheric $5,450.00 in 2026. Not surprisingly it didn’t sell very well, and only 32,000 units were produced in total between 1959 and 1966. Indeed, its high cost of production, the resulting high retail price, and its poor market performance contributed to the demise of Zeiss-Ikon in 1971-1972.
Contarex Bullseye with 50mm f/2 Planar lens. A masterpiece of Germam overdesigm, it's huge and heavy and had great Zeiss lenses!
Despite its shortcomings the Contarex Bullseye has its charms. Contarex lenses such as the 50mm f/2 Planar and the 15mm Hologon are still considered some of the sharpest, best-performing lenses ever made and are prized by modern digital adaptors. The viewfinder is exceptionally bright, clear and easy to focus, and Zeiss-Ikon produced a complete professional system of Contarex lenses and accessories (though many are hard to find and quite expensive today). If you do take the plunge, make sure that the Contarex of your dreams comes with a no questions asked, full money back guarantee, and that the lens or lenses are focusing smoothly. Some Contarex lenses are afflicted with degraded lubricants leading to sticky shutter blades, haze in glass elements, and (worst of all) a stiff or complete jammed focusing helical that requires complete disassembly and may not always be repairable. The good news: You can acquire what sellers describe as a “clean, fully functional Bullseye Contarex” body for around $350 to $550, and a near-mint example with 50mm f/2 Planar lens for $650 to $1,500 on the leading online auction sites or from dealers specializing in vintage cameras. If you always wanted a gorgeously finished eccentric 35mm SLR that’s the same size as a medium format SLR, this is a great deal!
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