Cameras taken to top of Mt. Everest.

[literiter]

George Mallory took a Kodak Vest Pocket Autographic with him to Mt. Everest. It may lie with his climbing partner Sandy Irvine somewhere on the slopes.

Edmund Hillary took a Kodak Retina 118 when he climbed Everest to the summit.

I'm sure there were more than a few Leicas taken as well.

Anyone know what other cameras may have been taken since those early days?

Can anyone conjure a picture of one of those cameras.

Does anyone have one of those cameras?

 

[KoNickon]

Other than the two you mention, I don't have any idea, but I wouldn't necessarily assume Leicas went along. Cameras get donated to expeditions in returns for being given "official camera" status, so who knows what gets used.

Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal, the two who climbed Annapurna (the first 8,000 meter peak to be climbed, in 1950) had a French-made Foca along. I'm sure the use of a Foca was intentional, and it might have been donated for all I know.

 

[John Bragg]

Chris Bonnington took OM1 on his Everest expeditions.

 

[Rob-F]

An IMAX camera has been to the top of Mt Everest. A normal IMAX camera weighs 200 lbs. They didn't bring that one. They built a special version weighing 42 lbs, with its special Lithium battery to take along when filming the 1998 IMAX film, "Everest."

And no, I don't own one!

http://www.howstuffworks.com/question705.htm

Especially check this out!

http://www.imax.com/about/experience/cameras/

 

[nikonosguy]

I took my leica r5 when I climbed mt moriah ~ but suffice it to say mt moriah is just a street here in town with no incline and I was just going to get beer, cigarettes, and lottery tickets

 

[nikonosguy]

You can get a leica Everest m4p. There is one on ebay probably

 

[ornate_wrasse]

I took my leica r5 when I climbed mt moriah ~ but suffice it to say mt moriah is just a street here in town with no incline and I was just going to get beer, cigarettes, and lottery tickets

Too funny!

 

[nikonosguy]

http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/...7290-4102445-details.aspx?intObjectID=4102445

 

[Roger Hicks]

There's an Everest model Ultra Fex, because an unfortunate French Everest team was given some of these cameras. Dunno if they made it to the top, though.

Cheers,

R.

 

[literiter]

I didn't think of this thread when I posted.

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52818

 

[jim_jm]

Jim Whitaker used a Nikon F on the first American expedition to Everest in 1963.
The late adventure/climbing photographer Galen Rowell used Nikons as well. In one of his books he mentions using an FTn early in his career, and later on the F3, F4, FM, FM2 and N8008. His famous photo of the rainbow over Potala palace was taken with an F3 and the Series E 75-150 zoom. After ditching the rest of his gear, he ran a mile at 12,000 ft altitude with this camera to get the shot before the rainbow faded.
http://mountainlight.com/gallery.tibet/images.html

 

[kokoshawnuff]

These days canikons are the likely cameras used.

 

[Roger Hicks]

These days canikons are the likely cameras used.

Have you any evidence for this? Or is it an expression of belief in probability?

Cheers,

R-

 

[sepiareverb]

I have a couple of Kodak Vest Pocket Autographics. Neither had film in them, so determining if they'd climbed Everest is pure guesswork. One is a little rusty.

 

[Joakim Målare]

A Leica may be reliable, but on your way up wouldn't you prefer something lighter? And when you get there, wouldn't you prefer something with bigger knobs? Or even a simple point-and-shoot? I'm just thinking about what I would bring, but then again, I wouldn't even wish to go there... 😀

 

[Highway 61]

Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal, the two who climbed Annapurna (the first 8,000 meter peak to be climbed, in 1950) had a French-made Foca along. I'm sure the use of a Foca was intentional, and it might have been donated for all I know.

As an aside, there are now serious doubts about the Annapurna having actually been climbed by Herzog.

And many other questions about Herzog's personality.

But, yes, the use of the Foca was probably intentional.

 

[kokoshawnuff]

Have you any evidence for this? Or is it an expression of belief in probability?

Cheers,

R-

Well, probability and logic that the most common prosumer cameras are Canikon DSLRs (and therefore are used) makes sense. And a quick search of Everest summit photos show some evidence through their EXIF info. Though a p&s is probably more typical for the hundreds of people that climb every year these days.

 

[B-9]

There is an Everest M4-P kit with 21 elmarit on eBay. No idea of its significance, but it looks to be just another example of embellished Wetlar collectibles. I'm sure it went over a hill or two on it ways from the Midland factory. Interesting thread!

 

[literiter]

In the extremely unlikely event that I would scale Everest I think I would want the most automatic, simplest, most reliable, lightest camera I could find. It could be just a simple point and shoot.

Something I could pull out from my coat, hold up and shoot then leave. I can't imagine wanting to linger up there to fiddle with camera doo dads.

 

[ampguy]

Tom Holzel thinks he knows where the body and camera may lie:

http://news.discovery.com/history/us-history/mallory-irvine-camera-everest-expedition.htm

http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/201...-continuing-search-for-malloy-irvines-camera/

but the Kodak consultants have mentioned that even if the camera and film are found intact, the image may be degraded by cosmic rays.

IMHO, if folks have been passing by him close enough to identify his face as "English", his camera is probably gone, where an old icepick may not have been as interesting, as climbers probably had their own lighter, stronger ones.