Chinese Red Flag 20 and lenses

[J-Paul]

Thank you very much Zhang.

I don't certainly have well formulated my question.:bang:
You said in one your post, that the only case cost 6.000 USDS of 1970 and that it was therefore very dear.
I asked, if you had seen new RF20 on sale in stores in China, in the years 1970. Therefore, if the RF20 had been sold "new" in China.


For what concerns the JG50, you say that it is constructed from a SLR chasis...
It is crasy ! No ?

Sorry Zhang, I didn't understand it well...You say " IIRC, it has a double leaf shutter to prevent it from light leak." Why ?

Best regards
Jean-Paul

 

[zhang xk]

Thank you very much Zhang.

I don't certainly have well formulated my question.:bang:
You said in one your post, that the only case cost 6.000 USDS of 1970 and that it was therefore very dear.
I asked, if you had seen new RF20 on sale in stores in China, in the years 1970. Therefore, if the RF20 had been sold "new" in China.


For what concerns the JG50, you say that it is constructed from a SLR chasis...
It is crasy ! No ?

Sorry Zhang, I didn't understand it well...You say " IIRC, it has a double leaf shutter to prevent it from light leak." Why ?

Best regards
Jean-Paul

Sorry I misunderstood the question. I could never know if Red Flag 20s were sold new in stores in 1970's. At that time, even a Seagull TLR was too expensive for most common Chinese people. I guess these were never sold on the open market. They were distributed to professionals and high ranking officials.
I read somewhere that the production cost of the camera was $6,000. A leica M3 was only about RMB 2,000+,or less than $2,000 1970's US dollar with an exchange rate of 1.5:1, who would want to buy a Red Flag 20 even if they were sold at production cost?

However, I remember that many years ago I saw a new Dong Feng 120 SLR displayed in a camera store for about RMB 9,000+ (US $6,000+). It must be some 15-20 years ago!

As for the JG 50's leaf shutter, since it uses the same shutter as that of Yashica FX 3, but without the mirror in the front, it might leak light. So I heard JG 50 add more leafs to the shutter to ensure it is light tight. But all this is from my momery long time ago. It might be wrong. IMO, A seagull DFAB could be a better camera if I mount a Russian rangefinder on top.

Kind Regards.

 

[J-Paul]

Hi Zhang,

I pray you Zhang of it...Is not distressed! I thank you a lot for your

explanations.


I questioned you about the new RF20S to cut up that that had said

me MX.

It is therefore well that! The RF20 has been created solely for the

propaganda since, in China he could not be bought....even by a

Suisse banker, for example...


If want it to you well, a question on the Shanghai 7. It is superb!

I don't know anything on this device to part that that you tell some in tone post :

“Only prototypes were made. Exact number of cameras is unknown. It looks like a copy of

the Zorki 6, one of my favorite Russian rangefinder cameras. Photo was borrowed from

www.chinesecamera net. I wish it was mass produced.

There are two sites with a lot of information for vintage Chinese cameras:

www.sy916.com
www.chinesecamera.net

They have a lot of camera images that are not found anywhere. But they are only in

Chinese."


What year do you know it is? I find him some likeness with the RF20.

The shape of its body original in the " Leica/Canon Mix " -

The two holds for the flash on one small side and especially precisely the same

lever ( self timer ? )

What a pity that these beautiful cameras have never been distributed. :bang:

You know, Zhang...For me, view/rangefinder of the RF20 is again today better

than the M6 !!


Best regards

Jean-Paul

 

[zhang xk]

Hi Jean Paul,

I enjoyed the discussion very much. I have been to France many years ago, and I found that French GAS liked those vintage cameras very much. I found some antique stores that sold those old cameras at very high prices in Paris. I am wondering if you happen to know the author of the "bible" in person? I admired his collection so much. But I think you might be the only person in France who has a Red Flag 20?

The Shanghai-7 rangefinder was made for a very short period of time. The biggest S/N I found is 600014. These cameras were made between 1961-1963. They are extremely rare. I have never seen a camera in person.

I found all the photos that do not belong to me from the two sites. I am not sure if the sun shade is original. The lens cap should have a big red color "红旗" logo on it.

Cheers,

Zhang

 

[zhang xk]

That XIHU is simply gorgeous! As you can tell I'm still reading thru this thread but wanted to go ahead and thank you for making such an imformative and interesting thread here. I agree with many others in that you should write a book on the subject.

Thanks James. That XIHU is a little cute camera, and a rare one as well. It was one of the few not made by a camera factory. I feel someone may already have started work on a book.

Here is an image of a rare super wide angle medium format camera that I found in a camea book published many years ago.

It has a fixed 30mm F=8 lens,and a leaf shutter 1-1/300 second. But is only a prototype.

kind regards

Zhang

 

[zhang xk]

Here is another image of Shanghai-7 rangefinder camera.

 

[zhang xk]

Some vintage Cinese watches

Some vintage Cinese watches

May I post some images of vintage mechanical Chinee watches? These are almost unknown outside China. These are some watches with colourful dials made in the 1970-80's. China began to make wristwatches in 1955.

 

[oftheherd]

Intriguing. Surprising no one else has commented. I seem to remember there are others here who like to collect time pieces.

 

[zhang xk]

Now China makes tourbillons, chronographs, repeaters, etc. Those colourful dials are a kind of special technique that they are vary duarable, and can be cleaned with water and a soft brush. I think those are alsofound on some Chinese vases and handcrafts.

Here are a few more.

 

[J-Paul]

Zhang say :

Hi Jean Paul,

I enjoyed the discussion very much. I have been to France many years ago, and I found that French GAS liked those vintage cameras very much. I found some antique stores that sold those old cameras at very high prices in Paris. I am wondering if you happen to know the author of the "bible" in person? I admired his collection so much. But I think you might be the only person in France who has a Red Flag 20?

The Shanghai-7 rangefinder was made for a very short period of time. The biggest S/N I found is 600014. These cameras were made between 1961-1963. They are extremely rare. I have never seen a camera in person.

I found all the photos that do not belong to me from the two sites. I am not sure if the sun shade is original. The lens cap should have a big red color "红旗" logo on it.

Cheers,

Zhang

Hi Zhang,

Geat thank you for your message.
I am very happy and surprised that you understand what I write...
Are you a specialist in Egyptology?

In your message you write " GAS ". I don't understand. What is it?
As you noted it, Paris is a very expensive city...but less that London and especially Zurich!!! :bang:
For French man " à la Bible " that you met...that could be Michel AUER or Frédéric HOCH. Who ?

For the "Ref Flag 20 - Club of France", I am the President, secretary, the treasurer and the only adherent...
I think that this Shanghai 7 is indeed very beautiful.

Cheers
JP

 

[zhang xk]

Zhang say :


Hi Zhang,

Geat thank you for your message.
I am very happy and surprised that you understand what I write...
Are you a specialist in Egyptology?

In your message you write " GAS ". I don't understand. What is it?
As you noted it, Paris is a very expensive city...but less that London and especially Zurich!!! :bang:
For French man " à la Bible " that you met...that could be Michel AUER or Frédéric HOCH. Who ?

For the "Ref Flag 20 - Club of France", I am the President, secretary, the treasurer and the only adherent...
I think that this Shanghai 7 is indeed very beautiful.

Cheers
JP

Dear JP,

Jean Loup Princelle is a well known Russian camera collector, and the author of "The Authentic Guide to Russian and Soviet Cameras", that was often referrred to as the "bible" by Russian GAS(gear aquisition syndrome )patients. Mr. JLP is also a French guy. I thought ,if anyone, he should be the owner of this only Red Flag 20 in France. I never met him, but I have a copy of his book.

Cheers,

Zhang

 

[J-Paul]

Dear Zhang,

Thank you for your explanations. I have, me also, taken often of the medicines against the GAS.
JLP is, indeed a big French specialist of the cameras. He/it also worked with Patrice - Hervé PONT (PHP) to the excellent book " 300 Leica Copies ".
I am very sad and full of regrets, Zhang, because I learned that since I put some photos on this web site, JLP cries a lot.
I am afraid of a contamination in PHP... Probably of them is in crisis of GAS !

Cheers
JP

Zhang bravo! A lot of people are interested by the Chinese production! 4050 views for your file !

 

[zhang xk]

.......
Cheers
JP

Zhang bravo! A lot of people are interested by the Chinese production! 4050 views for your file !

Hi Paul,

I think people are interested in your Red Flag 20! Don't let JLP buy it from you.

Cheers,

Zhang

 

[zhang xk]

Hi,

Here is a collection of my Chinese military binoculars. Most were Carl Zeiss Jena binoculars made for Chinese PLA. Some were WWII Soviet binolualrs mysteriously found their way to Chinese PLA.

The locally made Type-98 8X infrared filter binocular might still be a copy of something. But it offers the best performance. It has a wider angle of view than other 8X power binoculars, and it is very bright and sharp.
China also made Zeiss Binoctar 7X50 copies and other Zeiss model copies.

Cheers,

Zhang

 

[wlewisiii]

Zhang, I'm looking for a good pair of 7x35 binos, as I've found them best for teaching astronomy. Are there any of that ilk availably for cheap?

Thanks!

WIlliam

 

[zhang xk]

Zhang, I'm looking for a good pair of 7x35 binos, as I've found them best for teaching astronomy. Are there any of that ilk availably for cheap?

Thanks!

WIlliam

Hello William,

I found the Russian Bagish 7X35 very good. It maybe only about $30-40. It is as sharp if not sharper than my Zeiss 6X30 military. Another choice might be the rubber armoured Russian BPO 7X30 at about $80-90. But it is big and heavy. This one offers edge to edge sharpness due to its 5 elements eye pieces.
China also made a 7X35 Panda brand that is also very sharp, but maybe hard to find.
I did not check the prices of binoculars recently, so they are only for reference.

Cheers,

Zhang

 

[zhang xk]

I have a thick skin face , so I will post more FYI.

These are the filters for that MF 1000mm F8 mirror lens packed in a well made metal case. I don't understand why that tripod support has that needle, and how to use it.:bang:

 

[zhang xk]

This 2x teleconverter in Arri standard mount is a very rare bird. I think even Zeiss doesn't make many of them. When it is coupled to a cine lens, it enlarges the image field, so a 35mm sine lens could cover a 135mm frame. The final image quality is usually very good due to the very high quality of cine primes.
Most cine lenses are very fast such as this 50mm T1.4(f1.3) corrected for wide open. This make the 2x teleconver a quite usable item.

 

[darkkavenger]

Is it just me or people with camera GAS have also watch GAS ?

 

[HansDerHase]

Here is another image of Shanghai-7 rangefinder camera.

Wow.. I thought my rigid Industar-50 was the ugliest rangefinder lens ever.. But this one tops..