Cute Fixed Lens Rangefinders

[Parker51]

For me....The Kodak" BANTAM SPECIAL "
Streamline art deco camera designed by Walter Teague in 1936
the most beautiful camera ever made.

 

[Doug]

For me....The Kodak" BANTAM SPECIAL "
Streamline art deco camera designed by Walter Teague in 1936
the most beautiful camera ever made.

Good choice! Here's a listing for one on Craig's List with some nice photos of the camera: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/pho/349988162.html

I've seen somewhere an old Kodak model made in various attractive colors to appeal to the ladies, Art Deco too as I recall, but I can't locate the web page now...

 

[celerystalksme]

how can you deny the argus c3?

 

[Trius]

Argus? The corners almost cut my fingers. That's not too cute!

 

[Kent]

how can you deny the argus c3?

It looks like a piece of equipment from a 1950s science fiction movie...

 

[landsknechte]

As much as I love the C3, I'd be hesitant to call any camera "cute" that could be used to great effect in hand to hand combat.

 

[RF'er]

A nice little pocket shooter.

 

[nikola]

but it's fully automatic

 

[RF'er]

That's not alway's bad, especially shooting on the fly.
Besides a Hello Kitty Camera is a tough act to follow.

 

[reagan]

Here's a Bantam Special... kinda cute.

 

[rxmd]

Here's a Bantam Special... kinda cute.

Nice! Do you actually use that one? How do you go on about getting film?

 

[reagan]

rxmd ~ I got the Bantam.S at the end of last summer, had to do a little shutter cleaning and shot one test roll... arghhh... that revealed numerous bellows leaks. So it's been on the *one of these days* shelf ever since. Through the fog of the test shots showed some promise of a fun shooter. I found it a challenge to hold and operate it comfortably. That big door swung open on the front was really different to work around. But I think I could get used to it for once in awhile.

Film-wise, I bought a couple of 828 rolls from B&H Photo (I think). They were Kodak Portra 160NC. Rather pricey, if I recall, but when I had the test roll processed, I asked the tech to save the spool and paper backing for me to be reused in the future with regular C41 35mm film. We'll see how that works out... some day.

 

[RF'er]

Konica EE-Matic Deluxe with original flash cube attachment.

 

[shadowfox]

Konica EE-Matic Deluxe with original flash cube attachment.

Eh, you forgot to attach the two beer cans

 

[sweathog]

Hey... this thread died... I was enjoying this.
RF'er, I just got me an 800EES should arrive in a few days.
daniel~, as much as I fail abysmally at scale-focusing, I couldn't resist and am bidding on a red EF3, closing in about 25 minutes, so hopefully I'll have one too.

 

[daniel~]

Good luck sweathog!
So, have you won it? I'm interested to know what you think about this simple camera.
I still find it hard to resist , even though I got more than one EF3 already!

 

[sweathog]

I won it, indeed, for the whopping price of £2.99 including psotage.
I'll run a roll through it when it arrives and let you know.

 

[shadowfox]

Yes, the photo is faded, after all, it is from the 80's ...

 

[sweathog]

shadowfox, that is definitely cute, albeit bordering on sickly sweet.
How many were sold in blue? I've never seen a blue one before.

 

[shadowfox]

Tom, don't know how many, I just know that it's rare enough today.
This one still works and looks like it never had too much use.

I'm developing the test roll tonight, let's see what's cooking.