How old is your oldest camera ?

[Joao]

Hello
It would be interesting to know what is the oldest user camera owned by a RFF member. A camera that you use, let’s say, once a year (or more often). Shelf queens and non-working cameras excluded.
My oldest camera is from 1938 : Zeiss Ikonta 521 with a Tessar 1:3,5 f=7,5 cm ; I picked it very cheap in a Prague flea-market, I don’t know nothing from its past.



Let us know how old is your oldest camera. A photo and/or its history will be apreciated.
Joao

 

[Greyscale]

This 1932 Leica II is my oldest user. I bought it from the grandson of the original owner, along with the first-edition of "The Leica Manual" that it is sitting on. Also included was the 11th issue of the same book, with a Christmas inscription from the original owner to his son, from 1955.

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

I have a 1936 Contax II that I rarely leave the house without, these days. It's half way through a roll of Acros 100 at present. Not sure I have a photo of the camera itself, though, certainly, not on my phone.

 

[ray*j*gun]

1936 Leica IIIa in excellent +++ condition.

 

[TXForester]

A Kodak 35mm RF which I think is from 1948.

 

[unixrevolution]

I have a Gundlach Korona 8x10 camera, which seems to be from all the info I can gather made in the ninteen-teens. I also have an Autographic Brownie No. 2 which I believe I determined is a 1917 model.

 

[Timmyjoe]

If you're talking about oldest camera that I purchased new myself, it's a 1976 Canon TX. Oldest camera that I have that has been continuously in my family since new is my Mom's old Brownie Reflex Syncro from 1942. Oldest camera that I bought second hand, probably my Rolleiflex Automat from 1952.

 

[sepiareverb]

I use a Kodak Panoram No.1, usually put a roll or two through it every year or so. It is no collectors item, well beat up and has an aluminum frame around the front to help keep it light tight. I put 120 film through it, not perfect, but works fine. It has been out on my studio desk since Friday, was planning to take it out tomorrow after our first accumulating snow has finished. Timely thread 🙂

Not exactly sure of date on this, though I believe it is an early one, serial number is 361, so likely one of the first few years? Started making these in 1899.

 

[AlwaysOnAuto]

I have a Leica IIIa hot rod and the book, third edition.
I am the grandson of the original owner.

 

[Canyongazer]

My mother's Kodak 2A Brownie circa 1920.

 

[mich rassena]

I have various old Kodak and Ansco folders and box cameras whose dates remain a bit of a mystery. I know one of the Kodak folders with the red bellows must be early 20th century, the box cameras and other folders can't be past the 1930s. One camera I know with more certainly is the Kodak 1A autographic special which was made from 1917 to 1926. I'd actually be using that one if there weren't lots of holes in the bellows.

 

[Erik van Straten]

One of my Leica I cameras (1930).

Shot with the actual camera.

Erik.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Last week I picked up my third Canadian Brownie. This one is circa 1917. Similar to this:

The reason I keep buying and giving them as gifts to film photographers, those cameras actually works despite their age and using normal, 120 film. 🙂

 

[Deleted member 65559]

My 5x7" Deardorff view camera 1938

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[Fjäll]

1936 Leica IIIa in excellent +++ condition.

Do you mind me asking what the serial number is on yours?

I've got an IIIa but I'm not quite sure how old it is. I've tried looking it up but still can't figure it out.

Mine has 88***

It must be my oldest camera.

 

[dmr]

Most of you have me beat. My oldest is the Mamiya SD Rangefinder, ca. 1960s.

 

[geoffallen]

Of cameras that actually get regular usage: my Hasselblad 500C body takes that distinction. 1972. It's actually an early C/M, before they switched out the nameplate.

I have an Argus C3 (who doesn't?) that pre-dates that, but it doesn't see any use and I'm not sure it's even operational.

 

[narsuitus]

The Argus C3 was manufactured in Detroit Michigan during the 1940s and 1950s. It is the oldest camera that I still use. The lenses take sharp pictures and the camera is easy to use to make intentional double exposures. This totally manual/mechanical 35mm rangefinder camera is also very reliable. Camera collectors lovingly refer to it as “The Brick” because of its size, weight, shape, and durability.


Argus C3 by Narsuitus, on Flickr

 

[MikeMGB]

The oldest one I know the date of is my 1937 Leica IIIa. My Ihagee folder probably dates from the 1920s but I can't identify an exact year.

 

[SamShio]

I have a Kodak No.1A Pocket camera that is maybe late 1920's