Just Arrived Today! - My Sears Roebuck & Co Tower 3-F w/f2.0 50mm Nikkor HC

LeicaTom

Watch that step!
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I was waiting over a week and a half for it (I HATE SELLERS WHO USE FED EX and UPS!) but finally it arrived here today.........

MyTower3-F54.jpg



MyTower3-F50.jpg



MyTower3-F20.jpg



MyTower3-F15.jpg




MyTower3-F36.jpg



MyTower3-F39.jpg



MyTower3-F44.jpg



MyTower3-F46.jpg



MyTower3-F58.jpg



I included these photos so everyone can see a Tower camera in detail

Here`s my personal opinion about the camera:

The Pros 😀

Very Fine Construction with the Highest of Quality......as good if not EVEN BETTER than comparable era Leica IIIF production

The Everday case is BETTER than the Leitz one and has snaps to take off the Front/Top so you have a workable "half case"

Loading is just as a Leica IIIF

Tower included a very neat Credit Card sized instruction manual that fits in the back of the camera case, *it`s made out of plastic - so it won`t be damaged too easily*

This camera has a built in RANGEFINDER ENHANCEMENT FILTER just like later mid 1950`s Canon`s (IIF2 & IVSB2 etc,) somewhat brighter viewfinder/focus window makes it easier/faster to focus

Film Transport is EXCEPTIONALLY SMOOTH almost as if I was using one of my Leica IIIC K`s

Great Lens - the f2/50 Nikkor HC, well no one has to say how good this is....and this one`s got "click stops"

The Cons 🙁

This version of the camera doesn`t have a diopter lever

Film spool doesn`t Pop Up.........Canon had everyone beat with that one

Top Shutter Speed is only 500/Sec , well that`s not really a big deal..... 😉

Tower/Nicca IMPROVED this camera design with a "hinge-back" loading and added diaopter lever etc. with the Tower 5 model, that also was made with Knob and Lever Film advance as I`ve been told, the different versions often have me confused, they are harder than Canon RF`s to properly identify.....

I don`t know much about these cameras, but I would like to learn, if there`s a Tower/Nicca Guru out there in Internetland I`d very much like to talk to you 🙂

Please write me at Winkermeister@aol.com

Thank You

Hope Everyone finds the photos interesting and helpful

Happy Shooting 😀

Tom

PS: My particular camera looks like it`s NEVER been used and stood in Deadstock for many years and now was freshly sold from an estate sale - if it had 5 rolls of film though it that would be a surprise.....
Amazingly all the speeds work and it`s deadon with focusing etc. I will try to get in a TEST SHOOT this weekend with one of my models if I can get the time.....stay tuned!
 
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Almost a Year Later...Here`s an update on my Tower 35 camera

Almost a Year Later...Here`s an update on my Tower 35 camera

Tower35Meter4net.jpg


Well, after being very patient and fussy about what I was bidding on, I FINALLY won a mint/boxed 1950`s era Tower Light Meter for my 1957 Tower 35

It`s working 100% and looks like it was never used, has the original instructions, neck strap, case and it`s box.

I searched for one of these now for over a year, and it just goes to show it pays off to be patient and selective about what you bid on even if it`s rare 😉

Enjoy!

Tom
 
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I'm old enough to remember when Sears used to sell super- high quality products. Great purchase!

I agree, that`s what impressed me the most the great quality of this camera, a camera as good and equal to the contemporary Leica IIIFRD at that time. 🙂
*The shutters whisper quiet and film advance extremely smooth, it reminds me of my Leica IIIC K (honestly)*

It`s a shame that most LTM users buy Tower`s just to strip the Nikkor lenses off the camera and they discard/sell the bodies off without ever trying them, they would be very suprised. 😀

Tom
 
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The very first RF I purchased was a Nicca and from there I have purchased 3 Canons, 1 Leica, 1 Tower, 1 Cosina/Voit R and I love them all. I have slowly added to the lenses also and it has been great fun testing them all. A couple of them had to be repaired locally and two Leica lenses have been sent to Sherry K. I have put down my SLR and shoot with the RF's almost exclusively. The Nikon 50f1.4 SM is the best of the lenses with the Canon 50f1.4 offering great contrast.
Joe
 
anyone remember the Sears photography catalogs? an entire catalog dedicated just for cameras. i think i remember them having movie cameras, too. man i'd love to find one of those old catalogs.

I never saw a Sears photo catalog, but I know that the general big "wish book" catalogs had cameras and movie projectors and such in them.

The big Spiegel catalog had them as well.

This is a very interesting thread. I knew of the Tower brand (and even the etymology of the name "Tower") but I only knew of cheaper Tower box cameras and such, never a Leica clone.
 
I remember the Sears Photo Catalogs well. They offered all kinds of photo equipment, many different SLR's and darkroom gear. My memories of them are mostly from the 1970's, though.
 
anyone remember the Sears photography catalogs? an entire catalog dedicated just for cameras. i think i remember them having movie cameras, too. man i'd love to find one of those old catalogs.

- chris

Hi all,

I've got a Sears catalog from 1955 that I would be more than happy to scan and post somewhere if there is interest. I do not have the ability to convert to PDF, though... maybe someone else can help out. And maybe a "host" location for the files too?

I did a check last night to see if the Tower 35 was included, and sure enough, there are a few pages dedicated to it even. What a great catalog!

Just let me know,
Blake
 
Very nice camera ... very nice. How are the shutter curtains? These are the Achilles heel of bottom loaders.

The cameras like new, maybe it has had 10 or 20 rolls of film through it, if that?

The case has some slight wear marks, but it is really a clean N.O.S. camera, I was very impressed by the build quality and even the advance, smooth as butter and HONESTLY feels like a Leica IIICK ~ crazy!

Tom
 
Hi all,

I've got a Sears catalog from 1955 that I would be more than happy to scan and post somewhere if there is interest. I do not have the ability to convert to PDF, though... maybe someone else can help out. And maybe a "host" location for the files too?

I did a check last night to see if the Tower 35 was included, and sure enough, there are a few pages dedicated to it even. What a great catalog!

Just let me know,
Blake

Wow!

If you could please forward the pages with the Tower 35 to my email

Winkermeister@aol.com

I`ll condense it and carry it over the Photobucket and post it here! 🙂

Thank You

Tom
 
Wow!

If you could please forward the pages with the Tower 35 to my email

Winkermeister@aol.com

I`ll condense it and carry it over the Photobucket and post it here! 🙂

Thank You

Tom

Hi Tom,

I'll get the scan together tomorrow afternoon and send it off to you. And if there is more interest in the entire catalog, I'll be happy to do the whole thing.

Blake
 
Wow!

If you could please forward the pages with the Tower 35 to my email

Winkermeister@aol.com

I`ll condense it and carry it over the Photobucket and post it here! 🙂

Thank You

Tom

Hi Tom,

Just emailed the catalog images to you. If anyone else wants them or would be willing to host the catalog for others to be able to access, please do let me know. The set of four parts (76 pages total) is approx 20 megs total.

The catalog is full of awesome images and info...
Blake
 
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