What is your oldest functioning camera?

[farlymac]

A No.1 Autographic Kodak Junior for sure, and a No. 3A Folding Buster Brown that could be if I'd find those adapters I bought to convert it from 116 to 120.


PF

 

[Oren Grad]

5x7 Cycle Poco. After that my 6.5x8.5 Century, which I think is perhaps a decade newer. I've used the Century, though not yet the Cycle Poco, which is a relatively recent acquisition.

 

[leica M2 fan]

My oldest is a very good performer, a 1939 Leica IIIb with Summitar 50/f2.
Not as old as some here but still solid.

 

[Brian Atherton]

My new oldest camera is a Rolleiflex Automat K4/50 dated to 1949-50 (serial number 115xxx), acquired from a friend on Friday who was clearing out his father’s house and was going to dump the camera as he thought it was “obsolete junk”. 😱

“Functioning’ is a flexible term for this camera as everything appears to work accept the slow speeds. It’s in very good condition, otherwise: lenses are scratch-free, mechanism is buttery smooth and it has an unmarked screen.

I would like to have it repaired. Anyone have experience or know of a good Rollei repairer in the UK?

Many thanks in anticipation of help.

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

In the UK try Brian Mickleboro - contact details in this useful thread. I'm assuming he's still around, but he is regarded as the daddy here.

Rollei Repairers

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

1941 Berning Robot II with Zeiss Biotar 40mm f/2.

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It's made some very nice photos.

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I haven't used it in a while, should pull it out and run a roll of film through it. 🙂

G

Please do - a 40mm Biotar, what an exquisite thing!

 

[Brian Atherton]

In the UK try Brian Mickleboro - contact details in this useful thread. I'm assuming he's still around, but he is regarded as the daddy here.

Rollei Repairers

Thank you, Charles, much appreciated.

 

[David Hughes]

Well, they work but I can't get - or be bothered to get - the film for:-

Houghton Ensignette 1909,
Kodak VPK (early non-Autographic),
Brownie 1917 (took 70mm roll film),
Rio 3C 1921 (6 x 9 cm),
Houghton Ensign Special Reflex 1921 (9 x 12cm) and
The Leica 1926 that I can still get film for...

Then the usual run of the mill TLR's, RF's and so on from the early 30's.

The Ensignette is the smallest, neatest and easiest to use but has no double exposure lock, like the much younger Smenas. If I was rich or lucky I'd look for a 1912 Ensignette with the CZ Tessar or Triotar and then justify fiddling around and ruining film to get some that fits it.

OTOH, one of the VPK's has the Tessar and I've never bothered about film for that.

Regards, David

 

[raydm6]

Argus C3 by Narsuitus, on Flickr

The Argus C3 was manufactured in Ann Arbor Michigan during the 1940s and 1950s. It is the oldest camera that I still use. Camera collectors lovingly refer to it as “The Brick” because of its size, weight, shape, and durability.

Awesome/clever shot! That gave me a smile.

I too have one. Cute shooters.

 

[Scrambler]

2 from (I think) 1926: a No 2 Brownie and an Ica Volta 106. The Ica was advertised as a camera for kids: obviously reasonably advanced kids because it has some movements.

My fave oldie is not yet working: a late 20s or early 30s Shaja. Its a badge-engineered Linhof, similar to the base of the ur-Technica.

 

[ajramirez]

Oldest is an Argus A2F from 1940. Not the greatest performer, though.

Oldest that I would use with full confidence in their ability to produce top notch results are a 1954 Rolleiflex MX-EVS and a Kodak Signet 35 from the same year.

Cheers,

Antonio

 

[zuiko85]

Well, no film for it but the shutter works. A Kodak #3 Brownie from sometime between 1911 and 1917, that is as close as I can date it.

I suppose it could take a photo by loading a sheet of photo paper and using it as a negative for a contact print. It has a ‘B’ setting which should work for the ISO 6 paper.

 

[mcfingon]

1933 Leica III.

John Mc

 

[raydm6]

My Dad's old Kodak No. 3 Folding Hawk-Eye Model 9. (c. 1913-1915)

Took 118 film.

 

[jim_jm]

Eastman View #2 5x7 from around 1915. The attached Wollensak lens is 1920's.
Been using it almost exclusively with J Lane dry plates lately.

 

[filmtwit]

Nippon Kogaku S2, no idea what year, but my oldest at this time.

 

[Huss]

1915 Autographic Brownie

 

[Pfreddee]

A Yashica MAT 124G. My wife bought it for me new in 1986, and I've had it ever since. I even use it occasionally, but getting 5X5 prints made is expensive. I will have the next roll scanned and look at them on my computer, and pick out the ones (if any) I want printed.

With best regards.

Pfreddee(Stephen)

 

[Phil_F_NM]

An early 20th century Korona VI.
The next youngest camera I have is a motion picture camera, circa 1930 Bell and Howell 70A.

Phil Forrest

 

[ReeRay]

My 1953 Rollei 3.5f seems like a teenager amongst these venerable elders.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Dv6FUa]Rolleiflex 3.5F K4A 1953 by Ray Evans, on Flickr[/URL]