Most Unusual, Odd, Or Awkward Camera Seen
May 17, 2015 04:16:48 #
Dear fellow UHH'ers:
Over the last few weeks we have had general questions of "your favorite or best looking camera", and "your first three cameras". I would like to ask another question to see what other members can come up with and share. This should be fun. What are the most unusual, weird, strange looking, or odd or awkward functioning camera(s) that you have seen (in person), but not necessarily owned? If you own a really unusual camera fine too, post an image if you can. And of course tell your story about it, especially if it surprised you as well.
I'll start with one now and perhaps add a second later on. At one time back during 1980-92 I worked at a museum and I had a supervisor and another co-worker who both liked to shop at Thrift stores for all kinds of stuff. One day he came back to work after lunch with some thing odd. He shows it to me and asked if I hand any idea how to use it. It was a Canon or Bell & Howell Dial 35 camera (I don't remember how it was branded). I took it and played around with it. I eventually guessed at how it was used but also felt it might be broken. From looking inside we figured that it was a half-frame camera. It was a really odd one. Remember this was before the WWW so it was hard to find any information about this oddity camera. If I recall correctly he later found a second one the same way the did seem to function. I don't remember if he ever shot any film in either. Read more about the camera below.
"Canon and Bell & Howell Dial 35
The Canon Dial 35 was an unconventional half-frame 35mm camera with clockwork automatic film advance. It was made in Japan by Canon from November 1963. The Dial 35 was also sold as the Bell & Howell Dial 35.
The body had an unusual "portrait" format rectangular shape, with a short, wide-diameter lens barrel containing the CdS meter photocells window around the 28mm lens. Rotating the lens barrel set the speed of the Seikosha shutter; the aperture was set automatically. A button below the viewfinder could be pulled out to give manual aperture control, for manual exposure settings or flash. Film speed was set on a scale around the meter window.
Focus was set on a lever around the top of the lens barrel, with a display inside the viewfinder.
There was a cylindrical handle at the bottom, which also wound the clockwork mechanism. On the (users) left is an accessory shoe. The film ran vertically, from the cassette at the top to the take-up spool at the bottom, giving a landscape-format 24×18mm frame when the camera is upright."
-- Quote from http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Canon_Dial_35
There was also a fancier model, Canon / Howell Dial 35-2. And if you have a really funky or iky camera like this that you really hate or don't want you can always give it to your dog as a chew toy.
Over the last few weeks we have had general questions of "your favorite or best looking camera", and "your first three cameras". I would like to ask another question to see what other members can come up with and share. This should be fun. What are the most unusual, weird, strange looking, or odd or awkward functioning camera(s) that you have seen (in person), but not necessarily owned? If you own a really unusual camera fine too, post an image if you can. And of course tell your story about it, especially if it surprised you as well.
I'll start with one now and perhaps add a second later on. At one time back during 1980-92 I worked at a museum and I had a supervisor and another co-worker who both liked to shop at Thrift stores for all kinds of stuff. One day he came back to work after lunch with some thing odd. He shows it to me and asked if I hand any idea how to use it. It was a Canon or Bell & Howell Dial 35 camera (I don't remember how it was branded). I took it and played around with it. I eventually guessed at how it was used but also felt it might be broken. From looking inside we figured that it was a half-frame camera. It was a really odd one. Remember this was before the WWW so it was hard to find any information about this oddity camera. If I recall correctly he later found a second one the same way the did seem to function. I don't remember if he ever shot any film in either. Read more about the camera below.
"Canon and Bell & Howell Dial 35
The Canon Dial 35 was an unconventional half-frame 35mm camera with clockwork automatic film advance. It was made in Japan by Canon from November 1963. The Dial 35 was also sold as the Bell & Howell Dial 35.
The body had an unusual "portrait" format rectangular shape, with a short, wide-diameter lens barrel containing the CdS meter photocells window around the 28mm lens. Rotating the lens barrel set the speed of the Seikosha shutter; the aperture was set automatically. A button below the viewfinder could be pulled out to give manual aperture control, for manual exposure settings or flash. Film speed was set on a scale around the meter window.
Focus was set on a lever around the top of the lens barrel, with a display inside the viewfinder.
There was a cylindrical handle at the bottom, which also wound the clockwork mechanism. On the (users) left is an accessory shoe. The film ran vertically, from the cassette at the top to the take-up spool at the bottom, giving a landscape-format 24×18mm frame when the camera is upright."
-- Quote from http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Canon_Dial_35
There was also a fancier model, Canon / Howell Dial 35-2. And if you have a really funky or iky camera like this that you really hate or don't want you can always give it to your dog as a chew toy.
Canon / Bell & Howell Dial 35
May 17, 2015 07:35:18 #
One of the first digital cameras used at work, Sony Digital Mavica MVC-FD91, at the turn of the millennium. Used a removable 3.5" floppy. Certainly awkward by todays standards. My first foray into digital film and movies. Quite a sensation at the time! This camera is still at work and is functional. Unfortunately there is only one working floppy disk reader in the plant.
Impressive Capability
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Top View
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Kids these days don't even know what this is!
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Flippable View Screen
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May 17, 2015 08:04:27 #
I used to have so much fun using my FD-70. Main purpose was photos in Sports Mode at my son's hockey games. Great shots for the team web site.
Sarge69
Sarge69
May 17, 2015 08:35:37 #
sarge69 wrote:
I used to have so much fun using my FD-70. Main purpose was photos in Sports Mode at my son's hockey games. Great shots for the team web site.
Sarge69
Sarge69
Thanks Sarge.
May 17, 2015 11:00:45 #
My vote is for the Camerz SLR. It was a monster of a camera and used 70mm roll film in 100 foot rolls. Took two men and a boy to set up and use. I still have one but it's at the store and I am at home today so cannot post pics right now.
May 17, 2015 11:23:30 #
I think the Canon Dial 35 is similar to the camera used in the movie "2001 A Space Odyssey" It looks good though.
May 17, 2015 12:30:36 #
I saw a Minolta 110 SLR at the Goodwill store yesterday. That is one strange flat camera. Also saw an old 3D film camera - it was the size of a wide SLR with 3 fixed lenses.
I wound up buying a Kodak Z612 for the collection - not really a strange camera, but it's all silver, has a 2xAA battery compartment but will not work with AAs (KLIC8000 or CRV3 only) and the camera has IS but has never been advertised as having it.
I wound up buying a Kodak Z612 for the collection - not really a strange camera, but it's all silver, has a 2xAA battery compartment but will not work with AAs (KLIC8000 or CRV3 only) and the camera has IS but has never been advertised as having it.
May 17, 2015 16:24:53 #
Pretty much ANY Nikon, especially the Df...., and UGLY to boot!!! :lol: :lol:
SS
SS
May 17, 2015 16:55:18 #
jkoar wrote:
One of the first digital cameras used at work, Sony Digital Mavica MVC-FD91, at the turn of the millennium. Used a removable 3.5" floppy. Certainly awkward by todays standards. My first foray into digital film and movies. Quite a sensation at the time! This camera is still at work and is functional. Unfortunately there is only one working floppy disk reader in the plant.
I have one. I made a lot of money with mine as a fiber optic construction inspector. I documented both good and bad work and could forward the JPGs to my engineers. I quickly bought a macro lens and used that to document minute details while troubleshooting. I think it stored 12 .JPGs on a 3.5" floppy. I have to rebuild its battery - WHAT? WHY? Because it is really a nice little guy.
May 17, 2015 17:05:06 #
llamb wrote:
I have one. I made a lot of money with mine as a fiber optic construction inspector. I documented both good and bad work and could forward the JPGs to my engineers. I quickly bought a macro lens and used that to document minute details while troubleshooting. I think it stored 12 .JPGs on a 3.5" floppy. I have to rebuild its battery - WHAT? WHY? Because it is really a nice little guy.
A couple of years ago, I was able to find a battery for it on e-Bay. The nice little guy is probably a collectors item like my D700. I have to admit the D700 is a sweet spot for 12MP.
May 17, 2015 20:54:12 #
the strangest oddest camera I have is a soviet panoramic camera basically a black brick with a lens that moved side to side. cant recall the model name and am not home right now,. shure glad cameras have evolved especialy the Nikon DF, which could kick the but of any 2nd place canon around. #%mm FE;s also. But I can understand ss jealousy. I can not say mean things about canon, they make lovely towels and sheets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 17, 2015 23:18:09 #
SharpShooter wrote:
Pretty much ANY Nikon, especially the Df...., and UGLY to boot!!! :lol: :lol:
SS
SS
Ouch!!! Shooter, that hurts!! Gotta agree that Cannon DOES make some lovely towels..... :roll:
May 17, 2015 23:29:42 #
Nikonnuts wrote:
Ouch!!! Shooter, that hurts!! Gotta agree that Cannon DOES make some lovely towels..... :roll:
And SOFT too!! :lol:
SS
May 17, 2015 23:37:44 #
RWR
Loc: La Mesa, CA
lamiaceae wrote:
Dear fellow UHH'ers: br br Over the last few week... (show quote)
The Russian Sport never got a design elegance award!
May 18, 2015 07:56:26 #
SharpShooter wrote:
Pretty much ANY Nikon, especially the Df...., and UGLY to boot!!! :lol: :lol:
SS
SS
They maybe ugly but sure better than Canon...... :wink:
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