My Second Camera: Back in high school I had a Kodak Pony 35mm, a non-rangefinder and rather primitive little camera that taught me a lot about basic photography. One day, visiting a...

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My Second Camera

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Jun 6, 2015 10:59:53 #

adamsg Loc: Chubbuck, ID

Back in high school I had a Kodak Pony 35mm, a non-rangefinder and rather primitive little camera that taught me a lot about basic photography. One day, visiting a friend, I saw an old camera and on a whim traded a chemical lab balance to him for it. It worked pretty well and I kept it as a curiosity. Later on I got into SLRs with a Nikomat FTn and it has gone on from there. Years later I had a friend, a gifted machinist and owner of a great Leica collection do some restoration on the old camera. It is a Rochester Optical Pony Premo. It has a pneumatic shutter with 1m 1/2, 1/5, 1/25 and 1/100 speeds; a Victor lens, f5.6 - 128 and uses 4x5 sheet film or a film pack. Frame and case interior are cherry wood, with the original bellows. It shows wear, but is a special camera for me.

My Second Camera

Jun 6, 2015 11:05:19 #

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

That is a beautiful camera and well worth hanging on to. Do you still use it occasionally?

Dennis

Jun 6, 2015 12:16:23 #

Photocraig

As with many "appliances" of the day, the cabinetry or case is a work of art.

I suggest a nice portrait of a loved one to solidify the emotion.

I too, had the plastic Pony 35mm. I forgot it didn't have a range finder. Thank God for small apertures, Sunny 16 and a steady 16 year old hand. I still have an 11x14 sunrise over Lake George, NY on my ofice wall.

Jun 6, 2015 16:50:03 #

adamsg Loc: Chubbuck, ID

I haven't used it in several decades. The bellows is suspect and now when I have more time to use it, the sheet film and film packs are very difficult to obtain and get processed up here. I did take some shots of a pile driver on a bridge project when I lived in Los Angeles and they were very sharp. When I get a couple of academic projects off my plate, perhaps I will give it a try.

Jun 6, 2015 17:21:12 #

n3eg Loc: West coast USA

adamsg wrote:

... a Victor lens...

Looks more like a RCA Victor radio than a camera.

Jun 7, 2015 07:10:36 #

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

That's a beauty! Considering the relatively low selling prices on ebay, keeping it is the smart thing to do.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=Rochester%20Optical%20Pony%20Premo&LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1&rt=nc&_trksid=p2045573.m1684

Jun 7, 2015 08:13:52 #

mikedidi46 Loc: WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA

Years ago I was in Saltzburg, Austria and we walked into a Camera shop so my friend could buy a replacement battery. it was like taking a walk back in time. We saw camera's from almost every era of history. This was an amazingly small shop, but as interesting as I have ever seen. being from Rochester, NY. It is nice hear story's about old and unique Kodak camera's.

Jun 7, 2015 08:36:11 #

troutbum Loc: north central pennsylvania

Just think if it were not for that camera and many others of that time and the people that created them, we would not be where we are today. Wonderful piece of history and a wonderful picture by the way.

Jun 7, 2015 09:14:49 #

ABJanes Loc: Jersey Boy now Virginia

Do you have any images to share? My brother had some 50 year old 35MM slides (120) digitized by a local camera shop for $35.00 put on a CD. Great shots of our family, I should do a photo book, what a great keepsake.

adamsg wrote:

Back in high school I had a Kodak Pony 35mm, a non... (show quote)