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1981-1982 Sears Camera Catalog
Mar 8, 2023 16:31:43 #
larryepage wrote:
Sears owned one of the most widely recognized clear-channel radio stations for a few years in the mid-1920s. WLS, an acronym for "World's Largest Store" (the Sears motto) could be received at night in 38 states.
Out of Chicago, right?
Mar 8, 2023 16:38:53 #
larryepage
Loc: North Texas area
rcorne001 wrote:
Out of Chicago, right?
Yes. They are still on the air as WLS, but ownership has changed several times.
Mar 8, 2023 16:44:21 #
yds0066 wrote:
I was going through some old boxes. and this was in one of them.
This was over 40 years ago and thought it might be enjoyed.
This was over 40 years ago and thought it might be enjoyed.
Very interesting
Thx for sharing.
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Mar 8, 2023 19:00:57 #
Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
I purchased this Sears SLR sometime between 1970 and 1973. It was my second SLR. (The first was a Praktica, a very manual camera made in the GDR. It had no built-in light meter.) I seem to remember that the Sears camera was manufactured by Ricoh. I used the Sears camera until sometime in the 80's, when I purchased my first Nikon, an N8008, I think. As you can see, it came with a 50mm f/1.7 "Auto Sears" lens. The "auto" refers to the fact that the aperture remained wide open for focusing, and when the shutter was pressed, it closed down to the specified f stop. It also came with a built-in light meter. There was no A, S or P setting, it was all M. You just centered the needle between the light meter brackets in the viewfinder.
The lens mount was a Pentax (or so I was told) screw mount. I subsequently purchased a Vivitar 135mm f/2.8 shown here. Note the two aperture rings. One was set to the desired aperture, and the other was left wide open for focusing, etc. When it came time to release the shutter, the photographer turned that ring until it hit the pre-set "stop."
I have kept the camera and lenses for two reasons. First, I tried to auction them off on eBay and got no takers. Second, since the Sears was a film camera, I have used it in classes to illustrate the working of the focal plane shutter. That's not so easy with a DSLR.
I purchased this Sears SLR sometime between 1970 and 1973. It was my second SLR. (The first was a Praktica, a very manual camera made in the GDR. It had no built-in light meter.) I seem to remember that the Sears camera was manufactured by Ricoh. I used the Sears camera until sometime in the 80's, when I purchased my first Nikon, an N8008, I think. As you can see, it came with a 50mm f/1.7 "Auto Sears" lens. The "auto" refers to the fact that the aperture remained wide open for focusing, and when the shutter was pressed, it closed down to the specified f stop. It also came with a built-in light meter. There was no A, S or P setting, it was all M. You just centered the needle between the light meter brackets in the viewfinder.
The lens mount was a Pentax (or so I was told) screw mount. I subsequently purchased a Vivitar 135mm f/2.8 shown here. Note the two aperture rings. One was set to the desired aperture, and the other was left wide open for focusing, etc. When it came time to release the shutter, the photographer turned that ring until it hit the pre-set "stop."
I have kept the camera and lenses for two reasons. First, I tried to auction them off on eBay and got no takers. Second, since the Sears was a film camera, I have used it in classes to illustrate the working of the focal plane shutter. That's not so easy with a DSLR.
Mar 8, 2023 19:12:18 #
I will get better pictures and upload them so if anyone will want to print them out to use, feel free to do so.
I’m glad they are being enjoyed and bringing back fond memories.
I’m glad they are being enjoyed and bringing back fond memories.
Mar 8, 2023 20:17:28 #
yds0066 wrote:
I was going through some old boxes. and this was in one of them.
This was over 40 years ago and thought it might be enjoyed.
This was over 40 years ago and thought it might be enjoyed.
Now that is a neat find! I'm sure I had that catalog. Bought my AE-1 about 1980. I remember waiting impatiently for the new Sears catalogs to come out. Photo, hunting, fishing, etc.
Mar 9, 2023 01:36:00 #
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Mar 9, 2023 01:37:12 #
Mar 9, 2023 03:02:41 #
dwmoar
Loc: Oregon, Willamette Valley
campyboy1 wrote:
I miss Sears and the good old days of shopping in their stores and catalogs they had just about anything you needed or wanted then Kmart came along and bought them out and things went downhill from there.
Sear was already headed down hill by the time Kmart bought them. and Sears drug kmart down with them.
Mar 9, 2023 15:58:07 #
What memories! I bought the Sears KS-2, my first real camera, as we were expecting our first granddaughter in 1980-81.
Soon discovered when looking through a photo magazine that it was actually a Ricoh XR-7 made for the Sears brand. That camera was awesome. As an armature photographer, more than 95% of my shots came out the way I expected, right on the money. That camera finally died in 2001 giving me more than 1,000 excellent photos of my first 3 grandchildren and other photos. I then purchased a Pentax ZX-30 which I still have and takes excellent film shots. My first digital camera was a Pentax KS-1 and since then have had great success with my Nikon and Panasonic digital cameras. Thanks for the memories!!!
Soon discovered when looking through a photo magazine that it was actually a Ricoh XR-7 made for the Sears brand. That camera was awesome. As an armature photographer, more than 95% of my shots came out the way I expected, right on the money. That camera finally died in 2001 giving me more than 1,000 excellent photos of my first 3 grandchildren and other photos. I then purchased a Pentax ZX-30 which I still have and takes excellent film shots. My first digital camera was a Pentax KS-1 and since then have had great success with my Nikon and Panasonic digital cameras. Thanks for the memories!!!
Mar 9, 2023 21:00:19 #
campyboy1
Loc: vancouver Washington
William wrote:
@
I hate to tell you this but you are wrong Kmart was already headed downhill when they bought Sears hopping to revi
Kmart but it didn't work out and they ended up filing for bankruptcy within a year after that and closing all their stores Walmart was the one that caused that. And reason Sears ended up closing stores was it couldn't compete with the internet and Amazon and stores like Best Buy, Lowes, and Home Depot on appliance sales.
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Mar 9, 2023 21:46:44 #
yds0066 wrote:
I was going through some old boxes. and this was in one of them.
This was over 40 years ago and thought it might be enjoyed.
This was over 40 years ago and thought it might be enjoyed.
Wow....thanks so much for sharing these lovely memories....really appreciated. These 40 year old cameras prices were still an expensive bargain.....slightly before I started my photo adventure.
Mar 10, 2023 04:37:42 #
campyboy1 wrote:
I hate to tell you this but you are wrong Kmart was already headed downhill when they bought Sears hopping to revi
Kmart but it didn't work out and they ended up filing for bankruptcy within a year after that and closing all their stores Walmart was the one that caused that. And reason Sears ended up closing stores was it couldn't compete with the internet and Amazon and stores like Best Buy, Lowes, and Home Depot on appliance sales.
Kmart but it didn't work out and they ended up filing for bankruptcy within a year after that and closing all their stores Walmart was the one that caused that. And reason Sears ended up closing stores was it couldn't compete with the internet and Amazon and stores like Best Buy, Lowes, and Home Depot on appliance sales.
@
Mar 10, 2023 07:58:26 #
Thanks for the memories. My first SLR was a Pentax S1a (1964) with a king size coupled rangefinder sitting on top, in a King size Ever-ready case. My second was a Pentax MX about 10 years later - with a Tamron standard zoom. I bought my young son a Cosina SLR - proved to be a great camera - or was it a great young photographer? Perhaps both!
Mar 11, 2023 12:00:19 #
Had an Asahi and a Honeywell Pentax. Looked identical. Both excellent cameras. Both stolen when my fiancés apartment was burgled.
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