My first camera- what was it?
Dec 26, 2020 17:54:39 #
goldenyears
Loc: Lake Osewgo
I am trying to identify my first camera, which I got about 1956. Probably a hand-me-down from my parents, as I think I had been borrowing their camera for several years previously. It produced 2.75 inch square negatives. It was a bellows camera, and surely not expensive, as my parents were not wealthy. Were their lots of popular entry-level cameras of that type? Any ideas what make and model of camera it might have been? I may be able to recognize it from photos of possible candidates. I might try to acquire one for nostalgia.
Dec 26, 2020 20:05:07 #
goldenyears wrote:
I am trying to identify my first camera, which I g... (show quote)
Sounds like a pocket folding camera, maybe an Agfa or Kodak shooting 620 film.
Dec 27, 2020 05:57:09 #
MT Shooter wrote:
Sounds like a pocket folding camera, maybe an Agfa or Kodak shooting 620 film.
I still have hundreds of Kodak 620 negatives from my father's 1949? vintage Kodak monitor folding bellows camera (which I still have). Those 620 negatives were nice to print from. If I recall they measured 2-1/4" by 2-3/4". I should dig one out and check it.
Dec 27, 2020 06:13:36 #
shutterhawk
Loc: Cape Cod
You might want to try asking at reddit.com/r/vintagecameras/ There are a lot of very knowledgeable collectors over there.
Dec 27, 2020 07:15:08 #
A.J.R.
Loc: Devon, UK
It might be worth checking the size again (if you have negs or contact prints from that camera) as 2.75 inch sq. would not be from a 620 (or 120 which is same size film but different size spool) as others have suggested. They would be 2.25 inch sq. and unfortunately there were so many cameras made using this film and format without more clues from yourself it would be very difficult to identify your camera. Having said that, although there were films made that would accommodate 2.75 inch sq. I dont think there were any giving exactly that size.
Dec 27, 2020 08:45:50 #
goldenyears wrote:
I am trying to identify my first camera, which I g... (show quote)
If I remember correctly common film sizes in the 50's were 120,620, 127 and 35mm, I had a 120 and wanted a 127, I probably still have my grand parents roll film cameras around, they took larger roll film but it was either out of production or very hard to get by then, one was an autographic, open a slot and write a memo on the film before winding. no idea about the film number or actual size.
Dec 27, 2020 09:28:14 #
A.J.R.
Loc: Devon, UK
I worked in a D&P lab, in the UK in mid to late 1950's and we were still processing roll films larger than 120 and 620. They were 107, 116, 118, 124, and 130,s. Most were still available until the end of the 50's. The 130 is the nearest width to 2.75 inch, at 1 7/8 ths inch but as far as I'm aware there were no cameras giving square format that used 130 film.
Dec 27, 2020 09:56:13 #
StanMac
Loc: Tennessee
goldenyears wrote:
I am trying to identify my first camera, which I g... (show quote)
Agfa-Ansco sold fairly inexpensive 120 film folding film cameras in their Speedex line in America during the fifties. Their low end models had limited shutter speeds and triplet lenses but they made quite nice photos.
Stan
Dec 27, 2020 10:02:22 #
My first camera was a 35 mm, Petri Racer, F2.8.
You may want to use the site below for research.
https://camerapedia.fandom.com/wiki/Petri_Racer#:~:text=The%20Petri%20Racer%20is%20a,is%20a%20ten%2Dspeed%20Petri.
Have a Merry Christmas
And a Safe and Healthy New Year!
Smile, (With Your Mask On!)
JimmyT Sends
You may want to use the site below for research.
https://camerapedia.fandom.com/wiki/Petri_Racer#:~:text=The%20Petri%20Racer%20is%20a,is%20a%20ten%2Dspeed%20Petri.
Have a Merry Christmas
And a Safe and Healthy New Year!
Smile, (With Your Mask On!)
JimmyT Sends
Dec 27, 2020 10:08:02 #
MT Shooter wrote:
Sounds like a pocket folding camera, maybe an Agfa or Kodak shooting 620 film.
I guess if you had one of those old fashioned top coats with really large pockets, the Kodak Monitor would fit into the pockets. I can see it is the old geezers like myself who are responding to this original posting by goldenyears.
Dec 27, 2020 10:20:16 #
MT Shooter wrote:
Sounds like a pocket folding camera, maybe an Agfa or Kodak shooting 620 film.
I have an old Kodak Premoette that belonged to my grandfather.
https://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/2888/what-are-my-options-for-buying-and-developing-film-for-a-vintage-1913-kodak-came
Dec 27, 2020 10:42:03 #
jerryc41 wrote:
I have an old Kodak Premoette that belonged to my grandfather.
https://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/2888/what-are-my-options-for-buying-and-developing-film-for-a-vintage-1913-kodak-came
I have an old Kodak Premoette that belonged to my grandfather.
https://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/2888/what-are-my-options-for-buying-and-developing-film-for-a-vintage-1913-kodak-came
That predates the Kodak Monitor, I think
Dec 27, 2020 10:47:49 #
StanMac
Loc: Tennessee
Jimmy T wrote:
My first camera was a 35 mm, Petri Racer, F2.8. br... (show quote)
I have one of those, with its original ever-ready case, that still works well. A nice compact camera for its day.
Stan
Dec 27, 2020 11:41:22 #
StanMac wrote:
I have one of those, with its original ever-ready case, that still works well. A nice compact camera for its day.
Stan
Stan
Stan
That was the camera (Petri Racer) that I used to "Discover" the exposure triangle.
The correlation between, Shutter Speed, F-Stop, and "ASA".
That began a lifetime fascination with photography.
Have a Merry Christmas
And a Safe and Healthy New Year!
Smile, (With Your Mask On!)
JimmyT Sends
Dec 27, 2020 13:38:52 #
goldenyears
Loc: Lake Osewgo
A.J.R. wrote:
Having said that, although there were films made that would accommodate 2.75 inch sq. I dont think there were any giving exactly that size.
Sorry... a typo, or a mis-read of the tape measure... 2.25 x 2.25.
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