Vintage Cameras
Jan 8, 2021 11:08:08 #
I'm very fortunate to have just inherited a couple of vintage cameras from my in-laws (they are now deceased). I used Lightroom to PP to B&W and then I used Aurora HDR preset to give them a sepia look. The first camera is a German Voigtlander IBSOR and the second is a Kodak Anastigmat, both produced in the 1930's to 40's. I am inclined to keep them in the family. Surprisingly enough, I've checked Ebay and they are not worth as much as I would have thought. Does anyone have any recommendations for a vintage camera collector or buyer?
Jan 8, 2021 11:13:51 #
I have a couple inherited as well. There probably are enthusiasts who figure out how to use film in them. As it is, they are just display objects for me.
Jan 8, 2021 11:19:29 #
Amator21
Loc: California
MT native wrote:
I'm very fortunate to have just inherited a couple... (show quote)
It is a fun picture of evolving technology. Thanks for posting!
Jan 8, 2021 11:27:01 #
SteveFranz
Loc: Durham, NC
I've picked up a few vintage camera's over the years. Just messing around with them, I have adapted a few to use 120 film. It's really quite easy, cut a couple 1/2 inch +- pieces of wood as a spacer for the 120 film spool. Use scrap film paper covering and wind it through the camera to determine spacing. Your picture will probably be cut off on the sides, but you will get a panorama style picture.
Jan 8, 2021 12:06:31 #
MT native wrote:
I'm very fortunate to have just inherited a couple... (show quote)
Do you have space to display them?
I have a Kodak Six-16 with Bimat lens, similar to the one you have. It was my Dad’s (and my grandfather’s before him).
It took 616 film, which went out of production many years ago (1984?). I have dozens of negatives that came from that camera before 1970. I made my first contact prints with them in 1965 at age 10, and I was hooked on photography by that!
Jan 8, 2021 12:18:50 #
Like jewels! What aperture? I love that softness...
Jan 8, 2021 14:08:12 #
amfoto1
Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA
Your first camera is probably a Voigtlander Jubilar variant. That's a roll film camera Voigtlander made from 1931-1934, that uses 120 film to make 6x9 (cm) images (8 to a roll). The one in your photo has a Skopar Anastigmatic 10.5cm f/4.5 lens in an IBSOR shutter. Other, probably cheaper and/or earlier examples of that camera were fitted with a Voigtar 10.5cm f/9 lens and an unlabeled Singlo shutter. The Jubilar was one of the few Voigtlander cameras that used "dial set" shutters, like both of the Jubilar variants. The IBSOR shutter on yours has a 7-speed range from 1 sec to 1/125, plus B and T. The earlier/cheaper Jubilar version with a Singlo shutter has only 1/25 and 1/50. plus B and T. I'm not sure, but think "D.R.P." on the shutter might stand for "Deutsches Reichs Patent". Check if the image area inside is 6x9cm (almost 2.5x3.5 inches). Not many Voigtlander have that little waist level (above the shutter) and folding flip up/wire frame finders, as seen on your camera (the cheaper variant has the waist level, but not the flip up/wire frame finder). Also look around on the body for a label, embossed into the leatherette covering or possibly on the drop bed under the bellows or somewhere inside. It may not have the model name anywhere on it, but if you go to sell it, you will get better response advertising it as the actual model (rather than the name of the shutter on it). That will appeal to more knowledgeable collectors. Someone more familiar with Voigtlander cameras may be able to confirm the model and info better than me. More model info here: http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Jubilar
The exact model of that Kodak camera might be more difficult to determine because they made a huge number of different models. It's not an "Anastigmat". That's just the lens. I am pretty sure yours is a Kodak Six-20 II camera, because the Six-16 and Six-20 models used a rather unique, octagonal, Art Deco style face plate as seen on your camera. It looks like there might be a model nameplate right below the lens, on the inside of the drop bed. It's a "II" and not one of the earlier models of these, because the earlier models have red paint right around the Kodak logo on their face plates, while the "II" version are all black and chrome... no red paint... like your camera. Both the original and the II models used Kodak Anastigmat 100mm f/6.3, with Six-20 in a Kodon Number 0 shutter or Diodak No. 1 shutter on Six-16. I don't know if there was a Six-16 "II", but am sure there was a Six-20 "II". It would help if you could determine what type of film it uses. The Six-16 cameras used 616 film, while the Six-20 use 620 type film. Both 616 and 620 appear to use 70mm wide film stock (same as 120 and 127, but they use different size spindles and aren't directly interchangeable... still, modern 120 film can be re-rolled onto 620 spindles for use on older cameras that require that type). I don't know what size image the Six-20 made, but the Six-16 made "post card" size 2.5 x 4.25 inch images, which could be directly contact printed onto then-popular ready made post cards. More info about the original Six-16 and Six-20 models here: http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Kodak_Six-16_and_Six-20
616 film was a Kodak update of their own, earlier 116 film. 620 was Kodak's attempt to take back over 120 film. This was a standard Kodak tactic, to create a unique film format and patent it so that anyone else who wanted to use it in their cameras had to pay Kodak for the privilege! The 120 patent had expired, so everyone was using it freely. Some other manufacturers made 620 cameras, but ultimately 120 became the standard and 620 faded away. The reason I'm telling you this is because the original Kodak Six-20 was the first camera to use 620 film. Both were introduced in 1932, though if your camera is a "II", as I suspect, it came somewhat later. Both versions of Six-20 used a "Kodon" shutter with three speeds (1/25, 1/50, 1/100) plus B and T. There were only cosmetic differences between the first and II version shutter faceplates (as noted above). Both also used the same lens (described above).
There were also Kodak Six-20 "Jiffy" cameras (more compact, rectangular face plate, simpler lenses & shutters) and Six-20 "Brownie" cameras (box type). Later there was also a Kodak Six-20 "Monitor", one of the most robust and sophisticated American-made, pre-WWII folding cameras. It had an actual viewfinder and survived the war to continue being made until about 1948. Kodak Six-20 "Vigilant" were more similar to the original Six-20 and Six-20 II models, but with updated shutters and lenses. Also introduced just prior to WWII, they also survived and were still being made until about 1949. Kodak also produced a series of Six-20 "Duo" models, with a built in viewfinder where the drop bed was in the landscape orientation (as opposed to the portrait orientation on all the earlier drop bed models) and making smaller 6x4.5cm format images (allowing twice as many images on a roll of film, compared to the other models).
Unfortunately, these cameras don't have great value today. I would guess each of yours are worth between $30 and $50. They just aren't that rare and most people consider them difficult to use today. Plus, who uses film these days
... Let alone medium format film (especially 620 film, which is only made by one or two specialty suppliers). 80 to 90 year old cameras are likely to need some work and that's not easy to get done, either.
Ultimately you might just keep them, display them and enjoy them. They are very cool! I especially like the Art Deco face of the Kodak (which I've avoided collecting, because there are a bazillion different Kodak models!)
The exact model of that Kodak camera might be more difficult to determine because they made a huge number of different models. It's not an "Anastigmat". That's just the lens. I am pretty sure yours is a Kodak Six-20 II camera, because the Six-16 and Six-20 models used a rather unique, octagonal, Art Deco style face plate as seen on your camera. It looks like there might be a model nameplate right below the lens, on the inside of the drop bed. It's a "II" and not one of the earlier models of these, because the earlier models have red paint right around the Kodak logo on their face plates, while the "II" version are all black and chrome... no red paint... like your camera. Both the original and the II models used Kodak Anastigmat 100mm f/6.3, with Six-20 in a Kodon Number 0 shutter or Diodak No. 1 shutter on Six-16. I don't know if there was a Six-16 "II", but am sure there was a Six-20 "II". It would help if you could determine what type of film it uses. The Six-16 cameras used 616 film, while the Six-20 use 620 type film. Both 616 and 620 appear to use 70mm wide film stock (same as 120 and 127, but they use different size spindles and aren't directly interchangeable... still, modern 120 film can be re-rolled onto 620 spindles for use on older cameras that require that type). I don't know what size image the Six-20 made, but the Six-16 made "post card" size 2.5 x 4.25 inch images, which could be directly contact printed onto then-popular ready made post cards. More info about the original Six-16 and Six-20 models here: http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Kodak_Six-16_and_Six-20
616 film was a Kodak update of their own, earlier 116 film. 620 was Kodak's attempt to take back over 120 film. This was a standard Kodak tactic, to create a unique film format and patent it so that anyone else who wanted to use it in their cameras had to pay Kodak for the privilege! The 120 patent had expired, so everyone was using it freely. Some other manufacturers made 620 cameras, but ultimately 120 became the standard and 620 faded away. The reason I'm telling you this is because the original Kodak Six-20 was the first camera to use 620 film. Both were introduced in 1932, though if your camera is a "II", as I suspect, it came somewhat later. Both versions of Six-20 used a "Kodon" shutter with three speeds (1/25, 1/50, 1/100) plus B and T. There were only cosmetic differences between the first and II version shutter faceplates (as noted above). Both also used the same lens (described above).
There were also Kodak Six-20 "Jiffy" cameras (more compact, rectangular face plate, simpler lenses & shutters) and Six-20 "Brownie" cameras (box type). Later there was also a Kodak Six-20 "Monitor", one of the most robust and sophisticated American-made, pre-WWII folding cameras. It had an actual viewfinder and survived the war to continue being made until about 1948. Kodak Six-20 "Vigilant" were more similar to the original Six-20 and Six-20 II models, but with updated shutters and lenses. Also introduced just prior to WWII, they also survived and were still being made until about 1949. Kodak also produced a series of Six-20 "Duo" models, with a built in viewfinder where the drop bed was in the landscape orientation (as opposed to the portrait orientation on all the earlier drop bed models) and making smaller 6x4.5cm format images (allowing twice as many images on a roll of film, compared to the other models).
Unfortunately, these cameras don't have great value today. I would guess each of yours are worth between $30 and $50. They just aren't that rare and most people consider them difficult to use today. Plus, who uses film these days
... Let alone medium format film (especially 620 film, which is only made by one or two specialty suppliers). 80 to 90 year old cameras are likely to need some work and that's not easy to get done, either. Ultimately you might just keep them, display them and enjoy them. They are very cool! I especially like the Art Deco face of the Kodak (which I've avoided collecting, because there are a bazillion different Kodak models!)
Jan 8, 2021 15:49:49 #
cahale
Loc: San Angelo, TX
MT native wrote:
I'm very fortunate to have just inherited a couple... (show quote)
Interesting shots, but would have been much better if you had used a much smaller aperture, and gotten rid of that 3200 ISO. Details would have been clearer.
Jan 8, 2021 16:37:12 #
Alan,
Thank you so much for the detailed information you have provided me. It is greatly appreciated. You went to a lot of work. That is what is so great about UHH....people willing to share their knowledge and wealth of information. Stay safe and be healthy. Again, thank you.
Dennis
Thank you so much for the detailed information you have provided me. It is greatly appreciated. You went to a lot of work. That is what is so great about UHH....people willing to share their knowledge and wealth of information. Stay safe and be healthy. Again, thank you.
Dennis
Jan 8, 2021 16:38:46 #
cahale wrote:
Interesting shots, but would have been much better if you had used a much smaller aperture, and gotten rid of that 3200 ISO. Details would have been clearer.
Thank for the info. I wasn’t completely satisfied with my results. I will certainly give your recommendation a try.
Jan 9, 2021 08:41:54 #
Jan 9, 2021 10:06:18 #
Jan 9, 2021 10:55:46 #
Jan 9, 2021 11:02:57 #
I'll always regret selling my grandfather's camera, the one depicted in photo #4. It was among items I placed on consignment with a local antique dealer before our move to Florida,
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