Canon

Canon FD Lenses: The A series and later T series Canon cameras take Canon FD (open aperture) bayonet mount lenses which go on with about 1/4 turn as opposed to screw mount lens cameras. I have several Canon FD and Vivitar Series 1 Canon FD mount lenses: Canon FD 24mm f2.8, Canon FD 50mm f1.4, Canon FD 50mm f3.5 Macro with 1:1 extension tube, Canon FD 135mm f2.5, Vivitar Series One 28mm-90mm f2.8-3.5, Vivitar Series One 70mm-210mm f3.5, Canon FD 100-200 f5.6. All of the lenses seem to be in excellent working condition with no scratches, mold or other marks on the glass. The Canon FD 24mm was purchased on eBay on 7-12-07 for $36 with $9.35 shipping. The other Canon lenses were purchased at a La Mesa, CA garage sale on 7-8-07 for about $95 total. The two Vivitar lenses were purchased on eBay in 2005. Canon Lenses, Canon Lenses Front. With the exception of the 100-200mm lens, these are all quite fast (i.e. large maximum aperature). The Vivitar Series One lenses also have a reputation of being equal to the camera manufacturer or marquee lens quality. The 1977-78 Sears Catalog had the following prices: Canon 100-200 zoom $196.50, Canon 135mm f3.5 (not f2.5) $114.50, Canon 24mm f2.8 $184.50, 50mm f3.5 macro $179.50, 50mm f1.4 $105, Vivitar 35-105mm f3.5 $237.50, Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm f3.5 $349.50 That's over $1350 in lenses in late 70s prices which is over $4,300 in 2007 dollars adjusting for inflation!

Chinon

It was made by Chinon. Exactly which model is confusing, however! According to Chinon Screw Mount Cameras, the GAF L-CM, as well as the Argus CR-1, are the same as the Chinon CM (1975). (See also acecam.com.) Chinon Screw Mount Cameras does not have photos, however, and I have not independently varified that they are same or that a Chinon CM with no other designation exists. Also, JW Photo shows the Argus CR-1 as a different looking camera. See also Asian Site - Argus CR-1. Manuals for most Chinon cameras are available at www.butkus.org/chinon/index.html. I haven't found the exact same designation there although it appears very similar to three other models: GAF L-17 (1973) (chrome body and battery check button), Chinon CS (chrome body), Chinon SLR (looks almost identical but according to Chinon Screw Mount Cameras the Chinon SLR has open aperture metering), Chinon CX (chrome body and battery check button - a black model was on eBay, however). Butkus.org has an image of the GAF L-CM, which he labels as a Chinon L-CM. Similarly, an Asian site shows a photo of a GAF L-CM with the label of a Chinon CM (1974). That site apparently indicates a GAF L-CM is the same as a Chinon M1, an Argus CR-1 and Revueflex 3000 SL. A list of GAF labeled Chinon models is at camerapedia.org. An eBay listing had a repair manual for GAF L-CM, L-CS, L-ES and Sears 2000 ES SLR cameras suggesting these are all similar models. The GAF LC-M is mentioned as a low priced reliable model at a photo.net discussion.

Wirgin Edixa

Ihagee Exakta

The lens is a 50 mm f1.9 Schneider-Kreuznach Xenon. The Exacta was the 35mm SLR of the 1950s. It was not until the late 1950s and 1960s that the Japanese SLRs started to predominate. (See Pacific Rim Camera - Ihagee referring to the Pentax (1957), Minolta SR-2 (1958), Canonflex (1959) and Nikon F (1960). The Exacta VX was expensive. In the 1956 Sears Camera Catalog, an Exakta that looks like mine with the same lens cost $398.70. That's over $3,000 in 2007 dollars! The only other camera more expensive in the catalog was the Leica M3 rangefinder at $447. The Exacta VX came with either an eye level Penta Prism finder or the less expensive waist level finder. Less expensive lenses were also available. There was no instant mirror return - the viewfinder was blacked out after releasing the shutter until you wound the film advance. According to the 1956 Sears Camera Catalog the "Automatic Exacta VX" has "a fully-automatic pre-set diaphragm control . . . closes to pre-set opening when shutter is released . . . reopens automatically." There are several excellent and detailed sites about Exacta cameras including: exataphile, wrotniak.net - Exakta, Classic Exakta SLRs, Captain Jack's Exakta Pages.

My Exakta was purchased in the Hillcrest area of San Diego on 11-19-07 with six other cameras and assorted lenses for $150. It had belonged to the seller's father in law who going into a nursing home. The father in law had been an avid amateur photographer amassing a large camera collection, most of which had been disposed of earlier. The camera is in very good cosmetic condition. The shutter works well. (I have not yet figured out the slow speeds which are on a separate dial.) The lens is clear and in beautiful cosmetic condition. I think the diaphragm is not functioning, however. At first I thought it was probably a preset lens and I just didn't know how to set it. I think it is fully automatic, however, and stuck at f16 or so. If you look very closely there is some slight movement to open the blades. It probably needs cleaning and lubrication, although that likely would be expensive. The 50 mm f1.9 Schneider-Kreuznach Xenon lens does seem to be expensive. An Exakta VX with that lens went for over $200 on eBay in October 2007 with a sticking diaphragm. The camera comes with a leather Exakta case in near new condition. A very cool camera indeed, although I sure wish the aperture wasn't stuck!

An interesting fact is that Jimmy Stewart, playing a photographer confined to his apartment with a broken leg, appears to use an Exakta VX with penta prism finder and telephoto lens to get a closer view of the murderer (Raymond Burr - soon to become defense attorney Perry Mason on television) across the courtyard in the 1954 Alfred Hitchcock film "Rear Window." (See photo at Internet Movie Database (IMDb) - Rear Window and extensive discussion at photo.net.) While professional photographers tended to use 35mm rangefinders more than 35mm SLRs in the 1950s, SLRs were needed for telephoto lenses and close-up work. The Exakta was the choice of most professionals using a SLR. Medium format twin lens reflex cameras and press view cameras were also popular. The flash from a press view camera was used in Rear Window to temporarily blind the murderer.

Kodak

Konica

Mamiya

Minolta

It has a unique bayonet type lens mount for Miranda interchangeable lenses of the Auto-Miranda Series. It also has inner threads, however, for Soligor or other pre-set lenses. These screw mount lenses are M44 lenses (44mm in diameter) and not the same as Pentax M42 (42mm in diameter) screw mount lenses. Rick Oleson - SLR Lens Mount Identification is a great page that describes all the different SLR lens mounts. Miranda did make adapters for Pentax, Nikon, Exacta, Leica and Contax lenses. In the price list these are either $9.95 or $12.95.

Shutter speeds are from 1 to 1/1000 second plus Bulb. The shutter release is on the front of camera just above the self timer. The pentaprism viewfinder is removable although not the focusing screen. In addition to the eye level finder, two waist level finders were available. The camera does not have a hot shoe or accessory shoe probably due to the removable pentaprism. Two flash brackets were available, however ($4.95 and $2.95). The CdS through the lens meter takes a 1.3 volt 625 mercury battery, no longer available. The meter is reactive and correct within a stop with a 1.5 volt 76PX battery I had available. I haven't extensively tried out the meter, however. The meter switch is on the top left next to the rewind crank. The battery compartment round black screw cap is on the chrome trim just below the rewind crank. The hefty camera weighs in at 1,100 grams with the 50mm f1.4 lens (650 grams body only).

The camera is in good cosmetic and working condition with a few areas of dirt, scratches or slight corrosion on the chrome. The two extra lenses, teleconverter and cases are in excellent condition. I purchased the items on 10-27-07 for $75 in La Jolla, CA from an ad on Craig's List. (The house was just below the area of the recent landslide.)

The literature that came with the camera indicates it is imported by Allied Impex Corp., a Division of AIC Photo Inc. Miranda cameras were made from the first prototype in 1952 until 1978 when they were forced to quit operations. A description at Bill's Miranda Page by a former Miranda sales representative gives the sales representative's impressions why the company ceased operations. Comprehensive information about Miranda is at Miranda Camera. According to Bill's Miranda Page, Miranda introduced the first Japanese single lens reflex camera in 1958. (See Miranda Orion at Camera Quest.) Photoethnography has excellent information on the Sensorex. The manual for the Sensorex is at butkus.org (my manual is different looking). Miranda Society Japan has a very comprehensive site largely in Japanese but with some English. It has several Mirada ads that featured a naked woman carefully posed to not show too much and a proper looking English gentlemen with a bowler hat and a Miranda camera around his neck.

Nikon

Nikon cameras have traditionally been the favorite professional level 35mm SLR, although many professionals use Canon or other brands. According to Wikipedia, Nikon in January 2006 announced it would continue to produce only two SLR film cameras, the entry level manual focus FM-10 actually made by Cosina and the professional level F6. This clearly shows the revolution in photography that has occurred in the last ten years with a switch from film to digital.

This was my first Nikon. Purchased on eBay on 5-8-06 for $61 and $11.50 shipping. It came with a Vivitar Series 1 70-210 f3.5 lens and a Vivitar Zoom Thyristor SMS 40D flash. The camera is in very good cosmetic and working condition. There appears to be some slight dust on the mirror. The lens is also in good condition with clear glass, but some scrapes on the body and the ring surrounding the front element.

The 70-210 Series 1 lens itself is somewhat of a cult classic intended to compete with lenses from the camera manufacturers. Mine is the first of the five versions. It was make by Kiron and has a 67mm filter size. According to the numbers on the lens, mine was apparently made in the 18th week of 1981 following the code set forth in the Mark Roberts site. See also Camera Quest. It has a 1:2.2 magnification ratio and a fixed f3.5 maximum aperture, impressive for a zoom lens. A Vivitar Series 1 70-210 lens cost $374.50 in the 1978-79 Sears Camera Catelog, nearly $1,150 in 2006 dollars, although a Nikkor 80-200 zoom in the same catalog cost $639.50, almost $2,000 in 2006 dollars. I also have Series 1 70-210 lenses in Pentax screw, Minolta MD and Canon FD mounts.

Olympus

Pentax

Petri

Praktica

Ricoh

Vivitar

Zeiss Ikon