Camera Museum - Large and Medium Format

This portion of the museum contains cameras which are medium format (film that is generally at least 2.25" or 6cm wide) and large format (film format usually at least 4" x 5"). They are arranged in three categories: (1) General which includes cameras that are not Kodak or Poloroid, (2) Kodak Cameras, and (3) Poloroid Instant Print Cameras.

General | Kodak | Polaroid
General
Seroco (Large, Close) large format (I believe 5" x 7") drop view camera. Seroco was an acronym for the familiar Sears, Roebuck and Company. Sears sold several different models under the Seroco name. The cameras were actually made by other companies such as Conley or Rochester Optical. (See photo.net and The Pentax Collector's Page.) The camera is from the early 20th century, perhaps as early as 1901. (See Seroco Folding Camera.) Cameras like this were known as cycle cameras. At the time bicycling was still big and these cameras folded to a relatively small size so you could take them on a bicycle trip. (See Antique and Classic Camera Home Page.) Other examples of this type of drop bed view camera are at cwiley.com. The folded size of this camera is about 8.5" x 9" x 4". Bausch and Lomb Optical Company is written on the metal under the lens. Shutter speeds are listed as T, B, 100, 25, 5, 2, 1. Curiously, intermediary speeds like 50 are not listed. The apertures are listed as 8, 16, 32, 64, 128. While the maximum aperture listed is f8, the lens opens up wider than this setting. The lens is clear. The shutter and aperture work. The shutter does not seem accurate to me, however. For example, one second appears to be much shorter than one second. The outer covering is pebbled leather (I assume). It is in good condition. The bellows are largely intact, but there are some holes. The ground viewing glass is in reasonably good condition and you can see the image. The glass has some chips at the edges, however, unless it was made that way. You did not have to use the viewing glass. There was also a separate viewer on the bed which is missing on my camera. The wood is generally in very good condition. I believe there may have also been a handle on the side which is now missing. While these types of cameras are apparently not particularly valuable (Antique and Classic Camera Home Page), it is a gorgeous camera with beautiful wood, metal and leather. I purchased this on eBay in 2006 for about $65 as I recall.
(Large) (Front View)
Hasselblad 500c (1968, model made from 1957 to 1970) a Swedish medium format single lens reflex camera with a German Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm f2.8 lens. Hasselblad cameras and Carl Zeiss lenses are noted for their precision and sharpness and are two of the most respected names in photography. They are expensive, however. A new Hasselblad 503CW with an 80mm f2.8 Zeiss lens costs over $4,000 as of the Summer of 2007 at B&H Photo. The shutters and focusing mechanisms are in the lenses. Photoethnography has a fantastic and detailed discussion about Hasselblad. She notes it is relatively compact for a medium format camera. Mine, with lens and film back, is under 17cm long, 10cm high and 10cm wide. Another popular medium format camera, the Mamiya 67, is significantly larger in part because it has bellows focusing. The advantage of bellows focusing, however, is a closer minimum focusing distance. Setting the exposure on the Hasselblad takes some getting use to since it uses Exposure Values (EV). The shutter ring on the lens has both shutter speeds and EVs. You press the EV/aperture button on the aperture ring bringing the red arrow on the aperture ring in line with the correct EV which you read from your hand held light meter. Release the EV/aperture button and then turn the shutter dial, which is now coupled with the aperture ring, to the shutter speed/aperture you want. All of this sounds pretty confusing, but it takes only a short while to get use to it. I got a book by H. Fretag, The Hasselblad Way (Focal Press, 7th ed 1978), on eBay to help me figure things out. (There are several subsequent editions of the book.) The 500C was made from 1957 to 1970 according to Photoethnography. Using the chart at that site also revealed that my camera was made in 1968. My camera was purchased around May 2007 at a Sunday garage sale in the Eastridge area of La Mesa, CA. The seller had a bunch of photography stuff out, but not this camera. I asked if he had any cameras and he brought this out. He had a newer Hasselblad and was willing to sell this with two film backs, 70mm film adapters, a flash bracket, and a flash for $150 which I considered a great deal for a Hasselblad. It seems to be in very good cosmetic and working condition although I have not tried it out yet extensively. (I'm still learning.) It did not come with a viewfinder hood, but I purchased a Hasselblad waist level finder from an ad on Craig's List San Diego on 7-10-07 for $20. I also on 6-12-07 purchased a Hasselblad chimney magnifying finder on eBay for $9.99 plus $10.22 shipping. I got this since the waist level finders seemed too pricey on eBay. There are numerous other kinds of finders including eye level metered finders. Photoethnography has a separate page discussing Hasselblad and Russian Kiev finders. I always wanted to try out medium format photography but found it too expensive. This turned out to be an inexpensive and fortunate way to try it out with one of the most respected names in cameras. I doubt if I will use it that much, however, since digital is so much more convenient. They make digital backs for modern Hasselblads, but the cost of a 16.3 megapixel digital back alone as of the summer of 2007 is about $9,000 at B&H compared to 10 megapixel digital SLRs costing $700.
	Franka Rolfix II (Large Image, Back View.) 1951-1957. Folding camera. "Made in Germany US Zone." Made by Franka Werke in Bavaria. See Franka Rolfix 6x9cm Folder Camera. 6cm x 9cm format using 120 film. There were three models: Rolfix, Rolfix II, and Rolfix Jr. The Rolfix II was the best of these three. Mine has a quality Synchro-Compur shutter with speeds from 1 to 1/500 seconds combined with a quality Rodenstock-Trinar, 105mm, f3.5 lens. (Closeup of lens.) Viewing is through a simple collapsible viewfinder on top of the camera. Focusing is achieved by moving a ring in front. You have to estimate the distance. These were sold through Montgomery Ward stores in the United States. The 1957 Wards Camera Catalog at page 40 lists the price of a Rolfix II as $34.47 which was a $8 cut from 1956. I assume it may have been a clearance since it was the last year it was sold. The "Leather Everyready Case" was $4.75. The 1956 price of $42.47 is about $325 in 2007 dollars! Mine was purchased at a San Carlos area of San Diego garage sale for $15 on 10-13-07 just a few blocks from my house. The seller acquired it as a present from his parents as a child. It is in good working and cosmetic condition. Comes with the every ready leather case and two filters. It still has film in it only on exposure 2. Since it uses 120 film, it is still a useable camera today. Good information at Alt-Toy and Vintage Camera (note the Rolfix II there differs in several ways from mine. I assume mine is older.) Camerapedia has extensive information on Franka Werke including a list with photos of its many camera models over the years. Owner's manual for all three Rolfix cameras is at www.butkus.org.
Ciroflex, twin lens reflex popular in the 1940s and 1950s. Made in United States. I have two. The shutter does not work in one. The viewfinder/mirror in both is very dim. The focusing glass on the working one is broken.	Beattie Portronic, a heafty camera about a foot tall. It was made in the U.S.A. by Photographic Products Inc., Anaheim, Calif. It has a Wollensak 152mm, f6.3 Raptar lens. Apertures go to f32. It is a view camera focusing on ground glass approximately 2.5" by 3.25". It is also a twin lens reflex camera, however, having a separate focusing unit on top. It appears to have only one shutter speed. It has an elaborate system of electrical connections both outside and inside the camera. I assumed originally these were for some sort of flash system, but I saw one on E-Bay with some sort of attached bulk roll film holder. The electrical system may be involved with the roll film holder. The metal plate on the camera on E-Bay read "Beattie Portronic, Coleman Inc., Anaheim Cal. Model A-162, Type 15130." I assume the camera was made for studio portrait work, perhaps usually using bulk roll film. Mine looks to be in fairly good condition with some slight surface rust. I purchased it at a yard sale in about 2002 for $10. If anyone knows more about Beattie Portronic cameras, please e-mail me.
Kodak Medium Format | Twin Lens Reflex and Viewfinder | Polaroid
Kodak
	No. 1A Folding Pocket Kodak, Model D, (large image, profile) 1910-1915 according to Kodak History. That site lists the original list price as $12, about $240 in 2006 dollars. An eBay auction ending 5-21-06 states Kodak changed to black bellows after 1912. If correct, then this camera dates from 1910 to 1912. Mine has an earlier seriel no. than the red bellows camera on eBay. Mine is No. 150093 while the eBay camera has a seriel no. of 154931. There were four models of the No. 1A Folding Pocket Kodak produced from 1899 to 1915. This Model D, with a metal lens mount, is the last of the four models. Oz Camera has an excellent description of the Model D. Models A-C are pictured at stronghorses.com. See also BoxCameras.com, George Eastman House, nwmangum.com. Closed dimensions of about 7.5" x 4" x 1.75". The thickness of 1.75" goes out to about 6" when the bellows are extended. My camera was purchased for $10 at a garage sale in the San Carlos area of San Diego on 5-20-06. Seriel No.150093. It is in very good working and cosmetic condition with the leather intact, no holes in the bellows and a working shutter. I'm not sure how to open up the film chamber and do not want to force it. A fellow shopper indicated he had the same or very similar camera as a child. It may be my oldest camera and probably one of the coolest!
	Autographic 2C Jr., 1916-1927 according to Kodak History. That site lists the original list price as $27 while George Eastman House indicates prices ranged from $9 to $16 depending on the type of lens and date of purchase. (See also The Kodak Collector's Page.) It apparently came with several different lenses over the years. (See Brownie Camera Page.) The Eastman site indicates 130,000 were sold before 1921, which according to The Kodak Collector's Page is why these old cameras sell for relatively modest prices today. The manual for the similar Autographic 1A Junior is available at butkus.org. A picture of a similar 3A Autographic with the cover of the 1916 Kodak catalog is at Manuals2Go. A nice image and description from the 1923 Kodak Catalog is at www.bouletfermat.com/photography. The French site mgroleau.com/photo/collection.html has numerous photos of the larger, but otherwise identical, Autographic 3A Junior. The Kodak ball bearing shutter has shutter speeds of 25, 50 and 100 plus B and T. Apertures are set by a sliding ring on the bottom of the lens assembly with the numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4. Photoethnography states the apertures were f7.7, 11, 16, 22, 32 and 45 although this may be for a different lens. Focusing is done by sliding the bellows to the appropriate point indicated on the distance scale. Autographic models allowed you to write a small note on the film by opening a small window on the back of the camera. The note would show up on the negative and the print. They used special Autographic film, the 2C taking A130 film with an image size of 2 7/8" by 4 7/8", larger than 120 film. The film and Autographic process are explained well at Scott's Photographica Collection. It is a large camera with unfolded dimensions of about 7.5 x 9 x 4.5 inches. (profile) The front folds up reducing the 7.5 inches to about 1.75 inches for relatively easy carrying. (Camera being held.) The camera is in great working and consmetic condition. The camera is a greatly appreciated donation from a donor in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The camera belonged to the donor's father. The camera comes with the original box, a closeup filter in a yellow Kodak case, the stylus for writing on the film, and a shutter release. The box has a small portion of a mailing label still attached which appears to indicate it was shipped from Eastman Kodak in Rochester, New York where the cameras were made.
	Kodak Vigilant Six 20, folding 6 x 9 cm camera using 620 roll film. According to the Bill Strong Vintage Camera site, there were three versions of the Vigilant Six 20 sold from 1939 to 1949. Mine appears to be the later of the three with a Flash Dakon shutter made in 1947-1949. Mine says it was made in the U.S. It has a Kodak Anasten 105mm, f6.3-32 lens. Shutter speeds are T, B, 1/25, 1/50 and 1/100 second. It has an adjustable focus from 3.5 feet to infinity. You have to estimate the distance. My camera is in reasonably good condition with a working shutter and intact bellows. The film advance knob is missing, however. Purchased at a La Mesa garage sale for less than $2 on October 8, 2005. The manual is available at Butkas.org.
Brownie Model 2A, according to Kodak History site sold from 1907 to 1924 at a price of $3.00 (about $33 to $44 today). I have two. Both work, although I can't get the back off of one of them. Uses 116 film.	Brownie Hawkeye Flash Model, according to the Brownie Hawkeye Page sold from September 1950 to July 1961 for $7. It uses 620 film with a negative size of 2 1/4" by 2 1/4". It is a twin lens, fixed focus camera with apparently a single shutter speed and aperture. Mine was purchased on E-bay in 2004. It is in fair condition with a maybe some fungus on the back of the lens and on the focusing screen. There is an excellent discussion of it at David Photographic.
Brownie Starflex, according to the Brown Site Starflex Page, the Starflex was introduced March 1957 (just two months before Mr. Martin was instroduced to the world) and continued to September 1964. The original price was $10. It takes 127 roll film with a negative size of 1 5/8" by 1 5/8". It has a fixed focus lens of 5 feet and beyond. It has two lens openings, one for color film and one for black and white. It has a single shutter speed. The Brownie Site has extensive information about all Kodak Brownie cameras. The site has a April 15, 1957 Life Magazine ad and a 1960 ad featuring this camera. My Starflex is in very good condition and includes a flash attachment and manual. The manual is also available at the Brownie Site - Manuals.	Brownie Super 27, according to the Brownie Site, the Brownie Super 27 was sold from August 1961 to June 1965. It used 127 film with a relatively small frame size of 1 5/8 x 1 5/8 inches. It has two shutter speeds, labeled sunny and cloudy bright, and a f8 lens. You can switch between two focusing ranges, close-up (less than 6 feet) and beyond six feet. It has a unique door which opens to reveal a flash holder. The original price was $19. To me it looks like a big instamatic, and indeed just two years after introduction of the Super 27 Kodak introduced the 126 Instamatic cameras. Click Super 27 Ad at the Brownie site. Continue forwarding at that site and you will see that this camera indeed was a harbinger of the 126 Instamatic. This blast from the past was a generous donation from a student. Thanks! The shutter fires and it is in good condition. There is some evidence of past leakage in the battery compartment.
Brownie Starmite, according to the Brownie Site the Brownie Starmite was manufactured from April 1960 to June 1963. It used 127 film with a frame size of 1 5/8 x 1 5/8 inches. It has fixed focus, f11 lens, with a single shutter speed. It originally sold for $10.50. This camera is in good condition. It was a generous donation from a student - his mom's first camera! Thanks! See a Starmite ad at the Brownie Site.	Duaflex IV, according to the Kodak History Site sold from 1955 to 1960 at a price of $24.50. ($185 in 2005 dollars!) There were two versions, one with a Kodar f8 72mm lens with zone focusing to 3.5 feet (mine), and one with fixed focus (to 5 feet) Kodet f15 lens. (Variations of the Kodak Duaflex IV.) The manual for the fixed focus Kodet lens camera is available in pdf format at www.mikebutkus.com. The Kodar zone focusing lens has marks for close up, groups and scenes although you can set the focus before, after or between these marks. It has three lens openings: f8 (hazy sun), f11 (bright sun) and f16 (bright sun, snow or sand). It uses Kodak 620 film. Currently available 120 film can be re-wound onto 620 spools and used. (tanyaclark.com.) It has twin lens reflex viewing, but not focusing. It apparently has a single shutter speed. There is no meter. Mine is in very good working and cosmetic condition. It still has film in it. It was purchased on July 16, 2005 for about $10 at an estate sale. See also Kodak Brownies at UCR (has a great gallery of advertisements of Kodak cameras). Additional photos: Front, Back, Side, Other Side, Viewfinder.
Kodak Instant Cameras. Kodak produced 26 instant print cameras from 1976 to 1986. The Land List - Non-Polaroid Instant Cameras discusses numerous manufacturers other than Polaroid that made instant print cameras, some compatible with Polaroid and some which were not compatible like the Kodak system. Polaroid brought litigation against Kodak in 1976 for patent infringement. This litigation went on for nearly a decade with the court deciding in 1986 that Kodak had infringed certain patents. Sale of Kodak instant cameras and film therefore ceased in 1986. www.patents.com has the decision of a later case for damages which explains the prior litigation finding the patent infringement. The damages case was eventually settled for over $900,000,000, making the case one of the largest patent infringement cases ever. There were also class action lawsuits on behalf of consumers who now had cameras they could no longer use since film was not available. To participate in the settlement of these class actions consumers had to mail the nameplate on the front of the camera back. www.ozcamera.com describes this process and indicates that since so many of the cameras were sold they do not have significant collector value. The ones with the name plate have a higher, although still low, value.
Kodak EK6, produced from 1976 to 1978 at a price of $69.50 (about $240 today) according to Kodak History. My camera does not have the name plate. In the box is the Settlement notice in the June 19, 1988 Parade Magazine with a handwritten note that the owner submitted the claim on 7/16/88. Good cosmetic condition. It still has PR144-10 film in it although I exposed at least one frame taking it out. Higher ISO film was used later but in the same type of pack. The Kodamatic cameras could therefore still use this film by moving the camera lighten/darken control to its full lighten position as explained on the film pack. My camera had two 6 volt 7k67 alkaline batteries which showed significant corrosion and leakage some of which remains in the battery compartment. Two mirrors in the film chamber increase the light path allowing a long focal length in a more compact camera. I purchased my camera at a garage/estate sale as part of a lot of several items for $5. The camera came with the box and manual.	Kodak Handle 2, produced from 1979 to 1981 at a price of $35 according to Kodak History. Also known as the EK-22. Curriously, might has a label on the box Which put an EK-21 sticker over the EK-22 sticker. Made in Rochester, New York. Uses a 6 volt size J rectangular battery. It is in excellent, near new, cosmetic condition and comes with the orginal box and intructions. It was purchased at a garge sale in 2006 for, as I recall, a $1 or $2. It had the battery with some very slight corrosion at the - terminal. The battery compartment is clean. The shutter does not operate, but it may need a battery or the PR10 film pack inserted.
Kodak | Twin Lens Reflex and Viewfinder | Polaroid
Polaroid Instant Print Cameras
Pack Film Cameras
Polaroid 230, produced 1967-69. Original price was $99.95. See the Land List for specifications. This was a donation by an OLG family that retrieved it from a free garage "sale" in Coronado. Thanks - a cool looking vintage camera. It appears to be in generally good condition except the battery has leaked.	Polaroid Big Swinger 3000, produced 1968-1970. Original price was $24.95. Simple fixed focus, one element lens, focal length 114mm. Used 3000 ISO black and white film only. Two AA batteries - I'm not sure whether for yes/no exposure system, or for built-in flash socket for AG-1 bulbs. Click for site with specifications. From what I can tell without film, this one is in good working condition. Acquired on E-bay on August 3, 2004 for $5 with a Kodak Brownie 2A and Kodak Instamatic 314. No shipping charge since local pickup.
SX-70 Film Cameras
	Polaroid SX-70 Deluxe Chrome Model (1974) (Large Image) the original chrome model of the SX-70. The SX-70 was sold from 1972 to 1977. It is recognized for its unique design and reflex viewing system. It was the first Polaroid that you did not have to peel off the top of the photo. The SX-70 still commands relatively high prices on eBay. This was purchased at a garage sale in the San Carlos area of San Diego around May 2007 for $8 with leatherette case. A great deal! It seems to be in great shape, but I haven't tested it with film. It came with a brochure that described three SX-70 models: this original chrome model ($194.95), a model with white trim and artificial leather looking similar to the SX-70 below ($149.95), and a new model with black trim and non-reflex viewing where you estimate the focusing distance ($99.95). The two reflex models are light weight (24 ounces) and compact (1" x 4" x 7" folded). Close focus is only 10.4" or 5" with an optional attachment. The unique reflex viewing system, illustrated in a page from the brochure, is bright and clear. The Polaroid Web site has a user guide. A problem today is that Polaroid ceased production of SX-70 film in 2006. Polaroid explains that 600 film can be used by removing the two center nubs on the bottom of the 600 film pack, removing the neutral density filter in front of the exposure meter window, putting a 1 stop neutral density filter in front of the lens, and adjusting the exposure control button on the camera. The adjustments are needed because 600 film is 4 times more sensitive or faster than SX-70 film. Found Photography has detailed instructions with images for modifying an SX-70 to use 600 film. It also shows how SX-70 camera opens and closes. Today there is also a SX-70 blend film available as explained at The Hacker's Guide to the SX-70, which also has a lot of other information including how to disassemble an SX-70. Lord of the Lens sells the new film for $40 for 20 shots. That's pretty expensive, but 600 film itself is usually about $1 per shot. That's a problem I always had with Polaroid - the film is very expensive. The Land List - Serial Number Calculator is an interesting page where you enter the serial number and it tells you the date your SX-70 was made as well as other information. Mine was made 4-12-74 during the B shift. It has the original SX-70 shutter electronic design ("hybrid shutter"). It is probably an original SX-70 or Alpha / Alpha 1. Very cool site! Other sites of interest include: Wikipedia, Land List, photoethnography.com, PC World - 50 Greatest Gagets SX-70 is #8 (Dec. 24, 2005), SX-70 Blog, camerapedia, SX-70 Family, Arthur's SX-70 Resources.
Polaroid SX-70, Polaroid instant photographs develop before your eyes. This unique camera from the 1970s has true single lens reflex viewing, although a different design than than 35mm SLRs. It folds down into a fairly thin package and is covered in leather. Very stylish! Purchased with the flash for $2.00 at a neighborhood garage sale. Appears to be in good condition, but I have not tested it with film. Comes with case. SX-70 cameras are still used today by artists. The SX-70 film takes a while to become fixed. Artist rub the clear coating above the emulsion to smear the emulsion and create interesting effects.	Polaroid SX-70 Camera with Attached ITT Electronic Flash.According to The Land List, it has a four element 116mm, f8 to 22 glass lens, with an electronic shutter with speeds from 10 seconds to 1/175sec. The smaller apertures are used with the flash. Auto flash exposure based on focusing distance. New price for "Alpha SX-70" with leather trim in 1978-79 Sears Camera Catalog was $154.50, over $450 in 2005 dollars. An ever-ready case sold for $7.99. Similar flashes sold for $24.50.
	Polaroid One Step, from 1977, the One-Step is in the same family as the SX-70 using SX-70 film. It was much less expensive and had many fewer features, however. It has a solid, instead of folding, body, with a simple direct viewfinder. According to The Land List, it has a single element 103mm f14.6 plastic, fixed focus, lens. Also according to that site, it has an electronic shutter with programmed auto exposure. A flash bar with ten flashes can be inserted on the top. The suggested retail price was $39.95, about $128 in 2005 dollars. Mine was purchased at a garage sale on July 3, 2005 for $5 with a Kodak Instamatic 304. Both cameras came with cases. It is in very good cosmetic condition. I have not tested it with film. The film pack includes the battery which would be necessary to test the shutter.
600 Film Cameras
Polaroid Sun 660, introduced in 1981 selling for $95. It has sonar focusing, unique to Polaroid. It uses Poloroid 600 film which is different than SX-70 film. See Land List for more information. This was a generous donation by a student. Thanks for the cool sonar focusing camera!	Polaroid Impulse, apparently produced around 1988, the Impulse also takes Poloroid 600 film. This date is from the Professional Resume of John Betts who apparently designed the Impulse, or the the Impulse Autofocus, for which he received an award. He now sells fine minerals. According to the Land List site, the original retail price for the Impact was $89 (about $140 in 2004 dollars). The Land List site says it is fixed focus, but the camera has a button for two focusing zones, 2-4 feet and 4 feet to infinity. These might be for the built in flash, however. The on/off button is the built in flash. Turning it on causes the flash to pop up and the built-in lens cover to open. My camera is in excellent cosmetic condition. The camera has an empty film pack inside and appears to fire properly. I have not tested it with film, however.
Kodak | Twin Lens Reflex and Viewfinder | Polaroid