The next cameras I would like to highlight from my vintage collection is my ever growing Argus Camera collection.

Ever since I got my first Argus C44, I have been a fan of vintage Argus cameras.  Their distinctive camera body designs as well as their unusual mechanical configurations make them instantly appealing to collectors like me.  Though there are legions of detractors out there that swear off these cameras because they are not "user friendly," I treasure them because they are not only beautiful to look at (virtual mechanical art pieces), but they are also sturdy and many of them have survived to this day in full working order!  You've got to respect that at least.

ARGUS C-44 WITH 35mm, 50mm and 100mm Cintagon Lenses, L44 Meter and Vari-Forcal Barrel Viewfinder (with complete leather case set and original manual)

ARGUS C-44R WITH 35mm, 50mm, 100mm Cintagon Lenses, Light Meter, Argus Folding Flash and Flex View Finder (with complete leather case set)

MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE CAMERAS WILL FOLLOW...MORE ARGUS CAMERAS WILL ALSO BE UPLOADED SOON.

I am very proud of my growing camera collection and I would like to highlight some of them in this blog.

*Please note that these cameras are part of my personal collection and are not part of the items I am currently offering for sale.  The vintage cameras I have for sale are featured in the "Store" section of this Site.  If you are interested in any of these cameras, make me a fair offer through email and I will consider it.

ATOM'S RED CAMERA COLLECTION

The cameras in this group are a part of my "RED" CAMERA collection.  As you would have noticed by now, just by looking at my company logo as well as my websites, the color red is a very important part of my brand image.  It is in fact, more than that...  With black, acting as a contrast and second color, "RED" has been a psuedo-talismanic badge I wear constantly, to define myself personally and professionally.

These are the cameras I have in this collection to date:

GRAFLEX GRAPHIC 4 X 5 VIEW-1 WITH GRAPHIC SPRING BACK AND BELLOWS HOOD

The Graphic View is a early monorail design. The inverted-V monorail is made of an aluminum alloy, with a rack and pinion focusing mechanism hidden under the rail. The camera attaches to a tripod with a Graflex-made tripod head.  Focus is by moving either standard with two knobs that are connected to the rack and pinion mechanism hidden under the V.  Focus lock was by a lever under each knob.  The top of the front standard has an accessory attachment point for a bellows lens hood. The lens hood is hard to find now and can cost half as much as an entire camera.   The Graphic View camera has base tilts on both standards. The front standard has rise and fall (3 5/8") by operation of a locking rack and pinion mechanism.   Both standards shift 5/8" either way, and tilt 26 degrees either way. Both standards also swing 12 degrees.  Maximum bellows extension is 12".  Minimum extension is 3 1/2" which may be reduced by using that recessed lens board. The movements have a centering notch. With tilt and swing, the standards are parallel when at the extremes of their movement. The rear standard has a spirit level and clips for a dark cloth.  The landscape/portrait orientation is easily changed by removing the back and reattaching it in the proper orientation. The camera came with either a Graflex or Graphic back, and 3 1/4" x 4 1/4" reducing backs were available in either Graphic or Graflex configuration.
 

The Graphic View I was produced from 1941 to 1949.  As to be expected from a 60 to 70 year old camera, this particular example shows signs of wear.  But like most of the cameras in my collection, this is a "working" camera.  The bellows are light-tight and all the hardware is intact and functioning.  It comes with the original Graphic spring-back and the hard to find bellows light hood.

GRAFLEX GRAPHIC 4 X 5 VIEW-2  WITH GRAFLOK BACK

The Graphic View II introduced by Graflex, Inc., in 1949, was a slightly improved version of the original Graphic View (above).  This newer version has a slightly different finish, but you have to look hard to see it.  The Graphic View has a satin gray finish on painted metal surfaces.  The same parts on the View II are painted with a silver paint that has a slightly mottled look to it.  The measurements for the Graphic View II's movements are the same as the original Graphic View's measurements (see above).  The Graphic View II has a four-inch longer monorail and a  correspondingly longer bellows extension of 16 inches.  The main difference between the two models are the tilts, which were changed  to axis tilts from the Graphic View's base tilts.  With the axis tilts, adjustments of the tilt pivot at the optical axis, and thus affect focus less than the base tilts do.  At first, the Graphic View II was available with the same array of Graflex and Graphic backs and reducing backs.  In the early 1950's, Graflex would make a Graflok back by special order. After 1955, the Graflok back was the only back available.  This model was in production from 1949 to 1967, the last true View Camera model to be manufactured by Graflex.
 

This camera is in pristine condition.  I use it as my main 4 x 5 view camera whenever I need to shoot in film (I have a Sinar P2 for digital work).  I like using older lenses for my film work to get that degraded, more primitive visual patina, that only a genuine vintage film camera can give.  The Graphic View II, with its very basic configuration, is perfect for this job.  In fact, I keep a second Graphic View II  body just for parts, to keep this "old reliable" in tip-top shape.

RED GRAFLEX CENTURY GRAPHIC PRESS CAMERA WITH HEILAND FLASH

The "Century Graphic" is a miniature version of the Pacemaker Crown Graphic belonging to the popular Graflex Press Camera Family.  Molded in "mahoganite," a patented plastic, it originally comes with a black or the more distinctive red bellows and a graflok back (which became a medium and large format standard).  This camera also has the optional side-mounted Kalart rangefinder and top-mounted optical tube viewfinder.  It has a 103mm f/4.5 Graftar astigmat lens in the Century shutter, with built-in M-F Flash synchronization, and speeds from 1/10 to 1/200 of a second.

Manufactured from 1949 to 1970, it was a very popular camera with Press Photographers that wanted a lot of flexibility.  The range of accessories includes removable backs for pack film, roll films and sheet films in a variety of sizes; an assortment of lenses, range-finders, viewfinders, focusing lights and electronic flashes.

This camera is well-preserved cosmetically and in good working condition.  The shutter is still accurate and the lens is pristine.  Even the vintage Heiland Flash still works, but supply of the bulb is hard to find.  Incidentally, the stainless steel tube handles of the Graflex flash (just like this one) were used as the original "light saber" handles for the Star Wars films.

 KODAK 3A MODEL C FOLDING POCKET CAMERA

Kodak produced seven models of the 3A Folding Pocket Kodak (thankfully abbreviated as 3A FPK).  The models were known as B, B-2, B-3, B-4, B-5, C and G.  This is a model C, which created 3 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch postcard format images on Kodak 122 roll film.  Kodak 122 film was first introduced for use in the 3A FPK and was available in four, six or ten exposure lengths.

The 3A was introduced in 1903 and was sold until 1915.  When it was introduced, the camera was fitted with Kodak's top-of-the-line lens and shutter and was priced as high as 78 US dollars.  Seventy eight 1903 dollars placed the 3A FPK in Kodak's top pricing tier. An attractive folding roll film camera, with its heavy seal grain leather, state-of-the-art aluminum body, rich red bellows and wood accent, its features were "very basic" with the exception of its novel format.  Postcard format is wider than the 24 x 36mm format of full-frame 35mm cameras.

This camera is pristine.  The bellows are still supple and light-tight, the body is free from rust and the leather is intact.  The lens is scratch and fungus free.  The shutter is still accurate with speeds of T, B, 1/25, 1/50, and 1/100. The front lens element can still shift and rise flawlessly.  Although there were a lot of these cameras that were made, few examples have survived in this preserved condition.

RED KODAK No. 2A FOLDING RAINBOW HAWK-EYE (Model B)

Manufactured between 1926 and 1934 by Eastman Kodak Co. A folding camera for 2-1/4x4-1/4 inch negatives on 116 film. It had twin struts and a pull out bed. This example, in red, has a Hawk-Eye lens set in a Kodex No. 1 T-B-25-50 shutter, which is fitted in front of the lens, but behind the fully adjustable iris. Two focus pre-sets are provided, as is a cable release socket.This is a fine example of this “fashionable” camera. It was also available in green, tan, and rose (shown).   

Despite a few minor superficial scratches on the metal and leather, this camera is surprisingly mint with no dents, loose or missing parts and the bellows are intact.  The paint and the leather are still original and the shutter still works.

RED GERMAN BOWER X FOLDING CAMERA WITH LEATHER CASE

The Bower X is a late model folding camera from Germany.  Manufactured from 1951 to 1958, it is patterned after the older Kodak and Zeiss Ikota folding cameras from three to four decades prior, with the addition of the more modern range finder top plate and shutter button.  It has a Schneider-Kreuznach Radionar 1:4.5 105mm lens with a red triangle in s Prontor -SV shutter with pc flash socket. The shutter has speeds of B, 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 and 200. The lens has scale focusing and stops down to f22.  There are two red windows on the back for 6x6 or 6x9 size frames. 
 

This camera is a special "red" leather version of the normal black production version.  It shows very little signs of wear and the shutter still works as well as the diaphram.  It was designed to take 620 film, but it can still be used by re-spooling 120 film.  The original leather case is still intact, but the original carrying strap is broken.

RED RUSSIAN FED 3 (type 3) WITH CASE

The FED 3 is a Soviet-era Leica copy made by the FED factory.  FED is indirectly named after Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky, founder of the Cheka.  It was his name that was given to the labour commune at Kharkiv (Ukraine) whose manager, encouraged a workshop education for indigent children and who decided to copy the Leica in 1932.  The FED 3 is a close clone of the Leica screw mount cameras, using the same M39 mount and rangefinder design. It uses a horizontal-running cloth shutter and a very similar shutter timing mechanism as the Leica I, II and III series. However, the external appearance diverges from the Leica screw mounts. The body is slightly reminiscent of the Leica M3.  It came with the standard Industar-61 52mm f/2.8 lens, a 4 element, 3 group Tessar design.  Surrounding the shutter button is a knob with B and C settings.  Rotate the knob in the 'C' direction for normal shooting. 'B' is for rewinding the camera.  On the wind lever is the film counter (manually resettable) and a film speed/type reminder.  The accessory shoe is "cold" but there's a PC sync connection for X electronic flashes on the front right of the camera.

This camera is cosmetically clean, but unfortunately not working.  It was my first Russian camera.  Not knowing that I had to wind the lever first before adjusting the shutter dial, the shutter curtain became stuck!  Considered "cheap" Leica copies, these Russian cameras have quirks that sometimes makes them harder to operate and maintain.

RED RUSSIAN FED 5B WITH CASE

The FED 5 is the last of the FED rangefinders. It was produced beginning in 1977 in several variations-- This model has a hotshoe and a pc socket on the top rear. There also is a model with a hotshoe, no pc outlet and no diopter eyepiece. There are also models with built-in selenium meters.  About 1.2 million FED 5s were produced before production halted in the mid 1990s. The camera is equipped with a 55mm f2.8 Industar-61 L/D lens which can produce sharp pictures with amazing contrast.  The FED 5 survived longer than any other Soviet LTM camera -- truly the last of a breed.

This camera can still be bought brand new in a box!  My camera is a vintage model probably from the 1980s.  It is in perfect working condition.

SEAGULL 4A-107 TWIN-LENS REFLEX (Special Edition Red & Gold)

The Seagull TLR is produced by the Shanghai General Camera factory the oldest camera maker in China.  The Seagull TLR's design was heavily based upon Franke & Heidecke’s iconic Rolleiflex – arguably the finest series of TLR cameras ever produced. Following several years of successful domestic sales, an export version was prepared and named the Seagull-4. This milestone item, and its successors enjoyed a broad worldwide appeal as an inexpensive yet quality option for medium-format enthusiasts.

Today’s Seagull TLRs are not all that different from 1964’s Seagull-4. The optics have improved (3 elements in 3 groups), a PC socket was added, the maximum shutter speed increased (1/300 sec.), and little odds and ends got better over time. But the heart and soul of the camera remained true to it’s original 50’s/60’s roots. That fact in and of itself sets the Seagull apart from all other cameras: this living and breathing old-school throwback - still produced with pride and quality to this day – gives you the feeling & soul of shooting a mint-condition classic camera. And that’s priceless.

I recently started a classic camera collection.  Every since I became a professional in 2006 and was required to go digital (Advertising and Editorial Clients now require digital files), I became nostalgic about film photography and all the equipment that came with it.

In the not so distant past, when film was still in general use, cameras were built to last.  I can personally testify to the durability and mechanical reliability of these cameras, since I still use a number of them, mostly Canons, including the first 35mm my father gave me in 1978.

Digital cameras are not as durable.  Like computers, these electronic wonders are built to have short product lives.  Technological breakthroughs now happen within months, not years.  Camera manufacturers have to keep pace with the competition and the latest upgrades in hardware and software generated by the computer industry.  As a result, manufacturers have made it a point to build less sturdy cameras, employing plastics instead of metal alloys (Pro cameras are the exception) to ensure constant replacements and upgrades.  How else can they generate sales for the their latest models.  Most Digital cameras are "throw-away" gadgets, products that are cheaper to replace than to repair, making these modern cameras unattractive to collectors in general who value, quality, durability and exclusivity.

Film cameras on the other hand, with the exception of the "instamatic" point and shoot variety that became popular from the 70's onwards (including the late Advantrix), were built solidly and were manufactured to last.  Indeed, you can find a good number of cameras from the 1970s and 1980s still accurately firing despite years of heavy use-- and this goes for both the consumer oriented models, as well as the top of the line Professional models.  As you go backwards in time, you will find lesser pristine examples but they do exist, but of course at a steeper price tag.  This scarcity, brought about by time and the fact that there were fewer cameras manufactured in the past, makes these particular models highly collectible and attractive to buyers.

I personally got into collecting, because I found the nostalgic look of these cameras appealling.  As I purchased more cameras, I slowly gained respect not only for the intrinsic beauty they each possed, but also for the mechanical integrity the designers put into each model.  These are basically just BLACK BOXES with a shutter and a hole for g--'s sakes!...but you can actually trace the gradual sophistication in technology each generation acquired from camera to camera.  From literal boxes with a hole in one end, it developed into these small mechanical wonders that were compact and solid within a decade or two.  Another thing that amuses me is the evidence of experimentation between one model to the next.  A camera would, for example, have a winding lever in the bottom in one model, then have it on top on the next...or that a shutter dial would be on the lens on the previous camera then on the body of the next.

Like an antique car collector, I have a deep appreciation for these mechanical marvels beyond their potential resale value.  I cannot bear to see them thrown-away and discarded as worthless, victims of the current trend to go "digital."  Unlike the prophets of doom, who have predicted the end to film, I am more optimistic...FILM IS HERE TO STAY!  Oil based paints did not die because Acrylics came into the picture!  Any Artist worth their two cents will tell you that each medium has its own character, and since the two mediums are distinct, they can each have their own purpose in an Artist's palette.  My work is a testimony to this!  I still use a lot of the vintage cameras in my collection, most of them dating to 50 years or older.  Like fine wine, they flavor my images with a distinctive patina that real visual connoisseurs will appreciate.

There is only one problem with my new found passion, what was one camera a couple of months ago has now blossomed into several dozen and my wife is not at all amused.  She keeps asking me, "how many cameras does a photographer really need?"  Well, it really depends...but I don't think that is the answer she is fishing for.  So in a desperate attempt to salvage my marriage, I came up with a compromise-- Why don't I sell some of my treasures to fellow camera lovers out there, who can appreciate the beauty, craftsmanship and value of these modern classics.  So collecting has now branched out to restoration and repair for resale.

I love all of it!  Aside from using these works of Art, I am now contributing to their preservation and helping to promote their resurgence.  Working on these cameras has been therapeutic as well as educational for me.  Not only have I expanded my knowledge about the inner workings of these marvelous machines, but I have also gained a deeper respect for the genuises that utilized these archaic tools to create masterpieces of Art.  In the end, it is truely the Artist that creates the Art...but without these wonderful tools, he will certainly have a harder time getting there.

Incapsulated in these cameras, are the history and technology of our Photographic Arts.  We must give them our proper respect.  For we have relied upon these magnificent tools to carry our artistic visions for more than a century, and it is through them that we have acquired the technology that will carry our aesthetic aspirations into the future.