Collecting Vintage Cameras

Over the years, my passion for all types of photography has led me to many junk and antique shops in search of long forgotten cameras.  I love to imagine what these cameras have seen over their lives, and the people who loved them once.  

Often the old cameras available in junk shops are beyond repair, but I frequently stumble across a little gem in perfect working order, or one requiring just a little TLC.

One of my favourites is a Kodak Duaflex II, picked up for just £8 in a bric a brac store in Reading.  This camera was once widely available, and takes 620 film.  Sadly 620 film is no longer produced, but there is another way - pick up a dark bag (or lock yourself in a dark room) and respool a 120 film (available from most camera stores) onto a 620 spool.  The metal 620 spools are cheap and easy to find on ebay, and the process takes about 5 minutes.  This is a great site to show you how it works.

Now the film is ready for loading, and it’s time to play.  These cameras are so easy to use, and get interesting results - the joy of an antique camera is that you never know exactly how the image will turn out, so it is always a treat when the film is developed.  Don’t forget to respool the film onto the plastic 120 spool or ask the developer for your 620 metal spool back when you get the film developed.

Often the insides of lenses of old cameras are quite dirty - I find that by setting the shutter to ‘Bulb’ (you should have this option) and the widest aperture (f4 or lower), I can clean the lens effectively from the inside (very carefully) using a small paintbrush and cleaning solution from any camera store.

If you have a digital camera and a cardboard tube you can also turn the Duaflex into a ‘Through The Viewfinder’ or TTV camera simply by shooting through the glass lens on top of the camera.  A cardboard tube is advisable to reduce glare on the lens, making the digital image clearer.  

Many junk shops also stock old 35mm SLRs such as the Zeiss Ikon Contaflex and the Russian Zenit range.  Test the shutter in the shop before buying - if it works, you’re onto a winner.  These old SLRs have good lenses and again, produce variable and interesting images.

If you are a fan of the current trend for Lomography and plastic cameras, you will love these antiques. They are generally much cheaper, more interesting and better looking, as well as producing fascinating, nostalgic pictures.

The ‘Orphan Camera’ site  has instructions and tips for using most types of antique cameras, and is a fantastic source of information when attempting to repair or use your latest purchase.

This post has also been published by Creative Boom Magazine