Saturday, May 14, 2011

Shopping from 1995: Film Cameras

Mail order catalog from the original Camera World (Portland, Oregon)

Photographer friend Rick has proposed we that we shoot film exclusively this summer. Given my refrigerated stockpile of 35mm and 120 roll film, I'm accepting this challenge w/the caveat that bike, blog and product photography will still be done digitally. In prep for the summer, I'm browsing the pages of the 1995 Camera World catalog for a new camera (you always need a new one). Most of the cameras here are aspirational models (compact, complicated point and shoots or expensive rangefinders) that I admired but could never afford. Although the flagship Camera World store has been bought out, I'm hoping the customer service folks will honor the original published prices and deliver my equipment in time for the June project start.

Shop from these pages and join us!

Contax G1 (autofocus rangefinder). Old school version of this camera.

Konica Hexar (another point and shoot rangefinder).

Canon F-1. Last chance to buy one of the best, all metal, manual control SLRs.

Contaxt T2. A favorite. Sharp lens. Compact body point and shoot. Known celebrity use.

Leica mini zoom. Reasonable compact digital camera replacement.

Domke canvas duck camera bags. Made in USA.

Pentax 6x7. Love the wooden grip handle.

Mamiya 6. All time favorite. Medium format rangefinder.

For screening snaps in September

Next post: camera accessories.

6 comments:

ht said...

oh man, i'm all for a summer of AC-film-photo-ness! i shoot almost exclusively with film, and love the results.

i was looking for a while for some sort of handy, but still elegant, camera bag that would fit inside my AC tote bag, and found this one, which fits perfectly inside your bags, in case you (or anyone else photographically inclined) are interested: http://www.onabags.com/store/accessories/the-roma.html

jgodsey said...

you should join those of us who listen to the filmphotographypodcast at of course filmphotographypodcast.com

we are not alone! many of us collect classic cameras and shoot film everyday.

zzellers said...

this was a nice post. i'd like to see more camera related stuff. or more 90s related stuff.

Lesli Larson said...

OK. More camera stuff coming. Thanks for the onabag suggestion. Send along any other camera accessory recommendations.

I'll see what I can do about unearthing more 90s print ephemera content.

LL

bright lights, big cities said...

GREAT POST!!! I can't wait to see more! I do myself take pictures with film, but then NEVER develop it...

maybe I should take on the summer challenge too!!

Cameron said...

I know I am coming to this post a little late, but I saw that picture of the Contax T2 in the Camera World ad, and damn I love that camera. Probably one of the best cameras I've ever owned. Thanks for the bit of nostalgia.