What is a Film Camera?

Cameras and Guitars; Happy Together

Posted on February 13, 2024 by Richard Kraneis

Announcing my new Website named Kaizen Guitarist

As I type this I am in my basement office surrounded by the things I have enjoyed in my lifetime: cameras, Lincoln books, fishing equipment, and guitars. I am retired and I have no shortage of hobbies and pastimes for my new retired life.

Since many of you visit my WhatIsAFilmCamera website I wanted to encourage you to visit my new website at Kaizen Guitarist. It’s a chronicle of my almost 5 months of learning guitar. Essentially, my KaizenGuitarist.com website is a journal of guitar learning.

Have I Given Up on Photography?

No, I have not.

But my attitude towards photography is changing. I think I am transforming from a collector of 100+ cameras to a simpler man. Owning many cameras doesn’t make you a better photographer. Using cameras wisely makes you a better photographer.

What Guitars are Teaching Me about Cameras

My learning guitar gives me guidance on learning photography better:

Practice photography each day (practice guitar each day).
- That’s pretty simple, take a camera with you each day; not simply the thoughtless snapping of pics on an Android or iPhone.
Take an online photography course (I study guitar every day online with Justin Guitar online training).
- Perhaps Udemy will have a good online course for me.
Join a photography club or meetup (I joined the Old Town School of Folk Music school for classes in Chicago, IL).
- I am looking for one in Chicago that doesn’t cost much. If you can refer me to a Chicago photo club please leave a comment.
Use photography for cultural journeys (I now attend guitar music in bars or elsewhere).
- Chicago is full of photography and/or art exhibitions. I need to get out there, enjoy photography with others, and build photography/people relationships.

Kaizen Photographer meets Kaizen Guitarist

Kaizen is a Japanese term that means Improvement

Visit Kaizen to learn more. It’s a universal term in software development where I spent the last 5 years of my business career.

If you could improve your photography (or guitar) skills every day by 1% what kind of photographer would you become? That’s my attitude to learning guitar that I will apply to learning photography.

Please Visit Kaizen Guitarist

If you enjoy this camera blog, please join me and visit my blog on getting better playing guitar every day: Kaizen Guitarist.

How not to Destroy Film Cameras: “Drowning the Herd”

Posted on July 24, 2023 by Richard Kraneis

We sometimes read about film camera bloggers “thinning the herd”. Accidentally, I “drowned” my herd.

The Chicago heavy rains of July 3, 2023 solved that problem for me.

Perhaps 30 of my cameras (and lenses) drowned in the flood. Soggy cameras don’t work well. What was lost? Easily 20 point and shoot cameras from garage sales were soaked. And perhaps half a dozen Argus film cameras and two brand new Kodak cameras in their original boxes were lost. Most importantly, my fresh Minolta XE-7 and Minolta XD-11 were a bit soggy. They were on the floor in a cardboard box. Not my best plan.

Currently 3 Minoltas are being assessed by a Morton Grove, IL camera repair shop. $340 to repair two cameras and the third camera will be too expensive to repair. Yikes.

Lessons were learned, the hard way. Good news, my over 100 film cameras were “off the ground” by over 3 inches to a foot. But I could not help but hear the old Bible passage in my mind: ” “…where moth and rust destroy…”

So camera collectors, immediately get all your cameras 6 inches off your basement floor.

Should I buy a Russian Camera from Russia?

Posted on July 10, 2020 by Richard Kraneis

Probably not.

But maybe you’ll get lucky and purchase a Russian camera that was made on a “good day” in Russia by a craftsmen who took pride in their work instead of a worker simply making his daily camera quota.

Soviet Union camera quality can be scary and irregular. When I was studying Russian, our professors taught us that the Russian people tried to avoid anything manufactured towards the end of the month in the Soviet Union. Why? Because Russians knew their fellow workers were rushing to make their production quotas for the month. Sloppy quality was the result.

Purchased 4 Russian Rangefinders

Yes, I admit it. I spent some of my company bonus on buying one Zorki 6, one Kiev 4M, and two Fed cameras (Fed 2 and Fed 3) during my Covid-19 WFH (Work from Home) period. In another blog post I’ll go into details on some of those cameras. Let’s talk about your checklist. (Learn from my experience.)

Russian Film Camera Purchase Checklist

Camera Vendor

I prefer a vendor who specializes in cameras. I don’t want to purchase from a vendor who’s selling watches and Soviet Union mementos and one or two cameras.

Detailed Description

Does the vendor say the camera “works” and that’s it? I want a vendor who describes the lens, shutter speed accuracy, nicks on the camera, etc. If a vendor spends 3 paragraphs in a listing describing the original Russian factories (one was an orphanage), that does you no good. Vendors need to describe the camera condition in detail.

Vendor Rating

I can purchase Russian cameras from eBay, Etsy, and OfferUp. I am sure there are other sites. Does the vendor specialize in Russian cameras, or all kinds of Soviet memorabilia? Their rating is for all their products, not just their camera sales.

Camera in Working Condition

Do you want a Zenit Sniper Camera (I found one in Los Angeles on OfferUp) for display or do you want a “working camera”. Spend the time to ask the vendor if the camera is in working condition. Matt at Matt’s Camera can fix old cameras but I personally cannot.

Shipping Package

One of my Russian cameras came without a box. My wife was shocked. She said, “Did they ship it from Russia without a box?” Yes they did.

A camera in a case wrapped with layers of paper and padding. They did their best but I would have paid for a “box shipment”. Ask the vendor to prove they ship in a good box with padding. Some Russians and other Slavic countries can’t even afford a good box for shipment (cuts down on their profit I guess).

Shipping Method and Time

I am still waiting for my Fed 2 ordered almost 8 weeks ago from Russia. I ordered a 2nd camera from the vendor using a different shipping method (maybe $10 more) and it came in 2 weeks. Pay more for a better shipping method. And by the way, after the camera clears Russian custom house, I lost all tracking on one camera. Ask the vendor how he/she can expedite their shipping method and delivery time.

Should you buy a Russian rangefinder from Russia?

Did I mention I traveled Russia for 6 weeks back when it was the Soviet Union? Did I mention how much I enjoyed speaking in Russian with Russians? Nice people.

That’s why I wanted to buy a few more Russian cameras. But let’s get to the big question: Should I buy the Russian rangefinder on eBay or Etsy when I know their camera quality is uneven, the good cameras are now 60 years old, and shipping a camera from Russia to the U.S. during Covid-19 is a risky endeavor. Should I buy a Russian rangefinder?

Use my Russian rangefinder checklist before you make your purchase. If the Russian camera you’re looking at from Russia, Ukraine, Latvia, (anywhere) passes my checklist, go to the next step.

Visit Matt’s Camera website. If you’re as talented as Matt is with camera repairs you might end up enjoying the Russian rangefinder you purchase.

Purchase wisely. Let me know if my Russian rangefinder purchase checklist helped you with your purchase. Thanks for visiting What is a Film Camera today.

Richard’s Flickr Account

Posted on October 14, 2013 by Richard Kraneis

Although I write about my cameras on this blog I also have a growing Flickr account.

In about 3 years of collecting and using film cameras I have shot about 1500 – 2000 photos. My best film photos, all 175 of them, are now arranged on Flickr at Richard’s Favorites.

This is what my Flickr sets look like if you care to visit them. Thanks.

Visit me on Flickr and add me as a contact. Thanks for visiting What is a Film Camera today.

Canon QL17 GIII – The Mt. Pulaski Rangefinder

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Richard Kraneis

Mt. Pulaski – Canon QL 17 Review

This Mt. Pulaski Canon QL 17 GIII has had its own journey. I believe it was purchased in the Orient by a U.S. serviceman during the Viet Nam War in the early 1970’s and it returned to its owner’s home in Mt. Pulaski, IL.

I know for sure that I purchased it on a hot summer’s day at a garage sale in Mt. Pulaski, IL, in the summer of 2011. Coming back from the gas station my wife said “turn here” to find some nice brick homes with a few garage sales.

There were no cameras in the garage but I asked, “Do you have any cameras in the house?”.

Minutes later the elderly woman (just 20 years older than me) handed me a black camera case that was almost steaming from the heat in their attic.

I told the nice lady what her camera was worth fixed up on the Internet. The shutter was frozen with oil, the seals were gummy, and I didn’t know if it would work with a battery. I told her what it would cost to clean up her camera and I made an offer. She said “yes”.

CLA’d by Lee’s Cameras in Des Plaines, IL

As usual, nice work by Mr. Lee of Lee’s Cameras in Des Plaines, IL. They know me by now and keep asking where I’m getting all these cameras.

Mr. Lee gave it a CLA (clean, lubricate, and adjustments), new seals, and a new battery. With a new battery, the light meter works perfectly and the battery check light works also.

I am grateful to have Mr. Lee as my camera repairman. If you visit, tell him Richard said hello.

My Test Roll – Fuji Print ASA 200 Film

I was very pleased with my Canon QL17 GIII photos taken in Chicago, IL and Ann Arbor, MI. Here are the photos from this re-conditioned, tested camera.

German Day Parade, September 2013 – Chicago, IL

Everyone loves a parade.

Everyone loves to drink beer at the beer tent.

Ann Arbor, Michigan

We went to Ann Arbor for a wedding. It’s a beautiful town.

Here’s some street performers on a summer Saturday. I really took the photo because I wanted the homeless fellows on the bench in the background. As I become a better photographer, I’ll have the courage to ask for their photo.

An Artistic Favorite – Flowers Seen through a Loading Dock

I was at a garden store that sold shovels, fountains, sacks of grass seed, that kind of thing. I noticed their loading entrance opened up into an alley with beautiful flowers on the wall. I thought that was artistics (I’m not very artistic). I love the way you see the Exit sign on the left side of the photo in the dark.

I asked a manager in the store if I could take the photo, he said “yes”. Always ask when taking photos on someone’s private property.

Lunch at Fleetwood Diner, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Fleetwood Diner was great. It reminded me so much of the quirkier places I visited when I was single. I ordered the Hippie Hash with a side of eggs. Delightful.

And here’s my favorite photo of all, my wife at Fleetwood Diner.

Canon QL17 GIII – The Mt. Pulaski Rangefinder

It’s a wonderful rehabbed rangefinder looking for a new home. I’ve tested it and now I’m selling the Mt. Pulaski Canon on Craigslist. Thanks for reading my Canon QL17 GIII review on What is a Film Camera today.

Kyocera Samurai Z2 – A One Handed Camera

Posted on September 18, 2013 by Richard Kraneis

This is a terrific half-frame camera. I was shocked when almost all of my photos came out so nicely. If you have a chance to pick up a Kyocera Samurai Z2, do it. (Click on any small photo in this blog post to make it larger.)

Kyocera Samurai Z2 Good Features

I almost forgot. This Samurai’s best feature is that it cost me FIVE DOLLARS. A recent Samurai Z2 sold on eBay for almost $100. I purchased my Samurai Z2 on eBay for five dollars.

Truly, it’s a one handed camera. I found myself walking around Portage Park in Chicago, IL, and I was happily holding this camera at my side. In less than two seconds I could bring it to eye level and take a shot (raise camera, look through viewfinder, depress the shutter button half-way for autofocus, see the green light for in-focus and then depress the shutter fully. Clunk. (It makes a pleasant clunk when the photo is taken.)

Very pleasant quiet clunk sound when you depress the red shutter button.

The mode control button was easy to understand. Press it and read the display for understandable, simple symbols.

The date button was also easy to use. Just keep pressing until you find a setting that you like.

Taking photos in Chicago’s subway system with ASA 400 speed film I realized the camera has a timed shutter capable of being open for one or two seconds. I was glad it had that capability but then I realized my photos would have camera “shake”. I can live with that. Here’s a photo taken in a Chicago subway as I braced myself against a pillar.

I had to laugh when my wife said:

Are you still shooting that thing?

“Yes dear,” I said. “It’s a half-frame camera. 48 shots for a roll of 24.”

48 photos for the price of 24? I like the idea of getting “double my money” in photos. It must be some frugal German-American tendency. If Costco develops my half-frame film for the same price as full frames, I’ll be pleased.

Taking photos on a Chicago River bridge in downtown Chicago was fun. It’s almost like the near limitless photos of a digital camera. Kind of silly perhaps. If I want to shoot lots of photos why not just shoot with digital? Maybe because I’m an analog guy in a digital world.

Kyocera Samurai Z2 Bad Features – Just Bothersome

If you’re left handed you’re out of luck with this camera. (But other than that, this camera is a “keeper”.)

Also, it’s made for right handed people. Your thumb curls under the camera, and your 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fingers have a slot where they should rest. I have average hands for a guy and I already realize I need to consciously hold my 5th (pinky) finger with the other three fingers in the slot. If you’re not aware, your pinky finger might drift over the lens opening and obscure some shots.

The viewfinder has a diopter slider. If things are blurry in the viewfinder, move the slider left or right until things looked clear.

I don’t think this camera has a timer delay. What’s the advantage of having a tripod socket if I can’t use a timer delay? That’s one of my favorite techniques for night photography: use a tripod and shutter delay to eliminate camera shake.

Unexpected rewind? The camera came with 24 exposures of ASA 400 film. It said #1 when I began shooting exposures. I was expecting 48 exposures on a 24 exposure roll. I then popped in an expired roll of 24 exposures and tested the camera. After 50 exposures it began its automatic rewind. So the camera is taking half frames.

Kyocera Samurai Z2 Photos – Chicago, IL

Downtown Chicago was beautiful when I took my Samurai photos.

I love this photo of a water taxi next to a big Chicago River excursion boat.

First National Bank in downtown Chicago is always worth a photo.

This isn’t fancy but it’s Chicago. It’s the Irving stop on the O’Hare line, next to the Kennedy Expressway.

Also, there was a teacher strike in Chicago last September.

Kyocera Samurai Z2 Indoor Photos

Here’s a rare photo of my elusive cats: Molly and Olly, known as the “Mollivers”.

And finally, a photo of my church taken indoors, with the flash turned off.

How much is a Kyocera Samurai Z2 worth?

Don’t buy the Kyocera Samurai Z2 to make money on it (you won’t). Buy to shoot dazzling photographs easily, the German-American way, half-frame.

Buy on Craigslist, sell on eBay. That’s normally your best plan for making a profit on buying/selling cameras. But if you’re interested in just acquiring cameras, both Craigslist and eBay can serve you well. I honestly recall paying just 5 dollars for this camera on eBay. Another snipe in the last 3-5 seconds of an eBay auction.

(September 18 update: Lucky again I guess. The Samurai Z2 seems rare on eBay. One sold in July 2013 with 9 bidders for $36. And it sold as an untested camera. My $5 Samurai is fully tested and works.)

Quick Summary

Even though I list more negatives than positives, I like the camera after an initial walk in my neighborhood. Once again, the cameras has a pleasant clunking noise when you depress the shutter. And, the camera feels solid.

The half frame photos were to me terrific. Well exposed from Chicago subways downtown Chicago to my backyard. It seemed like 90% of my Kyocera Samurai Z2 photos were worth keeping.

Thanks for visiting What is a Film Camera today. If you want a dazzling half-frame camera at a great price, find a 5 dollar Kyocera Samurai Z2.

Photographers Unite: Boycott Walgreens

Posted on September 14, 2013 by Richard Kraneis

Yesterday, September 14, 2013, in Des Plaines, IL, I began my Walgreens boycott.

Will Walgreens New Film Development Policy Kill U.S. Photography?

I strolled into the Des Plaines, IL Walgreens on Northwest Highway hoping to get a 35mm roll of film developed in an hour. I really wanted to see how much Walgreens had jacked up their film development prices since I last visited.

Walgreens Price Increases from 5-8-12 Dollars

Since I began collecting old cameras and shooting them (perhaps 3 years), I began visiting Walgreens regularly to get my film developed and burned to a CD. Originally it cost 5 dollars and then 6 dollars.

Then I started visiting Costco to develop my film.

I returned to Walgreens to shop and hoped to drop off my film. The price had jumped to 8 dollars to develop a roll of film and burn to a CD. But I sometimes found cheap film at $2 a roll. I kept coming back for film supplies.

Yesterday, visiting the Des Plaines, IL Walgreens store the photo clerk told me it would cost $11.99 to develop film, it would be processed in “days”, and I would receive digital images online. I asked about getting my negatives and the nice store clerk (he was nice) said I wouldn’t get them.

I began telling the clerk this was an outrageous price increase for a decrease in service. He looked pleasantly amused. (A relatively old bald guy was lecturing him on photography and threatening a boycott). I said:

Don’t take it personally. This is about you, you don’t make Walgreens policy. I’ll protest Walgreens on my camera blog and hope that Walgreens changes its film development policies.

8541 Walgreens Stores in U.S. – Just me to Boycott

I’ll take those odds. As of June 30, 2013, Walgreens has 8541 stores in the U.S. Walgreens price increases on film development and their most recent price increase with a service decrease (they raised prices 50% and won’t give you your negatives) made my decision: PUBW (Photographers Unite, Boycott Walgreens).

I Grew up with Walgreens

Before I continue, just let me say I “grew up” with Walgreens. In my mind it’s always been the top pharmacy/service store to visit. Yes, it’s roots are firmly grounded in being a pharmacy beginning 1901. But they rapidly figured out they could sell candy, paper supplies, food, and FILM PROCESSING.

Ask 100 adults over than 40 where they can get film developed in an hour and I bet over 60% of them say Walgreens.

So, dear Walgreens, when you change your camera killing film development policies, I will be glad to return, buy my Good and Plenty boxes of candy, occasional pens and paper supplies, and late night food supplies.

PUBW: Photographers Unite, Boycott Walgreens

I admit, there are a lot more important things in life than boycotting Walgreens because of their film policies. I go to church, buy cold water for homeless people on hot, humid Chicago days, write emails to lazy politicians, and I write editorials in newspapers that haven’t been published yet.

I understand if Walgreens is the only place in your town to get a prescription filled. Then you need to go to Walgreens. But you can get your prescriptions filled at Costco, Walmart, Osco, and other places.

Anytime Walgreens wants to contact me, I’m an easy guy to find on the Internet. Just search for my name: Richard Kraneis.

But for now PUBW: Photographers Unite, Boycott Walgreens.

If you agree with this post, just comment with the words PUBW. If you have a status update on Walgreen’s film development policies in your town, please also leave a comment.

Thanks for visiting What is a Film Camera today and leaving a comment. I respect Walgreens right to conduct their business within the law as they see fit. But as an amateur photographer, it’s PUBW for me.

9/17/2013: COSTCO Update on Developing Film in Chicago, IL USA

I visited COSTCO’s Lincoln Park store on N. Clybourn today and was told there was a 2-3 day wait on film processing. I held my breath, what was the reason?

A belt broke in the film developer machine and they’ve ordered the part. As soon as they get the new part, they’ll be up and running. Meanwhile, they were at 30 packets of film to be developed sitting on a shelf. But, the film manager at this COSTCO loves film and wants to keep the machine going.

I believe that if the COSTCO film developing machine breaks down they will probably end film development at their store, I asked the manager if she could talk to someone about distributed film processing with Clybourn as a hub. She immediately picked up on the idea and said a “hub and spoke” film developing center was worth considering.

I don’t know if COSTCO will end their film development. I do know that Walgreens has advertised 1 hour film development services for decades only to quietly turn their backs on all of us who love film. At least at one COSTCO, the film development manager loves film as much as I do.

Teaching Kids Film Photography

Posted on September 12, 2013 by Richard Kraneis

A Camera Walk with Charlie

Two months ago at church camp I talked about photography with some kids at our annual church camp. Last week a friend from church asked if I could show her 10 year old daughter how to take photos. Definitely.

Student Camera: Ricoh KR-5

For practice I loaded some Fuji ASA 200 speed film into a Ricoh KR-5 that I had never tested. It’s a manually controlled SLR from about 1980 that has an electronic shutter. I’ve always liked the few Ricoh cameras I have owned and wanted my young photographer friend to test it. Image below courtesy of Classic Cameras.

My student was testing the Ricoh KR-5 while I was testing an Olympus LT-1 (a pretty camera related to the Olympus Stylus Epic). That’s my only regret on this walk. I should have taken two tested cameras that would give us solid results. Here’s hoping the untested Ricoh KR-5 worked fine. (I am awaiting my student’s developed photos. When I have them, I’ll insert a few into this blog post.)

Shooting Film at Portage Park in Chicago, IL

I chose Portage Park at 6 PM on a summer evening for our photography walk. I estimated 60 minutes or so with the sun setting lower in the horizon would give us some better colors. As I have learned, mid-day photos are more difficult and yield harsher lighting.

Teaching a 10 Year Old Film Photography

I wonder if I taught my young student or if she taught me.

Charlie had taken a film course with disposable cameras at some school but I thought I would give her my discussion on cameras. Driving to Portage Park I talked to her in the car about types of film, aperture, and shutter speed. I taught how we squint when it’s bright outside (small aperture) and we open our eyes wide in the dark (wide aperture, slow shutter speed). My student listened politely. Finally I said, we’ll just practice at the park.

My Camera Stroll with a 10 Year Old

We began from the SE corner of Portage Park (Chicago, IL). By Chicago standards, the park is one square mile of nicely maintained amenities (baseball fields, huge swimming pool, gardens, and field house). We discussed what direction to take for our walk. We chose to walk NW onto the path directly into the park. Good choice (more photo opportunities, no car traffic).

The First Photo – A Park Bench

I started my student with photographing a park bench. We sat in the grass (to be steady and out of the way of pedestrians). I taught her how to hold this camera, how to focus, how to use the aperture/shutter speed so that the light meter worked correctly.

She took her first photo with the Ricoh camera.

My Student Wanted to Photograph the Gardens

Charlie did exactly as my wife and I had done on a previous camera stroll. There are gardens along Irving Avenue in Portage Park. She took her 2nd photo near the entrance of the garden.

I’m sure I mentioned focus, aperture, and shutter speed again to my student.

Third Photo – A Young Couple Sitting on a Park Bench

I saw two young people sitting on a bench on the edge of the garden. I purposely thought this would be a great time to show Charlie how to engage people and ask them for a photo (I learned this from my Dad 5 decades ago, Nevada Wier the world-class photographer taught it to me for cameras last year. Thanks Dad, thanks Nevada.)

Lukas and Anna were sitting on a bench. Lukas had a Minolta SRT-102 camera with him. Both Lukas and Anna were very kind in letting my student take their photograph. I chatted for a minute or so while my student became comfortable standing in front of the young couple and took a photo or two.

My 10-year-old student took the photo, we said thank you to Lukas and Anna, and we continued our photographic stroll.

As we walked away from the couple, I reminded my student that since she’s a youngster, she should only ask for a stranger’s photo when accompanied by her parents (or perhaps me). I don’t advise we encourage children to take photos of strangers without a parent or trusted adult.

A Child’s Photographic Advice: “I Do 1-2-3”

Charlie simplified my focusing, aperture, and shutter speed advice into something incredibly simple. After listening to my talk about aperture, shutter, and focus for perhaps the 3rd time she said.

I just do 1-2-3. Focus, aperture, shutter speed.

Working from the outside to the inside, she chose to focus the camera first, set the aperture second, and then set the shutter speed if needed. She didn’t mention the light meter, that was already part of her thinking. Here’s a dazzling close-up photo of a wild flower in the Portage Park garden. Give Charlie credit for seeing the beauty of this flower, perfect focus, and a great close-up macro lens on this Ricoh KR-5. You wish your nature photos were this good.

As I said, the student did some teaching on this photography walk.

Camera Shake and Taking a Better Stance

The Ricoh KR-5 is solid and perhaps a bit too heavy for a 10-year-old. I saw my young friend swaying as she took a photo and I encouraged her to take a better stance when taking photographs. Notice how she has a balanced stance while her left hand supports the camera and her right hand works the aperture settings. She’s a natural photographer.

The Student Preferred Nature, I Prefer People

Charlie likes photographing nature scenes. But we kept walking through the park and I encouraged her to take photos of some boys in football uniforms. I just wanted her to seek out photographic variety.

Teach Kids to Engage and Ask for a Photograph

By the dog park, my student beat me to it. She walked up to a lady with a big bulldog and asked to take her photo. The lady smiled and said, “Yes.”

(Again, special thanks to my Dad for teaching me how to talk to strangers 50 years ago watching soccer players in Chicago’s Winnemac Park. And thanks to Nevada Wier the photographer for teaching me how to photograph people in a straightforward manner with a few kind words and a smile.)

The student sat down on the sidewalk and took a close-up of a bulldog from 3 feet. When’s the last time you sat 3 feet in front of a strange bulldog and took a photo? I found myself wondering how good this young lady might become at photography.

Summary – Teaching a Child Film Photography

Keep it simple as 1-2-3 (focus, aperture, and shutter). Teach how to photograph nature, sports, and above all, people.

And if you’re very lucky, the student photographer will teach the teacher something about photography and photographic courage. Teach a child photography today. Thanks to Charlie and her parents for permission to publish her photos in this blog and on Flickr.

Finding Garage Sale Cameras in Park Ridge, IL

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Richard Kraneis

Once a year Park Ridge, IL has a city-wide garage sale of perhaps 100 homes (plus unlisted sales).

20 Garage Sales – 3 Cameras

In visiting about 20 garage sales I found just 3 cameras:

Dirty 90’s Minolta – The owner went inside and brought a mostly plastic Minolta from the late 80’s or early 90’s. It had a nice big fingerprint and possible scratching on its zoom lens. I politely said “no thank you”.
Clean Polaroid SX-70 – It was very clean, but I told the owner I still don’t collect Polaroids. But it didn’t hurt to ask and we had a nice conversation.
Rock Solid GAF L-ES/2 – This was worth 2 hours of driving around Park Ridge, IL with my friend Tom.

GAF L-ES/2 Sitting in the Garage

“Do you have any film cameras in the house?”, I asked.

Yes, just a moment. My husband used this camera before we were married and doesn’t use it anymore.

Let that be a lesson to you husbands (or wives) out there, if you want to keep your camera, keep it in the house. If your camera is stored in the garage, it’s almost gone to a collector like me.

The wife had absolutely no attachment to this camera. I wonder what her husband said when he came home and his wife said she had sold it.

My 2nd GAF L-ES Camera

The camera in the case with shoulder strap was a GAF L-ES/2 . It’s not a great camera but it’s a camera I know well. I already own a GAF L-ES and it’s wonderful. Here’s my GAF L-ES review.

The GAF L-ES/2 originally was known as the Chinon CE II Memotron. It’s a quirky name I’ll admit. You’ve probably heard of the shutter priority Canon AE-1 of the same period. The GAF L-ES/2 was a minor competitor of the Canon camera. I think I prefer the GAF camera myself.

The photo of a GAF L-ES/2 below is courtesy of MFlenses.

So why should I buy another GAF?

The Park Ridge GAF L-ES/2 came with its own case, shoulder strap, 1.4 55mm lens, and an 80-200 zoom lens. I tested the light meter and it was still working. Amazing.

I knew the GAF L-ES series of cameras were aperture preferred cameras for M42 lens that needed a working battery for the electronic shutter to work. And this camera was working. Again, hurray.

Bargaining for a Camera

If you need a camera and desperately want it, it shows. I already owned a GAF L-ES, knew the camera I was holding was in good shape, but didn’t need to buy the camera.

I normally buy my cameras at 1/3 to 1/2 of eBay prices, normally 1/3. My friend Tom was with me watching my every move. I thought $10 was too insulting, I was willing to pay $20 for it. That would be my maximum.

The wife wouldn’t make me an offer, I asked her 3 times.

I offered $15 for the camera and its 2 lenses and just waited. Silence is golden.

She thought a moment and said “yes”. If she had countered I would have gone to $20, but she never countered.

20 Garage Sales, 3 Cameras, 1 Purchase

That sounds about right. In retrospect I should have offered something on the Polaroid SX-70 with leather casing. It’s sold for $60-$80 on eBay.

But as it stands, I have a nice GAF L-ES/2 to test and to probably sell on eBay. Thanks for visiting What is a Film Camera today.

Canon Demi – A Stylish Half Frame Camera

Posted on August 15, 2013 by Richard Kraneis

She’s 50 years old and as pretty as the day she was made. Here’s hoping she photographs as good as she looks.

Love at First Sight for the Canon Demi EE 28

When did I first see a Canon Demi? I think it was in one of my camera collector books.

Plus, I’ve been thinking of a Petri Racer with its clean lines.

Then I saw what I thought was an under priced Canon Demi on an eBay auction from a Maine Goodwill store. I kept my eyes on it.

This eBay advertisement stood out for a number of reasons.

Pretty camera, nice photos. The camera looked clean and the additional photos (not shown) proved it.
Shutter “flies”. It’s an odd way to say it, but they’re saying the shutter at least works. Many cameras have “oil” on their lens which means the shutter freezes in mid-action which means you cannot rewind the camera.
Inexpensive shipping. $10.29 was a reasonable ship fee. I’ve seen eBay sellers with $20 ship fees for $10 cameras (no thanks).
Money back guarantee? Amazing.
Half-frame camera. I like getting twice as many photos for the same price. It’s just the German-American in me.

eBay Sniping with 3 Seconds Left

It’s a fun game. Find a camera on eBay that has one bidder or no bidder at all. Decide on your maximum price and make your bid. If you win, you’re delighted. If you lose, it’s OK. Someone beat your max price.

Do You Like Half Frame Cameras?

A half frame 35mm camera gives you twice as many photos as normal. If you have 24 exposures on your film, you get 48 exposures. It’s kind of like a digital camera before there were digital cameras: inexpensive photography.

Technical Specs

If you’d like the technical specs on this camera, visit Sub Club’s article on Canon Demi Half Frame cameras. They do nice work, visit to learn about the Canon Demi cameras.

First Impressions on my Canon Demi EE 28

She’s a cutie.

She’s pretty, looks good, and will fit in my pocket. The light meter on the top of the camera responds to light and then I adjust the aperture/shutter to bring it into alignment with the suggested setting. Sadly, I can’t use the camera with independent aperture and shutter settings, they are married together.

The shutter does go from slow to high (1/30th to 1/250th) and the aperture does change in size from tiny to large. So that’s good.

The inside of the camera looks OK, the seals seem alright. I purchased the camera for $9.95 plus $9.95 shipping so I’ll just test it with expired film and hope for the best.

There was one tiny dent on the camera but it’s so small I can live with it. It’s a slipper devil outside of its case, so I attached a strange hand strap from my Konica C35 EF. It fits perfectly.

The viewfinder is a little yellowish but I can live with that bit of aging. If you’re a 50 year old Canon camera you might have a bit of yellow in your viewfinder also.

Chicago, Naperville, and Central Illinois

I loaded the camera with some Fuji ASA 200 film. Took a bunch of photos in Chicago, then on The Farm, and then at a Naperville block party. I’ll finish on the farm, nice photos.

Chicago Photos – Canon Demi EE 2.8

There are hardly any from Chicago. 10 exposures (20 shots) were not developed by Costco. Either the camera malfunctioned, I malfunctioned, or Costco had a bad day. Take your pick. Here are a few photos.

The exposure was fine on these two photos in one frame. But I’m not happy with the zone focusing. In both photos, I was focusing on the foreground object of a plant and some flowers. They look blurry.

This indoor photo without flash in my dark front room came out nicely. This camera does well in low light, not so well on a bright day, decent with medium brightness.

Naperville, IL Block Party – Canon Demi EE 2.8

It was mid-afternoon and most of the photos were over exposed. The selenium meter that does automatic aperture/shutter metering apparently didn’t like a sunny block party in Naperville. Here are a few photos. The corn bag game seems out of focus (zone focusing) but the father-daughter pictures is focused well, perhaps over exposed.

Down on the Farm – Canon Demi EE 2.8

When I visit my in-law’s farm in central Illinois the photos always seem to come out nicely. First I’ll show you a bad double-photo (remember, this is a half-frame camera) and how I used Pixlr to make it a good photo.

Magically, using Pixlr, I salvaged the photo of the cornfield.

There were some very nice photos on the farm, here are a few more.

Summary – Canon Demi EE 2.8 Test Roll

All in all I am pleased, but there some problems.

Canon Demi Processing Problem? Only 14 Exposures out of 24

I should have 48 half frame photos. That means 24 photos of side-by-side half frame photos. Why did Costco only give me 14 exposures out of 24? I’m not blaming Costco. I just don’t know what happened to almost half of my photos.

Canon Demi Light Meter Problems

The Canon Demi did very well with exposures in the shade. The selenium metering had trouble doing photos in direct sunlight. Here’s a good example of a good exposure at daybreak and trouble at mid-day with an exposure. Notice, it’s a side-by-side half frame exposure.

Purchase a Canon Demi EE 28

You bet buy one. It’s pretty and it’s a fun camera. Too bad I couldn’t have purchased it 50 years ago when it was new. But I had a lot of fun with this $10 special from Maine Goodwill on eBay. Thanks for visiting my Canon Demi EE 2.8 review on What is a Film Camera today.