What is a Film Camera?

Konica C35 EF Review

Posted on July 25, 2013 by Richard Kraneis

Konica C35 EF – Happy Little Camera

The Konica C35 EF is a happy little zone focus camera from 1975.

When I first purchased this camera at the best camera deal ever I thought I had finally found the elusive Konica C35 AF from 1977. That would have been the first auto focus camera, ever.

But what I had purchased for approximately one dollar (46 pounds of cameras for $100) was the Konica C35 EF zone focus camera. Well, it was the first automatic 35mm camera with built in flash. So I decided to give a test roll of expired B/W ASA 400 film on an untested camera, a double roll of the dice. This time, the dice rolled in my favor.

Initial Thoughts on the Konica C35 EF

I don’t think I like zone focus cameras. I like to know a camera is “really” in focus when I shoot. And to see a focused image through the viewfinder.

If you turn on the flash and then don’t use it, I worry that there’s no way to discharge the camera. The orange “flash” light keeps on burning and I couldn’t find a way to turn it off. I took another flash photo and turned off the flash quickly.

The automatic exposure works within normal ranges of light but if it’s too dark it still lets you take a photo. I prefer my other cameras that prevent you from taking an underexposed photo with shutter lock.

On a bright note, the owner said her Mom took some very nice photos with it, hope so.

It wasn’t that pleasurable a shooter for me. I prefer my Son of Canonet or Mamiya 135 just on how it feels. But perhaps this Konica C35 EF will surprise me with its results. Hope so.

Konica C35 EF First Roll – Expired Film

My first impression is that many of the photos seem under exposed with the automatic light metering. A few frames developed well with correct exposure. I wonder if I didn’t shoot the photos properly.

But in this little Konica C35’s defense, I would have to admit that I used expired black/white film that’s perhaps 10 years old and has been through heat and cold.

But I think these were nice photos. Let’s take a look at my black/white roll of shots from this little Konica.

I think another problem is that I’m using probably decade old film, so what did I expect.

Tight Ladies Pants on North Milwaukee Avenue

I live in Chicago, IL USA just off a major street named North Milwaukee Avenue. It runs north and west through the heart of Chicago. One afternoon driving on North Milwaukee just south of Diversey I saw different stores with dozens of half mannequins wearing tight women’s pants. I just had to take a photo.

After posting these North Milwaukee photos to my Flickr account, three of my friends said they remembered these mannequins and even knew the intersection where to find them.

Here’s another photo with shoppers looking at the mannequins. You need to look twice, the shoppers are rather short.

Konica C35 EF Photos from my Back Porch

My friends are kind enough to let me take photos of them whenever they visit our home for dinner. My wife or friend Michael probably took this photo. Perhaps turning on the flash would have illuminated both our faces but then the entire image would be a whole lot different.

I knew the tiny Konica C35 EF couldn’t do this photo without turning on the flash. My wife took the photo. Well, at least I’m smiling.

My wife is amazing, that’s all I can say. She always has a smile for me when I “test” my cameras.

My Favorite C35 EF Photo

I think this photo from my back deck overlooking the alley onto some clouds is my favorite photo from this roll. The power lines and telephone lines near the bottom of the photo just remind me that I live in Chicago, IL USA.

Final Thoughts on my Konica C35 EF

Initially I thought the photos were underexposed. But maybe it’s just because I’m not accustomed to shooting with black and white film.

Also, this entire roll was shot with ASA 400 B/W film purchased 3 years ago at a yard sale. The film is easily a decade old and was never stored properly in a refrigerator. So my photos with an untested camera and expired film came out decently.

This camera cost me less than two dollars. For a two dollar camera, it performed admirably. Thanks for reading my Konica C35 EF review today on What is a Film Camera.

Who Owned My Camera?

Posted on July 12, 2013 by Richard Kraneis

My wife has encouraged me to write shorter blog posts… This one’s for you honey.

Bob’s Cameras and Lenses

Recently I had my best camera sale ever where I purchased a large box of cameras and lenses for $100 from a lady named Barb.

Her dad purchased those cameras and his name was Bob.

High School Dropout Success Story

Bob never graduated from high school but he did find a factory job with a large war-time manufacturer during WWII in Chicago, IL USA.

Bob never went to war. He invented some new device or procedure at the war-time plant that saved time or improved quality. Most likely he found a way to improve quality on products manufactured by the U.S. for World War II.

Bob’s service was so valuable in the factory that the company asked for a war-time deferment for him. Bob never went to war during World War II. He was too valuable making products that supported our men and women during that war.

Bob’s Rise from Factory Line to Company Photographer

According to Barb, her father began helping the company photographer with high speed industrial photos that helped identify quality control problems. If you photograph a high speed production process you can see how that process sometimes malfunctions and quality declines.

Sound boring? It isn’t. This company during post WWII appreciated Bob’s quality control efforts.

The company photographer retires and Bob becomes the company photographer. He became a commercial photographer in manufacturing.

Bob the Sports Photographer

Now Barb’s story to me on a hot June day in 2013 on her front porch makes sense.

Her father started photographing the girl’s gymnastic team in high school during workouts and competitions. The girl’s would say:

Oh no. It’s Mr. B… with his camera. More photos showing our mistakes.

The girl’s knew Bob would catch them with a high speed photograph showing their gymnastic mistakes during practice or competition.

Bob was a Quality Control Photographer

It sounds quirky, but Bob’s photographic career spanned decades and revolved around quality improvement, in the factory or with young gymnasts. It makes sense.

Bob’s Cameras are Now Mine

So that’s how Bob’s cameras became mine. Thanks for reading “Who owned my camera?”. Leave a comment if you have time.

Nikon FE – Silky Smooth SLR

Posted on July 8, 2013 by Richard Kraneis

Favorite SLR – The Nikon FE

This may be my absolute favorite SLR camera. I enjoy my Minolta SRT 100 and the Canon FTb is rock solid. But as soon as I took some photos with the Nikon FE, I actually felt like I was a photographer with a real tool in my hands. It balances well in my hands and the shutter release felt both silky smooth and dependable (if that’s possible).

There’s Another Nikon in the Box

As I sat on a sunny, front porch in the Forest Glen neighborhood in Chicago, Lennie kept saying:

There’s another Nikon in the box, another Nikon.

Since Nikon is on the front of the camera and the tiny letters FE are on the back of the camera, I guess it wasn’t obvious that I was purchasing a Nikon along with 10 other cameras and lenses that bright summer day in 2013. It was my best camera deal ever. But my surprise Nikon FE may be the best camera among my 42 pounds of cameras for $100.

Basketball Court Photos

This June day Kilbourn Park’s basketball court was full of players. I think there were 4 games going on (one full court, two half court games). Schurz High School had just ended and all the students were gravitating to the park. There must have been over 25 people on the court with another 25 teenagers on the edge of the court watching.

I walked up to a corner of the basketball court, sat down, and readied myself for a fast break photo under the hoop. Using ASA 400 speed film, I set the aperture to about F/8 and focused on the basketball rim. I set the shutter speed to about 1/125. My theory was even if the focus was a bit off, the F/8 aperture would be forgiving. I remember purposely using portrait (vertical) in various photos. I wanted to make sure I had the players and the hoop.

Graceful Basketball Layup

This player stood out from the rest. He’d still the ball, race down the court, and enter my camera frame. Click.

Graceful Basketball Layup

Quick Layup Under the Basketball Hoop

This player was quick to rebound and quick to score.

Wesley Woods, Lake Geneva

Every year my wife and I travel to a church camp for a little fellowship, food, and some photos. I normally bring along one of my cameras. This year I brought along the Nikon FE.

Wesley Woods on Lake Geneva

This is what it looks like. Trees, a pier, tiny beach, and a lot of Lake Geneva.

Nikon FE Exposure Problem

I still don’t know if this is a Nikon FE exposure problem. Perhaps if I had bracketed the photo with different apertures it would have been better.

Love my Nikon FE

I can’t think of any other SLR in my collection I’d rather have for a shoot than my Nikon FE. And recently, I learned that it takes great night photos. You can be sure I’ll take the Nikon FE for a Chicago night stroll in the near future. Thanks for reading my Nikon FE review today on What is a Film Camera.

1961 Chevrolet Impala

Posted on July 4, 2013 by Richard Kraneis

Every day with a camera in your hand is a good day. Today I had my digital Canon SD880 with me. Sorry, no film camera today.

A Walk with My Wife

In the early evening on July 3, 2013, I suggested to my wife that we take a walk. After all, you can only watch so many old cop shows on NetFlix.

Let’s Go Down this Alley

We live in Chicago, IL USA on the northwest side.

We were walking along and I said, “Let’s go down this alley. I like this alley.” Honest to goodness, that’s what I said.

Half way down the alley I saw a man working on an old Chevrolet.

1961 Chevrolet Impala

I shouted politely: “1962?”

He shouted back politely: “Almost, it’s a 1961 Chevrolet Impala.”

We talked a bit. He was perhaps 15 years younger than me and I said I remembered the car. He said it was his “daily driver” for around town.

Can I Take Your Photo?

I asked if I could take his photo. He said yes right away. Nice guy.

One photo was enough, nothing fancy.

Happy 4th of July

It was the day before Independence Day and the man wished my wife and I a Happy 4th of July. We wished him well and kept on walking.

Don’t Just Sneak Photos, Try Asking for a Photo

You can always sneak a photo with a zoom lens. You can even snap a photo when no one’s looking.

Why not walk up to someone, say hello, and ask for their photo?

They might say yes. Thanks for visiting What is a Film Camera today.

Canon Photura and Olympus LT-1

Posted on July 2, 2013 by Richard Kraneis

I was driving from Chicago’s north side to Lombard for a PMP study group (I had just passed the PMP test, hurray). It was a June Saturday in 2013.

Garage Sale in Old Irving

I saw a garage sale sign for 3800 N. Tripp. I thought, “Why not?”. It would just take ten minutes or less.

“Do you have any old film cameras?”

Don’t look for film cameras. Ask for film cameras. Sometimes people have an old film camera in their home in the attic or basement (they forget about them).

The lady said, “Yes, I think I do have some cameras.”

Canon Photura, Autoboy Jet, Epoca

It’s all the same camera.

Michelle the owner reached into a bag and pulled out a bulky camera. I knew right away it was a Canon Photura. It’s not incredibly valuable, just valuable to me. I purchased one on Craigslist long distance and it worked briefly and then stopped working (bad battery door).

She explained her husband purchased it for her in the U.S. and the camera had traveled with her to Hong Kong. (I’ve never been to Hong Kong).

Olympus LT-1

She pulled the Olympus out of the bag. It looked familiar. I opened it’s leatherette case. It’s really a fancy Olympus mju Stylus Epic dressed up in leather (the LT stands for leather tech). It was a green leather beauty.

$12 and Two Cameras are Mine

As I told the owner, you don’t know if these cameras will work until you put in a battery. So it’s risky.

I offered $10. She wanted $15. I countered with $12. Sold.

Will they Work?

I still don’t know. But I’ll test the Canon Photura tomorrow. The Olympus LT-1 looks like it needs a special battery.

What’s Your Hobby?

I’ve never sold any of my cameras but I’m about to sell some on eBay. I’ve never done this to make any money. I just enjoy collecting and shooting old cameras.

But my wife tells me it’s time to sell some cameras. So that’s what I’ll do.

Thanks for visiting and reading about my Canon Photura and Olympus LT-1. Two beautiful cameras for $12 at a garage sale.

GAF L-ES Aperture Preferred Screw Mount

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Richard Kraneis

The title I chose is incredibly boring: GAF L-ES aperture preferred screw mount. But the camera is very, very nice.

My GAF L-ES Beats your Digital Camera at Night

Can your digital camera take a photo without flash in the dead of night and shoot a better picture than my 35 year old GAF L-ES? Although the shutter speed has 1 second or Bulb, I had a suspicion that this camera would go beyond one second in automatic mode. As I quietly counted to myself, I believe at least five seconds elapsed before I heard the shutter close.

As I said, can your digital camera beat my GAF L-ES at night? See below.

GAF L-ES Night Photo

$50 in Chicago but $5 on eBay

There’s a re-sale shop in Chicago that had 50 cameras in its back room in the summer of 2012. I wanted several of those cameras.

The camera I liked the best was a GAF L-ES. It just felt good in my hands. Since I don’t own an iPhone I couldn’t research the camera on the spot. All I knew was that I woudn’t pay $50 for this camera, too much.

But about 3 months later a GAF L-ES appeared for about $5 on eBay. It was part of a camera lot I purchased for perhaps $15 from an honest eBay seller who sells well maintained cameras. If you wait long enough, the cameras you want will come to you 🙂

Old Camera? Test your Film Transport First

There are few things as frustrating as shooting a roll of film and then you cannot extract the film properly. Always test a new/old camera with an expired roll of film to test your film transport.

First GAF L-ES Lost Forever, Film Rewind Problem

My first roll of film was lost forever. I couldn’t depress the shutter rewind button on the bottom of the camera. I tried extracting the film in a dark closet, no luck.

24 good photos lost.

Second GAF L-ES Roll, Film Rewind Problem Solved

Again, the rewind button jammed at the end of my 2nd roll. I thought I would need to take it to Mr. Lee’s in Des Plaines, IL for camera repair. But do I really want to spend $50 to repair a camera that I purchased for five dollars?

So I trolled the Internet and found someone who had the same problem. They basically said use some force. This time, instead of using my thumb, I pushed gently yet firmly with a screwdriver.

Hurray! The rewind button depressed, I rewound the film, and popped out the film. I called my wife who was taking 2 rolls of film to Costco to turnaround and come back. Luckily, she came by the house 5 minutes later and didn’t seem angry at all (thanks honey).

In a few hours I’ll know if my GAF L-ES takes nice photos.

GAF L-ES First Roll of Film – Keepers

I shot my first roll in Chicago, IL and central Illinois. They’re just nice photos, but I like them.

Chicago Photos

I live on the north west side of Chicago. Let’s call it bungalow land.

Kids Bicycling on my Block

My block on Chicago’s north west side is alive again with kids bicycling back and forth and back and forth on our sidewalks. Trust me, if you live on a Chicago street and kids are playing happily on bicycles, your neighborhood is alive and well.

Backyard Bokeh

This is a very common photo of mine testing a camera’s bokeh. I first did it with an Olympus Stylus camera years ago. So again, here’s my wife’s plant on our deck with neighbor’s yards as bokeh. See below.

Skylight and Neighbor’s Chimney

This may not be a terribly exciting photo to you. But it’s my kind of photo. One of our attic skylights looks directly at our neighbor’s chimney. At certain times in the early morning, this chimney has dazzling red colors. Today, it’s just a chimney. See below.

Photo at Night

Below is the original night photo I took around midnight with my GAF L-ES. As you can see it was tricked during a 5-10 second exposure by the brightly lit home across the street. It was an imperfect shot that I edited so it now had value.

GAF L-ES Double Exposure Feature

The camera does have a double exposure switch near the shutter button. I had never tried that feature. I think the result was just OK. See below. It’s a photo from my front porch looking both south and north along my street.

GAF L-ES Photos Down on the Farm

I do enjoy my time in central Illinois where my wife’s family lives. My brother-in-law and sister-in-law are always willing to let me take photos. They’re very nice people.

A Farmer, His Pickup, and his Childhood Home

My brother-in-law sometimes takes me on the back roads of central Illinois to drive his acreage. This is a nice photo of Mike, his pickup truck, and in the background his childhood home.

Mickey Mouse Sitting and Waiting

Here’s Mickey Mouse sitting on his chair waiting for someone to play with him. Again, taken without flash of any kind.

Somewhere, Muhammad Ali is Smiling

A year or two ago I purchased a Mamiya/Sekor 1000 DTL and its 50 mm lens. The camera had photographed Muhammad Ali close-up at a civil rights rally. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t get the camera to behave and take good photos.

So I took the 50 mm lens that photographed Muhammad Ali in the 1970’s in Kansas City and placed it on this humble GAF L-ES. They performed well together and took fine photos.

So somewhere, I hope Muhammad Ali is smiling. He’s an old man now. But he looked into this lens 35 or so years ago. And the lens still works just fine.

Perfectly Happy with my GAF L-ES

If I were 25 again and the GAF L-ES was my one and only camera, I would have been perfectly happy to use it. Just remember that it has electronic metering and needs a battery to work properly.

It has a nice heft and balance to it that I enjoy. I prefer aperture preferred metering where I set the aperture for my bokeh needs or go fully manual.

Thanks for visiting What is a Film Camera today and reading about my GAF L-ES.

Best Camera Deal Ever

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Richard Kraneis

What’s Your Best Camera Deal Ever?

Last Saturday at a Chicago neighborhood garage sale, I experienced my best camera deal ever. It’s not about cheating people out of money and tricking them to sell their old film cameras. It’s about meeting people, making an honest offer (they can say yes or no), and sometimes making a new “home” for old cameras.

I’m hoping this blog post will inspire people to leave a comment on their best camera deals (garage sales, eBay, Craigslist, anywhere).

Forest Glen Garage Sale in Chicago, IL

Forest Glen is a very nice neighborhood on Chicago’s northwest side. Just go to Cicero Avenue and Foster. Anything north and to the west is Forest Glen. They have their garage sale in very early June of each year. June 2013 they had 80 homes registered for garage sales.

Last year I found a beautiful shelving unit that had 36 storage slots for 36 of my cameras. It had been used in a Kindergarten class and had been discarded. It was a wonderful bargain at $15. But that was last year.

How to Buy Cameras at Garage Sales

This isn’t rocket science. You find a neighborhood with garage sales so you can efficiently walk the alleys asking people about film cameras.

Do you have any film cameras? Do you have any cameras inside the house? One person had a Nikon inside, another lady had bunches of cameras 80 miles away, another lady said she had a Nikon but didn’t want to sell. Thanks them and move on quickly. More garages to look at for bargains.

At about the 10th garage sale of 80 sales an older man (just a bit older than me) said, “I know someone who has a bunch of cameras in her basement. She doesn’t want to throw them away. Do you want to see them?”

Yes. Thirty minutes later I met the man on the front porch of a bungalow in Forest Glen and met the owner of the cameras: Barb.

46 Pounds of Film Cameras

The owner had placed all of her film cameras in a sturdy box. It was waiting for me on the cement front porch under a bright summer sun.

Sifting Through Film Cameras

I picked up each camera, lens, or device (there was one binocular), looked at it briefly and asked myself one question: Do I want this camera?

Good camera. I put them to one side to inspect later more carefully.
Average camera. I put them in another pile. What’s an average camera? Perhaps an Argus 35mm or a plastic 35mm camera worth little (no Yashica T4s or Olympus XAs today).

I found 5 cameras I wanted to own and 16 other cameras or lenses that I didn’t need. Sure, I’d take all of them, but I knew I wanted 5 cameras.

Make an Offer, Sometimes People Say “Yes”

I began the negotiation by saying that all the cameras were worth more than I could pay. It seemed like the most honest way to start.

I had $30 in change in my camera bag (my piggy bank) and $45 in bills in my wallet.

The Craigslist “Convenience” Offer

We talked a little about some of the “5” special cameras and I suggested my first offer: I’ll help you sell all this equipment on Craigslist and I’ll take a 50% commission. I hoped they would say yes and perhaps bargain down my commission.

But Barb said no. She wanted to sell everything.

All Cash Offer

Sometimes people just want to sell their cameras.

Finding a New Home for Cameras

Barb told the story of her cameras, they belonged to her father. Let’s just say he had a very interesting career that ended as a commercial photographer for a large manufacturing company. Barb didn’t want to give the cameras away to someone who wouldn’t appreciate her cameras. I assured Barb I would make a home for her five special cameras and not sell them.

One of the cameras was a Nikon F. The first SLR camera ever made. I missed a Nikon F last year when it came up for sale on Craigslist and was sold in hours for $100, 70 miles from downtown Chicago, a long drive. Photo below courtesy of Wikipedia.

$50 for 5 Wonderful Cameras?

Len, a Vietnam Veteran (thanks for your service Len), also had a Nikon F at his home. He asked how much it was worth? I believe I said it would sell easily for over $100. I haven’t checked prices on eBay lately but I bet it sells for $100 to $200.

Len asked how much I would pay for the Nikon F. I countered, I’ll pay $50 for the “5” cameras, that was every dollar I had on me. It was an outrageous offer. But Len and Barb knew that at least one of the cameras was worth over $100, just by itself.

$75 for 5 Wonderful Cameras?

Barb seemed interested but she didn’t say “yes” or “no”.

I countered: “Barb, I’ll pay you $75 for these five cameras.” This is a list of my five favorite cameras.

Nikon F, Nikkor 50 mm lens, 1.4 aperture.
Konica Autoreflex T, 52 mm lens, 1.8 aperture.
Konica Autoreflex T3, 50 mm, 1.4 aperture (bent rim),
Honeywell Spotmatic, 50mm 1.4 aperture.
Konica C35, EF rangefinder.

Barb hesitated and said: “What will you offer for everything?”

$100 for 46 Pounds of Cameras and Lenses?

I offered Barb $100 for all of her cameras and lenses. $30 in change, $45 in paper bills, and the promise to pay $25 in the next two weeks.

Barb said, “Yes.”

Three Camera Surprises

Three wonderful things.

First, my amazing wife didn’t complain about me purchasing more cameras. She had every right to do so. But she knew I hadn’t purchased any cameras in perhaps a year. God love her, what a gal.

Second, I discovered I had purchased a Nikon FE camera with a 1.4 Nikkor lens as part of the camera lot. Yes, I missed it. The Nikon FE doesn’t have FE plastered on the front of the camera, it’s discretely placed on the back of the camera.

Third, at Barb’s I thought a heavy object was a movie camera. It turned out to be a Speed Graphic 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 camera. Press photographers used this for decades before yielding to 35mm cameras. The famous Iwo Jima photo of 1945 was taken by a photographer Joe Rosenthal using a Speed Graphic camera. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

Barb’s Cameras and Lenses, an Inventory

One hour later I was the proud owner of 46 pounds of cameras and lenses for $75 and the promise to pay another $25 (I was short on cash). Here’s the inventory from best to OK lenses and cameras.

Nikon F with Nikkor 50mm, 1.4 lens, original brown case, beautiful
Konica Autoreflex T3 with 50mm 1.4 lens
Konica Autoreflex T with 52mm 1.4 lens
Honeywell Spotmatic with 50mm 1.4 lens
Konica C35F, EF (I always wanted this plastic camera that revolunized photography years ago)
Nikon FE with 1.4 Nikkor lens
Three Argus 35 mm cameras
Speed Graphic 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 (wow, I thought it was a movie camera at first)
Yashica YF (Nicca) – Broken shutter
2 plastic 35 mm cameras
Stereo Realist, Original Condition in Box
Argus Argoflex 75, very good condition
4 more lenses (Old Nikon, 2 Vivitars, and one Pentax)

Thanks Barb (and Len)

This was an incredible camera deal. I believe I was honest when I told Barb and Len how much the Nikon F was worth.

I began the negotiation telling them the cameras were worth a few hundred dollars but I don’t pay full price for cameras.

But I believe Barb wanted a home for the best of her father’s cameras. And I promised I would never sell her father’s Nikon F, two Konicas, Spotmatic, and Konica C35 EF.

Soon Barb will have the $25 I owe her along with my renewed pledge not to sell her father’s very special cameras. Many times, collecting cameras isn’t about making a profit. It’s about keeping film alive and making friendships.

Thanks again Barb. And thanks everyone for reading about my Best Camera Deal Ever today on What is a Film Camera. I hope my readers will leave comments about their “best camera deal ever”.

Century Book by Phaidon

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Richard Kraneis

Yes, I own the Century Book by Phaidon.

My Century book by Phaidon was Free

At the end of a long day at the Andersonville Garage Sale in Chicago, IL, my friend Tom and I came up to a card table. It had the Century book on it along with a few other trinkets. A sign said:

Everything on this table (except the table) is free.

My friend Tom touched the book and I grabbed it and said, “Tom, it’s mine.” Nothing like being aggressive I guess.

Tom didn’t mind, the depressing Century book has become a joke between my friend Tom and myself. It’s just so depressing.

Century Book Review – Mood Swings Guaranteed

If you’re having a good day I suggest you not read or study the Century Book. It will depress you.

Do I really need over a thousand pages of depressing photographs from the last century. Didn’t anything good happen in the last century worth photographing?

Neither will you find many photographs by famous photographers. There are good technical photographs in the book. But good luck trying to find photographs from the masters of photography in the last century.

I just wish there were more photographs like the Jesse Owens’ photo on the left shown below where he’s conferring with a German competitor at the 1936 Olympics.

Leave your comment regarding the Century book by Phaidon

Did you read the book from cover to cover? I did. Please enter a comment for me.

I own The Photo Book by Phaidon and it’s terrific. Every photographer should buy a used copy of The Photo Book. But leave the Century book by Phaidon at the used book store. It’s too heavy to carry around anyway.

Thanks for reading my Phaidon Century Book review today and visiting What is a Film Camera.

Yashica T4 Review

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Richard Kraneis

Do I like my Yashica T4? Not so much.

Do you really think the Yashica T4 is great?

I know it’s heresy to say that I don’t like the Yashica T4. But that’s how I feel. My little Mamiya 135 EE is sitting next to my keyboard and I’d rather shoot with it than a Yashica T4. Or give me my Canon A35F (son of Canonet) for confidence in taking good photos.

I’m glad I owned a Yashica T4. I’m glad I tested it. Here are some of my Yashica T4 photos.

Slide show here.

Do you think the Yashica T4 is great or not so great? Please leave a comment.

How much is a Yashica T4 worth?

It’s worth whatever you can sell it for.

Yashica T4 on Craigslist

I found my Yashica T4 on Chicago’s Craigslist two summers ago for $30. I called the owner and drove ten miles one way to purchase my champagne colored Yashica T4 for $30 from a family moving out of town. Too bad they wouldn’t sell its original case.

Yashica T4 Sold Prices on eBay

As of this September 10, 2012, Yashica T4 cameras in working condition have “sold prices”ranging from $135 to $267. It’s a valuable point and shoot camera. These are sold prices, not asking prices.

Yes, the Yashica T4 has some great features

Yashica T4 Lens

I won’t argue with you, the Yashica T4 has a great lens. Here’s a photo taken from wine country west of St. Louis, Missouri.

And here’s a beautiful photo from a Mount Prospect, Illinois pond.

Yashica T4 Waist Level View Finder

The Yashica T4waist level view finder is very sharp, bright, and clear. I could see using it effectively for street photography.

What are my Yashica T4 Complaints?

Here they are.

Blurry Yashica T4 Photos in Daytime

A photographer friend of mine once told me to never show poor photos of my work. But I disagree. If our photos are poorly done it’s either user error or camera error. In that spirit here’s a blurry photo taken during a Sunday lunch on my back porch.

I have used many point and shoot cameras where you slightly depress the shutter button to automatically focus (my Olympus Stylus Epic) . Then you fully depress the shutter button to take the photo. Was the photo above user error or a camera error? This isn’t the first time I’ve had focusing problems with the Yashica T4 in daytime.

Yashica T4 has trouble focusing when Using Flash

I consistently have trouble focusing this camera on a subject when using the flash. See the photo below.

But here’s a photo taken by someone else who knew nothing about my Yashica T4. They just pointed the camera and took the picture. It turned out great (except the chubby guy on the left needs to lose weight).

Yashica T4 Exposure Problems

If I keep the Yashica T4 I’ll need to live with constant over exposures. Here’s a photo at Deep Lake (Lindenhurst, IL) that was a disappointment. It’s certainly over exposed and the focusing is off.

Summary – Yashica T4 isn’t worth the Hype

Leave a comment, tell me that I’m wrong. If my photo problems are a user error tell me in a comment.

I won’t sell my Yashica T4, yet. Perhaps I’ll give it a 3rd and final roll. I feel a lot more confident shooting a roll with my Mamiya 135 EE, Canon A35F, or my Olympus Stylus Epic. Thanks for reading my Yashica T4 review today. And tell your photography friends about What is a Film Camera.

Wardflex Camera – The Leave it to Beaver Camera

Posted on September 6, 2012 by Richard Kraneis

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

I recently purchased a camera lot in Elmhurst, IL, that included a Wardflex camera. It’s a twin lens reflex camera that seems to be well made. The Craigslist ad had a photo of a brown case in the shape of a twin lens reflex. It looked something like the photo below.

Leave it to Beaver and the Wardflex Camera

Leave it to Beaver was a popular comedy on U.S. television beginning in the late 1950’s. It was televised during 1957 to 1962. At some point the Wardflex camera was almost advertised on the show. Almost doesn’t count in advertising.

June Cleaver’s Camera

This photo from someone else’s Wardflex camera blog post is so great I had to share it with you. Someone must have photo shopped June Cleaver (the mother in “Leave it to Beaver”) into holding her camera in the kitchen while cooking.

My Wardflex Camera Has a Problem

Like many cameras from the fifties and sixties, my camera has oil on its shutter blades. When I click the shutter, the blades open slowly. Either I need to remove the oil on the shutter blades or take the camera to Mr. Lee of Lee’s Camera in Des Plaines, IL.

Here my Wardflex Ward II looks a little dirty. But it will clean up nicely.

Is a 50 Year Old Wardflex Camera Worth Repairing?

If the Wardflex photos on Flickr are any indication, the Wardflex is worth a $60 repair at my camera shop. Here’s a photo from Scott Cog’s Flickr account.

night market snacks...braised chicken parts by Scott Cog

Every Camera has a Story to Tell

Do you own a Wardflex Ward II? Have you used it? Would you kindly leave a comment for me?

One day I’ll have the Wardflex twin lens reflex repaired so I’ll have the “almost” camera from Leave it to Beaver. Thanks for reading about my Leave it to Beaver – Wardflex Ward II camera today on What is a Film Camera.