Box Cameras

ciniframe · Dec 24, 2017

blockend said:
Most modern looking box camera? Eye level but in the box camera spirit, and made until 1966: http://www.brownie-camera.com/49.shtml

Love that design! Now if only Kodak Alaris would either bring back the same look in a box camera (but using 120 film for 6X6 negs) or at least sub contract out to a third party to recreate a box camera. I feel it's time to bring back a camera that slows down folks and encourage them to make 12 pictures that mean something (at least to them). Not a gazillion shots on their phones, a visual clutter to match cluttered minds. No wonder people have 3 second attention spans.

removed account4 · Dec 24, 2017

couldn't agree more ciniframe !
and who knows maybe a modular upscale model
with a replacable lenses, maybe a
schneider or rodenstock or leica asphereical, or something
made to retro fit all the lensbaby lenses
instead of a stock meniscus /wollaston meniscus
by the end of it it'll be a pan focus system, with no need to
do anything but point, shoot and rival a rollei !

baachitraka · Dec 24, 2017

Just won this...

blockend · Dec 24, 2017

baachitraka said:
Just won this...

Very nice!

baachitraka · Dec 24, 2017

It looked super clean and can't resist to spend €20 for it.

blockend · Dec 24, 2017

baachitraka said:
It looked super clean and can't resist to spend €20 for it.

Nice lens too. It appears to be a meniscus lens, but is actually a double element lens cemented achromat. Capable of taking sharp photographs. It can focus by adding elements behind the lens, very rare in a true box camera.

baachitraka · Dec 24, 2017

blockend said:
Nice lens too. It appears to be a meniscus lens, but is actually a double element lens cemented achromat. Capable of taking sharp photographs. It can focus by adding elements behind the lens, very rare in a true box camera.

Interesting and what exactly is adding elements behind lens and I am sure you do not mean close focus diopters.

ciniframe · Dec 24, 2017

jnanian said:
couldn't agree more ciniframe !
and who knows maybe a modular upscale model
with a replacable lenses, maybe a
schneider or rodenstock or leica asphereical, or something
made to retro fit all the lensbaby lenses
instead of a stock meniscus /wollaston meniscus
by the end of it it'll be a pan focus system, with no need to
do anything but point, shoot and rival a rollei !

Well....lets not get carried away. The idea is limited simplicity. It's got to be affordable, (although even if they cost $100 the cost of film and processing would soon exceed that ) I mention the figure of $100 because I feel that is the upper limit of what the market would tolerate. Really, I think $100 would be a hard sell unless they had a few "luxury" features, such as;
Scale focusing to 1 meter. ( a 85mm lens would have to be extended about 8mm from infinity to reach 1 meter)
Choice of four apertures, f8-11-16-22, you could use a rotating disc with waterhouse stops.
Two speed shutter, a 'slow' speed of 1/25 and a 'fast' speed of 1/100 and a 'B' setting.
Fitted with a standard PC socket for flash.
Fitted for a standard mechanical cable release.
regular 1/4-20 tripod thread.
Cover for red window.
Lens threaded for some common filter size, say 49mm.
A slightly wide lens, just a bit, say 85mm for 6X9. Single element, molded aspheric.

You see, I have it all figured out, now all I have to have is a very, VERY big pile of money to put it into production.........right.

baachitraka · Dec 24, 2017

Curious: Are there any good box cameras with meniscus lens, that performs just like Diana (old) if not like new Diana/Holga?

Peltigera · Dec 24, 2017

blockend said:
Most modern looking box camera? Eye level but in the box camera spirit, and made until 1966: http://www.brownie-camera.com/49.shtml

My first camera aged 10. Still have it.

blockend · Dec 24, 2017

baachitraka said:
Interesting and what exactly is adding elements behind lens and I am sure you do not mean close focus diopters.

http://elekm.net/pages/cameras/boxtengor.htm

Sirius Glass · Dec 24, 2017

baachitraka said:
Curious: Are there any good box cameras with meniscus lens, that performs just like Diana (old) if not like new Diana/Holga?

There are several disposable cameras that take quiet good photographs. The Kodak ones have the best lens. By the way they are recycled.

blockend · Dec 25, 2017

baachitraka said:
Curious: Are there any good box cameras with meniscus lens, that performs just like Diana (old) if not like new Diana/Holga?

Many old camera lenses are uncorrected in one way or another. Their sharpness and other characteristics, are determined by type and age. Roughly speaking, an uncoated single element meniscus lens exhibits the most flaws, followed by two element types, then triplets, then various configurations of multi-element lenses.

Box cameras generally came with a meniscus lens, but operated at an optimum aperture and focal point. Cheap point and shoot cameras often use a plastic 3-element lens, some of which are quite sharp, others less so, the fun is discovering what they can do.

Film is completely democratic as to the optic through which light passes, there is no better or worse, just appropriate or inappropriate for the task.

removed account4 · Dec 25, 2017

ciniframe said:
Well....lets not get carried away. The idea is limited simplicity. It's got to be affordable, (although even if they cost $100 the cost of film and processing would soon exceed that ) I mention the figure of $100 because I feel that is the upper limit of what the market would tolerate. Really, I think $100 would be a hard sell unless they had a few "luxury" features, such as;
Scale focusing to 1 meter. ( a 85mm lens would have to be extended about 8mm from infinity to reach 1 meter)
Choice of four apertures, f8-11-16-22, you could use a rotating disc with waterhouse stops.
Two speed shutter, a 'slow' speed of 1/25 and a 'fast' speed of 1/100 and a 'B' setting.
Fitted with a standard PC socket for flash.
Fitted for a standard mechanical cable release.
regular 1/4-20 tripod thread.
Cover for red window.
Lens threaded for some common filter size, say 49mm.
A slightly wide lens, just a bit, say 85mm for 6X9. Single element, molded aspheric.

You see, I have it all figured out, now all I have to have is a very, VERY big pile of money to put it into production.........right.

LOL
i know me too
( been thinking of this project for about 15 years )

baachitraka · Dec 25, 2017

I am quite impressed about the photos from Agfa Clack with flipped lens. Wanted to try Agfa Click I and see how things go, because I do not have an enlarger for 6x9.

ciniframe · Dec 25, 2017

baachitraka said:
I am quite impressed about the photos from Agfa Clack with flipped lens. Wanted to try Agfa Click I and see how things go, because I do not have an enlarger for 6x9.

Well, 6X9 make a fair contact print, big enough to see what's what, and even trim out and stick in a album.

Chuckwade87 · Dec 25, 2017

I just picked up a Tengor 55 myself for 30$ it's worth it.

I look forward to working with its limited capabilities, (compared with the more modern 35mm slr and rangefinder cameras ), I enjoy the challenges shooting with these very basic types of cameras. And I usually learn something along the way....

I never bought into the Diana craze, however I do own the camera it was copied from, the Agfa Isoly (mine is the III, with the f3.9 lens). The agfa lens on it is incredibly sharp.

ciniframe · Dec 26, 2017

Chuckwade87 said:
I just picked up a Tengor 55 myself for 30$ it's worth it.

I look forward to working with its limited capabilities, (compared with the more modern 35mm slr and rangefinder cameras ), I enjoy the challenges shooting with these very basic types of cameras. And I usually learn something along the way....

I never bought into the Diana craze, however I do own the camera it was copied from, the Agfa Isoly (mine is the III, with the f3.9 lens). The agfa lens on it is incredibly sharp.

Picked up a model III at a flea market 4 years ago. Shamefully I've only ran a couple of rolls through it so far. Too many cameras, too little time.

baachitraka · Dec 30, 2017

Are there any 35mm box cameras? or any 6x6?

blockend · Dec 30, 2017

baachitraka said:
Are there any 35mm box cameras? or any 6x6?

Numerous 6 x 6 box cameras, can't think of any 35mm ones. 35mm required moderately sharp lenses for enlargement, roll film less so. Early box camera shots were often contact printed, which required less resolution.

baachitraka · Dec 30, 2017

Tengor has arrived today. Opened it and cleaned the mirror and viewing lens. Wow, what a marvelous piece of engineering.

Sirius Glass · Dec 30, 2017

baachitraka said:
Are there any 35mm box cameras? or any 6x6?

6x6 ===> Kodak Brownie Hawkeye for one.

baachitraka · Dec 30, 2017

But the film size is 620...

Sirius Glass · Dec 30, 2017

baachitraka said:
Are there any 35mm box cameras? or any 6x6?

Sirius Glass said:
6x6 ===> Kodak Brownie Hawkeye for one.

baachitraka said:
But the film size is 620...

Which is the same width as 120, only the spool diameter is smaller. The negative is the same size.

ciniframe · Dec 31, 2017

baachitraka said:
Are there any 35mm box cameras? or any 6x6?

In 35mm the closest in concept, if not shape, would be the simple 126 cameras. A square format on 35mm wide film, 28X28mm if I recall correctly. Very simple camera with a single element plastic lens, about 40mm, fixed focus and one aperture, usually f11 and one shutter speed, about 1/100th sec., (although when using flash bulbs it was changed to 1/40th sec). Standard album print size was 3.5 X 3.5 inches with border. No more than a 3X enlargement. Kodak introduced 126 in 1963 and sold the type up to about 1988. There are still folks lamenting the discontinuation of 126 film about 2008.

Box Cameras

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