First Annual International Commie Camera Day 2009

ElitaOne · Apr 4, 2009

Calling all owners of communist-built cameras! If you own a Kiev, Fed, Smena, Vilia, Zorki, Zenit, or any of the plethora of commie built cameras, perhaps you would be interested in joining us for a fun day shooting on May Day (May 1st) this year for the first annual International Commie Cam Day 2009.

Regardless of which format you prefer to shoot, if the camera is linked to a commie nation, you are welcome participate in the day. For more info, please check out our Flickr group at:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/1060189@N22/

Our group enjoys a lot of tongue-in-cheek fun and is quite blatant about enabling to buy commie cams. So if you suffer GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) there is no refuge there.

There are also plans for another event in Oktober, so the fun is not over after May Day.

alanrockwood · Apr 4, 2009

Does Exakta count as a commie camera?

ElitaOne · Apr 4, 2009

alanrockwood said:
Does Exakta count as a commie camera?

Yes! Exaktas are very much welcome.

David Brown · Apr 4, 2009

Well, I own a Zorki, but it doesn't work, of course; so there ya are ...

ElitaOne · Apr 4, 2009

Ah, too bad. You can still celebrate the day by taking the Zorki out and just shoot it.

Better yet, use the event as an excuse to buy a new old commie cam!

Ian Grant · Apr 4, 2009

Is this not rather politically incorrect.

If you were to hold a "First Annual International US Camera Day" you'd find the range of cameras (35mm & 120) was equally if not worse made in quite a few cases. Retina's etc aren't American as they were made in Germany.

I've owned and used a few FSU/East German camera's and they have been good capable, reliable camera's you can't say that of Argus Bricks.

Ian

Anthony Lewis · Apr 4, 2009

There is a very painful and specialized form of GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome), known amongst psychiatrists as ANAL - Always Need Another Lens. When you suffer from both GAS and ANAL, you really have problems. My psychiatrist says I will die of it.

2F/2F · Apr 4, 2009

Ian Grant said:
Is this not rather politically incorrect.

If you were to hold a "First Annual International US Camera Day" you'd find the range of cameras (35mm & 120) was equally if not worse made in quite a few cases. Retina's etc aren't American as they were made in Germany.

I've owned and used a few FSU/East German camera's and they have been good capable, reliable camera's you can't say that of Argus Bricks.

Ian

1. Did you not mean to use a question mark instead of a period to punctuate your first sentence.

2. Perhaps it would decrease the political incorrectness you sense if you look up the word "humor" in the dictionary.

3. It would be First Annual International Capitalist Camera Day, not First Annual International U.S. Camera Day.

4. Nobody has said that these camera are bad.

IMO, the exercise promotes exactly the opposite of everything about which you seem upset. (Or are you just being humorous?) It makes fun of people who use the term "commie" in all seriousness, shows what can be done with cameras that sometimes get an undeserved bad rap, and encourages their use and the use of film in general.

If I were to make a sensible criticism of the idea, it would be: Why just one day? Just use the cameras whenever you want to! Nonetheless, I hope everyone has fun, gets some good pix, and gains inspiration to shoot *any* film camera even more.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go announce the First Annual International National Socialist Camera Day, since I apparently need a stupid Internet-based excuse to shoot my Leica IIIa.

Chazzy · Apr 4, 2009

I've been watching the Flickr group with interest. I think that the day will be a lot of fun. I haven't decided yet whether to use my Mokva 5 or the Ercona II. Probably the former.

Changeling1 · Apr 4, 2009

Reminds me ... An Armenian kid in my former Hollywood neighborhood (aka Little Armenia) gave me a 1984 Olympics edition Kiev RF when his family made the big move to Glendale- the ultimate destination for Armenian immigrants in California. The little camera works great and is one of my favorites because of its sentimental value. Thanks for reminding me of Karo and his family- even though your event's name "Commie Camera Day" has a rather hateful ring to it. :confused:

Uhner · Apr 4, 2009

Excellent, I even have a few rolls of Fortepan left that I can use. But can someone give me some pointers on how to load a Zenith S so the film does not curl, tear and generally gum up the camera?

Otherwise I have to dig out my Praktica LLC with the Pentacon Electric 50mm

Domenico Foschi · Apr 4, 2009

Anthony Lewis said:
There is a very painful and specialized form of GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome), known amongst psychiatrists as ANAL - Always Need Another Lens. When you suffer from both GAS and ANAL, you really have problems. My psychiatrist says I will die of it.

Some recent studies have found out that GAS is actually the next stage of ANAL.
In few words you cannot have GAS without ANAL.

ElitaOne · Apr 4, 2009

Oh dear! I was not aware of the ANAL situation...

Ian Grant · Apr 5, 2009

ElitaOne, it's that very gung ho word "Commie" that's odd but I'll accept it's very difficult to come up with a name and FSU isn't particularly meaningful either.

But the word "Commie" was always used as a derogatory term during McCarthyism and the Vietnam & Cold War, and despite 2F2F's comments I rather think this comment sums up what I was alluding to very well:

Changeling1 said:
Thanks for reminding me of Karo and his family- even though your event's name "Commie Camera Day" has a rather hateful ring to it. :confused:

The sentiments behind your project/idea are fine.

Ian

Andy K · Apr 5, 2009

I think that these days too many people spend too much time looking for excuses to be 'offended'. I take no offense at being referred to as a 'Brit' even though I consider myself English. I take no offense at the frequent portrayal of 'Brits' as being snaggle-toothed upper-class twits, or being used as the 'bad guy' in every action film to be made in Hollywood or speaking with a Dick van Dyke accent.

So FFS people, stop being so bloody oversensitive.

Great idea for a camera day, should I use my Zorki, Zenit or Lomo LC-A?

perkeleellinen · Apr 5, 2009

Will anybody be using Tasma, Svema or Orwo film?

(wasn't there also a Romanian film manufacturer?)

benjiboy · Apr 5, 2009

Taken to It's logical conclusion I have a 1936 Zeiss Contax, Are they going to hold a Nazi camera day on Hitlers birthday?.

benjiboy · Apr 5, 2009

Domenico Foschi said:
Some recent studies have found out that GAS is actually the next stage of ANAL.
In few words you cannot have GAS without ANAL.

The next time I have anal gas, I'll express it at my own convenience, not at APUG

Chris Nielsen · Apr 5, 2009

benjiboy said:
Taken to It's logical conclusion I have a 1936 Zeiss Contax, Are they going to hold a Nazi camera day on Hitlers birthday?.

I imagine my 50's Rolleicord was built by former Nazi party members, so I could crack that out if it makes you feel better

benjiboy · Apr 5, 2009

Chris Nielsen said:
I imagine my 50's Rolleicord was built by former Nazi party members, so I could crack that out if it makes you feel better

No Chris, that's not allowed , if they allowed that the event would be oversubscribed.

ElitaOne · Apr 5, 2009

benjiboy said:
The next time I have anal gas, I'll express it at my own convenience, not at APUG

ROFL!!!

For all those who've made mention of the group's - I'm only the news bearer. I did not create the group, neither did I take any part of creating its name. The biggest fault you can blame me with is taking advantage of the event to buy a couple of Russian made cameras. (My expression of GAS, if you will. It was inflicted at Flickr, not here.)

Removed Account · Apr 5, 2009

Perhaps a Canuck Camera Day is in order, for those using Canadian built Kodaks and Leicas! (anything else?)

ElitaOne · Apr 5, 2009

Canuck Camera Day! Love it!

Trask · Apr 5, 2009

Hey, Andy, look on the good side -- every American thinks that the Romans spoke English with a British accent!

Ole · Apr 5, 2009

I'll load up my FED with EFKE KB25 to shoot the parades,

Yes, we have parades here in social-democrat Norway. I have never participated myself, since while I'm a socialist I'm not a "worker" and never have been.

First Annual International Commie Camera Day 2009

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