Most Useless MF Vintage Camera?

[Ray Morgenweck]

There a Ton of great vintage Cameras out there are a few not even worth considering using today. Here’s a piece of junk only made worse by wanting 616 film, The Ansco Clipper. (Any More? ;-). Ps I don’t own this POS I took image off net

 

[Sirius Glass]

Somewhere some of those cameras are protecting shelves from dust. At one time the camera was loved and cherished, so aren't you being unfair?

 

[Rick A]

The "most useless" medium (or any) format camera is the one you never use. So long as they are capable of making an image, they all have some degree usefulness.

 

[GRHazelton]

I'd imagine that any number of antique/junque shops offer such cameras at absurd prices.

 

[Kino]

Someone will fit a Instax back to it and it will be the darling of the ball...

 

[awty]

So whats wrong with the camera? Looks fine to me.You can get spool adapters to use 120 film, although would be good to use 616 film. Picture doesnt care what the camera looks like.

 

[Sirius Glass]

So whats wrong with the camera? Looks fine to me.You can get spool adapters to use 120 film, although would be good to use 616 film. Picture doesnt care what the camera looks like.

There is nothing wrong with camera, the problem is the user.

 

[cdowell]

Meter's probably off.

 

[awty]

There is nothing wrong with camera, the problem is the user.

I modeled my 14 x 17 camera on the same principle, a sliding inner box. Now Im going to be too embarrassed to show anyone. What was I thinking?? The Clipper is beautiful in comparison.

 

[BAC1967]

There's plenty of medium format toy cameras like that, they can be a lot of fun to use. My favorite is the Kodak Brownie Hawkeye, especially with the lens flipped.

Kodak Brownie Hawkeye Flash Painted Red and Yellow by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Riley Closeup by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

 

[Paul Howell]

These consumer grade cameras made millions if not billions of family and vacation photos. These were the days with most American had less than a high school education, they needed a point and shoot with a reasonable sized negative as prints were contact printed. A worthless camera was camera you could not afford or understand how to use.

 

[Sirius Glass]

These consumer grade cameras made millions if not billions of family and vacation photos. These were the days with most American had less than a high school education, they needed a point and shoot with a reasonable sized negative as prints were contact printed. A worthless camera was camera you could not afford or understand how to use.

Those cameras and lousy photographs paid for research & development and corporate growth at Kodak and Ansco.

 

[moto-uno]

^ And look what that got us . Peter

 

[Ariston]

I'd imagine that any number of antique/junque shops offer such cameras at absurd prices.

So true. Insane prices for unusable cameras for which film doesn't even exist...

 

[mgb74]

These "consumer" cameras, from the early Kodak box cameras to the Instamatics to (yes) cell phones, took pictures of grandparents and parents. Babies and siblings. Spouses, friends, lovers, and just plain old acquaintances. And pets of course. They recorded momentous events and the commonplace. Anyone who has enjoyed going through an old shoebox of photos can tell you they aren't useless. Of course, the photos we take with cell phones will likely be lost.

 

[removed account4]

View attachment 232535 There a Ton of great vintage Cameras out there are a few not even worth considering using today. Here’s a piece of junk only made worse by wanting 616 film, The Ansco Clipper. (Any More? ;-). Ps I don’t own this POS I took image off net

hassy, rollei, mamiya, bronica &c

 

[mshchem]

Those cameras and lousy photographs paid for research & development and corporate growth at Kodak and Ansco.

BINGO!

Instax is 80 -90 cents a shot, Impossible 3 bucks. The real savior of film, if it happens, will be the mass market amateur.

 

[1L6E6VHF]

There's plenty of medium format toy cameras like that, they can be a lot of fun to use. My favorite is the Kodak Brownie Hawkeye, especially with the lens flipped.

Kodak Brownie Hawkeye Flash Painted Red and Yellow by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Riley Closeup by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Love that paint job!

But I'll take the lens unflipped, thank you.

 

[John51]

I'd say the Kodak Chevron. All the hassles of the Medalist and the glass is not as good. Collectors only as there is no point to using one.

 

[Rick A]

Another thread that's 100% OP opinion backed by 0% facts, for what purpose? I suppose that when you have a very low post count you desire relevance. Then again, throw the grenade and don't return to participate, a troll?
Here's fact, even this Clipper is not useless, though the front no longer pulls out, the hinge is rusted and the back sprung so it no longer closes, nor even the shutter functional, it serves some purpose to me.
My son found it in the Gunnison River on a fishing trip we took, memories.

 

[GRHazelton]

I modeled my 14 x 17 camera on the same principle, a sliding inner box. Now Im going to be too embarrassed to show anyone. What was I thinking?? The Clipper is beautiful in comparison.

Focusing? The Clipper don't need no stinkin' focusing! I looked up the Clipper 16 on Mike Butkus' Orphan Camera. The "16" looks to be the same thing in 127 film size; the inner box allows the lens (a doublet! universal focus!) to slide into the camera body. Wowzer!

 

[AgX]

Love that paint job!

Me too!

First I even thought it was a pecial version sprayed by Kodak this way...
(Brownies are practically non-existant in Germany, all samples I know came from abroad.)

 

[xya]

the most useless cameras are those which sit in "collector"'s shelves and will never be used. this includes the most expensive ones, too expensive to be taken outside...

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I wouldn't think a company would make a useless camera. I would imagine that had many parameters for designing a camera. These include film available for the camera and has to be priced so people could afford one along with ease of use.

 

[summicron1]

Most useless? I'd say one of those solid gold Hassleblads/Leicas/Rolleis/whatever, that cost a grazillion dollars and can't even collect dust well because it will mar the finish.

Box cameras like the clipper actually, within their limitations, did a great job, and nobody was ever afraid to use them.