Mystery Camera #3

PGraham3 · Dec 1, 2017

Howdy, APUG!
I'm pretty sure this photo was taken during the Korean War, and the camera looks like a Nikon S Rangefinder. However, still not 100% convinced. What do you all think? Also, what lens is that? Super cool lens!
Thanks!
-Paul

E. von Hoegh · Dec 1, 2017

Contax II, 13.5 cm f:4 Zeiss Sonnar.
I'm thinking WWII.

Theo Sulphate · Dec 1, 2017

...and .30 M1 Carbine.

E. von Hoegh · Dec 1, 2017

Theo Sulphate said:
...and .30 M1 Carbine.

Yup. Something makes me think "southern Italy". Black shade on the Sonnar, too, as well as a Zeiss multifocus finder.

PGraham3 · Dec 1, 2017

So awesome!

Theo Sulphate · Dec 1, 2017

E. von Hoegh said:
Yup. Something makes me think "southern Italy". ...

Good call. The soldier's uniform is what I would expect for the warmer weather of southern Italy.

E. von Hoegh · Dec 2, 2017

PGraham3 said:
So awesome!

"Awesome"??
Not by lightyears.
Seeing Vesuvius erupt, probably. "Aluminum overcast", probably. Identifying a camera and lens examples of which sit on the nearby shelf as I type this, no, not awesome.

E. von Hoegh · Dec 2, 2017

Theo Sulphate said:
Good call. The soldier's uniform is what I would expect for the warmer weather of southern Italy.

Thanks. I was also looking at the masonry, particularly off the soldier's left - the high wall with small window - and believe it or not the light. Could also be southern France, but I still think Italy.
I wonder was the Contax booty, or was he a pro or official photographer? A Contax was about half the cost of a new small car, Willie and Joe couldn't afford one.

AgX · Dec 2, 2017

Such Contax was used by german military photographers.

cooltouch · Dec 2, 2017

There was essentially no difference in the uniforms worn by US GIs during the Korean conflict. And the .30 M1 Carbine was a very commonly issued long gun. My dad served in Korea from 1952 to 1954. Here's a shot of four of my dad's friends when they were stationed in Korea. Note the cameras. Yes, every one of them is carrying a camera. The guy second from the right -- his camera isn't visible, but the camera's strap is. Those guys took cameras with them everywhere they went -- even on guard duty!

One of Dad's friends on guard duty, leaning against a shot-up wall, with M1 Carbine and ever-present camera

Brick buildings were also a common sight in Korea at that time. My dad took a number of shots of bombed out brick buildings that look a lot like that one above. For example:

I agree that it might be a Nikon rangefinder. They were becoming popular by the time of the Korean War.

Here's a nice, well-preserved Kodachrome of some of my dad's buds. Note their uniforms. Quick, how many cameras are in this picture?

AgX · Dec 2, 2017

More impressive than the brick walls I find those pieces of corrugated steel. But by then such got widespread too.

E. von Hoegh · Dec 2, 2017

cooltouch said:
There was essentially no difference in the uniforms worn by US GIs during the Korean conflict. And the .30 M1 Carbine was a very commonly issued long gun. Brick buildings were also a common sight in Korea at that time. My dad was in Korea and I have photos he took showing bombed out brick buildings that look a lot like that one. For example:

I agree that it might be a Nikon rangefinder. They were becoming popular by the time of the Korean War.

Here's a nice, well-preserved Kodachrome of some of my dad's buds. Note their uniforms. Quick, how many cameras are in this picture?

It is without question a Contax.

cooltouch · Dec 2, 2017

If it's a Contax, unless it's war booty, then my vote is for that soldier being in Korea.

E. von Hoegh · Dec 2, 2017

cooltouch said:
If it's a Contax, unless it's war booty, then my vote is for that soldier being in Korea.

Why? Frank Capa photographed D-Day with Rolleis and Contaxes. As far as 35mm system cameras go, the only games in play were Leica and Contax.
As I pointed out above, it would most likely be either war booty or a professional/official photographer.

cooltouch · Dec 2, 2017

But weren't the US pros issued Graflex Pacemakers and Crowns? Well, I know some were because I've seen the kit that was issued during WWII.

So a pro shooting with a Leica or Contax may have obtained it by other, ahem, non-official means?

E. von Hoegh · Dec 2, 2017

cooltouch said:
But weren't the US pros issued Graflex Pacemakers and Crowns? Well, I know some were because I've seen the kit that was issued during WWII.

Pros used whatever they wanted, or whatever their magazine/newspaper bought them. I've seen photos of US Army official photographers using Speeders, folding rollfilm cameras, Ektras, Leicas, Contaxes for 35mm. More than a few using Speeders also had a 35 hanging on their neck as well.

E. von Hoegh · Dec 2, 2017

cooltouch said:
But weren't the US pros issued Graflex Pacemakers and Crowns? Well, I know some were because I've seen the kit that was issued during WWII.

So a pro shooting with a Leica or Contax may have obtained it by other, ahem, non-official means?

Like buying it at a store in New York City? Or having had it since before the war? Leicas and Contaxes were going for a large premium in the US during WWII.

Hey, maybe it is Korea. In that case it might be a Kiev with a Jupiter 11.
I still vote for WWII/southern Italy. In which case it's not a Kiev.

Theo Sulphate · Dec 2, 2017

PGraham3, where did you get the photo?

AgX · Dec 2, 2017

E. von Hoegh said:
As I pointed out above, it would most likely be either war booty or a professional/official photographer.

Couldn't it be both?
A US military photographer wanting to work in "german style" and had the chance to get a kit confiscated from a german counterpart?

E. von Hoegh · Dec 2, 2017

AgX said:
Couldn't it be both?
A US military photographer wanting to work in "german style" and had the chance to get a kit confiscated from a german counterpart?

Yes it could, but I was going for the most plausible scenario.

Mystery Camera #3

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