Old Cameras in Old Movies

Theo Sulphate · Nov 12, 2018

I think that sometimes the person who is responsible for providing props is actually a camera enthusiast.

AgX · Nov 12, 2018

For the movies I hinted at, I would not say so, unless the movie is about photography. In one movie it seems to have been a case of product placement.
In the last movie I hinted at all the photo scenes are of no interest to the plot at all. Thus for no obvious reason one character was depicted as (semi-)professional photographer sporting even two cameras the same time. That one was a brand-new, the other an old one makes senses as the old one was the only spread winder camera and it was a scene with action.

Helios 1984 · Nov 12, 2018

Bill Murray with a Brooks-Veriwide in Ghostbuster II.

AgX · Nov 14, 2018

Leitz Panphot photomicroscope

"Achtung! Feind hört mit!" (Warning! Enemy is listening!) Germany, spy/propaganda-movie 1940

Intro-cene at research lab of german wire manufacturer.

As a side note: the hallway of that lab is emmitting "invisible rays that are´destroying the silver layer of any photographic exposure".

AgX · Nov 15, 2018

Osram Vacublitz flash-bulb

used without reflector, in B-mode with triggering the bulb at its holder.

(from sam spy-movie from above)

The camera used for spying

macfred · Nov 15, 2018

Helios 1984 said:
Bill Murray with a Brooks-Veriwide in Ghostbuster II.

So nice - this one was made by Plaubel with a Schneider lens. Would like to have one ...

AgX · Nov 15, 2018

Bolex H16 F25
with horizontal grip and Gossen Lunasix meter with hardcase

"Das Wirtshaus von Dartmoore" (The Darmoore Tavern) West-Germany, crime movie 1964

AgX · Nov 19, 2018

Mamiya Press Camera
w. rollfilm back and (likely) Elektronik Cornet flash

forensic photography at corps location

"Der Kommissar" episode "Der Tote im Regen" (The dead Man in the Rain) West-Germany, TV crime series 1969

AgX · Nov 19, 2018

Debrie Parvo L

"The Man with the Movie Camera" USSR , 1929

The title says it all...

Europan · Nov 20, 2018

AgX said:
Bolex H16 F25 with horizontal grip and Gossen Lunasix meter with hardcase

Paillard-Bolex H 16 Reflex-2 with at least two Schneider lenses, the RX Xenon 25-1.4 and the Tele-Xenar 75-2.8. The third and actual taking lens is too little visible.

AgX · Nov 20, 2018

Yes, the Bolex finder is a reflex finder. The photos I looked at for comparison have the wrong caption. My fault not to have realized that. (Better to check with original ads, broshures or manuals...)

AgX · Nov 23, 2018

2 filmlights driven by 2 battery packs
(I am unaware of the make, maybe someone knows)

Used on location as fill-in for fashion photography with Rolleiflex TLR.

"Der Kommisar" episode "Kellner Windeck" , West-Germany , TV crime-series 1971

AgX · Nov 26, 2018

Exakta Varex
w. WL finder and unidentified electronic flash

Used for forensic crime scene photography.
At oblique downward photography a WL finder gets impractical. One at least could hold up the camera above ones head, with the lens facing down. Instead the photographer in this case used the plain frame finder. Hard to imagine at about 1m focusing distance even with flash. Hard to imagine anyway at a crime scene not using a prism finder, or in this case have both finders at hand.

The movie shows further:

Land camera model 80
Leitz Panphot photomicroscope
Goldmann-Herlangon ULF camera in portrait studio
Praktina
Praktica FX with unknown bulb flash
Meopta Optirex epidiascope
another electronic flash w. generator
Meopta Multifax 6x9 enlarger
Meopta Axomat 35mm enlarger
several scenes outside and inside walk-in photo-studio

In the introductory scene the protagonist seemingly packs both Type-120/127 and -135 films, but only got one camera with him... (But one of the boxes has a weird text, so I might be complety off.)

"Strach" (Fear) crime movie , CSSR , 1963

AgX · Nov 26, 2018

Here the Land camera model 80 from above czechoslovakian movie:
Used by a police detective himself at corps location.

The camera is not operated right, but instead the film chamber is opened and a ready-made positive is taken out !

Theo Sulphate · Nov 26, 2018

AgX said:
...
The camera is not operated right, but instead the film chamber is opened and a ready-made positive is taken out !
...

I am certain Dr. Edwin Land saw this movie and was influenced to develop integral film for the SX-70 nine years later.

AgX · Nov 26, 2018

But I better not imagine someone from Linhof of Gitzo watched "Peeping Tom" back then....

AgX · Nov 29, 2018

For the unknown SLR I think I am very clos by saying Minolta SR-7, though at the left side of a the cover that seenms rather a circular cap, than a rectangular bulge as in the SR-7.

summicron1 · Nov 29, 2018

In "Thunderball" James Bond uses an early Nikonos I to shoot underwater pics, although he uses it wrong, it doesn't really shoot rapid fire pics when you push the rewind knob.

It also does not, as shown later in the film, double as a radiation detector, nor will the lens fall off if the bad guy just slaps it out of the pretty girl's hands.

But: Nikonos.

Sirius Glass · Nov 29, 2018

AgX said:
For the unknown SLR I think I am very clos by saying Minolta SR-7, though at the left side of a the cover that seenms rather a circular cap, than a rectangular bulge as in the SR-7.

The SR-7 has an unique circular light meter on the right side of the front of the camera.nt lever.

AgX · Nov 29, 2018

Not unique as the Canon FX has got the same.

The only difference between those two cameras in context of that still is the cap at the left small side.

Diapositivo · Nov 30, 2018

I'd say it's a Canon FX because it is possible to perceive the black plastic hot contact for the flash at the top-back of the pentaprism, near the front of the photographer. Also, the hinge of the Minolta pentaprism is not visible and the slight greyish circle on the pentaprism seems to be the capital C of canon (with a bit of fantasy ).

Roger Wade · Nov 30, 2018

You are a stickler for detail;-)

I am also a collector of watches and it is the same thing in films. I recently watched The American and his Speedmaster beeps ;-)

summicron1 said:
In "Thunderball" James Bond uses an early Nikonos I to shoot underwater pics, although he uses it wrong, it doesn't really shoot rapid fire pics when you push the rewind knob.

It also does not, as shown later in the film, double as a radiation detector, nor will the lens fall off if the bad guy just slaps it out of the pretty girl's hands.

But: Nikonos.

cooltouch · Nov 30, 2018

I'd have to agree about the Canon FX. The shape of the pentaprism with that flat front face shouts classic Canon to me. There's a good pic of one here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_FX

AgX · Dec 2, 2018

"Какая у вас улыбка" (I guess: Please Smile) comedy , USSR , 1974

Zenit 1

used for streetphotography

The guy takes it even at his work.
(hanging in ever-ready case on the ladder):

In his private darkroom he does an enlargement by projecting onto paper on the ground and processing by sponge with the paper on a board standing upright in the tray:

Further to see:

GOMZ FK 13x18 field camera (in studio) with wooden film/plate holder

GOMZ FKR 30x40 studio camera

and 4 sorts of studio-lights

AgX · Dec 2, 2018

Moskva 2 or 4

"Tри процента риска" (Three Percent Risk) test-pilot drama USSR , 1984

Old Cameras in Old Movies

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