The Kodak H35 half frame camera

[MattKing]

Kodak is about the only major camera manufacturer that did not make a half-frame camera. For Pete's Sake,, even Leica did.

The reason? Half-frames were very hot once. I guess they thought it meant they would sell less film.

I have a funny feeling that they were spending their time coming up with 126 film instead - and the number of 126 cameras made was vastly greater than the number of half-frame 35mm cameras.
There was slightly more overlap between the eras of half-frame 35mm and 828 cameras. I wonder how those numbers compared?

 

[busrider]

I think the marketing is probably a collaboration between Eastman Kodak - who own the trademark rights - and the manufacturer and more direct seller, RETO Production Ltd., who license the mark.

Right, it is not Koda|< it is someone else. Would be pretty silly if they did not advertise things with their logo on it, but they did shoot themselves in the foot over and over again so it is plausible.

 

[AgX]

Kodak is about the only major camera manufacturer that did not make a half-frame camera. For Pete's Sake,, even Leica did.

The reason? Half-frames were very hot once. I guess they thought it meant they would sell less film.

Well, even Agfa made half-frame cameras.

But likely due to being just modified full-frame models, they did not sell well, and after three years Agfa gave up on half-frame for good.

 

[MattKing]

Eastman Kodak were a ground breaking and great manufacturer, and still manufacture great versions of the products they still make.
But more than anything, their genius and the reason for their success was due to their marketing. Most of their employees were in their marketing and distribution divisions.
They are a tiny remnant of what they once were, but if they are going to continue to exist and supply photographic film, they and their partners and collaborators will have to be successful in their marketing efforts - all of them.

 

[xkaes]

Looks like Kodak is trying to play "catch up" with LOMOGRAPHY.

 

[xkaes]

Well, even Agfa made half-frame cameras.

But likely due to being just modified full-frame models, they did not sell well, and after three years Agfa gave up on half-frame for good.

If you are referring to the Agfa Parat line of half-frame cameras, you are "half" right.

Agfa (an German camera manufacturer) and Ansco (an American camera manufacturer) joined forces in 1928 and made a wide variety of cameras over a period of many years. Some of these cameras are labeled "AGFA", some "ANSCO", some "AGFA ANSCO", and others "GAF" (an abbreviation for the merged company "General Aniline & Film Corp.).

One of their first joint cameras was a completely redesigned Ansco Memo in 1939. The orginal Ansco Memo was a half-frame, box camera, while the new Agfa Ansco Memo, of 1939, was a full-frame, folding-bed camera and did not bear any resemblance to the original Ansco Memo -- to the confusion of many. The next year, 1940, Agfa Ansco came out with a half-frame model of this new folding camera. This new half-frame version was also called the Agfa Ansco Memo -- which further confused the situation.

Agfa was involved in the production & marketing of numerous half-frame cameras -- with names (in addition to those above) such as Gatling, Standard, Revue, Ricoh, Nicnon & Teleca.

 

[AgX]

Good point.
But when I use the term "Agfa cameras" I mean the ones designed and manufactured in Germany, the american ones I just designate as "Ansco" , more so as the cooperation in the USA existed for only 13 years, and "Agfa" cameras were marketed worldwide, but the "Ansco" ones only in part of the Americas (as far as I know), over here they are unknown.

As far as I can see Agfa-Ansco was not even mentioned by Agfa in their german PR publications from that period.

 

[AgX]

Agfa was involved in the production & marketing of numerous half-frame cameras -- with names (in addition to those above) such as Gatling, Standard, Revue, Ricoh, Nicnon & Teleca.

Revue was not a manufacturer, but a brand for photo products of the west-german mail-order department-store Quelle.
And the only Agfa camera branded as Revue was an Agfamatic type 110 model from the 70's.

Or was there something Revue from the USA?

 

[Cholentpot]

Argus, Exakta, and Zenit are three other "hysterical" names that have been used by Seagull to produce some -- actually very good -- cameras:

View attachment 307921

Hey Mister! There's something wrong with your Argus!

 

[xkaes]

 

[foc]

I think the Kodak H35 is reasonably priced and good value for money. You are getting a new (ok plastic) camera.
I did a quick Google search and in my location, I found the following.

• Ilford Sprite 35II €45 / $47 / £39
• Easypix 35 €40 / $42 / £35
• Harman EZ35 with HP5 36exp film €59 / $62 / £51
• Agfaphoto reusable €30 / $32 / £26

 

[Huss]

Has anyone pre-ordered one of these new cameras being marketed by Kodak?
I like the retro 126 looks of the front of the camera and the price appears very good US$49.99 / €47.50 / £40.50

View attachment 307911

https://retopro.co/collections/all

https://petapixel.com/2022/05/26/the-kodak-ektar-h35-shoots-two-photos-per-frame-of-35mm-film/

Styling wise, those look fantastic and will draw customers. Is $50 too expensive? No - it is a new camera that you can buy at a retail store and/or Amazon etc with zero effort, instead of hunting down a used camera and dealing with all those issues. Remember this is targeted at newbies. I have seen plenty ripped off by unscrupulous sellers pawning off broken cameras to them in the past.

In that one recent thread where that kid just jumped in to complain about film prices, then disappeared, I mentioned, as I often do, the best way to deal with it is to shoot half frame if you are doing this 'just for fun'. This new camera directly aims at that, which is excellent because it will keep part-time hobbyists using film, instead of leaving due to cost.

For $20 I bought a new Agat 18K which tiny and fun to use, plus you can adjust the exposure and focus. But I would not really recommend it to a novice as it is very fiddly to use, very fiddly to load the film, you need to have a basic understanding of film speed and exposure, and the VF is pretty crappy with indistinct frame lines. But it can make some sweet pics!

 

[Huss]

 

[Bronson Dugnutt]

The front 'filter thread' on the H35 almost looks like it could fit a push-on accessory lens like the Polaroid 520 set. Those and some color/ND filters can do a lot to expand the capabilities of a such simple camera in the hands of a knowledgeable user.

Plenty of room for features, so hopefully the first in a series of more advanced cameras if film remains a popular medium.

The downside being of course that cameras like the H35 and Agat 18K require film loaded into the the rare and expensive 'Leica' cassette

 

[unwantedfocus]

Does anybody have the camera yet? Despite a lot of negative feedback it seems like a cool point and shoot, waiting for some reviews, if they are positive I would buy it. In the article it states it will be a two-element optical acrylic prime lens: a 22mm f/9.5. If the lens could be closed and opened with a sliding door or something similar the acrylic lens would be more protected, I fear it will scratch in my pocket.

 

[Bronson Dugnutt]

Does anybody have the camera yet? Despite a lot of negative feedback it seems like a cool point and shoot, waiting for some reviews, if they are positive I would buy it. In the article it states it will be a two-element optical acrylic prime lens: a 22mm f/9.5. If the lens could be closed and opened with a sliding door or something similar the acrylic lens would be more protected, I fear it will scratch in my pocket.

Still a pre-order as far as I know, but the fulfillment dates are listed on the website.

Reto's previous model is effectively the same optics but full-frame. A vertical crop from the center of a frame from that camera should approximate what you'd get from the H35.

 

[AgX]

Remember this is targeted at newbies.

But the question was, if one of us has ordered it.

 

[xkaes]

For $20 I bought a new Agat 18K which tiny and fun to use, plus you can adjust the exposure and focus. But I would not really recommend it to a novice as it is very fiddly to use, very fiddly to load the film, you need to have a basic understanding of film speed and exposure, and the VF is pretty crappy with indistinct frame lines. But it can make some sweet pics!

I see you have the K version of the Agat 18.

It's basically the same camera as the Agat 18 except for the following items. This model appears to be designed, at least originally, for the home market. The name of the camera and the name of the lens appear in Russian, and "CCCP" appears on the back. The film speed is dialed in -- oddly enough ISO markings from 25 - 1600. This is a much wider range that the Agat 18. There is no DIN - ASA conversion scale on the back. The lens cover is black (instead of clear) and is attached to the wrist strap so you can't lose it (nice idea). The f-stop scale is the same but there are seven idiot symbols instead of six (I guess you can be a "finer-tuned" idiot with this version). The main difference between these models is that with the18K, you have the option of using a rapid film cassette system. That is, the take-up spool can be removed and an empty 35mm cassette can be installed instead to take up the film. This makes for quick removal of film, if pairs of cassettes are loaded ahead of time. For the normal shutterbug, it's a pain because the take-up spool is looser than normal in this model and has a tendency to fall over when you are trying to close the camera. But I'd still opt for the Agat 18K over the Agat 18 due to the increased film speed range. Most commonly seen in all black, but a black and yellow model was also made.

 

[Cholentpot]

Styling wise, those look fantastic and will draw customers. Is $50 too expensive? No - it is a new camera that you can buy at a retail store and/or Amazon etc with zero effort, instead of hunting down a used camera and dealing with all those issues. Remember this is targeted at newbies. I have seen plenty ripped off by unscrupulous sellers pawning off broken cameras to them in the past.

In that one recent thread where that kid just jumped in to complain about film prices, then disappeared, I mentioned, as I often do, the best way to deal with it is to shoot half frame if you are doing this 'just for fun'. This new camera directly aims at that, which is excellent because it will keep part-time hobbyists using film, instead of leaving due to cost.

For $20 I bought a new Agat 18K which tiny and fun to use, plus you can adjust the exposure and focus. But I would not really recommend it to a novice as it is very fiddly to use, very fiddly to load the film, you need to have a basic understanding of film speed and exposure, and the VF is pretty crappy with indistinct frame lines. But it can make some sweet pics!

Where'd you find for 20 bucks?

 

[xkaes]

In the article it states it will be a two-element optical acrylic prime lens: a 22mm f/9.5.

I've got to assume that this is the same 22mm lens used in the SUPERHEADZ half-frame cameras. I have never heard of any other half-frame camera using a 22mm lens. The only other camera that I can think of that has a 22mm lens as a normal lens is the original Minolta 16.

 

[xkaes]

Where'd you find for 20 bucks?

Prices for Agat 18 cameras can often be pretty high, but I got my 18 and 18K for under $20 each -- but I wasn't in a rush. MMZ-Belomo, the makers of the Agat, also made the Chaika (Yanka) line a half-frame cameras. While the camera bodies are more typical, the cameras have separate adjustable shutter speeds and f-stops -- and on most models, the lens can be removed and used on an enlarger.

 

[Cholentpot]

Prices for Agat 18 cameras can often be pretty high, but I got my 18 and 18K for under $20 each -- but I wasn't in a rush. MMZ-Belomo, the makers of the Agat, also made the Chaika (Yanka) line a half-frame cameras. While the camera bodies are more typical, the cameras have separate adjustable shutter speeds and f-stops -- and on most models, the lens can be removed and used on an enlarger.

Just gotta hunt one down I guess. Interesting about the Chaika and enlarger.

 

[Chan Tran]

back in the days the cost of film and developing isn't much. The main cost is the printing. Today the cost of film and developing is a much larger portion of the cost. Scanning and printing are relatively cheap today. So today the half frame would save more money than in the old days.

 

[Huss]

Where'd you find for 20 bucks?

Ebay about a year ago. From either Ukraine or Russia. Showed up in a week! But that was then

 

[Huss]

But the question was, if one of us has ordered it.

I’m not going to order it but buy one from my local shop when they get them in. They carry stuff like this. I like to support them.