What's your oddest camera?

[JamesEsq]

My Graflex Model D -- looks like you're puking into a box when taking a pic.

 

[Donald Qualls]

My Graflex Model D -- looks like you're puking into a box when taking a pic.

In fairness, nearly any large or medium format SLR with waist level or chimney finder will give some of that effect.

My new weirdest camera is probably the Graflex Stereo I just picked off the Classifieds here. Clean as can be except for a very badly fogged viewfinder, shutter(s) and aperture(s) appear to work correctly. Takes two square frames at a time on 35 mm, so should get 24 pairs on a 36 exposure roll. Looking forward to getting the viewfinder cleaned up and trying it -- I love stereo images, but I've been a little disappointed in my Discovery Channel stereo cam (uses mirrors to put two half-frame images on a single 35 mm frame) -- the mirror alignment isn't perfect so the images are a couple degrees off parallel. No mirrors in this Graflex Stereo.

 

[Paul Howell]

My oddest camera is my first 35mm - a Kowa. What makes it odd is that it is an SLR with a leaf shutter. The shutter mechanism is very complex and most no longer work. Mine works just fine. Bought it at Kmart.

I have one as well, although Kowa did made a body with 3 or 4 interchangeable mine is a fixed lens. As noted by Juan most have broken shutters or in operative meters, mine still works. I also have a Topcon auto 100 with 3 lens, the early models have leaf shutter, the last IC (integrated circuit) had a focal plane shutter. The one Kowa I would like but is rare and hard to find in working order is the rangefinder with built in motor drive that runs off a CO2 cartridge.

 

[Sirius Glass]

The one Kowa I would like but is rare and hard to find in working order is the rangefinder with built in motor drive that runs off a CO2 cartridge.

Sounds like a blast to use and talk about having GAS when buying it!

 

[Jim Jones]

I was introduced to the 35mm Mercury II camera in 1950, and bought one in a pawn shop for $20 the nest year. It certainly looks odd. The rotating disc focal plane shutter required an unsightly hump on the camera's top, and was limited to shutter speeds of 1/20 to 1/1000 second plus T and B. However, the accuracy of that shutter, far exceeding that of Leica and Contax, made it valuable in certain scientific work. Its simplicity contributed to its durability. The camera's all-metal construction was much better than the more popular Argus C-3. The Mercury II also featured the World's first hot shoe flash sync. I retired that original Mercury II in 1953 in favor of a Leica, and eventually gave it away. A replacement is still honored in my small camera collection.

 

[Cholentpot]

I was introduced to the 35mm Mercury II camera in 1950, and bought one in a pawn shop for $20 the nest year. It certainly looks odd. The rotating disc focal plane shutter required an unsightly hump on the camera's top, and was limited to shutter speeds of 1/20 to 1/1000 second plus T and B. However, the accuracy of that shutter, far exceeding that of Leica and Contax, made it valuable in certain scientific work. Its simplicity contributed to its durability. The camera's all-metal construction was much better than the more popular Argus C-3. The Mercury II also featured the World's first hot shoe flash sync. I retired that original Mercury II in 1953 in favor of a Leica, and eventually gave it away. A replacement is still honored in my small camera collection.

Also, repairing the shutter is very easy. As for unsightly, time softens the bumps and gives it a distinct retro look. It does have two shoes, a hot and cold.

 

[choiliefan]

I agree re rotary shutters and ease of servicing.
Berning Robot cameras use the same/similar design.

 

[jtk]

Mine's an Iston 4X5, made in India. A teak knockoff on Deardorf. Nice condition.

If you want an inexpensive Deardorff knockoff you're a person from a wonderful place who's after the best affordable wooden folder. If you want the best possible 35mm camera you want LTM knockoffs made in Japan. Sales figures confirm that few buy cameras made in Europe or the R-word.

Me, I use Pentax, film and otherwise, the latter made substantially in Vietnam

 

[BobD]

Astraflex 1000:

 

[Adam W]

Charmy. Takes 14 x 14mm exposures on 16mm film. I've never tried it.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Charmy. Takes 14 x 14mm exposures on 16mm film. I've never tried it.

Most of those "HIT type" cameras use 17.5 mm film -- two strips from unperfed 35 mm, no waste -- but there apparently were a few that used true 16 mm and could be respooled with 16 mm cine film. Base on s;pool flange spacing and frame gate, I think yours is one of the former.

 

[FeS2]

Kodak Vest Pocket II

 

[Minox]

If by oddest you meant quirkiest, I would say the Seagull 120 TLR, which I do not even recall buying. Had a few rolls through it, nothing special, just your average (and quirky) 120 TLR. However, the functions and settings are a pain to work with, and it takes more time to set the darn thing than to go choose your frame.

 

[eli griggs]

An Ansco #3 brick.

Every time I shut my eyes, when I open them back again, there it is, staring at me... !

Lately, my very old GE bakelite meter whispers to me, telling me that i should be more careful no to turn my back on that chunk of metal and glass... I do no sleep well...

 

[wiltw]

 

[Philippe-Georges]

These (beginning '80's):

 

[lobitar]

These (beginning '80's):

View attachment 323486

Very creative composition - I bet the Swedes in Gothenburg didn't think of that.

 

[etn]

These (beginning '80's):

View attachment 323486

Beautiful, beautiful picture. Love the symmetry, broken by the black/silver contrast. Thanks for sharing!

 

[MattKing]

These (beginning '80's):

View attachment 323486

Don't tell Sirius about this!

 

[Helios 1984]

My oddest camera is this EOS IX with its protruding loading chamber and goofy rounded front. Certainly one of the weirdest cameras of the 90s, it's up there with the Konica AirBorg and Yashica Profile 4000ix.

 

[abruzzi]

so are Hasselblads now considered odd cameras?

That fotron on the other hand is a bit bizzarre. Can you actually run film through it? From what I read it requires 828 film in a custom cartridge.

 

[Cholentpot]

My oddest camera is this EOS IX with its protruding loading chamber and goofy rounded front. Certainly one of the weirdest cameras of the 90s, it's up there with the Konica AirBorg and Yashica Profile 4000ix.

View attachment 323555

This is so cool. I wonder if there's a way to re-load APS carts.

 

[Helios 1984]

This is so cool. I wonder if there's a way to re-load APS carts.

A few days ago, I found this tutorial to make fresh Disc Film. If this can be done, I'm sure the APS enigma can be solved.

 

[Philippe-Georges]

so are Hasselblads now considered odd cameras?

Sometimes, when I go out shooting with 'that' camera, people look at me as I am still living in an other world and ask if that camera is something of an odd East-German relic from behind the iron curtain, and think that I must be a little 'deranged' (am I?).

A few moths ago somebody asked me if it wasn't a waste of time trying to take pictures wit such an old camera...

But you are right, actually, not the camera is odd but their reaction is (isn't it?)...

 

[wiltw]

so are Hasselblads now considered odd cameras?

That fotron on the other hand is a bit bizzarre. Can you actually run film through it? From what I read it requires 828 film in a custom cartridge.

I inherited the camera in the picture from my uncle. A description from https://mikeeckman.com/2021/01/traid-fotron-1962/

"The Fotron shot ten 1 inch by 1 inch exposures on unique Traid film cassettes that were filled with regular Kodak 828 film. The camera featured a built in electronic flash and a unique push button zone focus system that made it extremely simple to use. The camera was powered by a large capacitor inside of the camera that was recharged with regular 120 volt AC via a charging cord that plugs into the bottom. Although simple to use, the camera was sold at an incredibly high price and had shoddy build quality which resulted in a class action lawsuit that put the company out of business."​

​

At close to $500 (very expensive in its day...US median household income was only $6000 in 1962) It offered unusual things considering its time, having electronic flash, a power winder, and rechargeable, and with a peculiar button-controlled exposure system and focus system.