I started collecting cameras in about 2001. My parents gave me three of their old cameras, a Kodak Brownie, a Kodak Retina I, and a Super Westomat II . Since then my collection has gradually been growing – usually, after a trip to a flea market, a chance find in an antique shop, or purely as a result of me spending too much time on eBay. I have included a number of my collection here.
As you can see from the table, I am definitely no expert on the cameras but really enjoy as both my collection and knowledge expand.
| Camera Make | Model | Format | Year Produced (est.) | Country of Production | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agfa | Agfa Billy Compur | 120 | 1934 – 1942 | Germany | |
| Agfa | Agfa Sillette (Original) | 35mm Viewfinder | 1950s | Germany | |
| Agfa | Agfa Box 44 | 120 Roll Film | 1930a | Germany | A very “dark” and ominous looking box camera. The amazing thing about this one is the sheer volume of them that Agfa managed to ship. It was introduced in 1932 as “the camera for the people” with 900,000 being sold. |
| Agfa | Agfa Optima I | 35mm Viewfinder | 1960 – 1969 | Germany | |
| Agfa | Agfa Box 50 | 120 Roll Film | 1949 – 1955 | Germany | |
| Agfa | Agfa Optima Sensor 200 | 35mm | 1966 – | Germany | This is what I would call a “flea market special” – I see it really often for sale. This is one of the “newer” cameras in my collection, an automated 35mm camera, made in Germany by Agfa and introduced circa 1966. It was very obviously very popular. Although not shown here, this one came with a leather case that makes it look very hip (especially for the back end of the sixties.) |
| Agfa | AGFA Isolette V – Agfa Vario Agnar | 120 Roll Film | 1950 – 52 | Germany | |
| Apparate & Kamerabau | Arrette 1B | 35mm Viewfinder | 1956 – 1963 | Germany | |
| Balda-Werk Max Baldeweg | Balda Rollbox | ? | ? | Germany | |
| Balda-Werk Max Baldeweg | Balda Baldini | ? | 1950 – | Germany | |
| Bilora | Bilora Box | ? | 1935 – 1949 | Germany | |
| Bolsey | Bolsey B | 35mm Range Finder | 1950 | USA | |
| Certro | Certotrop | Plate | 1925 | Germany | |
| Contessa-Nettel | Contessa-Nettel Picolette | 127 Film | 1919 | Germany | |
| Dakora | Hapo 66-E | 6×6 | 1969 | Germany | |
| Eastman Kodak Co. | Pocket Kodak No. 1 Series II | A120 | 1922 – 1934 | USA | |
| Eastman Kodak Co. | Kodak Beau Brownie No. 2A | 116 Film | 1930 – 1933 | USA | A beautiful finish and a very rare find. |
| Eastman Kodak Co. | Kodak Pocket Premo C | Premo | 1906 – 1916 | USA | This is the pride of my collection. I bought it in a camera shop in Kanab, Utah in summer 2017. I just love the red bellows and wooden finish. |
| Eastman Kodak Co. | Kodak No. 2C Autographic Junior | A130 | 1916 – 1927 | USA | A gorgeous old dame, it is a large format film folding bed camera. The No.2C body was constructed of aluminum and covered in fine seal grain leather. The metal parts were finished in nickel or black enamel. Features included a folding black bellows design, adjustable focus with automatic focusing lock, reversible finder, and two tripod sockets. It is truly a beautiful camera and its chunky size is simply the cherry on the top! |
| Eho-Altissa | Altix-N | 35mm | 1938 – 1958 | Germany | |
| Franka | Franka Solida I | 6×6 | 1936 – | Germany | |
| Franke & Heidecke (Rollei) | Rolleicord III – Model K3 | Medium TLR | 1933 – 1939 | Germany | |
| GOMZ | SMENA-4 | 35mm | 1958 – 1960 | USSR | |
| Kodak AG | Kodak Retina Ia | 35mm | 1951 – | Germany | |
| Kodak AG | Kodak Retinette I Typ 030/9 | 35mm | Ca 1958 | Germany | |
| Kodak AG | Kodak Vollenda 620 | 620 Film | 1934 – 1939 | Germany | |
| Kodak AG | Kodak Retina 1b | 35mm Range Finder | 1962 | Germany | |
| Kodak AG | Retina Reflex III | 35mm SLR | 1961 – 64 | Germany | |
| Kodak Ltd | Kodak Folding Brownie Six-20 | 620 | 1948 | UK | The first camera into my collection. Produced by Kodak Ltd. in the UK, this was my father’s 2nd camera. |
| Minolta | Minolta XG-1 | 35mm SLR | 1979 | Japan | |
| Minolta | Minolta Hi-Magic F | 35mm Viewfinder | 1972 | Japan | |
| Minolta | Minolta XD7 | 35mm SLR | 1977 | Japan | |
| Pontiac | Pontiac Bloc Metal 41 | 6×9 | 1941 – 1945 | France | This is the only french camera that I have in my collection. I am the 2nd owner of this particular camera, the 1st having bought it in France where he was a POW. |
| Taisei Kōki | Super Westomat 35 | 35mm Range Finder | 1950 – 1959 | Japan | The Super Westomat 35 is a 35mm rangefinder made by Taisei Kōki in the mid 50’s. This was also a gift from my parents. |
| Voigtländer & Sohn AG | Voigtländer Brillant | Pseudo TLR / 120 | 1932 – 1951 | Germany | |
| Voigtländer & Sohn AG | Voigtländer Vito B | 35mm | 1964 – 1960 | Germany | |
| Welta | Welt Welti 1 | 35mm Viewfinder | 1935 – 1960 | Germany | |
| Yashica | Yashica-635 | 120 Roll Film | 1958 | Japan | |
| Zeiss Ikon | Zeiss Ikon Nettar 512/2 version C | 120 | 1935 | Germany | |
| Zeiss Ikon | Contaflex IV | 35mm | 1950 – 1969 | Germany | |
| Zeiss Ikon | Zeiss Ikon Box Tengor 54/2 | 120 Roll Film | 1926 – 1956 | Germany | |
| Zeiss Ikon | Nettar 515/16 | 120 Roll Film | 1937 – 1949 | Germany |