I a n F l e m i n g C l a s s i c C a m e r a C o l l e c t i o n
The Mamiya Press is a medium format rangefinder camera system designed to accept interchangeable backs and lenses. Mamiya made a number of variants to the basic body design, including one model, the 600SE, that was licensed to be marketed under the Polaroid name. The camera body itself is a simple affair, with a single-window combined range- and view-finder that couples to the lens for focusing. It has tripod mounts in both vertical and horizontal positions, a mount for a handgrip for the left hand, and cold shoes on both the body and the hand-grip.
T
Japanese Camaras
The Pentax Spotmatic refers to a family of 35mm single-lens reflex cameras manufactured by the Asahi Optical Co. Ltd., later known as Pentax Corporation, between 1964 and 1976.
ll Pentax Spotmatics used the M42 screw-thread lens mount which was developed before WW2 by Zeiss and Praktica. Asahi Optical used the name Takumar for their lenses. These were high-quality, progressively improved lenses, later versions of which featured multi-coating and were called Super Multi Coated Takumars.
The cameras allowed to focus the lens at maximum aperture to give a bright viewfinder image, then a switch at the side stops the lens down and switches on the metering which can be determined by a needle located on the side of the viewfinder. The use of stop-down light metering was at the time revolutionary, however it limited the capability of the lightmeter specially on low light situations. Later models Spotmatic F, Electro Spotmatic, ES, and ESII were capable of open-aperture metering when used with Super Multi Coated (S-M-C) Takumar lenses with an aperture coupling prong in the lens mount.
In 1977, Pentax had introduced two compact 35mm SLRs, the MX and the ME, after the Olympus OM-1 presented in 1972 had introduced a new trend for compactness in SLR cameras.
The Pentax ME was the automatic model, but it had no manual mode. It was replaced in 1979 by the simpler MV and the more advanced ME Super, which was the smallest and lightest SLR (440g) available, with the following changes:
The Pentax ME Super was an aperture priority automatic camera, with an electronic focal plane shutter from 4s to 1/2000, flash synchronized at 1/125. The camera also shoots manually (no battery) at the 1/125 flash speed. The shutter curtains were metal and had a vertical movement. For manual mode, the customary shutter knob was replaced by two buttons, up and down, to select the shutter speed. The exposure meter was of the standard TTL open aperture center weighted type. It was activated by a slight pressure on the release button.
The Pentax ME Super had a 0.95x viewfinder, covering 92% of the field. The finder screen was fixed, with a split image and a microprism ring in the center. The shutter speed chosen by the camera or the user was displayed in the finder, the aperture was not.
There was a self-timer and a hot shoe on the top of the prism with an additional contact for dedicated Pentax flash units. The selector around the release button had five positions: L (lock), Auto, M (manual), 125 and B. The Pentax ME Super could attach the external winder ME (1.5 i/s) or the later Winder ME II (2i/s). The Pentax ME Super could also mount a Dial Data ME databack, or the later Digital Data M databack via a cord adapter.
The lenses were interchangeable with the K bayonet mount. Together with the ME and MX, the SMC Pentax-M series of compact lenses were introduced.
The LX camera was Pentax's most advanced manual focus camera, and only attempt at entering the professional segment of the 35mm SLR camera market. When introduced in 1980 it comprised from the start a series of accessories such as interchangeable viewfinders and viewfinder screens in addition to the vast range of SMC lenses. It is protected against water and dust. This is probablyTemplate:Weasel one of the finest mechanical 35mm cameras ever produced,Template:Citation needed and very comfortable and easy to handle.
Chinon CX
Chinon CM-4
The cute little PaX rangefinder is an unusual beast. This is the first model in the PaX series from Yamato Camera, manufactured around 1950 (not to be confused with a German line of PaX cameras, no relation). The styling was clearly inspired by the Leicas of the period, but the camera is actually quite a bit smaller than a Leica, though the lens is not collapsable. Including the lens it’s about the same height as an Olympus XA and about twice as thick
Aires
Seikosha MX Coral 45mm f/2.8 1955
Introduced in December 1980, the Mamiya ZE-2 continued the quartz-regulated metal focal plane shutter begun in the ZE. Both cameras have automatic exposure with aperture priority and, once it is determined, the aperture setting on both can be locked. The ZE-2 added a shake-prevention warning and a shutter-speed dial, and allowed a manual override (you can't select a shutter speed manually on the ZE). An electronic sensor coupled each lens to the camera through six gold contact points. The sensor automatically selected the slowest hand-held shutter speed possible for that focal length.