Hey hey hey! What a beautiful morning it is today. How are you my friends. I'm not too shabby thank you for asking, although the thought of having to return to school very soon makes me want to cocoon myself for eternity. Anyway, I think it's quite clear by now that I am very much into my photography and when I started getting more into it I wanted to collect some vintage cameras for a special shelf in my future home. To quench my thirst for these beautiful old cameras before I eventually begun a collection I made a pinterest board [x] just full of different types of old cameras.
However, last week me and my dad went to visit his cousin and her family in Coventry for the afternoon and they took us to a "vintage village" called Fargo. It's modern made to look hipster, with shops in colourful storage containers and sheds and so aesthetically pleasing I loved it. I knew I'd be likely to come across these old vintage cameras I love so much but I didn't see any when I peeked around everywhere. Until my dad said they were in the back of one of the storage containers.
We went in and I started looking at the cameras, which there was an abundance of. I even picked one up that I particularly liked and looked through the viewfinder. The shop owner was very friendly and striked up conversation about how he often babysat his nephew with an old pentax around his neck, and said nephew came to be a successful band photographer [Steve Gullick] and showed us some books of his.
Dad haggled the camera I picked up for £10 - only £5 less than labelled, before he spotted an older beauty that he wanted himself for £5. The second camera was so cheap because it was damaged so wouldn't work, but he only wanted it for it's beauty rather than to use. Neither of us could help ourselves so he bought both and let me keep both on my shelf to start off my collection.
This is the camera my dad loved, as you can see the front of it is quite cracked but I feel like that adds to the whole "vintage" look and creates a little story for the camera. I have no idea how this camera would work if it could, which only adds to that little air of mystery about it, but like my dad I love it because of how different and unique it is.
This is the camera that attracted my attention first because it's one of the first images that come to mind when I think of vintage cameras, and still a classic design for cameras today. With a film this camera will work fully so I'm very excited to put a film in there and try it out. The shop keeper said he sold films for £2 but unfortunately we didn't indulge, much to our regret.
And this is where I keep my new treasures, on my middle book shelf. I had to make some space but it still feels like they're not quite at home, possibly because I always imagined a long row of them sitting on a long bookshelf. I'm still very content with them though and they really complement each other.
Do let me know which style you like most or if there's a different style of vintage camera that you adore. Hopefully I manage to get quite a diverse collection over time.
However, last week me and my dad went to visit his cousin and her family in Coventry for the afternoon and they took us to a "vintage village" called Fargo. It's modern made to look hipster, with shops in colourful storage containers and sheds and so aesthetically pleasing I loved it. I knew I'd be likely to come across these old vintage cameras I love so much but I didn't see any when I peeked around everywhere. Until my dad said they were in the back of one of the storage containers.
We went in and I started looking at the cameras, which there was an abundance of. I even picked one up that I particularly liked and looked through the viewfinder. The shop owner was very friendly and striked up conversation about how he often babysat his nephew with an old pentax around his neck, and said nephew came to be a successful band photographer [Steve Gullick] and showed us some books of his.
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| Looking though one camera at the other. I think this is really cool mostly because of the way the large viewfinder works on this camera. You have to look down the top of it while holding it at your waist, and what you're looking at is flipped because of the mirror inbetween each window. |
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| Early in 1939, Ensign Ltd introduced the Vintage Ensign Ful-Vue Film Camera. Fondly remembered by many photographers as their first camera, often bought for them by their parents while they were still children. An improved model was introduced in 1950, dubbed the Ful-Vue II. It had an all plastic front panel housing a new shutter assembly which for the first time provided the camera with a flash synch terminal. The design immediately captured the publics interest, an interest that has lasted even until today as this is still camera that is widely collected, regarded by many as a design classic. |
This is the camera my dad loved, as you can see the front of it is quite cracked but I feel like that adds to the whole "vintage" look and creates a little story for the camera. I have no idea how this camera would work if it could, which only adds to that little air of mystery about it, but like my dad I love it because of how different and unique it is.
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| The Trip 35 is a 35mm compact camera, manufactured by Olympus. It was introduced in 1967 and discontinued, after a lengthy production run, in 1984. The Trip name was a reference to its intended market – people who wanted a compact, functional camera for holidays. During the 1970s it was the subject of an advertising campaign that featured popular British photographer David Bailey. Over ten million units were sold. |
This is the camera that attracted my attention first because it's one of the first images that come to mind when I think of vintage cameras, and still a classic design for cameras today. With a film this camera will work fully so I'm very excited to put a film in there and try it out. The shop keeper said he sold films for £2 but unfortunately we didn't indulge, much to our regret.
When we got back home dad sprouted out an old flash of his and connected it to the Olympus camera. It needs batteries, so nothing in this collection currently works but that may hopefully change soon - and fear not, of course I will share any and most pictures I get from this camera :)
And this is where I keep my new treasures, on my middle book shelf. I had to make some space but it still feels like they're not quite at home, possibly because I always imagined a long row of them sitting on a long bookshelf. I'm still very content with them though and they really complement each other.
Do let me know which style you like most or if there's a different style of vintage camera that you adore. Hopefully I manage to get quite a diverse collection over time.
Cheerio loved ones - Beky x
