The Electro Spotmatic's Second Attempt

Pentax ES

By 1970, the m42 screw mount was starting to show its age, along with the Spotmatic. After a failed first attempt at a new electrically controlled Spotmatic, Asahi went back to the drawing board to release something special. This is the 1971 Pentax ES.

The Cameras of 2023 and Things to Come

The Cameras of 2023 and Things to Come

In the spirit of last year’s collaboration article on Three Other Cameras of 2022, a look back at some of the more popular articles, other cameras I shot with, and what’s to come will now be an end of December tradition.

The Mystery of Acro

Acro Model R

Acro Scientific Products Company was a strange and short lived camera manufacturer, with a convoluted and somewhat obscured history. Out of nowhere, they created a camera that would challenge the completion head on, and fade into obscurity a few years later. This is the story of the 1940 Acro Model R.

The Bellami or Belami?

Chinon Belami AF

After the well regarded Bellami, an autofocus sequel would be released almost a decade later, completely changing the design and creating something entirely its own. This was the 1989 Chinon Belami AF.

The Analog Past Meets the Autofocus Future (Complete Rewrite)

Nikon N2020

Nikon dabbled in autofocus with the F3AF, releasing a small number of lenses for the system, but three years later in 1986, they released a real attempt at an autofocus camera, the Nikon N2020.

The Simple Joy of a Well Made Machine

GAF L-CM

Minolta, Haking, and Petri were a few of the companies GAF worked with, but Chinon was the sole producer of their SLR line of cameras. The first in this series was an entry level Chinon M42 camera from around a year earlier, the 1974 GAF L-CM.

The Sequel to a Cost Reduced Classic

Konica EFP 2

In 1984/85 the Konica EFP 2 found its way to store shelves, reintroducing the series and spawning a handful of new models for over a decade.

The Test of Finesse 100

Ultrafine Finesse 100

As prices of bulk film have risen, a few alternative companies started rolling different types of films that are not commercially available. This is a thorough test of Finesse 100. Checking latitude, color rendering, pushing, pulling, and reciprocity.

The Rangefinding Regent

Ansco Super Regent

During the success of Agfa’s Karat line, Ansco announced the first ‘budget’ cameras to enter the ever growing miniature film market. Debuting at the 1954 IRE National Convention, the Ansco Super Regent would go on to be produced for around a decade to moderate success.

The Second Vest Pocket Kodak

Kodak Vest Pocket Model B

After the success of their original Vest Pocket camera, Kodak completely updated the design. This 1925 revision would go on to sell in a multitude of variations for over a decade

The Haking Compact

Ansco 2000 Micro 35

Ansco appeared once again in the 1980s, relegated to a name put on Haking’s American rebranded cameras. One of such cameras was known under a multitude of names, but one of the earliest examples was the Ansco 2000 Micro 35.

The Auto Exposure Outcast

Petri Color 35 E

As the Rollei B and C came to market, Petri was redesigning their competitor, once again trying to outdo Rollei. Creating the smallest auto exposure full frame camera in 1970, this is the Petri Color 35 E.

The Yashica Microtechnology

Yashica Microtec Zoom 70

When the compact zoom cameras were catching on, the first two cameras in the Microtec series debuted at a show in 1994. The more compact of the two received excellent reception when it was released to the public a year later. This is the 1995 Yashica Microtec Zoom 70.

The Photographers Diary

Yashica Diary

A decade after the first camera by Canon, Yashica attempted to innovate on date printing by adding a few new and interesting features. Released to an unknowing public in 1978, this is the Yashica Diary.

The TTL Point and Shoot

Fuji DL-200

In a 1984 Tokyo camera show, Fuji introduced a few new cameras, however one stood above the rest. Featuring new and innovative leaps for point and shoot market, this was the revolutionary Fuji DL-200.

The Worlds First Consumer Autofocus Camera

Konica C35 AF

Konica seemed to be really pushing the boundaries of their cameras and film starting in the 1960s. Over the next 30 years, Konica consistently brought out incredible and impressive products, one of the most important was released in the late 70s. This was the world’s first consumer autofocus camera, the 1977 Konica C35 AF.

The Shape of the 90s

Pentax Zoom 105-R

A small portion of the 1990s point and shoot scene was dedicated to the higher end; in terms of features more than its namesake. DLX (Deluxe) was the moniker used by Olympus, but Pentax managed to release a comparable camera within this style. This was the 1991 Pentax Zoom 105-R.

The First Japanese Disc Camera

Minolta Disc-5

Minolta was the first Japanese company to jump on board and release their own Disc cameras. The more advanced model gets the most press for a few firsts but was the same camera internally as the lesser talked about 1983 Minolta Disc-5.

The Second Samoca Attempt

Samoca 35 II

The Samoca 35 series of cameras stretched on for around a decade, starting in the early 1950s. Five direct models were produced, with a handful of later released spinoffs adding meters, a rangefinder, and even a fully focusing TLR. However, the humble start to it all was the Samoca 35, a somewhat standard camera with an eye out for the lower end market. An updated model was released a year later, adding a few features and updating the design. This was the 1953 Samoca 35 II.

The 3.8 Fuji Wonder

Fuji DL-120

Toward the end of 1984, Fujica shortened its name to Fuji and started the incredibly successful DL camera lineup. One of the earlier entry level autofocus models to come out was the 1987 Fuji DL-120.