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old film cameras advice?

edith headedith head 5,106 Posts
edited July 2007 in Strut Central
this is kinda creepy, but i found a box of camera stuff like proof sheets, full photos, some dark room equipment in this room in our flat we never go into. there are over a 100 proof sheets and a box full of photos and the people in them look like they live in the late 80sanyway, there were also 3 different kinds of these folding camerasdoes anyone here mess with these? i have no idea. i think the film is obsolete but it looks like it could be rigged somehow to take 120film

  Comments

  • OkemOkem 4,617 Posts
    I had a couple of old cameras kinda like that, but mine were a lot more dilapidated. Never managed to get them working. I did a test and they weren't light tight anymore.

    There maybe somewhere online that you can purchase old film formats/sizes. Try googling the model. If it looks like 120, its probably PD-16 which is slightly bigger.
    Processing and developement could also cause you problems, but you said there was darkroom equipment, so you might be alright there.


    Do you live in a mansion? How can you have a room in your house that you never go into, thats full of such treasures!?
  • edith headedith head 5,106 Posts
    it says agfa pd-16 on the camera. the one in the picture is in pretty good shape. haven't figured out how to open it yet. there are a few dark room things, but mostly chemicals. i never learned how to develop shit myself are these good cameras and worth the effort?

    my flat is pretty big but far from a mansion. the reason why the back room is inaccessible is because of clutter. my roommate is a total pack rat, dude volunteers at a local thrift store occasionally and is always bring stuff home and ends up getting bored and dumps it back there instead of getting rid of it. i have a feeling previous tenants did the same thing with that area and these photos i found are probably of them and their friends
  • cascas 1,484 Posts
    don't know about the cameras, but be careful of those old chemicals. i used to do hazwaste management back in the day. that shit'll make you itch.
  • FlomotionFlomotion 2,391 Posts
    it says agfa pd-16 on the camera. the one in the picture is in pretty good shape. haven't figured out how to open it yet. there are a few dark room things, but mostly chemicals. i never learned how to develop shit myself are these good cameras and worth the effort?

    my flat is pretty big but far from a mansion. the reason why the back room is inaccessible is because of clutter. my roommate is a total pack rat, dude volunteers at a local thrift store occasionally and is always bring stuff home and ends up getting bored and dumps it back there instead of getting rid of it. i have a feeling previous tenants did the same thing with that area and these photos i found are probably of them and their friends

    Nice. It was one if the first decent mass market cameras and it was really easy to use and took pretty good pics, but it's no Leica. I don't know if I'd go to the bother of buying PD16 film for it although you can find it through specialist vintage camera sites. Yeah, ditch the developer chemicals.
  • RAJRAJ tenacious local 7,782 Posts
    Screw the camera... Let's see the proofs!
  • edith headedith head 5,106 Posts
    Screw the camera... Let's see the proofs!

    i haven't had a chance to go through all of them (there are so many) or scan them proper. when i flipped through, there were some nudie ones, hahaha. here are a few i took pictures of last nite (sorry no nudes)










    even the box of negatives was decorated with photos


    excuse the shitty quality with the light reflection on those proofs. i wish i had one of those scanners with a feeder built in. scanning is such a pain in the ass.
  • edith headedith head 5,106 Posts
    it says agfa pd-16 on the camera. the one in the picture is in pretty good shape. haven't figured out how to open it yet. there are a few dark room things, but mostly chemicals. i never learned how to develop shit myself are these good cameras and worth the effort?

    my flat is pretty big but far from a mansion. the reason why the back room is inaccessible is because of clutter. my roommate is a total pack rat, dude volunteers at a local thrift store occasionally and is always bring stuff home and ends up getting bored and dumps it back there instead of getting rid of it. i have a feeling previous tenants did the same thing with that area and these photos i found are probably of them and their friends

    Nice. It was one if the first decent mass market cameras and it was really easy to use and took pretty good pics, but it's no Leica. I don't know if I'd go to the bother of buying PD16 film for it although you can find it through specialist vintage camera sites. Yeah, ditch the developer chemicals.

    yeah i think the dark room chems are all dried up anyway. there were some dark room contraptions though that i couldn't describe because i don't know what they are.

    i'd rather not buy pd16 film though cause i think they're like $16 or something? there has to be a way to rig this camera to take 120 though right?
  • JustAliceJustAlice 1,308 Posts
    old cameras are cool. my mom used on of these well into the 90's



    im pretty sure she still has it, and was given to her by my dads father. I didnt realize how valuable they were until just now.

    so depending on the cameras you have, there may be something worth looking into.
    Im sure there is a vintage camera equv. of SS out there, and def. a lot of people into that kind of thing.

    And if you wanted to try to return the (perhaps lost or forgotten memories) items and photos you could always put an ad on craigslist.

    who knows?
  • FlomotionFlomotion 2,391 Posts
    it says agfa pd-16 on the camera. the one in the picture is in pretty good shape. haven't figured out how to open it yet. there are a few dark room things, but mostly chemicals. i never learned how to develop shit myself are these good cameras and worth the effort?

    my flat is pretty big but far from a mansion. the reason why the back room is inaccessible is because of clutter. my roommate is a total pack rat, dude volunteers at a local thrift store occasionally and is always bring stuff home and ends up getting bored and dumps it back there instead of getting rid of it. i have a feeling previous tenants did the same thing with that area and these photos i found are probably of them and their friends

    Nice. It was one if the first decent mass market cameras and it was really easy to use and took pretty good pics, but it's no Leica. I don't know if I'd go to the bother of buying PD16 film for it although you can find it through specialist vintage camera sites. Yeah, ditch the developer chemicals.

    yeah i think the dark room chems are all dried up anyway. there were some dark room contraptions though that i couldn't describe because i don't know what they are.

    i'd rather not buy pd16 film though cause i think they're like $16 or something? there has to be a way to rig this camera to take 120 though right?

    Those photos are totally 1986! You could maybe cut down 120 film (?) and spool it on but I imagine it would be a real pain in the arse and you'd have to load every film in the darkroom. Maybe try it out with a PD16 film and then if it works and you like the results get to work on some DIY film chopping. It was just a snapshot camera so don't expect to become the next Cartier-Bresson with this one.
  • FlomotionFlomotion 2,391 Posts
    old cameras are cool. my mom used on of these well into the 90's



    im pretty sure she still has it, and was given to her by my dads father. I didnt realize how valuable they were until just now.

    so depending on the cameras you have, there may be something worth looking into.
    Im sure there is a vintage camera equv. of SS out there, and def. a lot of people into that kind of thing.

    And if you wanted to try to return the (perhaps lost or forgotten memories) items and photos you could always put an ad on craigslist.

    who knows?

    I have one! It takes the best pictures of any camera I've ever had - the double lens adds a whole other depth and quality that's hard to beat. Try it - you'll be amazed.
  • JimBeamJimBeam Seattle. 2,012 Posts







    that looks like some "Losing My Religion" video storyboard mock up or something.
  • edith headedith head 5,106 Posts

    that looks like some "Losing My Religion" video storyboard mock up or something.

    hahahaha! totally. i can't wait to go through the rest of these. they are mostly all on the dramatic side

    Alice, I am so jealous. I WANT THAT CAMERA. it's a classic

    rollei even makes a mini-digital cam version of that which is pretty stupid if you ask me cause it defeats the purpose. not to mention it's $300 and only 3.1mp but whatever, looks cool
    http://www.rollei.jp/e/pd/MiniD.html

  • OkemOkem 4,617 Posts
    old cameras are cool. my mom used on of these well into the 90's



    im pretty sure she still has it, and was given to her by my dads father. I didnt realize how valuable they were until just now.

    so depending on the cameras you have, there may be something worth looking into.
    Im sure there is a vintage camera equv. of SS out there, and def. a lot of people into that kind of thing.

    And if you wanted to try to return the (perhaps lost or forgotten memories) items and photos you could always put an ad on craigslist.

    who knows?

    I have one! It takes the best pictures of any camera I've ever had - the double lens adds a whole other depth and quality that's hard to beat. Try it - you'll be amazed.

    Yer, I have a similar model, and it takes beautiful pictures.


    Ms Edith, I really don't know if it would be worth all the hassle trying to get that camera to work. Unfortunately I don't think it's anything special, there are several on ebay, for -$10
    You could pick up a decent old medium format camera (like the one above) relatively cheap, it would probably be a better idea to spend time and money on that.

    As for developing and printing yourself, its relatively easy, if you stick with black and white. If you have something that looks like this

    it's an enlarger, for making prints from negatives.
    If it works, then all you really need is, a dark room, and some fresh chemicals, and you're away.
  • edith headedith head 5,106 Posts
    yeah last night i asked my friend what i should keep and he said just the developing tank was worth it for the dark room crud.

    thanks, yeah i suspected the agfa might not be worth rigging. but i got my friend to open the other two cameras i got (one says bentzin primar and the other zeiss ikon) and i think they take 120 film already. i was surprised how nice they were when he got them open cause they looked so beat up on the outside, but the lens were a little dusty but in nice shape.











    anyway, i scanned some more of these found photos last night. i like these better









  • FlomotionFlomotion 2,391 Posts
    The Ikon is better than the agfa - you'll just need a light meter.
  • CosmophonicCosmophonic 1,172 Posts
    What a treasure! I LOVE stuff like this (but even more so when stashed inside record-sleeves along with a dried up roach and an acid-fuelled written apology to God).

    Please keep posting!

    - J
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