Germany 1933 – Compact – 127 film – Rare. The Exakta A, produced from 1933 by Ihagee, a German camera manufacturer based in Dresden, is widely recognised as the first single-lens reflex (SLR) camera ever produced. It marked a massive shift in the way photographs were taken. For the first time, photographers could frame their … Read more32 Ihagee
Exakta A
First Single Lens Reflex
Italy 1946 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Elettra 2 was released by Sirio, a small Italian firm from Florence in 1946, succeeding the very simple Elettra 1 that had been out for only a few months. It is one of the Italian attempts to produce Leica type cameras in the immediate post … Read more30 Sirio
Elettra 2
Hong Kong 1980 – Compact – 110 film – Infrequent. ITT (International Telephone and Telegraph) is a multinational corporation founded in 1920, specializing in the field of telephone communications. While primarily known for its telecommunications endeavors, ITT briefly ventured into the realm of film photography, albeit producing devices of limited interest. These cameras were manufactured … Read moreITT
Fashionflash 405
England 1937 – Compact – 127 film – Rare. Certain designs possess such distinctive uniqueness that they can be attributed solely to British ingenuity. The Purma Special undeniably belongs to this remarkable category. Conceived by artist Tom Purvis and inventor Alfred Croger Mayo, the Purma Special (a fusion of PURvis and MAyo) stands as an … Read more28 Purma Cameras
Purma Special
Incredible British design
Monaco 1958 – Compact – 35 mm – Very Rare. The Mecaflex was originally produced in 1953 by Metz in Germany and was the brainchild of Heinz Kilfitt, who would later create the Robot cameras. German production was interrupted after just 1800 cameras were produced, only to be restarted in 1958 in Monaco by SEROA. … Read more26 Seroa
Mecaflex
Germany 1939 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Contax II emerged as a pivotal element in Zeiss Ikon’s concerted effort to challenge Leica’s dominance during the 1930s. Manufactured starting from 1936, the Contax II’s innovative prowess is believed to have vaulted it a decade ahead of the Leica III. At its core, it … Read moreZeiss Ikon
Contax II
Germany 1956 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. Among the plethora of 35mm film cameras, Voigtlander’s foldable rangefinders, the Vitessa, emerge as some of the most visually captivating and unforgettable pieces. These cameras boast an unmistakable angular design, wherein the lens elegantly emerges from a dual-flap opening – a distinctive feature that sets them … Read more25 Voigtlander
Vitessa A
United States 1960 – Compact – 127 film – Common. The Brownie Starlet, a plastic, fixed-focus camera, was manufactured en masse by Kodak starting from 1957, serving as a prominent member of the successful Star series. Although the Starlet might have been a common and budget-friendly option, its endearing appeal endures, making it one of … Read moreKodak
Brownie Starlet
Germany 1940 – Compact – 35 mm – Very Rare. Introduced in 1938, the Robot II emerged as a slightly larger iteration of its predecessor, the Robot I, boasting several notable enhancements while retaining the core mechanism. A distinct variant was developed exclusively for the German intelligence service and military. Equipped with two perpendicular viewfinders—one … Read more23 Robot
Robot II “Luftwaffe”
WW2 Stuka’s camera
USSR 1939 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Fed 1 Type A camera holds a legendary status, representing a pivotal point in photography history. Arguably, it stands as the most significant camera ever produced in the Soviet Union. Functioning as the USSR’s initial endeavor to create a high-caliber 35mm compact camera, the Fed … Read more22 Fed
Fed I Type A
First soviet copy
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