United States 1975 – Instant – SX-70 – Infrequent. If there is one device that marks the entry of Polaroid in everybody’s life, it is the SX-70. Launched in 1975 it was a revolution both inside Polaroid and for the entire photographic industry. Polaroid research and development budgets for this project were enormous. The production … Read more76 Polaroid
SX 70
The instant revolution
United States 1950 – Reflex TLR – 35 mm – Rare. The Model C, produced by Bolsey starting 1950, is one of the quirkiest and most eccentric cameras ever made. It’s a very compact, “Atomic Age” styled Twin Lens Reflex (TLR) camera was designed by Yakob Bogopolsky, also famous for having later founded Bolex (the cinema … Read more75 Bolsey
Model C
Germany 1934 – Folding – 35 mm – Rare. The Retina was manufactured starting 1934 by Kodak A.G. in what had previously been the Dr. August Nagel Camerawerk factory in Stuttgart. The business had been purchased by Kodak in 1931. It was Kodak’s first in the long-lasting Retina camera series. The Retina is the first … Read more70 Kodak
Retina 117
First 35mm cartridge
United States 1927 – Box Camera – 35 mm – Infrequent. The Ansco Memo is an unusual 35 mm half-frame box camera introduced in 1927 by Ansco. At first glance the Memo may look like nothing more than a simple box camera like so many others mass produced in the 1920s, but in reality, it … Read more60 Ansco
Memo
United States 1946 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. Often called the “hunchback” for obvious reasons, the Mercury was first released in 1938 by the Universal Camera Group (also known as Univex). Univex then suspended their camera-making operations during World War II to manufacture binoculars for the armed forces. The Mercury II went into … Read more57 Univex
Mercury II
United States 1895 – Box Camera – Custom film – Rare. The Kombi camera was produced at the end of the 1800s by Alfred C. Kemper from Chicago. It was meant to be mass produced and an advertisement of the times mentions that more than 50 000 were produced in a single year. The … Read more49 Kemper
The Kombi
Early mass production
United States 1938 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Argus C might just be the most recognizable camera ever built. For obvious reasons, it is known as “the brick” and its most common version, the Argus C3, is one of the longest product lines ever. It was in production from 1939 to 1966 … Read more35 Argus
Argus C
The iconic “brick”
United States 1952 – Stereographic – 35 mm – Rare. The View-Master, introduced in the late 1930s by Sawyer’s Photo Services, revolutionized the way people experienced visual content. This ingenious device enabled the viewing of stereoscopic (3D) images captured on cardboard discs containing pairs of stereoscopic slides. These iconic discs, which often featured tourist destinations … Read more33 Sawyers
View-master Personal Stereo
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
United States 1939 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Kodak 35 Kodex No.1 made its debut just prior to World War 2 as Kodak’s inaugural 35mm still camera produced in the USA. It embodied simplicity and an efficient design, serving as an affordable entry point to Kodak’s product lineup. Priced at just $14.50 … Read more13 Kodak
35 Kodex No.1
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