120 Archives - Facts, notes and thoughts about vintage cameras and other trifle matters

May 21, 2024

Fuji Kogaku Lyrax

Fuji Kogaku Lyrax Most early Japanese cameras on this site are post-war, where manufacturers took available technology and ran with copies of it. Fuji Kogaku, literally Fuji Optical Works, preceded this period and is recorded from the early 1930s. Several models were offered till 1955 when the company went dark. Several online articles about this brand mostly chew upon the...

120/Japan/Obscure/Rangefinder Comments: 0

December 19, 2023

Bencini Comet / Koroll

Bencini Comet / Koroll Online information about Bencini feels like time travel. Sources state different, sometimes contradicting activity and model dates. Antonio Bencini seemed engaged with everything camera in Italy in the early 20th century. He was involved with FIAMMA and Filma before branching independently with ICAF, later named CMF. From his work, it seems that Bencini liked acronyms, classical...

120/127/Bencini/Italy/Viewfinder Comment: 1

December 26, 2022

Japanese Semi and Six models

Japanese Semi and Six models The 120 format was popular worldwide from the 1930s onwards. A size that is small enough for compact, portable cameras, and large enough for contact printing. Came the war, which had ended with a large GI contingent in Japan. Buying power was there, but little to apply it for. To fill the need, a whole...

120/Japan/Klapp Comments: 0

December 15, 2022

Mamiya Six family

Mamiya Six family model list The late 1940s and the 1950s saw most Japanese camera makers offering cookie-cutter 120 klapp cameras, most named Six or Semi in one way or another. Some makers survived a further decade or two, a few have reached the next century, while most just faded away. These models were made for the local market, where...

120/Japan/Mamiya Comments: 0

November 10, 2022

Fujipet 35 EE

Fujipet 35 EE Fujipet EE user manual Current value: Fujipet Fujipet 35 Fujipet EE As (I think) other collectors, I buy cameras in two avenues. If something captivating comes my way, I will pick it up and also hunt for models I wish to explore. The Fujipet was unknown to me, and I grabbed it just for its intriguing name;...

120/Fuji/Japan/Viewfinder Comments: 0

August 30, 2022

Hasselblad 500 C/M

Hasselblad 500 C/M Current values: 500 C/M 500 C/M 25th anniversary 500 C/M 30th anniversary 500 C/M 50th anniversary 500 C/M Black / Gold Exclusive 500 C/M Colours 500 C/M SE Victor Hasselblad List number 6271 Brand Hasselblad Format Medium Model 500 C/M Introduced 1970 AKA Country Sweden Qty made Initial price Currency Type Medium format SLR Body material...

120/Hasselblad/Medium Format/Medium format SLR/Sweden Comments: 0

August 10, 2022

New Olympic Kinsi

New Olympic Kinsi Current values: New Olympic Semi Olympic Riken Semi Kinsi Riken Kinsi New Olympic Kinsi One of the obscure Japanese cameras with many fathers on record, depends on where you look. The model I have on my desk is marked ‘Kinsi’ on the front, ‘The New Olympic Camera Worlks’ on the side latch. The Kinsi is reported to...

120/Japan/Olympus/Viewfinder Comments: 0

August 7, 2022

Rokuwa Stereo Rocca

Rokuwa Stereo Rocca User manual Current value Some weeks ago, I looked at the Nordetta 3D, for which scant information is available online or elsewhere. There is a long article in Spanish, but more than information on the Nordetta, it is a love poem to the ISO Duplex Super 120. Being tall on curiosity and short on self-control, I bought...

120/Japan/Stereo Comments: 0

August 4, 2022

Motoshima Zeitax

Motoshima Zeitax Zeitax current value: Folding viewer Tube viewer Optical viewer Just a handful of sources are available on the Zeitax camera. Camera-wiki page mentions some references, but most end with a dead link. It mentions that the Zeitax is related to the Condor Semi cameras, which judging by the image it is. A step further down the heritage line...

120/Japan/Klapp/Obscure Comments: 0

June 22, 2022

Hunter Gilbert

R.F. Hunter Gilbert R.F. Hunter Gilbert current value In the middle of the 20th century, RF Hunter was a photo equipment distributor in London, selling German-made cameras before the war and both East and West German models after. Names that come to mind are Steiner and Purma et al. The Gilbert is the single camera that Hunter made, proudly designed...

120/Box/UK Comment: 1

Category: 120