GAF L-CM
GAF L-CM
In the beginning, there was Edward Anthony, who was a pioneer in photography equipment in the US in the later part of the 1800s. The company became E. & H. T. Anthony & Company when his brother joined the venture. In 1902, they merged with Scovill and Adams, a company formed just a decade ago. The new entity was named Anthony and Scovill and sold their wares under the Ansco brand. It didn’t stop there, as in 1928, Agfa of Germany either took over or merged with this company, depending on whom you ask. The new venture was named Ansco, I guess for brand recognition. Ansco promptly dropped the camera models they had earlier sold and focused on selling German-made Agfa cameras, either under the German original model names or names unique to the US market.
In 1939, Ansco renamed itself GAF, short for General Aniline & Film, perhaps to diversify further than the photography trade. However, they still used the Ansco brand name on their cameras till 1967, when Agfa stopped making cameras, so the GAF banner took over.
The GAF brand had lost whatever lustre Ansco had had and diverted into selling low-end Japanese rebrands, mainly instamatic type, pocket and cine cameras. Several compact SLR models made by Chinon were offered but did not make a big splash. The GAF L-CM is a Chinon CM, with another rebrand under Argus CR-1.
The L-CM is a typical Chinon model, practical to the hilt, no-nonsense and no fireworks. Assume it was meant for the advanced amateur market, as were the plethora of similar Japanese models sold. The unit I have suffered a lot, so making it work is akin to the second coming, so it went to the Japanese part donors shelf.
List number | 31527 |
Brand | GAF |
Model | L-CM |
Manual | Buktus |
Value at camdex.ca | GAF L-CM Argus CR-1 |
Format | 35mm |
Introduced | 1974 |
AKA | Chinon CM; Argus CR-1 |
Country | USA |
Qty made | |
Initial price | |
Currency | |
Type | Compact SLR |
Body material | Metal |
Mode | Manual, meter assist. |
Weight | 750 gr, Body only |
Class average weight | 610 gr, Body only |
ASA range | 10-800 |
Kit lens | 2,0/50 |
Lens make | Chinon |
Filter size | |
Lens mount | Thread |
Mount size | 42mm |
Aperture | |
Shutter | Focal plane vertical metal |
Shutter make | |
Light meter | 2 ea CdS TTL for backlight compensation |
Winder | Lever |
Lock | No |
Speeds | B, 1-1000 |
Mirror | Auto return |
Viewer | Fixed eye level prism |
DOF preview | Yes |
Exposure lock | No |
Exposure compensation | No |
Shoe | Hot |
External sync | X/M |
Sync speed | |
Timer | Yes, mechanical |
Battery, original | PX625 |
Battery, replacement | |
Battery voltage | 1.35 |
Integral flash | None |
Other | |
Service / repair links | See camerlog.com |
More | Aperture Preview |