Blast from the past! My grandmother gave me her old Ansco Rediflex when I was 11 or 12 years old (early 1960s). The cost of film and #5 flashbulbs was prohibitive, and I scarcely used it.
Somehow that red shutter release brings it all back... Rick http://photo.net/photos/RickW On Fri, Nov 6, 2015 at 4:40 PM, Darren Addy <[email protected]> wrote: > By the way, if you want to play with working 620 film cameras you can > do so with 120 film: > http://www.instructables.com/id/Using-120-Film-in-620-Era-cameras/ > or 35mm film (you get the exposure all the way through the sprockets, > of course): > http://www.instructables.com/id/Use-35mm-film-in-old-cameras/ > Some examples here: > http://lublyou.com/2012/08/27/lomography-monday-how-to-use-35mm-film-in-a-620mm-camera/ > > And if you want MY recommendation for the Very Top pseudo-TLR to get, > it would be the Anscoflex II. It is not only a great (heavy duty) > camera, with a giant top viewfinder and a built-in close-up filter, > but it was designed by the world famous Raymond Loewy (as seen in this > episode of This Old Camera: > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnaC2qP8CEY > > http://www.theverge.com/2013/11/5/5068132/raymond-loewy-the-man-who-designed-everything > > http://www.raymondloewy.com/photo-gallery.html > > Enjoy! > > On Fri, Nov 6, 2015 at 3:14 PM, Darren Addy <[email protected]> wrote: >> Thanks for the info/link P.J. You gave me the idea to search Google >> Books to see if I could narrow it down through advertisements. Here is >> what the Rediflex "Outfit" looked like in 1950: >> https://goo.gl/82gLZw >> Mine is clearly later. Found this description (but no picture) from a >> 1952 publication that describes a "1951 deluxe Ansco Gadget Bag" >> https://goo.gl/zStuEP >> The price is also $24.95 for the kit (which was still a chunk of >> change in the early 50's). >> I'm guessing that mine is from that era. >> >> From that search I also learned that the Rediflex was something of a >> pioneer in its use of plastics ( being cited in publications for its >> innovation in publications up to 1959). I also found two 1947 >> publications referring to the new Rediflex, which would mean that >> those place publishing 1948 dates for it's introduction might be a >> year off. >> Finally, from that search, found an interesting book that I'm going to >> have to see if I can find from Interlibrary Loan. (The prices for it, >> even on the used market are too rich for my blood): >> http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTHONY-THE-MAN-COMPANY-CAMERAS-BY-WILLIAM-ESTELLE-MARDER-FIRST-EDITION-/360612404378 >> One of his companies was apparently Ansco and the Rediflex is mentioned >> inside. >> >> Another Google Books search using the film box info (Ansco >> "All-Weather" film "Economy Pak") yields it being mentioned starting >> in 1952 and on, although the box looked different than mine in 1952, >> judging by this ad from a KC newspaper on July 1, 1952: >> http://www.antiqueauto.org/assets/AnscoAdKC1952.png >> >> >> I also found that Pacific Rim is trying to sell the little instruction >> book that comes with my kit for nearly 1/2 the price that I paid for >> the whole kit: >> http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANSCO-REDIFLEX-INSTRUCTION-BOOK-183983-/381435077241 >> >> Finally, Butkus.org has (what appears to be an older version of) the >> manual: http://www.cameramanuals.org/agfa_ansco/ansco_rediflex.pdf >> I think the model on the cover of mine looks more modern (I'm guessing). >> >> By the way, I found my box of TTV cameras (along with my Minolta 110 >> and my stash of unused 110 and 126 films). I have two other Rediflex >> cameras but they both have cosmetic issues (still useful for TTV, of >> course). So this new kit will definitely be the new "display" model >> for me. Taking a quick inventory, it looks like I have about 20 of >> these pseudo-TLRs (and two real TLRs... a Mamiyaflex and a C33). >> Please don't report me to the reality show "Hoarders". >> :) >> >> On Fri, Nov 6, 2015 at 1:16 PM, P.J. Alling <[email protected]> >> wrote: >>> Site, site, site... Damned spell checker. >>> >>> >>> On 11/6/2015 2:14 PM, P.J. Alling wrote: >>>> >>>> According to this sit it's circa 1950. >>>> >>>> http://web4homes.com/cameras/ansco.htm >>>> >>>> On 11/6/2015 1:16 PM, Darren Addy wrote: >>>>> >>>>> I've got a soft spot for psuedo-TLR cameras. I think they are cool >>>>> looking and there is something about looking down at the world through >>>>> their distorted waist level viewfinders that feeds my soul. One of my >>>>> favorites is the Ansco Rediflex. >>>>> >>>>> Last night I picked up (on that infernal auction site) one of the >>>>> mintiest Rediflex kits you will probably ever see. It (quite likely) >>>>> has only had one roll of film put through it, as it has a 3-pack box >>>>> of B&W Ansco 620 film with two of the rolls still inside it >>>>> (expiration date Feb. 1965). They started making the Rediflex in 1948 >>>>> and I'm not sure when they stopped. The expiration date on the film >>>>> might give a clue to its age, but I'm not sure how long after >>>>> manufacture Ansco placed their expiration dates. I'd guess that this >>>>> kit is from the mid-50s: >>>>> >>>>> http://www.antiqueauto.org/assets/rediflexKit.jpg >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> I don't want to achieve immortality through my work; I want to achieve >>> immortality through not dying. >>> -- Woody Allen >>> >>> >>> -- >>> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >>> [email protected] >>> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >>> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >>> follow the directions. >> >> >> >> -- >> Life is too short to put up with bad bokeh. > > > > -- > Life is too short to put up with bad bokeh. > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
