Broken Camera . Club

my year with film and old cameras

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Index By Camera
  • About

Canon FTb

July 19, 2017 by Paul Lovell

The Canon FTb was introduced in 1971 as the amateur companion to the F-1 professional camera. It uses the Canon FD lens mount. In 1973 the design was modified to include a shutter speed indicator in the viewfinder. The new design also changed the film advance lever from all metal to now including a plastic tip. This one is the newer model. 

Read More
July 19, 2017 /Paul Lovell

LOMO LC-A

July 07, 2017 by Paul Lovell

Introduced in 1984 the LOMO LC-A was a compact Soviet camera that borrowed heavily from the Cosina CX-2. Production stoped in 2005. It was resurrected in 2006 as the LC-A+ and production was moved to China. This one is an original Russian version. LC-A stands for Lomo Kompakt Automat. 

Read More
July 07, 2017 /Paul Lovell
1 Comment

Olympus M-1

June 26, 2017 by Paul Lovell

The Olympus M-1 was launched in 1971 and only produced for one year before being renamed the OM-1. Evidently Leica was so concerned about the impact to the Leica M1 that they objected to the name. Seriously, what them were likely reacting to was the fact that Olympus had just introduced an SLR that was the size of a Leica M rangefinder. Plus, the use of the M-System name was hitting a bit close to home.

Read More
June 26, 2017 /Paul Lovell

Contax T3

June 20, 2017 by Paul Lovell

The Contax T3 was released in 2001 as the follow up to the still popular T2. The T3 kept the Sonnar 2.8 lens (now a 35mm vs a 38mm) but cut the size by about 1/3. The T3 was and remains an uber-premium compact.

Read More
June 20, 2017 /Paul Lovell

Leica M2-R with Sumicron 35 ASPH

June 15, 2017 by Paul Lovell

Produced at the end of the M2 product cycle as Leica was already switching to the M4, the M2-R was basically U.S. Military surplus sold to civilian consumers.

Read More
June 15, 2017 /Paul Lovell

Canon AF35ML

June 08, 2017 by Paul Lovell

Introduced in 1981 the AF35ML is a quality built fully automatic point and shoot. The Canon Camera Museum refers to the AF35ML as the Super Sure Shot or Autoboy Super. It was the second in what would become the Sure Shot line of consumer cameras. The AF35ML added an upgraded lens (1.9 vs 2.8) to the 1979 AF35M. 

Read More
June 08, 2017 /Paul Lovell

Konica Pop

May 22, 2017 by Paul Lovell

The Konica Pop was introduced in 1982. Because nothing says '80s excess like a point and shoot that comes in a rainbow of colors. In 1985 it was updated and the "hexagon" was dropped from the lens but new colors were added. Production ended in 1988 and about that time an auto-date version came out.

Read More
May 22, 2017 /Paul Lovell

Thank You PetaPixel, Down the Road and Jim Gray!

May 18, 2017 by Paul Lovell

I just learned that BrokenCamera.Club was included on a list compiled by Jim Gray for his site Down the Road and also published on PetaPixel. 

Read More
May 18, 2017 /Paul Lovell
1 Comment

Canon SureShot A1

May 15, 2017 by Paul Lovell

Introduced in 1994 the SureShot A1 was also know as the Prima AS-1 in Europe and the Autoboy D5 in Japan. 

Read More
May 15, 2017 /Paul Lovell

Minolta Hi-Matic SD

May 10, 2017 by Paul Lovell

The Minolta Hi-Matic SD was the premium version of the Hi-Matic S. Both were introduced in 1978 and transitioned the Hi-Matic line to a plastic flash integrated line of consumer cameras.

Read More
May 10, 2017 /Paul Lovell

Olympus OM-1

May 01, 2017 by Paul Lovell

Originally launched in 1972 as the M-1, the name was changed to OM-1 after Leica objected to the M-1 name. The OM series was designed by the Olympus Pen line team led by Yoshihisa Maitani.

Read More
May 01, 2017 /Paul Lovell
3 Comments

Canon Model VT de luxe, 50mm 1.4

April 22, 2017 by Paul Lovell

The Canon VT de luxe was produced in 1957 as an upgrade of the VT. Like the VT the VT de luxe has a trigger film advance. Only 3,475 units are reported to have been produced. Most were chrome but this gorgeous example is original black.

Read More
April 22, 2017 /Paul Lovell

Olympus Infinity Stylus Zoom 35-70

April 17, 2017 by Paul Lovell

The Olympus Infinity Stylus line was introduced in the early 1990s as the follow up to the Olympus XA design. Like the XA series it has a sliding lens cover that turn on the camera and activates the lens. Infinity Stylus was the U.S. market designation, in Japan and other markets they were the Olympus Mju. The Zoom 35-70 was introduce in 1993, assembled in China with parts from Japan. 

Read More
April 17, 2017 /Paul Lovell

Leica M2 with Jupiter 9

April 11, 2017 by Paul Lovell

The M2 was in production from 1957 to 1967. This one is an earlier version with a button rewind and the optional self-timer. Late versions used a lever release like the M3.

Read More
April 11, 2017 /Paul Lovell

Zorki-4K with an Industar-50

April 06, 2017 by Paul Lovell

The Zorki 4K was the 1973 replacement of the Zorki 4. The Zorki 4 had a long run starting in 1956 and outlasted all the other competing rangefinder models of the time. The 4K added an upgrade of a thumb film advice vs the original wheel advance. The 4K did not have the longevity of the original 4 only lasting till 1978.

Read More
April 06, 2017 /Paul Lovell

Minolta Weathermatic Dual 35

March 27, 2017 by Paul Lovell

In 1987, Minolta introduced the Weathermatic 35 Dual. The Weathermatic was a water sealed autofocus point and shoot that gives the option of a 35mm f3.5 or a 50mm f5.6 focal lens. Rated to a maximum depth of 5m or 16 ft.

Read More
March 27, 2017 /Paul Lovell

Canon Model L-2

March 20, 2017 by Paul Lovell

The Canon Model L-2 was introduced in late 1956 and produced through 1957. After the Canon VT, the L-2 was a more approachable rangefinder. It incorporates a thumb rewind (VT was a trigger wind in the base). The L-2 does drop to a max speed of 500. It retains the split speed shutter speed dials. 

Read More
March 20, 2017 /Paul Lovell

Leica MD2, 15mm f4.5

March 17, 2017 by Paul Lovell

The Leica MD-2 was produced from 1980 to 1986. The MD-2 was intended for use with the Visoflex or attached to a microscope or other instrument. The MD-2 lacks a viewfinder. Also, omitted was a self-timer but it does provide for a motor attachment.

Read More
March 17, 2017 /Paul Lovell

Canon GIII QL Tape Back Upgrade

March 13, 2017 by Paul Lovell

Produced from 1972 to 1982 the Canon Canonet QL17 GIIIQL was a workhorse of the compact range finder group. And some have give more than others for the cause.

Read More
March 13, 2017 /Paul Lovell

Minolta Hi-Matic CS

March 07, 2017 by Paul Lovell

Introduced in 1972 the Minolta Hi-Matic CS is basically a Hi-Matic F by a different name.

Read More
March 07, 2017 /Paul Lovell
  • Newer
  • Older