The museum aims at collecting and displaying the 99 most iconic cameras of all time. Every camera is chosen for its innovations, its design, or for being an icon of its era.
The museum’s latest acquisitions : Mecaflex (1958), Contax “Chrome” (1935), Widelux F6 (1964), Cyclope (1952), Canon 7 (1961), Mecilux (1955)
-
Leica
Leica I (Mod.A) – 1/99
First Leica seriesGermany 1927 – Compact 35 mm – Very Rare. The Leica I, also known as Model A, was introduced at the Leipzig trade show in 1925. It is believed that Oskar Barnack coined the name “Leica” (a fusion of “Leitz Camera”) during his work on this camera. The Leica I marked a revolutionary milestone, emerging…
-
Rollei
RolleiFlex Baby (K1A) – 2/99Germany 1931 – Reflex TLR – 4×4 cm – Very Rare. The Rolleiflex 4×4, affectionately nicknamed the “Baby” Rolleiflex, entered production from March 1931 and continued until the midst of WWII in 1943. The K.1A model marked a significant step for Franke & Heidecke, as it was their inaugural 4×4 cm offering following the introduction…
-
Kodak
Petite – 3/99
The autograph cameraUnited States 1929 – Folding – 127 film – Rare. The Kodak Petite represents a beautifully colored iteration of Kodak’s iconic Vest Pocket (model B) camera. Its compact size and user-friendly design transformed this camera into a stylish accessory, while the array of available colors (blue, green, lavender & pink) rendered it a fashionable and…
-
KMZ
AJAX-12 “KGB” – 4/99
Soviet spy cameraUSSR 1952 – Spy Camera – 21 mm – Rare. The KMZ Ajax-12 stands as a subminiature espionage camera meticulously crafted for the Soviet Union’s intelligence agency, the KGB. The Ajax integrates a clockwork mechanism powered by a spring, enabling operatives to capture a sequence of images without requiring manual film rewinding. Frequently employed for…
-
Meopta
Stereo-Mikroma – 5/99Czech Republic 1961 – Stereographic – 16 mm – Infrequent. In 1961, the Stereo Mikroma emerged from Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic) as the stereographic iteration of Meopta’s classic subminiature camera, the Mikroma. While not exceedingly scarce, the Stereo Mikroma’s compact dimensions and distinct aesthetics have rendered it a captivating collectible. It stands as one…
-
Kodak
Bantam Special – 6/99
Design by Walter TeagueUnited States 1936 – Folding – 828 Bantam – Very Rare. Debuted in 1936, the Kodak Bantam Special stands as a contender for one of the most exquisite camera designs ever created. Its distinct Streamline Moderne Art Deco aesthetics were masterminded by Walter Dorwin Teague, renowned for his contributions to Texaco gas stations, TWA branding,…
-
Nikon
Nikon 1 S – 7/99
Very early NikonJapan 1950 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. In 1948, during the period of occupied Japan, Nikon introduced its inaugural camera, the Nikon 1. Originally christened “Nikorette,” derived from Nippon Kogaku, with “ette” added to emphasize its diminutive size, the name eventually transformed into “Nikon,” becoming the iconic brand we recognize today. Two years…
-
C.P. Goerz
Minicord “gold” – 8/99Austria 1951 – Subminiature – 16 mm – Very Rare. Introduced in 1951 by Optische Anstalt C. P. Goerz in Vienna, Austria, the Goerz Minicord is regarded as one of the premier subminiature cameras, standing alongside the Gami 16 and Minox in terms of optical and mechanical excellence, as noted by Paul Wahl. Renowned for…
-
Robot
Robot 1 – 9/99
First motorized cameraGermany 1934 – Compact – 35 mm – Very Rare. Crafted by Otto Berning & Co. and later known as Robot, the Robot camera emerged in 1934 as a remarkable testament to innovation during its era. Distinguished by its ingenuity, the camera employed regular 35mm film on a shorter stroke to create square 24x24mm frames.…
-
Minox
Riga – 10/99
Legendary spy cameraLatvia 1938 – Spy Camera – Minox film – Very Rare. Invented in 1936, the Minox camera soared to fame when James Bond (played by George Lazenby) wielded a Minox A IIIs in the 1969 film “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.” The initial Riga iterations of the Minox sported a stainless steel casing, later transitioned…
-
Alsaphot
Cyclope – 11/99
2000 producedFrance 1952 – Compact – 120 film – Very Rare. Produced in 1952, the Cyclope camera from Alsaphot is a truly incredible device. To reduce the size of a camera using 120 film, Lucien Dodin designed an innovative process where the image undergoes 2 successive reflexions before reaching the film. This unique architecture allows the Cyclope to…
-
Ernemann
Ermanox – 12/99
Early indoor photographyGermany 1924 – Plate Camera – 6×4.5 Plates – Very Rare. The Ermanox cameras have achieved legendary status. Manufactured by Ernemann in Dresden in 1924, this camera brought a breakthrough by enabling low-light snapshots due to its remarkably bright optics. Its advertising of the time boasted, “Capture interiors, nighttime theater scenes… without using magnesium.” German…
-
Kodak
35 Kodex No.1 – 13/99United 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…
-
K.G. Corfield
Periflex 1 – 14/99England 1953 – Compact – 35 mm – Very Rare. The Periflex 1, crafted by K.G. Corfield, is a British 35mm camera introduced in 1953, coinciding with the Queen’s coronation event. Its distinctive innovation was the introduction of a vertical focusing mechanism reminiscent of a submarine periscope, a feature that lent the camera its name.…
-
Gaumont
Block-Notes – 15/99France 1904 – Plate Camera – Plates – Rare. The Gaumont Block-Notes is a folding klapp camera distinguished by its elegant simplicity in design. With an exterior entirely coated in lacquered black paint, this camera boasted ease of use and was often classified as a “woman’s camera” during its era. The Tessar-Zeiss lens is situated…
-
Canon
Canon 7 – 16/99
Fastest lens of its timeJapan 1961 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Canon 7 rangefinder was introduced in 1961and is the last model compatible with the Leica M39 lens mount. Even though Canon had already issued single lens reflex (SLR) cameras at the time, the brand wanted to produce a fast-shooting rangefinder camera for reportage in direct…
-
Leica
Leica III (mod. F) – 17/99
The most copiedGermany 1934 – Compact – 35 mm – Very Rare. Succeeding the Leica I and produced concurrently with the Leica II, the Leica III stands out as arguably the most iconic and emulated camera design in history. The protective cover for the viewfinder and rangefinder has served as inspiration for countless imitations, a trend that…
-
Rollei
Rollei 35 S Jubilee – 18/99Germany 1974 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Rollei 35, a 35 mm miniature viewfinder camera manufactured by Rollei in 1966, holds the distinction of being one of the smallest 35 mm cameras ever crafted. Heinz Waaske, the chief engineer at the German camera manufacturer Wirgin, conceived the design for the Rollei 35…
-
Canon
Canon IIIA – 19/99Japan 1951 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. After World War II, Canon embarked on the production of rangefinder cameras and continually released updated versions with consistent innovations. The IIIA, emerging in the early 1950s, was among the initial models mass-produced and introduced several novel features, notably the compatibility of its mount with Leica…
-
Olympus
Olympus Pen F – 20/99Japan 1963 – Compact – 35 mm – Infrequent. The Olympus Pen F was the world’s first half-frame reflex camera. The origins of the Pen F trace back to a 1959 challenge posed by Olympus to one of its young engineers, Yoshihisa Maitani. Tasked with creating a compact reflex camera that could retail for under…
-
Gomz
Sport “Спорт” – 21/99
Early Single Lens ReflexUSSR 1937 – Compact – 35 mm – Very Rare. The Sport (Cyrillic: “Спорт”) stands as one of the earliest pioneers in the world of SLR (Single Lens Reflex) cameras, utilizing the innovative 35mm film format. Manufactured by the Soviet camera producer Gomz in 1937, this breakthrough marked a significant leap in camera technology. The…
-
Fed
Fed I Type A – 22/99
First soviet copyUSSR 1939 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Fed 1 Type A camera holds a legendary status, representing a pivotal point in photography history. Arguably, it stands as the most significant camera ever produced in the Soviet Union. Functioning as the USSR’s initial endeavor to create a high-caliber 35mm compact camera, the Fed…
-
Robot
Robot II “Luftwaffe” – 23/99
WW2 Stuka’s cameraGermany 1940 – Compact – 35 mm – Very Rare. Introduced in 1938, the Robot II emerged as a slightly larger iteration of its predecessor, the Robot I, boasting several notable enhancements while retaining the core mechanism. A distinct variant was developed exclusively for the German intelligence service and military. Equipped with two perpendicular viewfinders—one…
-
Kodak
Brownie Starlet – 24/99United 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…
-
Voigtlander
Vitessa A – 25/99Germany 1956 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. Among the plethora of 35mm film cameras, Voigtlander’s foldable rangefinders, the Vitessa, emerge as some of the most visually captivating and unforgettable pieces. These cameras boast an unmistakable angular design, wherein the lens elegantly emerges from a dual-flap opening – a distinctive feature that sets them…
-
Seroa
Mecaflex – 26/99Monaco 1958 – Compact – 35 mm – Very Rare. The Mecaflex was originally produced in 1953 by Metz in Germany and was the brainchild of Heinz Kilfitt, who would later create the Robot cameras. German production was interrupted after just 1800 cameras were produced, only to be restarted in 1958 in Monaco by SEROA.…
-
Morita
Kiku 16 (mod. 2) – 27/99Japan 1956 – Subminiature – 16 mm – Rare. The Kiku 16, measuring under 6 cm, stands as one among the myriad of subminiature cameras that emerged from Japan in the mid-1950s. What sets the Kiku 16 apart is its remarkably refined craftsmanship, seemingly crafted to emulate a miniature version of a Leica. A button…
-
Purma Cameras
Purma Special – 28/99
Incredible British designEngland 1937 – Compact – 127 film – Rare. Certain designs possess such distinctive uniqueness that they can be attributed solely to British ingenuity. The Purma Special undeniably belongs to this remarkable category. Conceived by artist Tom Purvis and inventor Alfred Croger Mayo, the Purma Special (a fusion of PURvis and MAyo) stands as an…
-
Konishiroku
Snappy – 29/99
Police pocket cameraJapan 1949 – Subminiature – 17.5 mm – Rare. Konishiroku stands as one of Japan’s oldest photographic enterprises, with its origins tracing back to 1873 – a history predating even that of Kodak, which officially began in 1881. The company was established by Rokusaburo Sugiura, a pharmacist who embarked on selling photographic merchandise from Tokyo’s…
-
ITT
Fashionflash 405 – 30/99Hong Kong 1980 – Compact – 110 film – Infrequent. ITT (International Telephone and Telegraph) is a multinational corporation founded in 1920, specializing in the field of telephone communications. While primarily known for its telecommunications endeavors, ITT briefly ventured into the realm of film photography, albeit producing devices of limited interest. These cameras were manufactured…
-
Plaubel
Makinette – 31/99Germany 1932 – Folding – 127 film – Very Rare. Plaubel is originally a German camera maker, founded in 1902. It became famous for the Makina series of press cameras, introduced as early as 1911. The Makinette foldable that was a pocket size camera and was produced for only one year in 1932, making it…
-
Ihagee
Exakta B – 32/99
First Single Lens ReflexGermany 1933 – Compact – 127 film – Rare. Ihagee, a German camera manufacturer located in Dresden, achieved prominence through its notable range of single-lens reflex cameras marketed under the Exakta brand. The Exakta camera is instantly recognizable for its distinctive trapezoidal shape, setting it apart as more compact, smaller, and ergonomically designed compared to…
-
Sawyers
View-master Personal Stereo – 33/99United 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…
-
Tougodo
Meikai No.1 – 34/99Japan 1940 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. Created in 1930, in the Kanga district of Tokyo, the Tougodo brand was named to honor Admiral Tougo who had defeated the Russian fleet in the Baltic during the battle of Tsushima in 1905. Notably, Tougodo was recognized for its innovative camera creations and participated to…
-
Argus
Argus C – 35/99
The iconic “brick”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…
-
Wirgin
Gewirette – 36/99Germany 1936 – Compact – 127 film – Rare. The Gewirette is a small viewfinder-type camera made by Wirgin in Wiesbaden. The name Gewirette is derived from the company name Wirgin Brothers (GErrüder WIrgin). The Gewinette is a wonderfully crafted camera whose lens collapses into the body to make it more compact. To load and…
-
Asahi Musen
Steky (Mod. 1) – 37/99Japan 1947 – Subminiature – 16 mm – Very Rare. The Steky is a beautiful subminiature camera produced by the Asahi Musen Company starting 1947. It was then taken over by the Riken Optical Company (Ricoh) in 1950. At the time, film and processing costs were expensive so 16 mm cameras were very popular. But…
-
Ilford
Advocate (Mod. 1) – 38/99
The British legendEngland 1949 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Ilford Advocate is a white-enameled die-cast aluminium alloy 35mm camera made in England by Kennedy Instruments, a subsidiary of Ilford. The Advocate was introduced in 1949 and presented as a “landmark in British camera construction”, giving “the lie to the assertion that we cannot hope…
-
Showa Kogaku
Gemflex – 39/99
Twin Lens miniatureJapan 1949 – Subminiature – 14 mm – Very Rare. The Gemflex is an incredible subminiature camera. It was produced by Showa in occupied Japan in 1949. The Gemflex not only resembles a miniature version of the well known Rolleiflex 6×6 twin lens reflex, but is operated like one. It is one of the smallest…
-
Nikon
Nikon F – 40/99
The legendJapan 1961 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Nikon F, introduced in April 1959, was Nikon’s first SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera and one of the most advanced cameras of its day. Camera of choice for most photojournalists across the globe, very few cameras scream adventure and travel as much as the Nikon…
-
Tessina
Automatic – 41/99
Like a luxury watchSwitzerland 1957 – Subminiature – 35 mm – Rare. The Tessina, produced in Lugano in 1957, and is probably the smallest half-frame 35mm camera ever built. And possibly the strangest. It is a twin-lens reflex with pop-up viewfinder and a clock-work motor drive designed for waist-level inconspicuous photography. The almost 400 parts used in making…
-
Foca
Universel – 42/99France 1949 – Compact – 35 mm – Infrequent. At a time when the first 35mm single lens reflex were beginning to appear, the most renowned cameras were the Leicas, with their high quality mechanics and lenses. But France had something to say with the appreciated Foca Universel. In 1938, the French government had limited…
-
Rollei
Rolleiflex “grey baby” – 43/99Germany 1957 – Reflex TLR – 127 film – Rare. Descendant of the Rolleiflex Baby of 1931, this version popularly known as the “Grey Baby” Rolleiflex, was introduced in 1957, it was then replaced by a black version in 1963. This model helped kick-start a brief boom for 38 mm “super slides” whose slide mounts…
-
Zeiss Ikon
Nettax – 44/99Germany 1936 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Zeiss Ikon Nettax, produced in 1936 was a very high-end device. It was a very expensive camera, making it a very desirable collectible today. It is beautifully built out of light chromed metal and sheathed in very soft black Saffiano veal leather. The objectives are interchangeable using…
-
Lumiere
Super Eljy – 45/99France 1937 – Subminiature – Custom film – Rare. The Eljy and Super-Eljy cameras were produced by Lumiere (from the Lumiere brothers) from 1937 and are among the most recognizable French miniature cameras. They were extremely popular cameras as they were built with almost no major evolution from 1937 to 1951 when they were replaced…
-
Pentax
Auto 110 – 46/99Japan 1978 – Subminiature – 110 film – Infrequent. Launched in 1978, the Pentax Auto 110 was a very exciting camera, causing quite a stir among photography fans. It was indeed a (super cute) miniature version of a 35 mm interchangeable lens reflex. Pentax engineers were the first to release a 110 reflex, equipping it with…
-
Nomura
Tanzer “smile” – 47/99Japan 1950 – Reflex TLR – Bolta film – Rare. The Tanzer was produced in the early 50s in Japan by the Nomura optical company. Not much is known about the Nomura company, which apparently only produced this camera in two versions (with and without flash synchronisation) and did not leave a notable mark. The…
-
Bencini
Comet III – 48/99Italy 1952 – Compact – 127 film – Rare. Some designs are just Italian. Period. And sometimes design makes everything. Bencini, established in Milan in the late 1930’s was one of the flag bearers of the Italian camera market in the middle of last century. Most of the Bencini cameras were variations of a traditional…
-
Kemper
The Kombi – 49/99
Early mass productionUnited 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…
-
Ducati
Simplex – 50/99
Before the motorcyclesItaly 1950 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. Ducati was founded in Bologna (Italy) in 1926 by the three brothers Adriano, Bruno and Marcello Ducati. Even though today the company is principally known for its (exceptional) motorcycles, Ducati started its activity with the production of electrical condensers. Later, they diversified in the fields of…
-
Minolta
Minolta 35 F – 51/99Japan 1952 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Minolta-35 was launched in the spring of 1947. At the time, Minolta had to recover from the war with only three factories left. Photographic film was rare, reserved primarily for medical radiography. The 120 format being prohibited by the authorities, camera manufacturers turned to the…
-
Leica
leica M3 – 52/99
Super iconicGermany 1954 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The camera industry of the 20th century articulates itself around a certain number of super iconic cameras, many of them produced by Leica. The Leica M3, is definitely a major cornerstone in that regards. Introduced in 1954, the Leica M3 sets a new standard for rangefinders…
-
Kiev Arsenal
Kiev 4 A – 53/99USSR 1984 – Compact – 35 mm – Common. The Kiev rangefinders were produced for over 51 years by the Arsenal factory in Kiev (Ukraine, USSR) and carry an incredible history. At the end of World War II, the victorious Red Army captured and “relocated” the still-standing Dresden Zeiss factories to Ukraine to start a…
-
Showa Kogaku
Leotax (Mod. F) – 54/99Japan 1954 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Kyoei-Sha Company was founded in 1938 in Tokyo and was renamed Showa as a reference to the reign of the current Emperor Hirohito. After Canon, Showa was the oldest to start produce 35 mm cameras in Japan. They produced very nice copies of German cameras…
-
Mamiya
Super 16 (Mod.III) – 55/99Japan 1959 – Subminiature – 16 mm – Infrequent. The Mamiya Super 16 was manufactured by Mamiya Camera Company of Tokyo in the early 1950s. Mamiya was well known for the Mamiya Six, a 6×6 foldable they had been producing since 1940. Starting 1949, they made a successful series of 16 mm cameras that lasted until…
-
Durst
Duca – 56/99Italy 1947 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Duca was the second camera produced by Durst, an Italian company headquartered in Brixen, South Tyrol. It was first presented at the 24th Milan Trade Fair in September 1946 and went into production until 1952. The Duca is a quite basic and yet solid device…
-
Univex
Mercury II – 57/99United 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…
-
ISO
Bilux – 58/99
Few 100s producedItaly 1949 – Compact – 35 mm – Very Rare. The Bilux, released in 1949 in Milan by the Industria Scientifico Ottica (ISO), is probably one of the most sought after cameras ever built. Produced in about 200 copies before ISO released the “Standard” and mythical “Reporter”, the Bilux is both an incredibly well built…
-
Toakoki
Gelto DIII – 59/99
Jewel cameraJapan 1947 – Compact – 127 film – Rare. Produced in Japan by Tōa Kōki Seisakusho (Far-East Optical Works, usually called Toakoki) for about 15 years from 1936, the Gelto DIII was a desirable camera that definitely stood out on the shelves of the camera shops. The Gelto is indeed a striking device with very…
-
Ansco
Memo – 60/99United 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…
-
Steineck
ABC Wristwatch – 61/99Germany 1948 – Spy Camera – Custom film – Very Rare. The ABC Wristwatch camera, designed by Austrian Chemist Rudolph Steineck was first introduced in 1948 and was produced for 3 years. This fancy looking wristwatch is in reality a disguised sub-miniature camera allowing to take discreet photographs while pretending to check for the time.…
-
Panon
Widelux F6 – 62/99
Early panoramicJapan 1964 – Panoramic – 35 mm – Very Rare. The Widelux F6 is a fully mechanical swing-lens panoramic camera. It was first developed in Japan in 1958 by Panon Camera Shoko and production ended in 2000. The Widelux uses a unique process to create almost 130 degree panoramic exposures on standard 35 mm or…
-
Alpa
Reflex – 63/99Switzerland 1942 – Compact – 35 mm – Very Rare. Like most Swiss high-quality cameras, the Alpa Reflex has common roots with the watchmaking industry. It was designed by Pignons SA, a Swiss precision mechanical manufacturer that decided to diversify their product range in the late 1930s. Prototype production began in 1939 with test series…
-
Mamiya
Magazine 35 – 64/99Japan 1957 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Magazine 35, produced in 1957, is NOT your usual Mamiya. At first glance the Magazine 35 looks like a fairly plain camera from the mid 1950s, that you might not look twice at. It has a good build, feels solid and looks well made, the…
-
Sakura Seiki
Petal – 65/99
Private eye cameraJapan 1948 – Spy Camera – Custom film – Very rare. The Petal is an incredible device. It was the smallest subminiature camera in the world, produced by Sakura Seiki in Japan in 1948. It has a round (or octagonal) main body the size of a coin and was intended for inconspicuous photography as it…
-
Rollei
Rolleiflex SL66 – 66/99Germany 1966 – Reflex SLR – 120 film – Rare. The Rolleiflex SL66 is a legendary camera. It is Rollei’s first single lens 6×6 camera (SL66 stands for Single Lens 6×6). It entered the market in the fall of 1966 and has been the only Rollei model ever to stay in production for over 25…
-
Asahi
Pentax H2 – 67/99Japan 1959 – Compact – 35 mm – Infrequent. The Pentax H2 (or S2), produced in 1959, was launched two years after the original Pentax and is by no means a rare camera. It is the direct descendent of the Asahi Asahiflex, the first Japanese SLR using 35 mm film (launched in 1952). The Pentax…
-
Hasselblad
500 C – 68/99
The Swedish revolutionSweden 1963 – Reflex SLR – 120 film – Infrequent. Few cameras can claim to be icons of generations more than the Swedish-born Hasselblad 500 C. With multiple prototypes in the works in 1953, the final Hasselblad 500 C was launched in 1957. Modified throughout the years, the 500 series cameras represent the pinnacle of…
-
Nicca
Nicca 3-F – 69/99Japan 1956 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Nicca 3F rangefinder was produced by the Japanese company Nicca Camera Co. Ltd in 1956. Nicca was founded in 1952 by Kichiya Momose and was known for producing high-quality cameras that were popular with both amateur and professional photographers. The 3F was one of Nicca’s…
-
Kodak
Retina 117 – 70/99
First 35mm cartridgeGermany 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…
-
Iso
Duplex Super 120 – 71/99Italy 1956 – Stereographic – 120 film – Rare. Italian camera manufacturer ISO (Industria Scientifica Ottica) has gained acclaim in the closed world of prestige photography with its rangefinder cameras Bilux and Reporter. The Duplex Super 120 that ISO produced in 1956 reflects the company’s obsession for quality, workmanship and design originality. The Duplex Super…
-
Welta
Perfekta – 72/99
Foldable cameraGermany 1934 – Folding – 120 film – Very Rare. The Perfekta TLR (twin lens reflex) was produced by Welta in Germany from 1934 to 1940. It was the successor of the Superfekta and remains one of the most fascinating cameras ever built. Welta wanted to create a 6×6 TLR camera that would fold and…
-
Gomz
Leningrad 2A – 73/99USSR 1958 – Compact – 35 mm – infrequent. The Gomz Leningrad is a 35mm Soviet rangefinder camera produced between 1956-68. It was designed for reportage, sports and technical photography and allowed burst shooting using a spring mechanism. It takes about 20 pictures after one full actuation of the spring and can achieve up to…
-
Domenico Chinaglia
Kristall R – 74/99Italy 1954 – Compact – 35 mm – Very rare. Starting in 1949, Domenico Chinaglia of Belluno in north-west Italy started producing the Kristall Cameras, Italian copies of the Leica II. Chinaglia was an incredible character and produced cameras in various locations. He collaborated with several other entrepreneurs of the times ultimately giving birth to…
-
Bolsey
Model C – 75/99United 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…
-
Polaroid
SX 70 – 76/99
The instant revolutionUnited 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…
-
Zuiho
Honor S1 – 77/99Japan 1958 – Compact – 35 mm – Very rare. The Honor S1 (or Honor 35) is a Japanese Leica III copy, made from 1956 to 1959 by Zuiho Kōgaku. It seems that it was first developed by Daiichi Kōgaku as the Ichicon-35 though no original document has yet been found to confirm this. The…
-
Zeiss Ikon
Contarex “Bullseye” – 78/99
Legendary designGermany 1960 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Contarex is an incredible machine. Commercialized in 1960 by Zeiss Ikon, it is probably one of the most identifiable cameras ever. It is popularly known as the Bullseye (or the Cyclops) for its oversized light captor above the objective. Some consider the design to be…
-
Rectaflex
Rectaflex – 79/99Italy 1954 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Rectaflex is a 35mm SLR camera developed in Italy by the eponymous company. It was presented for the first time at the Milan fair in april 1948. It was the world’s first SLR equipped with a solid Pentaprism that allowed a vertically corrected view. The…
-
Kamera Werkstatten
Praktiflex – 80/99Germany 1940 – Compact – 35 mm – Very rare. The Praktiflex, launched by Kamera-Werkstatten (a.k.a. KW), made its debut at the 1939 Leipzig Fair and would generate excitement almost immediately. Demand for the new Praktiflex was so great, that the company had to quickly relocate into a former candy factory in Niedersedlitz in the…
-
Zeiss Ikon
Contax “Chrome Face” – 82/99
Few 100s producedGermany 1935 – Compact – 34 mm – Very Rare. Produced from 1932, Zeiss Ikon’s Contax was designed to be the brand’s challenger to Leitz Leica. Aware of the Leica’s growing success, Zeiss Ikon decided to produce a competitor designed to be superior in every way using the same perforated 35 mm film. The name…
-
Lachaize
Mecilux – 81/99
1500 producedFrance 1955 – Compact – 35 mm – Very Rare. Created in the mid-50s by Paul Lachaize near Lyon, France, the Mecilux is a remarkable device. Lachaize, a skilled artisan, ventured into industrial production using emerging precision plastic injection techniques. What sets the Mecilux apart is its focus on accessibility and user-friendliness. Lachaize devised an…
-
Leica
Leica IIIG – 83/99Germany 1957 – Compact – 35 mm – Very rare. The Leica III G (often said to stand for “Gorgeous”) was introduced by Leica in 1956. It was the last of the screw mount Leicas as designed by Oscar Barnack. Barnack did not actually design the III G as he passed away in 1935 after…
-
Gallus
Derlux – 84/99France 1945 – Compact – 127 film – Rare. The Derlux is a French camera produced by Gallus immediately after world war II, in 1945. This very peculiar camera belongs to a very peculiar time in French history, following the liberation from German occupation. The entire unit is built in polished aluminum, without any paint…
-
Voigtlander
Prominent – 85/99Germany 1932 – Folding – 120 film – Very rare. The Voigtlander Prominent 6 X 9 went into production in 1932 and is probably one of the most incredible folding cameras ever built. This massive folding camera was designed from the start to be a superlative camera and was sold about the same price of…
-
Suzuki Optical
Camera Lite (model 1) – 86/99Japan 1955 – Spy Camera – 8 mm – Rare. Produced around 1955 by Suzuki the Camera Lite is a Spy camera hidden in a zippo-like lighter. It was produced as a simplified version of another Spy Camera, the Echo 8. In 1953 the Echo 8 made an appearance in movie “Roman Holiday.” A reporter, Gregory…
-
Canon
Canon A1 – 87/99Japan 1979 – Compact – 35 mm – Infrequent. The Canon A1 hit the market in 1978 and very quickly became legendary. The Canon A-1 is a historically significant camera and was the high technology standard bearer of the landmark Canon amateur level A-series SLRs (Started with the Canon AE-1 in 1976) It was the…
-
Nikon
Nikonos V – 88/99Japan 1984 – Submarine – 35 mm – Infrequent. Nikonos is a series of 35 mm format cameras specifically designed for underwater photography launched by Nikon in 1963. While Nippon Kogaku trace their underwater camera history back to 1956, when the company developed an underwater housing for the Nikon S2 rangefinder camera, the Nikonos is…
-
Pontiac
Lynx II – 89/99France 1945 – Compact – 127 film – Rare. The Lynx II is 127 film camera made from 1945 by the French maker Pontiac (previously known as MFAP, an acronym for Manufacture Française d’Appareils Photographiques). It is a unique and gorgeous device, its cast aluminum body showing an intricate machining made to remind of rows of woven…
-
Asahi
Asahiflex II (Tower 22) – 90/99Japan 1955 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Asahiflex (exported under the name Tower by Sears) was a 35 mm SLR camera built by the Asahi Optical Corporation in 1952. It is widely regarded as the first SLR camera built in Japan and brought up quite a few innovations Unlike the majority of…
-
Wirgin
Edixa Reflex – 91/99Germany 1952 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Edixa Reflex was produced by Wirgin in 1952 and was West Germany’s most popular series of SLR’s with focal plane shutter. The Edixa Reflex was the early brainchild of a then unknown technical mechanic named Heinz Waaske that later created one of the most successful…
-
Zeiss Ikon
Super Nettel II – 92/99
2000 ProducedGermany 1936 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Super Nettel was produced from 1934 by Zeiss Ikon. It was intended to be a cheaper, fixed lens, derivative of the Contax I but still remained a high quality, expensive device. The build quality and attention to details is incredible, like the hollow focusing wheel ideally positioned on the upper left corner of…
-
Secam
Stylophot – 93/99
Private eye cameraFrance 1955 – Spy Camera – 16 mm – Infrequent. The Stylophot is a pocketable mini camera which makes 10x10mm images on 16mm film. It was produced in France in 1955 and presented as a “pen” camera, due to its resemblance to a fountain pen with the pen clip attached to the side. “Stylo” being the…
-
Coronet
Midget – 94/99
Cereal box giftEngland 1934 – Subminiature – 16 mm – Very Rare. The Midget is a subminiature camera made by Coronet in England starting 1934. The Midget was as small as a match box and designed to be used as a gift in cereal packets. The designers took advantage of the way Bakelite could easily be moulded…
-
Tanaka
Tanack IV-S – 95/99Japan 1952 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Tanack are Japanese Leica copies, made from late 1952 by Tanaka Kōgaku The Tanack IV-S, whose design is very close to that of the Leica III, is the most popular of the series which had started with the Tanack 35. The main difference to the…
-
Ihagee
Parvola – 96/99Germany 1939 – Compact – 127 film – Rare. The Parvola was produced by Ihagee in Dresden from 1931 to 1939 Since the 1920s, Ihagee had been producing a range of folding cameras that variously contained the name “Ultrix”. As the model 1350 which was supposed to be called “Klein Ultrix” was significantly different from the…
-
Kochmann
Reflex Korelle – 97/99Germany 1935 – Reflex SLR – 120 film – Rare. The Reflex Korelle is a reflex camera made by Franz Kochmann in Dresden. It is one of the earliest 6×6cm SLRs and went into production 1935. The camera takes 6×6 cm exposures on 120 film using waist-level viewfinder with a matte screen and a magnifier.…
-
Rollei
Rolleicord “Art Deco” – 98/99
The most baroqueGermany 1933 – Reflex TLR – 120 film – Rare. The Rolleicord I was introduced in November 1933 by Rollei (Franke & Heidecke) It was a simplified version of the Standard Rolleiflex, with a cheaper 75mm Zeiss Triotar lens and a knob instead of the crank for advancing the film. It aimed at bringing a…
-
Le Coultre & Cie
Compass – 99/99
The most intricateEngland 1937 – Compact – 35 mm – Very Rare. The Compass was manufactured in London by the Swiss watch-makers Le Coultre et Cie for the Compass Cameras Ltd in 1937. It was conceived and designed by Noel Pemberton Billing, an airman and Member of Parliament and is probably one of the most incredible cameras…
Full collection as of March 2023. Download full list
We will regularly improve the collection and replace some cameras. Every time we do, the replaced camera appears here. Also once in while we add some Bonus vintage cameras. They are not directly featured in the collection.
-
Polaroid
Autofocus 660 “Crystal”United States 1982 – Instant – 600 film – Rare. Few objects encapsulate the essence of the 1980s as profoundly as the Polaroid 660 camera. Renowned for its instantly recognizable design, often seen in the backdrop of iconic films from that era, the Polaroid 600 is emblematic of the casual photography lifestyle it facilitated. It…
-
Kiev Arsenal
Kiev 30 “John player special”Kiev 1978 – Spy Camera – 16 mm – Infrequent. Starting in 1978, Kiev Arsenal embarked on a unique endeavor by crafting a distinct version of the Kiev 30 subminiature camera, cleverly concealed within a pack of “John Player Special” cigarettes. Market as a KGB spy camera designed for clandestine activities within the United Kingdom,…
-
Zeiss Ikon
Contax II (mod. 1) – 26/99Germany 1939 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Contax II emerged as a pivotal element in Zeiss Ikon’s concerted effort to challenge Leica’s dominance during the 1930s. Manufactured starting from 1936, the Contax II’s innovative prowess is believed to have vaulted it a decade ahead of the Leica III. At its core, it…
-
Ginfax
CC235F “Coca Cola”Hong Kong 1998 – Compact – 35 mm – infrequent. Ginfax is a producer of electronic gadgets and optical goods including novelty cameras. The CC235F is a fun point and shoot 35 mm camera with built-in flash that transforms into a real size Coca-cola can produced at the end of the 90s. Despite its primary…
-
K.K.W.
Camera LighterJapan 1948 – Lighter – Lighter fluid – Rare. The K.K.W. Camera Lighter is very well known to camera collectors as it is often the first non-camera item to join their collection. The K.K.W. Lighter is a beautiful example of Japanese craftsmanship. It was first manufactured in 1948 in Occupied Japan as a wick lighter…
-
Various USSR
Leica 2USSR 1950 – Compact – 35 mm – Common. Leicas are exclusive devices that forged the very concept of the modern camera through quality and innovation. For years a large part of the industry tried to produce alternatives (or imitations) with equivalent features at a much more accessible price point. Imitations range from cameras “inspired by…
-
Panon
Widelux F8 – 62/99Japan 1988 – Panoramic – 35 mm – Rare. The Widelux F8 is a fully mechanical swing-lens panoramic camera. It was first developed in Japan in 1958 by Panon Camera Shoko and production ended in 2000. The Widelux uses a unique process to create almost 130 degree panoramic exposures on standard 35 mm or medium…
-
Leica
Leica M2Germany 1958 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. In 1958 Leica introduced the M2 as a budget alternative to the M3. To reduce the price range, some features of the M3 were removed but none that would impact the ability to make quality photographs or to make the experience feel cheap. Typically the self-timer was…
-
Zeiss Ikon
Contax – 82/99Germany 1932 – Compact – 35 mm – Very rare. Produced from 1932, Zeiss Ikon’s Contax was designed to be the brand’s challenger to Leitz Leica. Aware of the Leica’s growing success, Zeiss Ikon decided to produce a competitor designed to be superior in every way using the same perforated 35 mm film. The name…
-
Toko
Tone MicroJapan 1948 – Subminiature – 16 mm – Rare. The Tone Micro was manufactured by Toko in 1948 At the time, a lot of Japanese manufacturers were producing micro cameras which were mainly intended as toys. The most common production was the Hit type, with which it was hardly possible to take any picture. They…
-
Ferrania
Condor 1Italy 1947 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. Ferrania, was formerly known as SIPE and had been manufacturing dynamite since 1882. In 1917 they started producing celluloid and in 1947 the first european color film. In 1947, they signed an agreement with the renowned optics manufacturer, Officine Galileo, to produce the Condor, their first…
-
Agfa
FlexiletteGermany 1960 – TLR – 35 mm – Infrequent. The Flexilette (also sold as the Agfa Reflex) is a very unusual TLR camera produced by Agfa in 1960. The body is similar to a conventional 35 mm viewfinder camera but made a little taller with the extra lens and viewfinder grafted on. Both lenses are…
-
Olympus
OM 1Japan 1972 – Compact – 35 mm – Infrequent. The Olympus OM-1 was presented in 1972 and was then called the Olympus M-1. Since Leica’s flagship rangefinder cameras are known as the M Series, Leica complained about the name of the M-1, forcing Olympus to rename it OM. Nikon had made the 35 mm…
-
Aka
Akarette 2Germany 1950 – Compact – 35 mm – Infrequent. The Akarette is a 35mm viewfinder camera with interchangeable lenses, made by Apparate & Kamerabau (AkA, after 1957 akw ) in Germany. The Akarette was first developed just after WWII by brothers Eugene and Max Armbruster and featured an interchangeable lens mount as well as a…
-
Sirio
Elettra 2Italy 1946 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Elettra 2 was released by Sirio, a small Italian firm from Florence in 1946, succeeding the very simple Elettra 1 that had been out for only a few months. It is one of the Italian attempts to produce Leica type cameras in the immediate post…
-
Goldammer
Goldeck 16Germany 1959 – Compact – 16 mm – Rare. The Goldeck 16 was manufactured by Goldammer of Germany in 1959. It is a beautiful, well built and very interesting camera. The most notable external feature is the large lever that both loads the shutter and advances the film in one simple movement. The size and proportions…
-
Yashica
RapideJapan 1961 – Compact – 35 mm (half frame) – Rare. The Yashica Rapid is a distinctive half-frame viewfinder camera featuring an elegant and atypical vertical design, a hallmark of the innovative approaches seen in Japanese cameras of the 1960s. Half-frame cameras employ a film format that is half the size of the standard exposure…
-
Futura Kamerawerk
Futura SGermany 1952 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Futura S is a 35mm rangefinder made by Futura Kamerawerk starting in 1952. Futura Kamerawerk, founded by Fritz Kuhnert, is an interesting camera company as it was a german company trying to create a good quality rangefinder differentiating itself from the format Leica was successfully…
-
Ricoh
Ricohmatic 44Japan 1956 – Reflex TLR – 127 film – Infrequent. While not incredibly rare, the Ricohmatic 44 serves as a captivating example of an ambitious yet largely unsuccessful attempt to enhance the user’s photographic experience. Ricoh’s engineers dedicated their efforts to crafting an appealing design, highlighted by a stylish semi-transparent flip cover (though it unfortunately…
