First REAL Camera

doubs43 · 12-30-2004

I recall buying my first REAL camera in May of 1967 as if it was yesterday. Prior to this, I had owned a Kodak Instamatic and a simple box camera before that but never a REAL camera of quality.

It wasn't an easy decision. Popular cameras of the day included the Petri 7s, the Yashica rangefinder (Electro-35?) and the Pentax Spotmatic that allowed swapping lenses. The Spotmatic was tempting but I was on a budget and, even in the military BX in the Philippines, it was more than I could afford. So I had to buy something else.

This was my third or fourth trip to the BX to drool over the cameras. Maybe they'd gotten some new stuff in the past few days? Then I saw IT! This was going to be my first REAL camera! At $47.50 I could actually afford it and so I did.

Before I show what IT was, I want to say that after all the love I've seen here for various Canon, Yashica, Konica and Olympus rangefinders of the fixed lens variety, I've been disappointed that nothing has been said about my first REAL camera. BTW, I just won one of these on ebay and it's supposedly in pristine condition. I should know in a week or ten days. If so, it'll take pictures of superb quality as the lens is absolutely first rate.

OK..... OK. Here it is: The fantastic Fujica V2 rangefinder with a 45mm Fujinon f/1.8 lens. A Copal shutter giving 1 - 1/500th and automatic exposure OR fully manual control. In terms of picture quality, this camera will hold it's own against any of it's kind and will do better than most. It's an often overlooked gem of high quality. That's my opinion, anyway. It's going to be nice to have one again.

Walker

nwcanonman · 12-30-2004

Walker,
It certainly looks nice. We'll be looking forward to seeing some pic from you in a couple weeks ~ ; - )

st3ph3nm · 12-30-2004

Very groovy looking item! I hadn't even heard of these before. Any info on the web? It'd be a nice addition to the "half looked out for" list whilst wandering around 2nd hand shops and the like.

Enjoy reliving your youth!

Cheers,
Steve

Brian Sweeney · 12-31-2004

Congratulations Walker.

I have sold several cameras on Ebay that were never in the lime-light that got a few "determined" bidders. Often, it was someone buying back a long-lost camera that started them onto the road of real photography. They were happy that I tested the camera before putting it up.

I did the same buying an Argus/Cosina STL1000 on Ebay a few years ago. I still have my original, but wore it out and it is beyond repair. I still have my Minolta Hi-Matic 9 from 1969 and it is in perfect working order. They do not just bring back memories; they are preserving the memory of Nikki's childhood as well.

peter_n · 12-31-2004

Nothing's been said about my first real camera either. A Brownie 127A. Very popular in England when I was a little boy. I think my dad gave it to me when I was 8. My first picture was of a train. Still have it somewhere - the picture that is...

doubs43 · 12-31-2004

Quote:

Originally posted by st3ph3nm Very groovy looking item! I hadn't even heard of these before. Any info on the web? It'd be a nice addition to the "half looked out for" list whilst wandering around 2nd hand shops and the like.
Enjoy reliving your youth!
Cheers, Steve

Thanks, Steve. Here's a link to the manual for the V2 which will give you a better idea of it's capabilities.
http://www.butkus.org/chinon/fujica_v2/fujica_v2.htm

Walker

Russ · 12-31-2004

Quote:

Originally posted by st3ph3nm
Very groovy looking item! I hadn't even heard of these before. Any info on the web? It'd be a nice addition to the "half looked out for" list whilst wandering around 2nd hand shops and the like.

Enjoy reliving your youth!

Cheers,
Steve

Gee, you guys are just young'un's. Here's my first flash unit. Still use it these days. Very reliable, accurate, user friendly & safe...

Russ

doubs43 · 12-31-2004

Quote:

Originally posted by peter_n
Nothing's been said about my first real camera either. A Brownie 127A. Very popular in England when I was a little boy. I think my dad gave it to me when I was 8. My first picture was of a train. Still have it somewhere - the picture that is...

That's great, Peter. My real purpose for posting about my Fujica was to get people to talk about their first real cameras. I have many cameras but I still remember that Fujica with great fondness. I carried it with me on my birthday in June of 1967 from the Philippines to Okinawa to Tokyo. I still have Kodachrome slides taken on the Ginza and of the men who pushed people into train cars during rush hour. I recall being wedged against a young woman on one train who left quite an impression on me!

Walker

doubs43 · 12-31-2004

Quote:

Originally posted by Russ
Gee, you guys are just young'un's. Here's my first flash unit. Russ

Very nice, Russ........ but did you ever get a camera to use it with?

Walker

Russ · 12-31-2004

Quote:

Originally posted by doubs43
Very nice, Russ........ but did you ever get a camera to use it with?

Walker

But flash powder alone, is so fun to play with. Actually, my first camera was given to me. A Yashicamat 124, and a Petri SLR? The first camera that I ever purchased was a black Nikon FM body.

Russ

doubs43 · 12-31-2004

Quote:

Originally posted by Brian Sweeney
Congratulations Walker.
I have sold several cameras on Ebay that were never in the lime-light that got a few "determined" bidders. Often, it was someone buying back a long-lost camera that started them onto the road of real photography. They were happy that I tested the camera before putting it up.

I did the same buying an Argus/Cosina STL1000 on Ebay a few years ago. I still have my original, but wore it out and it is beyond repair. I still have my Minolta Hi-Matic 9 from 1969 and it is in perfect working order. They do not just bring back memories; they are preserving the memory of Nikki's childhood as well.

Excellent, Brian. I sold my Fujica to a friend and he may still have it. I haven't see him in many years. The V2's don't appear on ebay too often and I've been watching for awhile. I was prepared to bid three times what I paid if necessary. I only hope it's as nice as it appears to be in the picture posted by the seller.

Among my cameras is a worn and battered old German camera called a Foth-Derby. It was my father's first real camera, given to him by my mother for Christmas, 1939. It still works and would take a picture today. It has a focal-plane shutter and the lens/bellows extend on sissors-type arms. It started my father on his photography hobby that lasted almost 60 years.

Walker

doubs43 · 12-31-2004

Quote:

Originally posted by Russ
Actually, my first camera was given to me. A Yashicamat 124
Russ

A very nice TLR indeed and one that is still popular, judging from the prices I see being paid on ebay. I once owned a Yashicamat 124 that I bought new back in the early 1970's. I'm pretty sure I took this picture with it..... my son trying to look at the image on the ground glass of my Miniature Speed Graphic.

BTW, Brian...... that's the GoldCrest tripod that's worn out now.

Walker

jlw · 12-31-2004

Quote:

OK..... OK. Here it is: The fantastic Fujica V2 rangefinder with a 45mm Fujinon f/1.8 lens. A Copal shutter giving 1 - 1/500th and automatic exposure OR fully manual control. In terms of picture quality, this camera will hold it's own against any of it's kind and will do better than most. It's an often overlooked gem of high quality. That's my opinion, anyway. It's going to be nice to have one again.

Is this one of the Fujicas that focus via a thumb wheel? I once had one of the earlier models with selenium meter. It was my "bar" camera -- had cost me only $25 (used, in perfect shape) so I didn't mind taking it to a bar or other hazardous location.

As I recall, mine also had a 45mm lens, either f/1.9 or f/1.8. The shutter and aperture were EV-coupled -- a normally irritating fad of that era -- but it was no problem on the Fuji because you could uncouple them simply by holding one ring while turning the other. The thumbwheel focusing worked well and was extremely convenient. (One slight oddity of this design was that the rangefinder patch image remained stationary, while the whole outer image moved as you focused!) The only thing about the camera that struck me as less than well-thought-out was the bottom-mounted film advance lever, which made rapid shooting difficult. I suppose they were stuck with that choice, though, because the selenium cell and meter mechanism occupied the space that otherwise could have been used for the wind lever.

Thanks for recalling these interesting cameras for us. Hope yours works out as well as you remembered!

bmattock · 12-31-2004

Yes, I believe this is one of the thumbwheel focus models. I have a couple of ML's, similar design as the V2 but a tad smaller and had the bottom wind you recall (V2 is on top in the normal way). The ML also had a rewind knob on the side of the camera driven through a 90 degree cog. Wierd!

Here's some info:

http://www.toptown.com/nowhere/kypfer/fujica2.htm

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

PS - I love the Fujicas, but have had a terrible time getting my hands on one that had a working shutter. Seems many of them have frozen up over time, and they are one brand that has steadfastly resisted my Zippo lighter-fluid cleaning technique. Never brought one back from the dead yet.

doubs43 · 12-31-2004

Yes, the V2 focuses via a thumb wheel on the upper right rear of the camera. The film advance, as Bill notes, is on top in the normal position.

I see that the chart linked by Bill shows the V2 with a Citizen shutter and not the Copal as I said. I've had Citizen shutters before (in other cameras) and they always worked quite well. I sure hope that the one I bought isn't frozen. If the seller's description is accurate, it should be OK.

Walker

bmattock · 12-31-2004

Quote:

Originally posted by doubs43
Yes, the V2 focuses via a thumb wheel on the upper right rear of the camera. The film advance, as Bill notes, is on top in the normal position.

I see that the chart linked by Bill shows the V2 with a Citizen shutter and not the Copal as I said. I've had Citizen shutters before (in other cameras) and they always worked quite well. I sure hope that the one I bought isn't frozen. If the seller's description is accurate, it should be OK.

Walker

Well, I've only ever tried the ML myself. I'm quite struck by the looks of 'em. But I've had three of them now - not one of them worked, sadly. I've never had a V2.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks