# A little help on a bunch of older cameras



## Matthew Howell (Dec 1, 2014)

Just bought this lot of old cameras and want to know which ones I should keep and which ones should go in the trash/ebay.  I mainly bought it for the old light meters but some of the cameras seem to be in good to okay shape.








Super Balda Matic  1:2.8/45



Kodaj  Schneider-Kreuznach Reomar  1 4.5/50mm



Kodak Anastar f 3.5 50mm



F/3.5 50mm Argus coated cintar



1: 2.8 38mm



F 1:3.5 F=135mm



Pentax Shotmatic


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## gsgary (Dec 1, 2014)

What is the lens on the one second to last looks like an F1.2 could be worth a bit


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## Matthew Howell (Dec 1, 2014)

Kalcor 2x auto lens extender for pentax


0
Asahi opt. co super-takumar  3:1.4/50


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## gsgary (Dec 1, 2014)

The picture are so small I can't read what it says on the lens


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## Matthew Howell (Dec 1, 2014)

I typed what I could read from the higher res pictures I am not going to be near the cameras until later tonight


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## limr (Dec 1, 2014)

Gary, you can click on the pictures and see them larger at Photobucket.

Matthew, that Spotmatic kit is worth holding onto. The Super Takumar f1.4 is a really nice lens (don't know anything about that Tele-Lentar 135mm) and if the body is working properly, you'll have a nice set up. Those bellows look nice, too. Check for holes, though.

As for the rest of the lot, the Kodak folder might be interesting. And is that an Argus brick? I've heard good things about them, but never was particularly interested in them myself.

The rest...meh.


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## smithdan (Dec 1, 2014)

Keep the Pentax stuff, bellows is a handy addition to any kit and the 1.4  50mm is a great lens.    I have a Kodak 35 RF,  surprisingly sharp lens, and that brown case and all around weirdness is good for those "something different" days.  Other Kodak looks interesting.  The Argus enjoys a fan following.  Most 2x converters are a bit soft out to the corners but a cheap alternative to a longer lens.  Adapters are available to fit Pentax screw mount to digital bodies.


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## Matthew Howell (Dec 1, 2014)

Well the pentax seems to run I just need to find a battery to check the electronic functions.  all of these old girls have cases and such but I will probably only keep the weird kodak, pentax and maybe the one from west germany.


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## limr (Dec 1, 2014)

The battery is needed to run the meter in the Pentax, but nothing else. The camera works perfectly (except for the meter) even if there's no battery. If you are using an external meter anyway, then the meter in the camera isn't crucial. I've been shooting my Spotmatic without a meter since I got it. The battery chamber is so stuck with corrosion that I can't get the cover off, but it has no other effect on the operation of the camera.


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## The Barbarian (Dec 1, 2014)

The Argus Brick is a remarkably durable and useful camera.   It had an incredibly long production life.    And it's simple to repair. 

And on a wrist strap, those sharp corners are a formidable weapon against muggers.   The camera is tough enough to take out a mugger, and then get a good shot of him lying on the ground.


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## Matthew Howell (Dec 2, 2014)

I discovered the argus is a c-3 1948 ,  the kodak is a Kodak 35 RF Version 3.  the Folder kodak is a Retinette 017 Circa 1952-54 and the balda has not real info avalible


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