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Antique and vintage cameras are valued by collectors for many reasons, from the historical significance of 19th century wood cameras to the fine optics of classic vintage Leicas. Kodak and Polaroid are two other big names in camera collecting, as is Bolex in movie cameras.
The principles of the camera obscura - a simple light projection box - have been understood for thousands of years, but it wasn't until the late 18th century that Thomas Wedgwood discovered he could make simple prints using silver nitrate exposed to the sun. Over the next 100 years, a series of technical advances brought cameras into everyday life.
Nicephore Niepce and Louis Daguerre formed a partnership in 1829, and figured out a new chemical bath for prints, which shortened the exposure process to eight hours. Daguerre co...
It wasn't until George Eastman's 1885 invention of film that cameras got smaller - with his Kodak film loaded in, you would send the whole camera back to the factory to have it developed. Oskar Barnack began experimenting with 35 mm film in 1914 and built some prototypes of what eventually become the Leica I, the first practical 35 mm camera, released in 1925.
More improvements came when Kodak introduced the Retina I, the first camera to use a modern 135 film cartridge. Photography soon became affordable to all, even before the 1947 introduction of Polaroid's instant camera.
Development of movie cameras kept pace, building atop the basic slide projection technology (magic lantern) which had been in use since the 1500s. The first movie cameras were developed around 1888, and Thomas Edison produced the first copyrighted film in 1894. In 1895, the Lumiere brothers of France first showed off their 'Cinematographe,' a handheld combination projector and camera, in the first commercial public film screening.
by Interviews & Articles
Cool Cameras: The Univex Mercury
The Universal Camera Corporation found great success in the early/mid-1930s by selling very inexpensive cameras and film. Univer… [more]
Rob Niederman Focuses on Antique Wood Cameras
How did I start collecting cameras? Actually, I had an interest in photography as a kid and owned a darkroom by the age of 12 or 1… [more]
From Ambrotypes to Stereoviews, 150 Years of Photographs
We both come from families that had collections and we both had collections as children. Jack lost his when his grandmother threw … [more]
Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)
Collection D'Appareils Photo
While we couldn't read everthing - it's mostly in French - the images on this site speak for themselves. Its an ext… [read review or visit site]
Magic Mirror of Life
Jack and Beverly Wilgus have put together a great trove of information and images of camera obscura-related photos … [read review or visit site]
Cameras and Co
An impressive collection of antique and vintage cameras, this site features high-resolution images of over 120 came… [read review or visit site]
George Eastman House
This showcase of vintage cameras and photography is plainly designed, but the camera collection and related referen… [read review or visit site]
Antique Cameras D. Tristram Ludwig
David Tristram Ludwig shares high resolution images of his in-depth personal collection of antique cameras, includi… [read review or visit site]
Clubs & Associations
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Vintage Leica Leitz Wetzlar Camera Lens Noctilux 1:1.2/50 Excellent Condiiton 
Kinoptik Apo 2/75mm Great Condition, France Paris Lens
Cooke Speed Panchro Ser Ii 75mm F2 Lens For Arriflex 35mm
Kodak Petite Vanity Ensemble Complete In Case! Pink/rose
Canon J21ax7.8b4 Irs-c Sx12 2/3" Macro Broadcast Zoom Lens W/doubler
Angenieux 1:3.5/24 Alpa Retrofocus Wide Angle Lens 24mm Alpa Camera Lens F/3.5 
Rare Pinkham & Smith Soft-focus Lens - Damaged Lens Element
Taylor Hobson Ser.iii 25mm F2 T2.2 Cooke Speed Panchro Lens
Nikon Nippon Kogaku S3 Rangefinder & 5 Cm F1.4 Nikkor-s Lens W/orig Case ! Nr !!
Vintage 1950 Binoca Subminiature Binocular Spy Camera 
Maurer Ke-28 B Airial Camera, Leitz, Handheld 6x6 Camera
Extremely Rare Vintage Kardon Camera U.s. Usa Army Ektar Lens Collector's Item
Rolleiflex Vintage Camera With Case And Manual 
1951 / 52 Leica Camera All Original, Working W Case Telephoto +nippon + More Fs
Nikon Sp Black Classic Camera Body! The Most Sought After Nikon Rf Camera! Rare!
Black Nikon S2 Body. Very Late Black Dial Version. Untouched Or Modified! Rare!!
Extremely Unique Stereo Morley Whole Plate Tailboard Camera Mahogany & Brass
Classic Plaubel Makina Camera
Angenieux Lens F2.2 12-120mm Zoom Pl Mount Thrown In
Vintage Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar F 1.5 / 75mm Lens W/ Contax F Veb Pentacon Camera
20mm F5.6 Russar Lens Outfit With Finder, In Leica Screw Mount - No Reserve
1954-1958 Nikon S2 Rangefinder Camera W/ Nikkor-s.c. F1.4 5cm/50mm Lens & Case
Leica Iiic 1942 Vintage Wwii Camera
Vintage Polaroid 195 Land Camera Model 110a
Musashino-koki Rittreck Mkk Ii-a Camera W/extras
Unnamed Est. 10 Inch Petzval Type Brass Lens With Rack & Pinion Focus & Whs
Clean Vintage Rolleiflex Tlr 2.8c Camera - 80mm Planar Lens, Case & Accessories
Leica Ernst Leitz Camera With Multiple Lens & Accessories 
Early Leica Camera I Model A Serial # 57668 Hektor 50mm Lens
Graflex Speed Graphic 3x4 Camera W/ Case And Accessories
Polaroid 600se Se Camera With 127mm And 75mm Lens + Extras 
Wollensak 2 Inch F 1.5 Cine Velostigmat Vintage Lens Camera Film 8mm?
Full Plate Wood And Brass E. & H.t. Anthony & Co. Normandie Camera Ca.1891
4x5 Pony Premo No.7 Ca.1900
1929 Leica Leitz 1a Rangefinder Camera W/ 50mm 3.5 Elmar Lens Case And Fodis
Kowa Prominar 16-s Anamorphic Lens (dslr/micro 4/3/fs700/black Magic/iscorama)
Vintage Honeywell Asahi Pentax H-3 Camera 1962 With Tons Of Accessories
" F Unnamed European Brass Petzval Lens With Significant Potential Too
Leica Drp 35 Mm Ernst Leitz Wetzlar Summitarit 1:1.5 Lens F = 5cm Camera W/ Case
Linhof Super Technika 4 X 5 Plus Accessories
Tower Reflex Camera W/ Nikkor Lenses 
1937 Leica Iiia With Case
Thornton-picard Amber Half Plate Wood And Brass Camera Outfit Ca.1899
Four Designs Company Modified Polaroid Land Camera Model 110b 4.25x3.25 (21147)
Nikon M Late Model W/synch & Proper Tokyo Marked W/50f2 Nikkor. Nice Mioj Set!!
Montgomery Ward View Camera (field Camera)
Fuji Gs645s Professional 120 Film Camera + Film Tested-sharp Super Clean! Mint
Asahi Asahiflex Lla 35mm Camera
Unicersal 8x10 By Rochester Optical. #16530.27
Crown Graphic Graflex Pacemaker Folding 4 X 5 Camera & Accessories Case Manual 
Leica Drp Nr.280727 W/ Leitz Summar F=5cm 1:2 Lens
Tessina Outfit - Black With 12+ Pieces, Film, Literature, More - Great Cond.
Binoca Subminiature Binocular Camera (light Purple) With Original Box Ca.1950
Leitz Elmar F=3.5cm 1:35 Lens Ser No 616525
Rolleiflex 2.8c Tlr W/ 2.8/ 80mm Xenotar- Good Working Condition!!! 
Olympus Pen F Auto-w 20mm Lens
Nikon Mini Nikkor Nikon Lot Nikon Lenses
Wwii Us Navy Keystone F8 Aircraft Reconnaissance Camera Lens & Case Box Works
4x5 Pacemaker Crown Graphic With Top Rangefinder And Rangelight 162mm F/4.5 Lens
Asahi Opt.co. Asahi Pentax S 35mm Slr Camera 2.2/55mm & 3.5/135mm Takumar Lens
Recent News: Cameras
Source: Google News
Lomography - La Sardina Beach Cameras Edition
The Dieline (blog), June 20thThe chic folding wooden beach chairs and the 60's vintage summer look at the Côte d'Azur were the inspiration to develop this entire plastic/canvas camera collection. The body of the camera is covered with striped canvas, shaped with a glossy white frame...Read more
Support small business
South Bend Tribune, June 18thThe Tribe was a Mishawaka fixture for decades, a strong supporter of many local organizations and causes, and even a community gathering place as people came from miles to see my grandfather's antique camera collection or the one-of-a-kind orchestrion...Read more
L'appli Vintage Camera, pour patiner vos vidéos
L'Express, June 11thGrâce à ses filtres et à ses lentilles, 8 mm Vintage Camera donne à vos vidéos une touche vintage (années 20, années 70, noir et blanc) très tendance. Tout y est: le grain caractéristique de la caméra huit millimètres, le patinage de la pellicule, le...Read more
History through lenses of vintage cameras
Hindustan Times, June 1stThe museum, one-of-its-kind in the country, came up in the basement of Arya's sprawling house in Gurgaon two years back and boasts 400 vintage cameras, some dating back to the 1880s. In fact, not just cameras, the museum also has on display - neatly ...Read more
The Camera Collection That Shot Some of the World's Most Famous Photos
Gizmodo, May 27thWilliam Eggleston is a photographer who rose to prominence in the 1970s for his photos of American life, many of which are now iconic. Those decades of pictures have come from dozens of different cameras, and Eggleston himself was kind enough to share ...Read more
The Collectors: +Citizen's Drew Klonsky snaps up vintage cameras
Portland Business Journal (blog), May 24thThe Collectors: +Citizen's Drew Klonsky snaps up vintage cameras. Drew Klonsky, CEO of +Citzen, behind one of the displays of vintage bellows. View Slideshow. Cathy Cheney | Portland Business Journal. Drew Klonsky, CEO of +Citzen, behind one of the ...Read more
This Is Just a Part of William Eggleston's Extensive Camera Collection
PetaPixel, May 23rdWant to see what the camera arsenal of a world famous photographer looks like? A photographer whose work fetches millions of dollars at auction? Check out the photograph above (larger version here). It was shot by photographer William Eggleston for WSJ ...Read more
William Eggleston's Cameras
Wall Street Journal, May 21stCASE IN POINT | Eggleston shot this portrait of one of his three camera-filled cases using a digital camera. 'I don't particularly like using it,' Eggleston says. 'Technology and I don't really get along too well.' ...Read more