If These Shirts Could Talk: The Tantalizing Tales Behind Used Clothes
Jockeying for Position: How Boxers and Briefs Got Into Men's Pants
Gloriously Grotesque 19th-Century Pipes
In the Hot Seat: Is Your Antique Windsor a Fake?
Love at First Kite: How Pizza and Pente Led to One Oklahoman's High-Flying Obsession
Blood, Sweat, and Steel: My Afternoon with the Ace of Swords
'The Great Gatsby' Still Gets Flappers Wrong
Say Ahhh: An Oral Surgeon's Quest to Reimagine the Garage-Band Guitar
Forget TV Pickers, Meet the Real Mavericks of the Antiques World
Coveting The Craziest Cat-People Collectibles
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 
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: Cameras
Other Great Reference Sites: Cameras
Top eBay Auctions
Rollei Rolleiflex 2.8f "white Face" W.planar, Cap, Strap, Lens Hood. Exc.+++++.
Vintage Rangefinder Leica M3 Double Stroke, 1954, With Summicron 50mm F2 Lens 
Incredibly Rare Kodak 153mm F4.5 Ektar Lens For Ektra Camera
Voigtlander Collinear 14 1/2 Inch F7.7 Series Iii No 7 Large Format 8x10 Lens
Leica Dbp M2 Camera + Summicron Lens Uv Filter Flash Manual More Needs Work 35mm
Reid Military Rangefinder Camera W/2in. F2 Lens W/ Case - Leica Copy - Beautiful
Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 75/1,4 - M42
Vintage Rolleiflex 120 Tlr Camera 3.5f Zeiss Planar W/ Meter, Removable Finder
Leica M2 Chrome Body With Lever Rewind And Matching Numbered Guarantee Card 
Vintage Arriflex 16 Nr. 6600 Motion Film Movie Camera W/ Case And Accessories 
Antique Big Brass Dallmeyer 3.b Patent Portrait Lens No 29619
Vintage Rolleiflex 2.8f/80mm Tlr Camera W/ Xenotar, Case, Cap, Flash, Lens Hood
Leica Ernst Leitz Wetzlar Camera With 1:2.8 Lense With Case, Book & Papers
Leica M3 Film Rangefinder Camera Body Fully Working Condition Germany Yr.1960
Leica Ii ( D ) Black Body W/elmar Lens & Cs. Beautiful Vintage Rf Camera 
Leitz Leica M3 35mm Rangefinder Camera + 3.5cm F3.5 Summaron "spectacles" Lens
Leica Leitz Rare 5 Cm 5cm Soodl Fixed Cradle Viewfinder W/parallax Foot 1949
1961 Leica M3 With Extras.
Vintage Camera Lot Zeiss Ikon Ikonta 35 + Ikoflex Ic + Adox Golf + Vivitar +++
*rare* Polaroid 600se 600 Se & 127mm F4.7 & Film Back / No Mamiya Univesal Press
312 Mm Cooke Convertible Taylor-hobson Lens With Ilex Shutter No Reserve
Nikon S3 W 5cm F1.4 Rangefinder Body And Lens
Goertz Dagor F: 7.7 Focus 19 In No 395071 Vintage Camera Lens On Lens Board
Leica M3 35mm Rangefinder Camera Body Ds Double Stroke + Meter Mc
Horseman Vh-r 6x9 2 1/4 X 3 1/4 Rangefinder Medium Format Camera W/ Symmar Lens
Nikon 3.5cm 35mm F1.8 W-nikkor Sp Rangefinder Lens
Cooke Telar F 7 No 2 1/2 Focus 13 1/2 Lens For Vintage 35mm Movie Camera
Vintage Bell & Howell Angenieux 1 Inch F/0.95 Lens W/ Size 5.5 Adapter Ec No Res
Taylor Hobson Ser.ii 32mm F2 T2.3 Cooke Speed Panchro Lens & Micro 4/3 Adapter
Hermagis Casket Lens Set With Four Lenses - Barrel - Nine Waterhouse Stops And
Linhof 4 X 5 Super Tachnika Iv S 9 Photography Camera W/ Lenses 
Leica Iiia Black Rangefinder Camera Model F Elmar 3.5 F=5cm 1:3,5 Iii Iiic Iiif
Vintage Leica Ernst Leitz M3 Wetzlar Camera Summarit F = 5cm 1:1.5 & Viewfinder
Ferrania Condor Ii, 35mm Rangefinder Camera Galileo Esaog 50/2.8 Lens- Exc++
Rolleiflex F/3.5 E Tlr Film Camera Zeiss Planar 75mm + Leather Case
Vtg Olympus Om-1~md~35mm Film Camera "new In Box!"mint Never Used~museum Quality
Leica Leitz Wetzlar Elmar Lense 1:4/90 With Case
Leica Iiif With Summitar 5cm/2 And Case, -clean!
Polaroid Land Camera 180 
Eastman Kodak Petite Bluebird Blue Lavender Step Pattern Original Bellows Camera
Voigtlander Heliar Large Format Portrait Lens In Compound Shutter- 300mm, 12"
P. Angenieux 35mm F2.5 Retrofocus Type R1 In Leica 39mm Screw Mount, Great Glass
Truly Gorgeous Leica Iiig (body Only) Looks And Works Great 
Superb! 1932 Zeiss Ikon Contax I , Rare First Version! Cla
Old Antique Large Century Wood Folding Camera With Bausch & Lomb Brass Lens Rare
Zeiss Ikon Rangefinder Contax I. W/ Black 5cm 2.0 Sonnar. Needs Cla.
Nikon F2 Photomic As Ee Aperture Control Attachment Ds-12, W/db-1
Rare Early Powers Camergraph Antique Movie Theater Projector Edison Kinetoscope
Vintage German Tlr Film Camera Welta Perfekta Meyer Gorlitz Trioplan Lenses Vgc
Sanderson Tropical Field Camera - Beautiful
Voigtlander Bessa Rf 6x9 Format W/ F3.5 Skopar
Antique Small Magic Lantern Condenser Enlarger Lancaster & Son Birmingham C1900
Antique Brass Large Format Lens 16x20 Ulf J.c. Somerville France
Polaroid 690 Slr Instant Camera [new In Box] Tested Working!
Rare 1902 Antique Century Wooden Brass Box Camera Mahogany Wood+ Case, More Nice
Nikon Fm3a Silver Camera Body
Super Rare Shanghai-58-ii Leica Copy In Nice Condition.
Exa / Exakta, Trioplan 2,8 / 100, Meyer-optik Goerlitz, 15-blades 2.8 
Vintage Topcon Super Dm With 58mm, 25mm & Extras
Minolta Rd-175.first Digital Slr (dslr) Camera.1995. 3 Ccd.collectors Item!!!
Recent News: Cameras
Source: Google News
Fukushima photos focus on what can't be seen - The Japan Times
The Japan Times, May 18thThen, looking up from the ground-glass eyepiece of his vintage camera, he gazes at the subject of his scenic portraits for the past two years: the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant leaking radioactivity on the horizon just 12 km away. Daytime access...Read more
Carbon Printing Process- Talk by David Chalmers - From York Press
The Press, York, May 17thBy using an antique camera and an even older photographic process embodying carbon, these images are not just connected to the place; they are physically of the place. The carbon printing process itself means that these images are made to last: as such...Read more
Dimbola tearoom makeover wins national award
On The Wight, May 17thTwo volunteers who are cameras experts curated a Tearoom Exhibition of antique cameras that had been donated over the years and added their provenance for customers to peruse. Maxi-length Aprons were designed, and made up from linen that came...Read more
Review: Figosa Mirrorless and Vintage Camera Leather Strap
The Phoblographer (blog), May 11thThis leather lends its qualities to their first strap designed for vintage cameras and mirrorless interchangeable lens cams as well. It can come in different colors, but we went for the conservative black look. The overall quality and look earned the...Read more
Jeez Louise: Some Vintage Cameras Have Radioactive Lenses & Eyepieces
Core77.com (blog), May 7thAn alarming Wiki entry on Camerapedia has caught the attention of the Reddit community. Entitled "Radioactive Lenses," the original write-up notes that "There are a significant number of [camera] lenses produced from the 1940s through the 1970s that...Read more
Vintage Cameras Found with Old Film - Visual News
Visual News, April 20thVintage camera collector Chris Hugues was picking up another camera to add to his 300 plus collection. To his surprise, he found two packages of slides in the worn leather case. Taking a close look he found that the slides were taken by a French...Read more
Lights 4 Living Respond to Man Who Reworks Vintage Cameras as Lighting
DigitalJournal.com (press release), April 18thRetro to Go have reported on the work of Neil Shy, a man who purchases vintage film and movie cameras on eBay and then sets to work on reworking them so they can be reused as lights. His work, which he sells on Etsy, features a variety of old cameras...Read more
Vintage cameras reworked as lighting by Neil Shy
Retro To Go, April 17thVintage cameras reworked as lighting by Neil Shy. Camera1. Vintage cameras are still a popular buy on eBay, but I would guess not many people are picking up old film and movie cameras to upcycle for another purpose. That's why Neil Shy picks them up...Read more