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 
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
Reid Military Rangefinder Camera W/2in. F2 Lens W/ Case - Leica Copy - Beautiful
Leica M3 Single Stroke Body Vintage1962 Camera W/ Lenses & Accessories!
Vintage Rangefinder Leica M3 Double Stroke, 1954, With Summicron 50mm F2 Lens 
Leica Dbp M2 Camera + Summicron Lens Uv Filter Flash Manual More Needs Work 35mm
Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 75/1,4 - M42
Linhof Technika 70 6x9 Crf Metered Camera Complete With 65mm F8 Super Angulon & 
1961 Leica M3 With Extras.
Voigtlander Collinear 14 1/2 Inch F7.7 Series Iii No 7 Large Format 8x10 Lens
Rare Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Tlr 35mm Film Camera Sonnar 50/2 With Case.
Leica Ernst Leitz Wetzlar Camera With 1:2.8 Lense With Case, Book & Papers
Vintage Arriflex 16 Nr. 6600 Motion Film Movie Camera W/ Case And Accessories 
Taylor Hobson Ser.ii 32mm F2 T2.3 Cooke Speed Panchro Lens & Micro 4/3 Adapter
312 Mm Cooke Convertible Taylor-hobson Lens With Ilex Shutter No Reserve
Goertz Dagor F: 7.7 Focus 19 In No 395071 Vintage Camera Lens On Lens Board
Leica Ii ( D ) Black Body W/elmar Lens & Cs. Beautiful Vintage Rf Camera 
Vintage Leica Ernst Leitz M3 Wetzlar Camera Summarit F = 5cm 1:1.5 & Viewfinder
Nikon S3 W 5cm F1.4 Rangefinder Body And Lens
Truly Gorgeous Leica Iiig (body Only) Looks And Works Great 
Leica M3 35mm Rangefinder Camera Body Ds Double Stroke + Meter Mc
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
Hermagis Casket Lens Set With Four Lenses - Barrel - Nine Waterhouse Stops And
Wood Anthony 5x8 Novelette Tailboard View Camera (stereo Model), C1885
Sanderson Tropical Field Camera - Beautiful
Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1:1.4 Camera Lens 72mm Filter Black Clean Manual Photo Vintage
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
Vintage Nikon S2 35mm Rangefinder Camera, Nikkor 5cm F1.4 Lens. With Manual.
Rare Apochromat Kinoptik F:2-25mm C Mount In Perfect Condition.
Rare Early Powers Camergraph Antique Movie Theater Projector Edison Kinetoscope
Kowa Six Mm Medium-format Slr Camera With Three Lens Set 85mm 55mm 150mm 
Rare 1902 Antique Century Wooden Brass Box Camera Mahogany Wood+ Case, More Nice
Zeiss Ikon Rangefinder Contax I. W/ Black 5cm 2.0 Sonnar. Needs Cla.
Leica Antique Camera
Nikon F2 Photomic As Ee Aperture Control Attachment Ds-12, W/db-1
Agfa Super Isolette / Speedex F3.5 Solinar - Cla'd Of Course !
Vtg Rolleiflex Franke Heidecke Heidosmat Schneider Kreuznach Film Camera German
Rolleiflex 3.5f 120 6x6 Tlr Camera W/ F3.5 Planar Lens
Leica Dbp Ernst Leitz Gmbh Wetzlar Germany 728114 Camera 35mm Nikkor-h.c 1:2f- 
Vintage Nikon F Photomic Camera + Nikkor-s 1:1.4/50mm Lens. 
Fine Fast Nikon Nikkor Auto 55mm F/1.2 Lens New In Box Condition
Polaroid Model 180 Land Camera Tominon 114 Mm F 4.5 Lens 180 Parts Vivitar 281
Rolleiflex 3.5 2.8 Zeiss 75mm Planar Tlr Camera Synchro Compur Franke & Heidecke
Truly Gorgeous Leitz Summicron 5cm 1:2 Collapsible Ltm Looks & Works Great
Excellent Camera Rolleiflex With 3.5 75 Xenar Lens .3filter For Rollei 3.5f Tlr.
Tessina Automatic 35mm Subminiature Watch Camera - Near Mint
Hasselblad Chrome 80mm F2.8 Planar-c Lens Excellent ++ Condition
25mm F/1.4 And 15mm F/2.5 Kodak Cine Ektar Lenses - Excellent Condition
Petzval Type Big Antique 12 Inch Brass Lens By Wrench Suitable For Large Format
Leitz Hektor 5 Cm F2.5 Lens, Collapsible, Ltm, Great Condition
Vintage Bolex H16 Reflex 16mm Movie Camera With Kern-paillard Vario- Switar Lens
Vintage Mole Richardson Molequartz Movie 3 Light Kit W/ Stand, Barn Doors + More
Angenieux Type Y2,vintage 135mm, F3.5 Lens, Exakta Mount 
Vintage Olympus Pen F 25mm 2:8 Wide Angle Lens With Box, Case & Caps
Vintage Rolleiflex Camera With Box 
Leitz Leicavit Leica Camera By Ernst Leitz, Germany
1972 Olympus Kogaku Japan Olympus M-1 35mm Slr
Kern Bolex 100mm F3.5 Yvar C-mount Micro 4/3 Lens
Contax Iiia 50mm Sonnar F1.5 Red Dials
Recent News: Cameras
Source: Google News
Thrift Store Camera Photo Subject Found Through Facebook in 2 Hours
PetaPixel, May 20thWesson is a photographer and camera collector based in North East England. On Saturday, he was browsing through a local thrift shop when he came across a Pentax Spotmatic with a roll of undeveloped film still loaded in the camera. Thrift Store Camera...Read more
PHOTOS: These blurry, out-of-focus, poorly composed Polaroids are expected to ...
RYOT, May 19thThese shots come from of a lot of 18 photographs entitled “Changing Focus,” which features Moscow's Red Square as captured through Mikki's lens. The collection also includes shots of Mikki learning how to use various antique cameras. What do you think:...Read more
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
Kodak social media expert to talk - USA Today
USA TODAY, May 16thhouses the Community Darkroom. She will share how Kodak has used social media to connect with customers and the recent increase in interest in film photography and vintage cameras. BLoudon@DemocratandChronicle.com. Twitter.com/BennettLoudon...Read more
Kickstarting: A Pinhole Camera Made Of Cardboard
Co.Design, May 16thWhat makes Angood's creation so weird is how it's mixed two styles of vintage camera into one exceptionally quirky cardboard construct--a construct that took a lot of love to make into a relatively high-performing camera (that, incidentally, has been...Read more
Jennifer Cisney of Kodak will speak on how social media has changed ...
Irondequoit Post, May 14thShe also enjoys digital as well as film photography and notes a recent increase in interest in film photography and vintage cameras. The public is invited to the free meeting. The Photographic Historical Society was founded in 1966. Jennifer Cisney...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