The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

RetroJulia wrote:I got a VHS tape player from my parents. I'd better preserve it. Maybe my grandchildren will get rich from my cautious actions

My VHS, SuperBeta, LaserDisc, and Sony WalkmanPRO machines all work just fine. So would my Sankyo Super8 Sound camera, if I could find film for it. I do occasionally use a 100+ year old Kodak Brownie No.2 - it takes 120 film (still made) which I can develop at home. Old Tech can be fun.

That is a sweet looking camera. Is the film still Kodak?

Roll film (120 size) is still made by Kodak, Ilford, and Fuji, to name three. Many of my favorite Kodak emulsions have been discontinued in recent years: Kodachrome (the best color transparency film ever made), Panatomic-X and Plus-X black-and-white films. In my Century Graphic 2x3, which takes 120 roll film, I use Fuji Provia for color transparency , and Ilford XP2 Super for B/W.

Here's a link to an image of the Century Graphic: http://graflex.org/speed-graphic/century-graphic.html

All components of this camera, including the lens and shutter, were made in Rochester, NY, USA, c. 1954!

Very nice. When I shot film I always used Kodak Kodachrome. It stinks they finally dumped it. I'm rather surprised someone hasn't picked up where they left off.

What was the 2x3 used for in the day? Standard shots or magazines? (Sorry If this off topic everyone!)

Henry wrote:Roll film (120 size) is still made by Kodak, Ilford, and Fuji, to name three. Many of my favorite Kodak emulsions have been discontinued in recent years: Kodachrome (the best color transparency film ever made), Panatomic-X and Plus-X black-and-white films. In my Century Graphic 2x3, which takes 120 roll film, I use Fuji Provia for color transparency , and Ilford XP2 Super for B/W.

Here's a link to an image of the Century Graphic: http://graflex.org/speed-graphic/century-graphic.html

All components of this camera, including the lens and shutter, were made in Rochester, NY, USA, c. 1954!

I remember the Speed Graphic!

My father was an avid amateur photographer (he had briefly worked professionally before WWII); my brother Otto certainly experimented with that camera - even trying to create glass plate negatives...

Bill

BwanaJoe wrote:Very nice. When I shot film I always used Kodak Kodachrome. It stinks they finally dumped it. I'm rather surprised someone hasn't picked up where they left off.

What was the 2x3 used for in the day? Standard shots or magazines? (Sorry If this off topic everyone!)

Kodachrome was totally UNIQUE in the world, and was very very complex to manufacture, and required LAB processing, and Kodak stopped making the chemicals to process it, and the last lab to process it closed down a few years ago. It is no more, never will be again, sad but true. In fact Kodak stopped also making Ektachrome (which could be processed by anyone), and I believe Fuji is the only film manufacturer to make any Ektachrome compatible film anymore. Due to digital, color film will soon be dead, never to be ressurected. Black and White film, however will live on, as there is enough support from art photographers to justify its continued manufacture in small quantity by smaller manufacturers. It is also easier to make.

Very sad indeed. In the county I live in there are only two real photo studios that process film. The closest is still a 30 minute drive for me. I save up months of pictures to have printed all at once.