Kodak Signet 35

This is my "new" camera, a Kodak Signet 35 from the early 1950's. It is a mechanical work of art that was made in the USA by Kodak - no batteries needed or accomodated. Back then, the really good 35mm cameras were made in Germany and most people weren't yet aware of Japanese quality, but this was top of the line for the USA.

It sports a single coated f/3.5 44mm Ektar lens that stops down to f/22. The shutter has to be cocked manually before each shot and has speeds of B, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100, and 1/300. The rangefinder apparatus still works fine for focusing down to 2 feet or all the way out to infinity. It winds with a knob, has a film frame counter, and features double exposure prevention.

Of course there isn't a meter, but there is a neat multi-slide scale on the back that can be adjusted for the film (Super-XX, Plus-X, Pan-X, or Kodachrome) and light conditions. By the way, none of those films are made anymore but by knowing the film speed it still works and is easy to use but I cheated and used my Nikon D3 from time to time as a very expensive light meter. It has a case with a leather strap that I need to fix. The lens is plenty sharp for snapshots and the internet. The ergonomics aren't great but it is fun to use. I've posted a photograph I made with the camera here.

The best part, I only paid $17.50 for it. Of course that is quite a bit more than I paid for my Agfa Optima 1a. But what is really expensive about these cameras is the film. It costs at least $10 to process these days, not to mention the film cost itself. I'm spending more on film and processing than I am on the cameras....