Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Major Camera Delivery Day

I had a very busy postal mail camera delivery day today. Ended up getting 4 stereo cameras! Yes 4! I will test and choose 1, possibly 2 to take with me to Thailand. Additional costs were minimal $22 CAD for duty/taxes. All cameras are in working order, and in quite pristine condition, almost newish, rather amazing for their ages. The Verescope model is the oldest camera and dates I believe back to the 1930s, the F40 version I think is a 1950s camera. Beautiful tools! Am very excited about using them to make pictures.

Three of the cameras I got from my new friend Bernard in Florida, he kept them well taken care of. I will try to keep them in as good a shape as possible but I also want to use the cameras heavily in the field, some wear always results. Cameras need to be used thou, not just coddled and stared at from a distance, so they will be fulfilling their destinies.

I am quite excited by the thought of what kind of documentary imagery I can make with these wonderful cameras. I printed out the manuals for the various cameras tonight and will learn how to use each of them in the coming weeks. I will be posting some scans later for you all.'

Update* Played with the cameras some, and boy are they well built. The Stereo 35 is a cheap Czech plasticky camera but the other 3 are SOLID METAL!! Everything about them is metal. The Verescope F40 is especially beautiful, very Flash Gordon futuristic in look and feel. The Stereo Realist and the Revere 33 are also both wonderful constructed cameras. I get the feeling that these things will last 200 years no problem. I am less worried now about damaging the cameras. The only damage might occur if I drop one of these things on my foot and break a toe!

4 stereo cameras from upper left to right, Verescope F40, Stereo 35, Stereo Realist, Revere 33