Episode 92: Apparecchi Fotografici Italiani

Episode 92 of the Camerosity Podcast turns its attention to a corner of camera history that rarely gets discussed: the Italian camera industry. While Germany, Japan, the US, and the Soviet Union dominate most collector conversations, the hosts point out that countries like Italy, France, England, and Czechoslovakia also had significant camera-making traditions. To do the topic justice, the episode promotes every caller to "host status," bringing together Mike, Theo, AJ Gentile, Miles Libak, Robert Rotoloni, and Will Pinkham to share their knowledge and enthusiasm for Italian cameras.

The discussion draws heavily on an out-of-print 1983 reference book, Made in Italy: Apparecchi Fotografici Italiani by Marco Antonetto and Mario Malavolti, which Mike considers the best source on the subject, covering over 150 Italian camera models with images and descriptions. The group covers a wide range of specific cameras and brands, including Bencini models and their unconventional use of 127-size images on 120 film, Ferrania's Rondine and Condor (noting the Condor is not a Leica copy), the innovative and attractive Rectaflex (including the Lichtenstein variant), Durst's four camera models (Duca, Automatica, 66, and Gil), with Mike struggling to explain the Automatica's metering system, and the SSR Ducati Sogno, a half-frame camera Mike expresses strong affection for. Other highlights include the Gamma Officine Meccaniche de Precisione Gamma II, the Phototeknica Eaglet box camera, Robert's praise for the Gami 16 subminiature camera, and the unusual Industria Scientifica Ottica (ISO) Super Duplex 120, a stereo camera capable of shooting forty-eight 24mm x 24mm image pairs on a single roll of 120 film. The conversation also touches on parallels between Italy's camera and automobile industries, and speculates on what ended Italian camera production, pointing to the rise of Japanese manufacturing.

Beyond the main topic, the episode briefly detours into modern gear, including the upcoming Yashica FX-D digital camera with film-simulation features, and 3D-printed cameras like the Superflex and Alfie Tych, with Mike skeptical that such new cameras will hold appeal for collectors. The overall takeaway is that the Italian camera industry, though often overlooked, is far richer and deeper than most people realize, filled with distinctive and innovative designs worth exploring—albeit sometimes at a steep collecting cost, as Mike jokingly apologizes for the "expensive GAS" the episode is likely to inspire.

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In Episode 92 of the Camerosity Podcast, we needed to promote every caller to “host status” to tackle the topic of the Italian camera industry. While a huge number of cameras were made in Germany, Japan, the United States and the Soviet Union, many were made in other countries like Italy, France, England, and Czechoslovakia yet far less is talked about these countries.

We attempt to do some justice to cameras from this boot shaped peninsula, spreading some (very expensive) GAS for models like the Rectaflex, Ducati Sogno, and Gamma II. In an episode where everyone was a host, Mike, Theo, AJ Gentile, Miles Libak, Robert Rotoloni and Will Pinkham share our thoughts on a variety of models.

Mike’s best reference is an out of print book called Made in Italy: Apparecchi Fotografici Italiani by Marco Antonetto and Mario Malavolti. This 1983 book is the best reference any of us have found covering the Italian camera industry. Featuring images and short descriptions for over 150 Italian cameras, this book, plus our assessment of a few models we’re familiar with, prove that the Italian camera industry is far deeper than many realize.

In addition to a whole lot of Italian GAS, we go over the many different film sizes and formats used by Bencini cameras, Robert spends some time with his favorite Italian subminiature camera, the Gami 16, Mike struggles to explain how the metering system on the Durst Automatica works, he spends a great deal of time professing his love for the Ducati Sogno, and shares with us the wild operation of the very interesting Industria Scientifica Ottica Super Duplex 120, a strange stereo camera that shoots 24mm x 24mm stereo pairs on 120 format roll film.

In addition to talking about Italian cameras, we get side tracked and talk about the new upcoming Yashica FX-D digital camera and Mike shares his thoughts on these “so-called” hybrid film and digital cameras and where he thinks the film industry will be in 50 years. Will Pinkham asks about new 3D printed cameras like the Superflex and the Alfie Tych.

As always, the topics we discuss on the Camerosity Podcast are influenced by you! Please don’t feel like you have to be an expert on a specific type of camera, or have the level of knowledge on par with other people on the show. We LOVE people who are into shooting or collecting cameras, no matter how long you’ve been doing it, so please don’t consider your knowledge level to be a prerequisite for joining!

The guys and I rarely know where each episode is going to go until it happens, so if you’d like to join us on a future episode, be sure to look out for our show announcements on our Camerosity Podcast Facebook page, the Camerosity Discord server, and right here on mikeeckman.com. We usually record every other Monday and announcements, along with the Zoom link are typically shared 2-3 days in advance.

For our next episode, we are recording at a special time to allow for our European and South African listeners to join us. We don’t have a specific topic selected for this show as these “Euro Time Zone Friendly” episodes generally are open to anything, so if you’ve always wanted to join us, but couldn’t because we recorded in the middle of the night, this is your chance to call in! We will record Episode 93 on Tuesday, June 3rd at 1pm Central Daylight Time, 2pm Eastern Daylight Time, 7pm British Summer Time, 8pm Central European Summer Time, and at 4am Wednesday, June 4th Australian Eastern Standard Time.

In This Episode

Italian Camera Book / Italy’s Camera History is Deeper Than You’d Think
Bencini Comet III / Bencini Koroll II and Koroll S / 127 Size Images on 120
Italy’s Camera Industry is Similar to France’s
Ferrania Also Released Cameras / Ferrania Rondine / The Ferrania Condor is Not a Leica Copy
The Rectaflex Was Very Pretty and Innovative / Rectaflex Lichtenstein
Mike Apologizes for the Expensive GAS From This Episode
Theo Loves His Closter Camera
Durst Made Four Cameras, the Duca, Automatica, 66, and the Gil
Mike Fumbles His Way Through Explaining how the Durst Automatica Works
Theo Lusts Over a Gold Plated Half Frame Italian Camera
SSR Ducati Sogno is a Half Frame Super Camera
Gamma Officine Meccaniche de Precisione Gamma II
Phototeknica Eaglet Box Camera / What if Italian Companies Still Made Cameras?
Bob Heaps Praise on the Unique Gami 16 Submini
ISO Super Duplex 120 / Forty-Eight 24mm x 24mm Images on a Single Roll
The Italian Camera Indusry is Very Deep / Bob is All Done Writing Books
Italian Cars Are Unique Too / Theo and Bob Both Owned Fiats
What Ended Camera Production in Italy? / The Rise of Japanese Industry
Miles is GASing for a Rectaflex / Mike’s Warning About the Viewfinder
Get Yourself a Camerosity Podcast T-Shirt!!!
Yashica FX-D: Your First Digital Film Simulation Camera / SOC Cameras
Will 3D Printed Cameras like the Superflex and Alfie Tych Ever Become Collectible?
Mike Doesn’t think New 3D Printed Cameras Appeal to Too Many Collectors
Film Cameras Will Outlive the Production of Film

Links

The Camerosity Podcast is now on Discord! Join Anthony, Paul, Theo, and Mike on our very own Discord Server. Share your GAS and photography with other listeners in the Lounge or in our dedicated forums. If you have questions for myself or the other guys, we have an “Ask the Hosts” section as well where you can get your question answered on a future show! Check it out! https://discord.gg/PZVN2VBJvm.

If you would like to offer feedback or contact us with questions or ideas for future episodes, please contact us in the Comments Section below, our Camerosity Facebook Group, Instagram page, or Discord server.

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