In a recent episode of the Camerosity Podcast, we discussed buying cameras from Japanese auctions, specifically using proxies like Buyee or OneMap From Japan. This discussion seemed to trigger some serious GAS with some listeners rightfully questioning whether all of the hoops needed to buy something, the large number of fees, and lack of buyer protection is worth it.
I can’t answer any of those questions for you, but having received a recent delivery and knowing that people like unboxing videos, I thought I’d record me opening a box that I knew to contain 9 cameras.
Join me through the highs and lows (there are definitely some lows) of what it is like to see things taken out of a large cardboard box and freed from a bunch of bubble wrap and packing tape.
As this video was recorded live and I was unprepared for some of the things inside, here are some updates on the cameras since I recorded this:
Mamiya 35 Auto Deluxe – In the video I incorrectly stated that the camera had a dent before I bought it, but it turns out it didn’t. The dent seen in the top plate occurred in shipping so I submitted a claim to Buyee for this camera.
I also didn’t remember its correct name, but after a fairly elaborate search online, I determined this is the Mamiya 35 Auto Deluxe, or simply Auto Deluxe. This was a very short lived model made in 1960 and there is very little info about it online.
Perhaps even worse than the dent is that this camera works perfectly. The shutter release was a little sticky but after pressing it, the shutter fired at every speed consistently and sounded great to the ear. There’s no oil on the blades, the glass is perfect, rangefinder is accurate and the viewfinder only has a tiny bit of haze. For such a nice camera to be damaged in shipping really sucks.
Lubitel 166 – In addition to the huge crack on the bottom of the camera, the reflex mirror had become detached too. Whether this occurred during shipping or was always like this is irrelevant as I’ve already submitted a claim for this one as well.
In a curious turn of events, my comment about Vlad Kern having one for sale, he has already reached out to me and offered to sell me his “at an offer I couldn’t refuse” so all it not lost in my Lubitel-shooting-fantasy!
Wirgin Reflex – I wasn’t sure of the name of this camera but it is simply Wirgin Reflex and it was made in Germany by Eho-Altissa. Apparently there were three different cameras all called the Wirgin Reflex, but this one appears to be the best. Eho-Altissa also sold this camera as the Altissa but from what I can find in my limited research, the cool extinction meter is unique to the Wirgin. This camera works perfectly.
Kuribayashi Petriflex – I was able to get the shutter to fire on this one and it appears to be in shootable condition. In the video, I struggle with the magnifying glass and that is still an issue. I feel like perhaps there is a piece of metal inside the hood that is supposed to hold it in place which is bent or missing. It is a minor issue though as it is unlikely I will shoot this camera any time soon but if I have to hold it down to use it, so be it.
Baron Six R – In the video, I struggled to get the shutter to fire, but I was later able to resolve that by simply rotating the shutter a bit. On these folding cameras with top plate shutter releases, if the shutter loosens up and rotates even a tiny bit, the linkage won’t line up correctly. This style of camera has a lock nut on the back of the shutter inside the film compartment. Simply back this off a tiny bit, rotate the shutter correctly, then tighten it back down and the linkage should work correctly, and that’s what happened here.
Apparently, this camera was made by a company called the Baron Camera Company, but camera-wiki’s page suggests that only 2 of these are known to exist, a claim which I highly doubt. I do believe these cameras are certainly uncommon, but hardly as rare as only 2 of them exist. The rangefinder on this camera is uncoupled.
Braun Gloria – I was unable to get the shutter to fire in the video, but that’s because I forgot this camera has a collapsible lens and the shutter release is locked with the shutter collapsed. A small button in front of the wind knob pops out the lens barrel, allowing the shutter to fire. After doing this, everything worked correctly at all speeds. In addition to the clean lens and accurate shutter, the viewfinder and rangefinder windows are super clear. Like the Baron Six R, the rangefinder on this camera is uncoupled.
Taiyōdō Reflex Beauty – I got the name of the maker of this camera wrong, but it definitely is a close copy of the Kochmann Reflex-Korelle, and even shares the same lens mount.
Like the Reflex-Korelle in which nearly every example you’ll find is in non-working condition, this camera doesn’t work either. Upon opening the film door, the shutter curtains are nowhere to be seen. Most likely they’re rolled up on the rollers and all crusty. Pressing the shutter release only flips the mirror up and down but nothing else happens.
I was prepared for this though, and am not at all unhappy as I did not expect this one to be in working condition. As the name “Beauty” suggests, I got this one for its looks.
Nikon EL2 – As I stated in the video, this one looks great and after putting in a fresh 6v battery, this camera is in perfect working condition. I had a spare Series E 50mm lens laying around which I mounted and I’ve already loaded in a test roll of film.
The Nikon EL2 was my first ever film SLR and as such, holds a special place in my heart as I really love these cameras. For anyone unaware, it has nearly the same feature set as the Nikon FE, but in a Nikkormat body. If you like the idea of an electronic shutter Nikon SLR with automatic exposure, but a large and stout body, the EL2 might be the camera for you.
Finally, we have the Sony a77 SLT. This camera was by far the biggest disappointment. I really had looked forward to trying out one of these pellicle mirror cameras, but with the badly fungused up sensor, plus the pellicle mirror has some damage to it, this camera is inoperable. I won’t even waste my time trying to find a charger for it.
Sometimes you win some, sometimes you lose, and this is one of those times, but that’s okay. I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t understand the risks.
So what do you think about my unboxing video? Was a 20 minute video of me fumbling around inside a box something you are interested in? Should I do this again? maybe edit the video to make it shorter?! Let me know in the comments!