Here’s a look at the 10 most beautiful cameras with art deco designs. It’s part of study of Art deco styles and materials influenced the design of cameras in the 1920s and 30s - and transformed cameras into fashion items.
This is my most favourite of all photographic videos, because I love cameras and I love Art Deco. However it does make me regret again that I parted with most of my extensive collection, and not just the Art Deco ones. I did keep a certain Kodak Petite, because it was my first camera ever. Alas I had many of the cameras on your list but now ... *sigh* C'est la vie.
I'm old but not old enough to possess nostalgic longings for things past but those cameras are wonderful indeed. From the bakelite boxes to the marvelous TLRs they take me to a past that i hardly know. This video leads me down the rabbit hole.
I just bought a Univex Model A. still in the box. Released in 1933 for 39 cents. Very tiny and basic Bakelite body. I bought it expressly for the Art Deco designs on the body. Enjoyed this video immensely.
Thanks for sharing these Simon! I love seeing how cameras are such unapologetic representations of artistic eras. I wonder if we will think about modern mirrorless camera design as evocative of our time (I just think they look boring!!) A couple of my favorites to throw in: Kodak Brownie "Modernist" (1930) - produced as a limited Christmas edition Brownie and Hawkeye in the UK and has a striking wrap-around design Kodak Petite/Coquette (1929) - Kodak's "camera for women" that came in so many fun colors and eventually packaged with a matching makeup case Daci Royal (1951) - This is technically a "nostalgic" design despite still being a 75 year old camera, but it was produced so well! Keep up the great videos :)
Two of your picks were on display at the Metropolitan Museum NY when I visited. Your No 1 pick obviously, but the other was the Purma Special. I have far too many of your list to dispute any of your selection, but my most treasured is my Dad's Argus A bought new when he was a wartime emigrant.
Before posting the video, I saw the two photographed together on the museum's website. www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/490903 A interesting side-by-side combination, but not the most flattering photo of the Purma Special. With all the little lines on the body, it's not that easy an object to photograph - a moiré special sometimes!
A very enlightened commentary. There could be some debate as to what cameras are included but no question that your discussion is totally first rate. What a shame that the gorgeous Bantam with its superb lens was designed for 838 film and only 8 exposures per roll.
What a wonderful video highlighting the most beautiful Art Deco style cameras. Envious that you own all 10 cameras. So well researched and such a professional production. From your calm narration to the cameras spinning on the turntable and autofocus tracking the cameras. Was so interesting to learn about the Billy Clack and the Six20 Kodak. To marvel at the exquisite Rolleicord. Was even becoming anxious to see which camera was going to top this. In the end I agree with your choice. The Kodak Bantam Special is indeed something special. Thanks again for all the effort you put in - so that we can appreciate these beautiful cameras, and now know what to look for in an antique store. Makes you appreciate just what a powerhouse Kodak once was.
Simon I mean this with love but I'm actually glad you don't have more subscribers because you'd be here ruining ebay prices like techmoan with these lovely videos. Thank you for this video, I really appreicate the effort you put in to not only show the cameras but explain them and some of the history surrounding them.
What a lovely video. I a big Rhulmann fan. I’m currently buying a few film cameras as users but when I’m done I think I will dive down the art deco black hole and get a few cameras for display. Your photos and turntable videos were a joy to watch. Thanks.
When I grew up in the 60's cameras were rare, at least for my surroundings, maybe Christmas we'd take pictures or bdays, we did have a photo album but it got lost by the years, always felt awkward having picture taken, my mom hated them even though she was really beautiful. These cameras are beautiful and if I didn't know it, I would've guessed there from the 50's,60's. Very cool. Thank you.
Some of my favorite art deco cameras are the rainbow variants of kodak folding models. I recently got a brown Folding hawkeye model 2 in perfect condition for 30 dollars(they usually cost over 70) and it is just a dream, gorgeous 1930s design with great color.
Wonderful video as always. You have the great narrative style down. Kodak really was the king of design from 1920s-1930s. Which leads me to this point- Now that most brands make quality digital cameras, they should start investing in design. Sony and Canon are big enough like Kodak was at this point in time to give it a try. Wonderful as always!
this is amazing, thank you. also interesting how many of these are at f11 or f16, it's hard to imagine operating with such limited light on a pocket camera these days! the agfa mechanism also looked like 2 faces on absurd/Dada necks p.p.s. that Rolleicord is stunning!
Until you picked up that last camera I wasn't quite sure about its looks because it looked absolutely huge, like a car from the same era, but with the lens visible and in you hands it looks beautiful. Very interesting video and something a bit different from other videos about camera history.
😍 ...this has reminded me there were some beautiful bakelite cameras in my grandmothers attic when I was a kid .. really annoying I don't know what happened to them!
i coincide with your n°1 choice, but I think my 2 would be one of the Kodak Vanity, either in red or green. So elegant! Anyhow, really nice and entertaining.
Good point, and I agree on the colours. Perhaps I should have been bolder and braver with including a Vanity Kodak on my list, rather than just referring to the Vanity cameras and ensembles before I got to the No 1. Part of the issue is that I don't own one to hold and show. But more importantly, while they are very beautiful, I'm not sure they have a clearly definable Art Deco style. The style is more art nouveau if anything, to my eyes.
Two that weren't included that I probably would have: The Spartus Folding Camera (a 1940 camera, I think; but it's very Art Deco) and the Standard Conway Deluxe (again, a 50s camera but very Art Deco.)
Oh my goodness!! I happened to watch this wonderful piece that you made, and really loved the look of the Rolleicord... and then, a day later, looking for a Helios 44, the guy who was selling the Helios, showed me some other stuff that he had, and if I was interested.. There it was , a beautiful Rolleicord 1.. I grabbed it! It's a bit beaten up, but nothing too bad, and I'm going to attempt to clean it, and see if it actually works, or if I can get it to.... Would you have any advice or links to videos for cleaning/operating this piece of art? And thank you for all your entertaining and informative works!!
Wonderful! It's such a jewel. You could try contacting the guy who runs this site. I've not contacted him myself, but he seems extremely knowledgeable. artdecocameras.com/ Other than that, I haven't personally seen any videos that might help, but it will be interesting to search, and I'll report back if I find anything helpful.
@@Simonsutak Thanks so much… I’ll look at the link you sent, and search for videos.. I had a quick look earlier and found the original manual online, but it’s very basic. (My time was taken up playing with the shutter and ogling… the iris appears to be stuck in a closed position, so I’m going to have to get adventurous with precision screwdrivers… Thanks again!!
Why oh why did Kodak make the Bantam as an 828 roll film camera, instead of a really usable 35mm film camera. Condemning it in film photo afterlife to obscurity rather than easy use. Not the first time Kodak tried to re-invent the wheel. Of all the many film formats that Kodak produced in their early years only 120 and 35mm are still in enthusiastic use, with some usage of 620 and 127.
thank you ! so very much for showing me these remarkably interesting Deco cameras. Yes, number 1 is exquisitely beautiful , and its function ability completely unexpected !#@**&
I always hated that they wasted the Bantam Special design on the Bantam 828 film. Why couldn't they have used either 35mm or 127 film. To make the most beautiful camera ever for an inferior size film that would soon be obsolete is such a waste.
I have one and am planing to adapt 120 backing paper to it, so it can still be used with 35mm. A bit of a faff, but it's such a technologically advanced camera, it'd be a shame not to use it
Yes, to use them depends on the film - it's easier to find film for some than others. The Bantam is especially difficult - although there are people on the internet who explain how to make film for the camera from other sized film rolls. The other issue, of course, is whether the cameras are still in working order. All but one of the cameras I included in the video work as they were originally designed. The shutter mechanism is completely jammed on the Kodak six-20. Personally, my film days (or years - around 21 years) are over for now, but I may resurrect them in the future. But I do like to get these cameras out and play with them/their settings etc.
I am not so sure about the beauty of some of these bakelite UFO's. It is a matter of taste, though. The moste beautiful camera ever built is IMHO the Contax 1. Although it was not very successfull. Second in my preference line is the Contax 2.
