I first started taking pictures before I was a teenager using my father’s old camera which is shown here. This is a Zeiss Ikon bellows camera with a Tessar 1:3.5 lens. This camera, which I took out from storage for the purpose of this shoot, is probably about 65 to 70 years old. It brings back memories of the days we used black and white film; and photography was not as popular as it is today. The camera still works! No point and shoot solutions here. One is forced to understand terms like ISO, focal length, exposure times, depth of field, etc.

Rolleiflex, a long-running and diverse line of high-end cameras originally made by the German company Franke & Heidecke, and later by Rollei-Werk. The “Rolleiflex” name is most commonly used to refer to Rollei’s premier line of medium format twin lens reflex (TLR) cameras notable for their exceptional build quality, compact size, modest weight, superior optics, durable, simple, reliable mechanics and bright viewfinders. This camera belonged to my father and is the one I used as a teenager! Liked the image magnifying capabilities. Gave me the ability to sharpen the focus to tac sharpness. I also liked the large 6 by 6 format especially for enlargeing my pictures.

This is another bellows camera belonging to my late father-in-law, given to me by my late -mother-in-law. It is a Zeiss Ikon with a Tessar 1:2.8 lens. In the 1940’s Zeiss would be a popular camera name. Taken out from storage for the purpose of this shoot. I have no experience using this handsome looking camera, but I would think the pictures will turn out brilliantly.

The Zeiss Lens of a bellows camera (shown above)  probably about 70 years old. If only it could speak – the stories it would tell! The stories of a by gone era. Taken out of storage for this shoot.