Review: The Compass Camera - an English Swiss Gem from the 1930's

[fibredrive]

that is one awesome looking camera! looks like something spies would use during the cold war era. heh. :thumbsup:

 

[ed9119]

Incredible find, you always get the good stuff ed!

ha ha the irony of photojournalism is that ..... you get interesting stories when you put the camera away FIRST ... look a little closer and talk to people when street-shooting ...... the images can wait .... they'll come later......

 

[Zichar]

Heh true that. Well it's also true you've got lots of interesting stories
Thanks for taking the time to put them up on the blog too

 

[nokkieg]

Wow! I thought "Old Man Philip" was one of a kind! Looks like we have another antique camera repair man! But still too few I reckon.

 

[ortega]

:thumbsup: Like

btw the full blog post can be found via the link below
A-very-special-gentleman-who-repairs-and-restores-Cameras-and-Watches

 

[ed9119]

thanks for saving the contents of the 1997 vcd Ortega... hugely appreciated !! I'm surprised that it still holds data after 14 years

Linked the 2 videos onto my blog already

I share one of the clips here in which he talks about the Compass Camera and other cameras in his posession ............... and also NEXT WEEK's featured camera is in there (ha ha wont tell you guys which one)

[video=youtube;CoYPYQ0HhR4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoYPYQ0HhR4&feature=player_embedded[/video]

 

[ortega]

I will make a new VCD and DVD for him just in case this one becomes unreadable

 

[daredevil123]

Definitely an eye opener....

Thanks for sharing Ed. And thanks Ortega for the video.

And the girl in the video, Satu Konsong... waaaa long time no see already.

 

[pinholecam]

Nice story and nice camera.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[cagivaplanet]

this is an Awesome thread. Would be fantastic to make it a series on the cameras he owns.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[KT1031]

wahh!! can he be invited to exhibit his camera if there's a SAM event this year? cfm will be an eye opener.

 

[ed9119]

I'm on the same frequency .... lets see ......

here's a little video clip I shot that day .... apologies the exposure seems to be all over the place

[video=youtube;P4bIuSaA0_4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4bIuSaA0_4[/video]

 

[ed9119]

please...... if any of you have an interesting tale about an old camera please feel free to start a thread on it

 

[weihsuan]

My friends and I went shooting around lavender area today and we chance upon Mr Guan Kee too. Didn't know this thread was posted until a search was made when we're home. We were wondering about the film cameras when he spotted us holding our Rolleiflex, Hasselblad and Canon SLR. We chatted for a long time and he showed us his collection on his digital PNS, truly fascinating. Even has a camera which was mounted on a plane during the Viet war. He was thrilled when I recognised his Tessina camera - smallest TLR in the world, which has a accessory shoe for a watch face (I realised it was showed in the video posted above).

 

[ed9119]

thank you SO much for chatting him up ..... he's an old fella in his mid 70's and alot of his photography buddies have passed away already ....... chatting him up will keep his spirits up !

AHH!! He finally brought his Vietnam War camera ..... I will be there this Friday afternoon to catalog it as well as collect a few more stories from Mr Kuan Kee

thanks again sincerely

 

[andrewcc123]

I remember this store used to be right across the street from my house at citylights. Unfortunately his store is now closed due to renovation of the building and will not be opening again since he explained to me how they have raised his rent so high he cannot afford to open it again. I still keep in contact with him and have had a camera repaired by him at his house which is jam packed with photography gear. I also bought lots of old kodak 120 film, ferrania super 8 film and 126 cartridge film from him.

 

[ed9119]

yes his house is quite the museum

Mr Guan is currently retired but we are trying to have him agree to another exhibition soon

 

[andrewcc123]

Did he show you the camera that fell out of an american spy plane in vietnam?

 

[hilly]

Amazing thread on an amazing man! Thanks to Ed and all for sharing and most importantly have talked to Mr Guan, “to keep his spirit high”.

 

[incurable]

been following this thread, great share, thanks! hope the story doesn't end here.