Great video! Better than many "seasoned" RUclipsrs! I took an orphaned 1915 VPK lens and adapted it to an M42 billows for use on my 35mm film camera. I can focus from infinity down to about 6 inches with the lens on "T" so I can use my cameras shutter and the through the lens meter (also a flash if I want). I will be using Ilford Ortho Plus 80 because it mimics the limited spectrum films of period for authenticity. On the plus side, no need to hunt down 127 film. It is not red sensitive, exactly like the original films used during the war. I don't know of any WW1 reenactments near me but I will use it at vintage car shows and aviation shows. My dream is to take this setup to the Goodwood Revival (historic races each September) in the UK were people dress in period clothes and vintage planes do flyovers. Thanks for the great stories and inspiration!
My grandfather was apprenticed to a Professional photographer from 1900 aged 12 until 1903 when the Photographer was killed in a car accident. He was a photographer in the Royal Flying Corps from 1914 to 1918. He survived and brought his VP Autographic with him. He carried it with him most times. His main camera was a folding quarter plate German camera with triple extension bellows. I still have lots of his wonderful pictures from ww1 and later. He taught me to take photographs and do enlargements. I was a working wedding and press photographer from 1960 until 1970. I still have his cameras including a VP Kodak. His brother Cecil who lived in Naniamo Canada enlisted in the Canadian Army and fought in Ww1. He survived. Thanks for your great video.
Great story. I have my grandfather's camera a Kodak 3A Junior Autographic... quite a bit bigger than the VPK... and a book of pictures he took with it while he was training in the Army Air Corps. He was still training when the war ended so he never went "Over there".
Very well done! I just purchased this camera and was looking for the best settings for full sunlight and the 400 B&W 127 film. Your video was the first I found. I didn't find all I was looking for but the story of your grandfather was interesting indeed.
What a beautiful camera, and kept in such great shape. Would you consider using it again? Also, thanks for sharing your grandfather's story. He seems quite the achiever, and as an early pilot he must have experienced some horrible things. I hope to have one of these cameras soon, so it was great to see someone relate such a personal story about it.
There are a lot of good photos from those VPKs from the Great War. By today's standads, they weren't much -- yours, like the one I just bought, has a simple meniscus lens and fixed focus, but the Ball Bearing Shutter is notorious for still working more than a century after it was built, and Kodak apparently used top grade materials for the bellows in these as well -- at least, most of them are still light tight. 127 film isn't as easy to come by as it was when I was a kid -- but it's not difficult to convert 120 with some simple tools and a couple 127 spools (as a bonus, you get 12 exposures from a roll rather than the original 8). Ilford Pan F is close to the original film speed for these cameras, though you can probably get similar results with FP4+, Delta 100, T-Max 100, or Fomapan 100 (negative film generally does well with mild overexposure). Based on results I've had with similar lenses in other cameras, you can probably even use Ektar 100 or Portra 160, though I'd recommend that only if you're also set up to develop your own color film -- else you'll probably never see your 127 spool again.
Lovely video .. I bought one of these cameras with pen on the back last year at a car boot sale in a brown cotton case and I sold it on eBay .. wish I’d kept it now .. damn.
The Kodak Vest Pocket A-127 camera you have had other fans. Charles Lindbergh use it and, more interestingly, George Mallory and Andrew Irvine took one on their 1924 attempt to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. The camera was never found but, it it were, the film might show they'd reached the summit - or not.
Michael, great video. It was a bonus to hear the back story of your grandfather. I have a pair of VPKs sitting on the shelf that now I know a bit more about. Keep up the great work! Best, James
127 format film, as the video says 2:00 . It's a discontinued size that was larger than 35mm and smaller than 120. The good news is that vintage camera enthusiasts are now selling freshly cut rolls. A search for "127 film for sale" will result in several sources.
Well done. There is a book written about the VPK and WW1. Called: the vest pocket kodak & the first world war. ISBN number: 978-1-87145-279-0. Written by Jon Cooksey and foreword by Richard van Emden. I hope you like it.
There's no manufacturing date, mine just has the date of the last patent on the back. It says 1913. I just know my Grandfather brought it with him when he left for the war in 1914.
Great video! Better than many "seasoned" RUclipsrs! I took an orphaned 1915 VPK lens and adapted it to an M42 billows for use on my 35mm film camera. I can focus from infinity down to about 6 inches with the lens on "T" so I can use my cameras shutter and the through the lens meter (also a flash if I want). I will be using Ilford Ortho Plus 80 because it mimics the limited spectrum films of period for authenticity. On the plus side, no need to hunt down 127 film. It is not red sensitive, exactly like the original films used during the war. I don't know of any WW1 reenactments near me but I will use it at vintage car shows and aviation shows. My dream is to take this setup to the Goodwood Revival (historic races each September) in the UK were people dress in period clothes and vintage planes do flyovers. Thanks for the great stories and inspiration!
My grandfather was apprenticed to a Professional photographer from 1900 aged 12 until 1903 when the Photographer was killed in a car accident. He was a photographer in the Royal Flying Corps from 1914 to 1918.
He survived and brought his VP Autographic with him. He carried it with him most times.
His main camera was a folding quarter plate German camera with triple extension bellows.
I still have lots of his wonderful pictures from ww1 and later.
He taught me to take photographs and do enlargements.
I was a working wedding and press photographer from 1960 until 1970.
I still have his cameras including a VP Kodak. His brother Cecil who lived in Naniamo Canada enlisted in the Canadian Army and fought in Ww1. He survived.
Thanks for your great video.
Tjanks for sharing all history and pics !!
Superb! Thank you.
I enjoyed seeing all the old photos probably taken with the camera.
Your first video has super high production quality i literally see channels with millions scripted and edited like this
Thank you! I’m still a newbie trying to learn filmmaking.
Michael, good job on your first video, the history and description of the camera and functions combined with actual photo is good.
I will agree. There are no bad photographers, just bad attempts at passing oneself off as one.
Great story. I have my grandfather's camera a Kodak 3A Junior Autographic... quite a bit bigger than the VPK... and a book of pictures he took with it while he was training in the Army Air Corps. He was still training when the war ended so he never went "Over there".
Very well done! I just purchased this camera and was looking for the best settings for full sunlight and the 400 B&W 127 film. Your video was the first I found. I didn't find all I was looking for but the story of your grandfather was interesting indeed.
What a beautiful camera, and kept in such great shape. Would you consider using it again? Also, thanks for sharing your grandfather's story. He seems quite the achiever, and as an early pilot he must have experienced some horrible things. I hope to have one of these cameras soon, so it was great to see someone relate such a personal story about it.
There are a lot of good photos from those VPKs from the Great War. By today's standads, they weren't much -- yours, like the one I just bought, has a simple meniscus lens and fixed focus, but the Ball Bearing Shutter is notorious for still working more than a century after it was built, and Kodak apparently used top grade materials for the bellows in these as well -- at least, most of them are still light tight.
127 film isn't as easy to come by as it was when I was a kid -- but it's not difficult to convert 120 with some simple tools and a couple 127 spools (as a bonus, you get 12 exposures from a roll rather than the original 8). Ilford Pan F is close to the original film speed for these cameras, though you can probably get similar results with FP4+, Delta 100, T-Max 100, or Fomapan 100 (negative film generally does well with mild overexposure). Based on results I've had with similar lenses in other cameras, you can probably even use Ektar 100 or Portra 160, though I'd recommend that only if you're also set up to develop your own color film -- else you'll probably never see your 127 spool again.
Lovely video .. I bought one of these cameras with pen on the back last year at a car boot sale in a brown cotton case and I sold it on eBay .. wish I’d kept it now .. damn.
Great video, well paced and informative.
The Kodak Vest Pocket A-127 camera you have had other fans. Charles Lindbergh use it and, more interestingly, George Mallory and Andrew Irvine took one on their 1924 attempt to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. The camera was never found but, it it were, the film might show they'd reached the summit - or not.
veramente bella storie e camera
Good quality video your Grandfather's camera is in incredible condition! I I have one without the Autographic window coming in the mail!
Great video, wouldn't know its your first RUclips video!
You're too kind. Thank you. I'll try to get better, it's a lot of fun.
Great job on this my man.
This is awesome!
Will be sharing with members of newly formed Victoria Vintage Camera Club (BC, Canada) Thanks!
Michael, great video. It was a bonus to hear the back story of your grandfather. I have a pair of VPKs sitting on the shelf that now I know a bit more about. Keep up the great work! Best, James
Thank you very much! I’ll get back to my filmmaking soon.
I'm trying to get myself one of these cameras, what film type was it exactly?
127 format film, as the video says 2:00 . It's a discontinued size that was larger than 35mm and smaller than 120. The good news is that vintage camera enthusiasts are now selling freshly cut rolls. A search for "127 film for sale" will result in several sources.
You can get 127 from Blue Moon Photography. The best 127 cameras were made later, from the 1930s through the 1950s, some being extremely good.
I think you underestimate the size of the 127. 4mm by 6mm is medium format and nearly the size of a Rolleiflex negative.
Nice video fan from Bengaluru
Well done. There is a book written about the VPK and WW1. Called: the vest pocket kodak & the first world war. ISBN number: 978-1-87145-279-0. Written by Jon Cooksey and foreword by Richard van Emden. I hope you like it.
deserve more views 👍
Subscribed
I have an identical one, how can I know what year it is? nice to meet you
There's no manufacturing date, mine just has the date of the last patent on the back. It says 1913. I just know my Grandfather brought it with him when he left for the war in 1914.
@@michaelwood3205 thank you very much for answering me, says in the part of the lens area, 1910 1913 is just what I see.
Same as G7X III
Are there any WW1 pictures online taken with your Grandfather's camera?
All the pictures are at my parents’ house. We’re still looking for the album.
I have the same, im an antiquarian btw
Nice the vid pity for the unseemly cheap background jingle, get rid of the crud is #1.