Bell & Howell 35 Reflex & Minolta XG-M

[JustAnotherGinger]

I managed to score these, and quite a few lenses for each, today. I have been looking for more information, on both of these models, but can't seem to find the right info on either. I am trying to find out where I can look up the model numbers/serial numbers. I also am trying to find out when they were made. The guy said that the 35mm Reflex wasn't working, and I am trying to get more info on them, before I take it to a shop. Any help would be much appreciated :)

*I am a retard..lol...corrected the name of the camera...

[venchka]

Bell & Howell marketed various cameras made by major Japanese companies. Photos always help. The lens mount is the best clue. Can you describe or show us photos of the lens mount? A guess: Pentax or Canon.
Tony is a Minolta user. Hopefully he can help with that camera.

[venchka]

The Bell & Howell is a Canon. It has the older breechlock mount. I own several Canon lenes from that period. They are very good. Tell us which lenses you have.


Bell & Howell Auto 35 Reflex manual, user manual, free instruction manual, pdf manuals

[JustAnotherGinger]

That was the manual I found. I have a canon 35mm f/ 3.5, canon 125mm f/ 3.5, canon 50mm f/ 1.8.

[venchka]

I'm working from my phone so bear with me.
If you will do a google search for any of those 3 lenses, a web site devoted to all Canon hardware prior to the EOS line will be found.

I have the 35/3.5, purchased new in 1975. It is a very good lens. I also have 2 copies of the 50/1.8. One from late 70s and the other from 1984. I got them recently and haven't had a chance to use them. I expect them to be as good as the other 2 Canon 50mm lenses iI have from the same period.
I have never found information connecting serial numbers and year of manufacture. Another educated guess: Bell & Howell sold cameras made by Canon in the mid to late 60s.
My C.R.S. Was acting up earlier. Honeywell sold Pentax cameras.

[venchka]

Here you go...

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography...nses/index.htm

[JustAnotherGinger]

Thanks. I also saw that they sell adapters for FD to EF...will this allow me to use these lenses on my EOS? Please bear with all my questioning. I am still learning :)

[Daniel Bates]

You can use FD on EOS, but the adapter generally doesn't let you achieve infinity focus.

[JustAnotherGinger]

Originally Posted by Daniel Bates

You can use FD on EOS, but the adapter generally doesn't let you achieve infinity focus.

Good to know! Thanks!

[venchka]

Your camera is a rebadged Canon EX EE QL. The 3 lenses only work on your camera. They are not FD lenses. The 125mm should have set off alarms. I was offered a set like this a couple years ago.
All I can say is, "What was Canon thinking?"

[venchka]

Ken Rockwell has a long page devoted to this line of cameras. A photo of the slightly (1972-1975) newer replacement of the original (1969-1972):



Besides the dedicated lenses (goor or bad news, depending on how you look at it), the camera was designed for 625 mercury button cells. These are long gone. There are substitutes that work almost as well as the mercury battery. However, none are a true replacement for the mercury cells. The Wein zinc/air batteries work, but have a short life.

Canon EX AUTO

If you want the real Canon early SLR film experience, look for the Canon cameras with the BL/FD lens mount. Starting with the FTb (mercury battery problem) and progressing through the various F1 models (pro workhorse), the EF (no mercury battery problem), A-1 (very nice-I just found one at a garage sale), AE-1, and AE-1 Program. Lenses are plentiful. Most are very affordable. Some of the exotic lenses sell for big bucks and worth it. KEH is a good place to shop. Garage sales are good if you know what to look for.

If you run across a Canon T50. Keep running. It has the same lens mount as the bodies above. However, it operates in full auto progam mode only. That can be handy. If you want an interchangeable lens P&S 35mm film camera. Otherwise, look for the fully adjustable bodies.

[rquiroga]

This was my first camera back in 1976. It was simple to use and allowed me to learn about exposure and metering without the distraction auto exposure.

[venchka]

Moving along to the Minolta XG-M. In true Minolta fashion, a very capable camera that nobody knew.
Scroll way down. The XG-M dates from October, 1981.

The Rokkor Files - The Minolta XG Series

The XG-M was released in October 1981 in all areas of the world except Japan. Japan instead got a chrome version of the X-700, which lacked the exposure-lock feature but in all other respects was like the X-700 which went on to dominate the consumer SLR camera market in the early 1980s. Later Japan got the same X-700 as the rest of the world, marketed there as the 'New' X-700. The XG-M had to wait until January 1982 before being released in Japan, where it was called the X-70.

The ‘M’ in the name denotes that this model is capable of mounting the Motor Drive 1, which is not only fast but a great tactile improvement to any camera. This XG introduced the new body style, which was used on most of the models to follow it, including the X-700, and X-570. In fact the style did not change until many years later when the last Minolta manual focus SLR camera, the X-9, had changes to the body to update it to more modern stying. The changes introduced with the XG-M included a different prism cover, a right-hand grip on the front of the body, and the new company logo: Minolta in upper-case with a ‘rising sun’ O.

Additionally, the self timer was moved back to the front of the body, and the main switch is around the shutter-speed dial. Together, all these changes make the camera appear basically like a chrome X-700 without TTL flash capability. However, it still uses a CdS meter, so it's properly in the XG clan, but it's easily the best of them all. Reasons why include the fact that it takes the motor drive, the metering display remains active when the camera is in manual mode, there is an exposure adjustment feature of +/- 2 stops, and there is a depth of field preview button. Additionally, it has a full 1 second to 1/-1000th second shutter speed scale in the view-finder, Acute-Matte™ screen, direct aperture reading periscope, film memo holder, and removeable back.

http://www.rokkorfiles.com/Advertising/XG-M.pdf