Kalimar got its start in the 1950's importing Aires 35 cameras from Japan for sale in the US. Eventually Kalimar would be a distributor for cameras and accessories from most of the camera making world, until it was bought out by Tiffen in 1999. At some point Kalimar put its name on the Kalimar Precision Zoom. The Kalimar Precision Zoom is unusual in that it is the only cheap plastic camera that I have seen with a zoom lens. I would guess it was made in the 1990's since that is when a zoom lens became the standard lens for many cameras. Other than its zoom lens the Kalimar Precision Zoom is a standard toy camera. It has one shutter speed and one aperture. It doesn't need a battery unless you want to use the flash. The Precision Zoom does seem to be more solidly built than most toy cameras. It also fits nicely into my hands. Below are a few sample images so you can judge the value of the camera as a picture taker for yourself. All were taken with HP5 developed in Xtol.
Wat *was* it about the 90s and 00s that led to so many ugly cameras? This one seems like a so-so performer. Does the battery not also power the zoom?
ReplyDeleteIt does seem like a lot of ugly cameras were made the. I wonder if time will make some look better? You just turn a ring on the lens to make the zoom go in and out.
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