I saw both the real camera on a Japanese webpage and that April fool jokes before. Haven't really see DF5000 (the real film SLR) in real life, but would like to give it a try in a camera shop.

 

I am shocked at his prices! A few pieces of glasses could cost $35,000.00?! What is so special about these optics? Apochromat is quite common for microscope objectives. But a top quality Zeiss Planapochromat objective could also cost well above $10,000.00!

I heard that a Chinese optical factory in Sichuan province could make very large aspherical lens elements with a special manufacturing process, and it is the first such manufacturer in Asia! Many European and Japanese companies bought lens elements from this factory. I will see if I can locate the source for this information.

And here is another rare vintage Chinese camera, the one of a kind Dong Feng EF-1 120 SLR made by Beijing Camera Factory.

Cheers,

Zhang

 

Hello everyone,

The never ending story of Chinese optical products. Here is a strange 16mm F1.6 lens that covers 35mm cine format, but it has a very unique lens mount. It is not a fisheye. I think it can be modified to fit a RD-1 type camera. Those Zeiss and Leitz 16mm lenses are too expensive and much slower. This lens appears to be very contrasty and sharp.

I also spotted a huge mirror lens with a front lens element of 250mm! The lens is 600mm long, and I heard it was used on one of the Chinese satellites.

Cheers,

Zhang

 

 

Hello every one,

 

and especially to my friend Zhang, initiator of this discussion.

 

First of all, one thousand excuses for my very poor English language….

 

One speaks, indeed, very rarely of this famous RED FLAG 20 and I
thank you Zhang for have been done.

 

I also thank Zhang for the unknown photographic cameras that he made us to discover. Very beautiful and interesting Chinese cameras !!!

 

I think, to be able perhaps to answer some of your questions on this mythic camera

 

I had luck, indeed, to meet and to question for a long time on this topic, about fifteen year ago, a very close French friend on China of periods 70 - 80.
He was, during this period, exclusive importer of Chinese machine-tools and low end camera range types ( maybe Seagull ???) , for France. He was very bound with the Chinese authorities of the time. Its firm name was C.C.M to Paris.

 

Hoping not to be too long, here are some answers to clear questions, that I can give here, which according to this man's confidences, I will call here " MX ":

 

- MX confirmed me, that it was just Mrs. Chiang ( Jiang ) Ching, Mao's 4th woman, who had given the order to put in construction a camera, that would be technologically better than the Leica M4 and M5.

 

- In fact, she would have given the order to the engineers of the factory Shanghai C.F. to manufacture just… " The best Camera of the world "; with lenses as good as the best of at Leica. This idea was born at the summer 1969. MX doesn't have the memory who told him that she wanted to say the " 20 " of RF20. Why not, indeed the 20th birthday of the revolution of 49?
Between 69 and 73, it will be necessary 4 years to make the 1st body.

 

- MX didn't know anything of supposed it photographic passion of Mrs. CC.

 

- MX assured me that in the notebook of the loads, the factor " cost " had to not be on any account a problem and that dice its survey, the RF20 didn't have to besides, ever to be merchandised. It had to be rightly a window of high technology, in order to prove to the whole world, that China was capable to produce objects of high technology, the best of the world.
- It also had to, to be offered, as gift for guests of mark. Fidel Castro, Tito and I.Gandi would have received one of it in " case ". I will come back there later... and in gifts " of honor" to the politicians, policies/military of high ranks and maybe savants…
- According to MX, since China had to convince the west as well that the Orient, of its supremacy, the chosen shape, characteristic of the device was a mixture of Leica M4-5 and Canon 7. The " look " of the device becoming thus " universal ".
- Use chosen of the lenses Leica bayonet " M " , prevented all import and merchandising, because patent rights, in most countries and in particular the industrialized Western countries, more Japan. So the RF20 was in fact, unmarketable outside China. But MX have never see a RF20 to be sold into (????) or outside China.
- For what concerns the produced quantities, MX informed me that one had told him that he had been manufactured 198 bodies - for all product in 1973.
- 198 x 1.4/50 lenses made between 1973 and 1974
and 72 x 1.4/35 and 2/90 between 1974 and 1975.
- Contrary to what is sometimes said, MX , as never sensible to speak of the construction of a scientific case without view-rangefinder
- Rigid “ case " made of black leather, stamped of the acronym gold RED FLAG 20, with the inside made of red velvet would have been produced according to the needs for prestigious gifts. About 30 would have been produced. These cases could contain the body and its 3 lenses, the sites for 10 circular filters and a pitfall to accommodate 4 X 35mm films in them limp.

 

- MX was contacted by the Chinese authorities in 1976 so that he presents the RF20 in the Fair of Paris 1977.

 

- He had like mission to present this material in window and not to take, of course, no sell…MX received a " RF20 case " of prestige then.
- This material was cleared unusually in France and was also, the only item to enter there. MX explained me that during the fair, he had the body and the optics of the window taken only, in order to prove to the amateur and professional that this material was not in wood
- MX had to send back in China this material, dice that the fair would be finished, on order of the Chinese authorities.
In 1975 - 1976, China was in full Revolution “Culturelle”…October 1976, Mrs. CC was jailed
- Other people end 1978 contacted MX. One proposed him to send back the complete casket in China or to keep it against the sum of 1.000 $. MX decided to keep this camera and to use it in complement of his M3. He used the RF20 very regularly during 20 years, without problem,; what proves that the quality of this material is very good.
- Optics are judged excellent by MX, exact Leica copies of :
- 1.4/50 Summilux
- 1.4/35 Summilux
- and 2/90 Summicrons.
- The optic for Leica " M " is perfectly usable on the RF20 and those of the RF20 on the Leica bodies except, of course, CL. Mount and rangefinder system being precisely identical.
- MX didn't speak the use that one made some last RF20s, except that the address for back " its " RF20 was, " military ".

 

MX accepted to sell me this photographic whole (for part by exchange...) into its case, 15 years ago. I have often tried the body and the optics with big pleasure and very nice slides.
RF20 and its 3 optics are a really exceptional quality and are perfectly interchangeable with the Leicas M. lenses
Body n°: 73001 -The first RF20 body made !
Lens f1.4/50 n°: 740021 - it possesses a sunshade dedicated for 48mm diameter. This sunshade, put makes plug upside-down the lens.
Lens f1.4/35 n°: 75009
Lens f2/90 n°: 750052 - it possesses, as the Summicron, a built-in sunshade and a nut of foot.

 

MX informed me that he left France with his wife and his dog, without letting address, some weeks after our meeting, on a sailboat...Cape toward Greece…Have a good trip Mister X !!!

 

I hope can have brought some answers in this forum while hoping that they are reliable…
My long discussion with MX, having convinced me of the exactness of his subjects.
But…Are you able to tell me certain things told here so don't seem you true?
For example, you say, Zhang, that you could not buy a RF20 at the time in China where it left because it was very expensive. Were there some RF20S on sale in stores, in China?

 

Thank you.

 

I am always very interested in general by the history of the cameras and in those of the RF20, T.S.V.V.S, strange and military cameras, in particular. If you have other details, I’m taker.
If you want other information or other photos, I am at your service. I hope that you will have understood something of my strange language.... Sorry...
I am intrigued by the “open” sunshade of type "à la Leica/Canon" on the pic from your first post. Are you certain that it is “RF20"? Are you able to tell me where you found this photo?
Thank you very much... for advance for all…
and again sorry for my poor English language..

 

Cheers
J - Paul

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If want it to you well, a question on the Shanghai 7. It is superb!

I don't know anything on this device to part that that you tell some in tone post :

“Only prototypes were made. Exact number of cameras is unknown. It looks like a copy of

the Zorki 6, one of my favorite Russian rangefinder cameras. Photo was borrowed from

www.chinesecamera net. I wish it was mass produced.

There are two sites with a lot of information for vintage Chinese cameras:

www.sy916.com
www.chinesecamera.net

They have a lot of camera images that are not found anywhere. But they are only in

Chinese."


What year do you know it is? I find him some likeness with the RF20.

The shape of its body original in the " Leica/Canon Mix " -

The two holds for the flash on one small side and especially precisely the same

lever ( self timer ? )

What a pity that these beautiful cameras have never been distributed.

You know, Zhang...For me, view/rangefinder of the RF20 is again today better

than the M6 !!


Best regards

Jean-Paul

 

 

 

I enjoyed the discussion very much. I have been to France many years ago, and I found that French GAS liked those vintage cameras very much.

 I found some antique stores that sold those old cameras at very high prices in Paris. I am wondering if you happen to know the author of the "bible" in person? I admired his collection so much.

 But I think you might be the only person in France who has a Red Flag 20?

The Shanghai-7 rangefinder was made for a very short period of time. The biggest S/N I found is 600014. These cameras were made between 1961-1963. They are extremely rare. I have never seen a camera in person.

I found all the photos that do not belong to me from the two sites. I am not sure if the sun shade is original. The lens cap should have a big red color "红旗" logo on it.

Cheers,

Zhang

 

 

Thanks James. That XIHU is a little cute camera, and a rare one as well. It was one of the few not made by a camera factory. I feel someone may already have started work on a book.

Here is an image of a rare super wide angle medium format camera that I found in a camera book published many years ago.

 

The idea came from the old Brooks Plaubel Very-Wide which had a 47mm lens. The lens barrier was broken.

It has a fixed 30mm F=8 lens,and a leaf shutter 1-1/300 second. But is only a prototype.

 

The upper camera is a rangefinder Polaroid type camera with a 100mm 5.6 lens and auto exposure.

kind regards

Zhang

 

 

Some vintage Chinese watches

May I post some images of vintage mechanical Chinee watches? These are almost unknown outside China. These are some watches with colourful dials made in the 1970-80's. China began to make wristwatches in 1955.

Now China makes tourbillons, chronographs, repeaters, etc. Those colourful dials are a kind of special technique that they are vary duarable, and can be cleaned with water and a soft brush. I think those are alsofound on some Chinese vases and handcrafts.


 

 

 

 

 

 

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