Camera Jamboree Box

When I was growing up in the South East of England in the late 60’s/70’s there was nothing more exciting than getting my hands on a Jamboree Bag. It was, from memory, a waxed paper bag ‘full’ of sweets and a ‘surprise’ toy that you usually had to make. No two bags were alike, adding to the excitement or disappointment if you got the same bag by some strange coincidence. Those memories and tooth decay stay with you.

So, now as an adult, when I see advertised a box of cameras for parts/spares my child like excitement is peeked. This happened recently, when I saw a box of cameras from a house clearance go up for auction on that well known website. How pleased I was at winning the auction, only £10, particularly as I was going to be going past the persons door on a day out.

What would I find in my Jamboree Box? More importantly what would work?

What lurks beneath the shadows?

First up was a Praktica LB2. Sadly, the wind on mechanism didn’t work and the mirror was chipped.

Removing the base of the camera revealed why the film advance was loose. there were missing parts.

The light meter works so I may keep for parts. So one broken camera 😫

Next was this plastic Tamashi point and shoot. Two AA batteries revealed a fully working camera.🥳 I often see these cameras so I will be pleased to try one particularly if other cameras in my ‘box’ work. It will feel like getting that free ‘toy’ in my Jamboree bag.

This Ilford Sporti was the next item to come out of my box of potential goodies.

Sadly the shutter wouldn’t actuate.😫 The camera is basic in that it only has one shutter speed. So I thought I would perform a little open camera surgery to see if it could be restored.

After removing a couple of small screws around the front plate these three screws were revealed.

Removing these led to the shutter.

A little tinkering later and I had a working camera of sorts.🥳

The Fourth camera was this Kodak Colorsnap 35

It too worked🥳 This is one of a few cameras that rekindled my recent return to film photography. My review of this camera can be found here

The 1930’s Viscount pictured below was the fifth camera and third to have serious issues. The front lens is missing but the shutter does work. I think this is going to be a restoration project as the camera looks to be interesting enough to spend a little time on. The camera has a couple of shutter speeds and apertures to play around with and although it takes the 828 format film there could be possible alternatives. Stay tuned.🤨

This working folding ‘Brownie’ six 20 was the sixth camera to come from my box.

It’s in reasonable condition.

But does have an issue with the two metal support struts.

They have come away from the body. I need to foind out how they attach and if it is possible to repair. The camera works but the camera blows don’t stay in place as seen above. 🤔 But then again could this be a tilt and shift lens/camera???? Whatever happens this is a keeper and it works🥳

While we are talking of Kodak, the next camera is the 1963 Kodak Vectra point and shoot camera

It may be basic but it works🥳

We now move into the area of 126 cartridge film cameras, first with this Halina Simplette F

It features a compartment for a flash bulb

There are ways to load this working camera with film, so I think at this moment I will look to use it sometime in the future. 🥳

The other 126 film camera is this lat 1960’s Kodak Instamatic 133-x which I can vaguely remember seeing adults around me using when I was young.

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It too works. Another camera to play with🥳

Then there is this seemingly working Kodak Disc 4000 camera. My initial investigation leads me to believe there is no way to use this camera. Do I keep it or not??

Finally there are two ‘Box” cameras. The first is this working ‘curiosity’ Jubilee from the Penguins Photo Products LTD, London. An internet search reveals virtually nothing about this camera. Was it a Kodak clone? almost certainly going by the form factor.