Classic and rare: Ricoh Marine for Ricoh Auto Half

During the seventies, the photo enthusiasts started to explore the world and the sea. While the Calypso Nikkor, until the  sixties, was nearly the only way to take pictures under the water, later appeared strange cases, or housings, where to place a camera during the underwater shooting.

It was very funny going to the beach bringing along  with you a nice little camera to amuse your friends or your partner with a few photos of the games on the sand, or during the swim. 

A Ricoh Auto-Half inside its plastic Ricoh Marine housing

Operation was very simple, there was just one black lever to actuate the shutter. The cost to purchase the Ricoh Marine was also very honest.

The Ricoh Auto Half is already a camera difficult to find in good condition, to be able to seize the original underwater housing too, is much more problematic, this is why these two objects can stay together in my blog section destined to the classic and rare cameras and accessories. I found them in Milan, the city where I live.  Tony Graffio

Classic and rare: Ambico camera caddy

Now that the best cameras of the silver age are quite bergain compared to the original selling prices, every real fan of the film era is obviously looking for the camera he dreamt for years.  Such photographers  are also tryng to distinguish themself from the others film cameras lovers chasing the perfect gadget  for their photographic gear.

I had the opportunity to find a new old stock camera strap so I immediately catched this old fashioned psychedelic stlyle wonderful item from a friend of mine who "plundered" an old camera shop in Milan, Italy. I payed it about 20 euros, and I was quite happy to became the owner of a camera caddy extremely well done,  made of natural fibers like cotton and leather.

The model I bought is 2 inches wide and has a bright yellow dominant colour in a geometric pattern typical of the late 1960's and of the beginning of the 1970's: it's the style 711.

Of course, there were many styles available, so the possibility to personalize your item is quite wide; there were also different types of carriers having narrower straps, or a sort of incorporated 35mm film holder, like a cartridge belt.

I opted for a simple large strap because the mechanical flagship cameras of the seventies were quite heavy, expecially if furnished with a sport viewfinder or a big photomic.

I also wanted to enjoy the graphic of the pattern without hiding it with the 35mm cartridge holders, so I avoyded the optional cylinders on the strap.

The other practical good point of this psychedelic gadget is the possibility to unhook quickly the camera from the strap. 

If, as often it happens, you have bought a wonderful second hand SRL and you discover the shop, or the man sold you the camera has removed also the couple of rings where you could fix your neck strap to the camera, with the Ambico camera carrier this is not a problem, because this genuine american firm supplied also the rings to complete the carrier. Who would do it nowdays?

This is why I feel to say to all the Tony Graffio's friends: <Ambico Carrier? Nevermore without it>

Ambico Style 711 - Made in USA in the 1970's

Eden with a Canon F1 (old) around the neck and a bright new camera caddy

Part of the original packaging of the casual carrier