rare

9 of History’s Rarest Lenses That You Can Actually Buy

Through the history of camera development, thousands and thousands of different types of lenses have been designed and produced. Some did not advance beyond the prototype stage, some were privately commissioned, and naturally many were mass-produced to one degree or another. Of these, some are particularly rare.

What Defines an ‘Interesting’ Photo and How Do You Create One?

Why do we create photos? Well, for a variety of reasons, but the one reason that connects them all is we feel we have made something that we want to share and we feel is worth time and attention. So, how can we create photos that are worthy of another’s time and attention?

Photographer Captures ISS Passing Between Jupiter and Saturn

Last night, photographers and stargazers around the world were treated to the Great Conjunction, a event in which Jupiter and Saturn appeared closer to each other in the sky than they have for hundreds of years. Countless photos were undoubtedly snapped of the rare sight, but photographer Jason De Freitas captured a particularly lucky one a few days ago showing the ISS zipping between the two planets.

A Look at the Ginormous Gowlandflex Twin-Lens Reflex Camera

The Gowlandflex is a ginormous twin-lens reflex (TLR) camera invented by famous American glamour photographer Peter Gowland. The camera equipment shop Camera West got its hands on one through a trade-in and made this 3-minute video that offers a look at the unique camera.

Testing the Rare Olympus 180mm f/2 Super-Tele Lens from the 1980s

I had a chance to test a very rare lens: the Zuiko Auto-T 180mm f/2 ED-IF, an Olympus super-telephoto lens from the early 80s. Back then, the OM-system bodies that Olympus had were OM-3 and OM-4. Olympus had a very nice line up of Zuiko lenses for those cameras and other OM-system bodies. The one lineup they did not have was pro-grade fast telephoto lenses.

Restoring and Using One of the Rarest Cameras on the Planet

Arizona-based journalist and photographer Jim Headley recently set out on a "mission" to shoot an ultra-rare Japanese twin lens reflex camera called the Taroflex. Only 10 of these cameras are thought to still exist, and Headley is the proud owner of a fully-functioning copy in "excellent condition."

This Pilot Took Rare Aerial Photos of Area 51

The highly classified US Air Force facility in Nevada commonly known as Area 51 has long been a source of intrigue for conspiracy theorists, some of whom believe that the site is used for studying crashed alien spaceships. Private pilot Gabriel Zeifman took to the skies this past weekend and captured some rare aerial photos of Area 51.

One of the World’s Oldest War Photos is Going Up for Auction in 22 Days

Sotheby's has announced the contents of its upcoming Spring photography auction, and it's quite the lineup. The April 3rd auction will include photos by Dorothea Lange, Irving Penn, Ansel Adams, Edward Weston and a salt print by Roger Fenton that's thought to be one of the earliest war photographs ever made.

My Vintage Camera Quest: Breathing Life Into 52 Cameras in 52 Weeks

I have a working collection of 52 film cameras—some of them quite rare and unique, others just yard sale garbage, all of them loved and fun. I recently decided to take all of them out and push some celluloid through them, documenting the process one week at a time as I breathe some life back to these dope little beasts. I’m calling it the Vintage Camera Quest.

This Rare 75mm f/1.9 Cinema Projector Lens is the King of Swirly Bokeh

YouTuber Mathieu Stern is a weird lens expert, but even he didn't realize the gem he'd uncovered when someone sold him an old cinema projector lens for 2 Euros at a flea market. It turns out this rare 75mm f/1.9 lens produces some of the most intense swirly bokeh Stern has ever seen.

Original Moon Landing Tapes Sold to Intern for $218 Could Sell for Millions

In 1976, NASA sold the original tapes of the Apollo 11 moon landing to then-intern Gary George by accident. The tapes were part of a set of 65 boxes of 2-inch videotapes that George bought for the whopping price of $217.77. Those same tapes are scheduled to be auctioned off through Sotheby's on July 20th with a starting bid of $700,000, and an expected worth of up to $2 Million.

Giant Squid Caught on Camera for First Time in the US

Giant squid are incredibly difficult to catch on camera in the wild -- the number of times it has happened can be counted on one hand. But scientists just released video of the first time a giant squid has been filmed in the waters of the United States.