This eight is commonly seen on cameras back in the 1940s. This camera is known as the twin-lens reflex camera (TLR). It is a camera with two objective lenses. One lens takes the picture while the other is the waist-level viewfinder.

Yap! These are cameras where users will hold it low at their waist-level and view the object to capture through the viewfinder above the camera body surrounded by a pop-up hood.

Have you used or seen any of these cameras before?

These vintage cameras belong to Mr Yeo, a friend of mine, who started his collection of cameras from around the world since 1967. The TLR camera shown above is the beginning of it all – Shanghai (Seagull) TLR camera. He owns 24 TLR cameras and 300 over of other types, make and brands of cameras. And his collection is still growing!

One of the reasons why he started collecting cameras is his passion for teaching. As a primary school teacher, one has to teach almost every subject. During one of the science class, he brought his Agfa Box camera to show how images are inverted when light passes through the lens. The kids were very excited during the class and to make sure that everyone got a chance to get hands-on experience of the cameras, he brought along more cameras for his lessons.

Mr Yeo also collects many other interesting things from many years back. Many of which tells something interesting about the past of Singapore. I’ll be writing a few posts soon on the many interesting things he collects. Stay tune for them.