Keystone 8mm

My parents brought this old 8mm home movie camera to me after visiting relatives. I assume it spent years tucked away in my grandmother’s house, like many common old objects in my father’s family. The 8mm used to be the way to capture fleeting moments of family history like vacations, trips to the beach, or Christmas morning. A bit before my time, to say the least.

This worn yet charming example features an electric eye (a sort of exposure meter) and a rotating turret with three different lens.

Here, you can see the camera’s power source: the hand crank. Wind it up, then press the lever. Kind of like a windup toy.

 

 

*Edit: I recently found out this camera came from a church rummage sale, so I can stop wondering if there are any old home movies out there.

Next Time: Old Cars or Nature