Chinese TLR

[Dany]

Years ago, I had to expatriate myself in China (Dalian) for my job and I could see that Chinese may develop good technique.
Nevertheless, Chinese vintage camera are often shunned by collectors.
Not me.
This TLR camera Is named Mudan MD 1 (Mudan means peony in Chinese) . It has been assembled in the Dandong Camera Factory .

This Factory produced camera from the seventies and was located in the Liaoning district, close to the North Korean border.

The Mudan has been released circa 1984 and seems to be the last model produced.
Probably as an inheritance from the soviet friends, most of the Chinese camera have serial numbers indicating the year of manufacture by the first two digits of the number.
The manufacturing quality is rather good and the camera is fully functional.
The logo of this model, a peony flower, can be seen on the viewer hood and on the leather carrying case (probably some rhinoceros leather if we consider its thickness)

If you are interested, I may show you two other models of Chinese TLR from my collection

 

[Mitica100]

Very nice, always interested. You wouldn't happen to have a Red Flag camera, would you?

 

[Dany]

The Red Flag is of course a gem of the chinese photographic industry.
Unfortunatly I did not see one during my stay in the country.

 

[Dany]

As a result of a general request, here are two other chinese TLR from my shelves.
The first one is called "Pearl River", made in 1972 by The Guangdong Camera Factory

The second is the Seagull 4A manufactured by the Shanghaï Camera Factory in 1971

Small exotic design details

 

[cgw]

There were small piles of these looking for a good home in every downtown Toronto used/repair shop 10-15 years ago. Some were OK shooters but many were semi-busted with sluggish shutters and/or fungusy/cloudy taking lenses. Cheap--almost disposable--120 cameras simply because no one wanted 'em. Never owned one but several friends did who cranked out some nice b&w work on Pearl Rivers and Seagulls.

 

[The Barbarian]

Had a Seagull. Terrible lens. Better than a Diana - barely.

 

[espresso2x]

Probably as an inheritance from the soviet friends, most of the Chinese camera have serial numbers indicating the year of manufacture by the first two digits of the number.

If you are interested, I may show you two other models of Chinese TLR from my collection

These are very good to see Dany.
I've seen FSU lenses and cameras both with the two-digit prefix denoting year, (a lens made during the year before the body seems to be a not uncommon match as well).
Do you see a serial on the Peony? This five digit serial on the lens in this case is too short for the year****** system.

 

[Dany]

On the Mudan (Peony) the serial number is MI 8414170