45 Awesome Classic Camera Commercials

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In a way, nostalgia is a huge driver in the field of photography. We take pictures to remember things. But, cameras have a history of their own, and that includes some amazing old advertising. What started as a heated office discussion has now turned into this massive collection of old camera advertisements. They run the gamut from early black-and-white live ads to ultra-colorful spots from the ’90s. 

There are celebrity cameos, catchy jingles, and even a little sprinkle of subtle sexism mixed in throughout. So, here we present to you 44 of our favorite old camera commercials presented in no particular order.

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Minolta Freedom Camera

In the late ’80s and early ’90s, super-zoom cameras were great for spying on very period-appropriate stars.

Bruce Jenner for the Minolta XG-1

A pre-plastic surgery Bruce Jenner extolling the virtues of the XG-1′s continuous exposure metering function. Love the inserted shutter sounds.

Minolta Talker: The Camera that Talks to You

The Minolta Talker actually gave you verbal feedback about shooting situations, which made it a pretty interesting little camera. Though, it would probably be pretty humbling to have your camera constantly telling you how you were screwing up your photos.

Wizard of Minolta

Another appearance of the Minolta Talker, this time set in a parody of The Wizard of Oz.

Minolta Maxxum: “Only the Human Eye Focuses Faster”

We’re spoiled by autofocus now, but there was a time when it was a big deal. This ad from 1986 shows some very futuristic photography. You can tell because of the jumpsuits.{C}{C}{C}{C}{C}{C}{C}{C}{C}{C}

45 Awesome Classic Camera Commercials