I was attracted by this Seagull 501 camera displayed in a camera repair store in Shanghai. The camera is embossed with red Chinese characters of the slogan 'Service for the people', which is a copy of Chairman Mao's calligraphy script.
Items of Cultural Revolution propaganda is quite commonly sold in souvenir shops in Shanghai, like little red books, posters, badges, LP records, etc. But I never see photographic equipment of this kind.
- It is a 120 format camera, with all main controls located around its 75mm f/4.5 non-changable lens.
- Aperture setting is between f/4.5 and f/22.
- Shutter speed is between 1/10 and 1/200 second and with B-Bulb setting.
- Film revolving dial is free to move in any direction, and in any extent.
- In advancing the film, film number can be viewed through the 2 red windows located at the back of the camera body.
The sales in the camera repair store mentioned to me that the shutter movement was sticky. Finally, I purchased it. Now, the shutter seems not working at all.
Definitely, it is not a well built camera, but only a metal body with very raw finishing, very simple and basic control. It is an interesting collectible. Looking at this not so working Seagull 501, the slogan embossed on the camera forms a very ironic paradox.
