Presenting your collection of non HP calculators, is anyone interested of that?

[Dan C]

As subject says, anyone interested?

[agarza]

(04-04-2022 06:41 PM)Dan C Wrote:  As subject says, anyone interested?

Do mechanical and slide rulers count?

[Steve Simpkin]

(04-04-2022 06:41 PM)Dan C Wrote:  As subject says, anyone interested?

Sure! While my preference is HP scientific/graphing calculators I have a bit of everything including TI, Casio, Sharp, etc both new and old. I also have a few slide rules and mechanical calculators too. My interest also goes far beyond just what I happen to have in my collection at the moment. I’m guessing most members here have some non-HP models too.

[rprosperi]

Definitely! I'm interested in seeing all manner of calculators, though I can admit I have limited patience looking at 4-bangers, unless they are spectacular in design,. Slide Rules and mechanical calculators count too, I like 'em all.

[Valentin Albillo]

(04-04-2022 06:41 PM)Dan C Wrote:  As subject says, anyone interested?

You go first.

V.

[Didier Lachieze]

(04-04-2022 10:03 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  Definitely! I'm interested in seeing all manner of calculators, though I can admit I have limited patience looking at 4-bangers, unless they are spectacular in design

I’ve a few 4-bangers from the early 70’s, a period where manufacturers where experimenting with different designs, technologies and form factors,
I love the early Sharp calculators, they were the first to use CMOS (EL-801) the first to use LCD (EL-805 with DSM LCD*). With Busicom for which intel developped the 4004, they were among the firsts to use microprocessors in a calculator with the Rockwell PPS-4 in the programmable PC-1001 in 1973.

Now, what do you think of the design of the Sharp EL-112, 812 and 814 from 1973?

EL-112 quick video & EL-112/814 in details

Note: the EL-812 is the little sister of the 112/814 sharing the same design in a smaller form factor and came a bit earlier, in 1972.

*I don’t have a 805 but I have a 8110.

[rprosperi]

(04-04-2022 11:23 PM)Didier Lachieze Wrote:  I’ve a few 4-bangers from the early 70’s, a period where manufacturers where experimenting with different designs, technologies and form factors,
I love the early Sharp calculators, they were the first to use CMOS (EL-801) the first to use LCD (EL-805 with DSM LCD*). With Busicom for which intel developped the 4004, they were among the firsts to use microprocessors in a calculator with the Rockwell PPS-4 in the programmable PC-1001 in 1973.

Now, what do you think of the design of the Sharp EL-112, 812 and 814 from 1973?

EL-112 quick video & EL-112/814 in details

Note: the EL-812 is the little sister of the 112/814 sharing the same design in a smaller form factor and came a bit earlier, in 1972.

*I don’t have a 805 but I have a 8110.

These all DO qualify as spectacular, at least to me... thanks for sharing these Didier, they are exactly what I was suggesting I'd like to see. Most recent (90's on) low end machines all look about the same, but these are innovative and wonderful.

The 8110 is the earliest calculator I know of with a truly refined/elegant look to it, the brushed bronze finish was almost certainly not used before this, and surely not for the entire surface (rather than just a small square around the keypad).

When I worked for Sharp and traveled to Japan, I got to see a display of many of the earliest calculators made by Sharp at the Nara factory, as I was working with the same group that had made them. There were many models back then, most with the same 4-banger and I'd call them 4-banger+ feature sets, but packaged in wildly different colors, styles and materials.

It's not widely discussed, but Sharp owed most of its success with calculators to early partnership with Rockwell and early CMOS technology.

I'm also on the hunt for a Bowmar MX20 "Brainchild". It is not particularly beautiful or elegant, but it was the first calculator I ever used, so it has a special charm that I will always appreciate.

[Maximilian Hohmann]

Hello!

(04-04-2022 11:23 PM)Didier Lachieze Wrote:  ... but I have a 8110.

Wow, inverse LCD. Didn't even know that anything like that existed in the early calculator world.

And concerning the original question regarding calculators from other brands: Yes, very much indeed! As we say in german: "Andere Väter haben auch schöne Töchter!" (Other fathers have beautiful daughters as well) :-)

I am not even afraid of four bangers, some outstandingly beautiful "daughters" can be found among them too like the:

Aristo M27 (first electronic pocket calculator "made in Germany" 1972)


or the wonderful Berkey Keystone 350 with it's orange glowing "plasma" Panaplex display, unfortunately not very well visible in this picture:


Regards
Max

[Massimo Gnerucci]

(04-05-2022 09:58 AM)Maximilian Hohmann Wrote:  Wow, inverse LCD. Didn't even know that anything like that existed in the early calculator world.

Yep, a friend of mine had one, around 1977/78, with the covering lid on the display.

[striegel]

(04-04-2022 10:03 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  ...though I can admit I have limited patience looking at 4-bangers, unless they are spectacular in design...

How about just fun to look at? (Admittedly, with square root, percent, and memory, this might not count as a 4-banger.)
   

[Thomas Klemm]

(04-05-2022 09:58 AM)Maximilian Hohmann Wrote:  (Other fathers have beautiful daughters as well) :-)

(04-05-2022 09:58 AM)Maximilian Hohmann Wrote:  Aristo M27 (first electronic pocket calculator "made in Germany" 1972)

Recently I stumbled upon a project of former member Mike (Stgt): 4-banger
In the readme he mentions you:

Quote:Ich möchte mich bei Maximilian Hohmann für das gute Foto der Rückseite seines Aristo M27
bedanken, das er auf meine Bitte im Forum unter http://www.hpmuseum.org extra gemacht hat.

The link to the front image is broken but I could still find it here:


I wanted to post it but I don't own one.
And you got ahead of me.
It's certainly a beautiful design.

[rprosperi]

(04-05-2022 09:58 AM)Maximilian Hohmann Wrote:  I am not even afraid of four bangers, some outstandingly beautiful "daughters" can be found among them too like the...

These are great too! A bit less spectacular perhaps, but still well worth a look and nod of appreciation.

It's clear I should have said "...I have limited patience looking at modern 4-bangers..."

Thanks Max.

[rprosperi]

(04-05-2022 01:53 PM)striegel Wrote:  

(04-04-2022 10:03 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  ...though I can admit I have limited patience looking at 4-bangers, unless they are spectacular in design...

How about just fun to look at? (Admittedly, with square root, percent, and memory, this might not count as a 4-banger.)

And yet another! More proof that old 4-bangers (or "4-banger+", like this one) can be well worth the time to examine. In this case, even more time to wonder who they were targeting and how they were sold? And I wonder about the "Stop" graphic under the "+" button...

[Dan C]

How do i take good photos of my calculators?
I have a decent Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 camera, but it has so many options to set!
and background? and lightning?

[Roland57]

Here are some of my beauties:

Anita 1021 LSI, unfortunately not in working condition. I love it due to the "Enter"-key

[attachment=10505]

Compucorp 324G (although the label says "320 G")

[attachment=10506]

and finally 3 Faber Castell: a combination of electronic calculator (front side) and slide rule (back side)

[attachment=10507]

[attachment=10508]

Roland

[Dan C]

(04-05-2022 03:29 PM)Roland57 Wrote:  Here are some of my beauties:

Anita 1021 LSI, unfortunately not in working condition. I love it due to the "Enter"-key



Compucorp 324G (although the label says "320 G")



and finally 3 Faber Castell: a combination of electronic calculator (front side) and slide rule (back side)





Roland

Nice machines! And great photos! I assume you have taken those photos yourself?
I want to do the same myself, how is your setup for this?

[Roland57]

(04-05-2022 04:26 PM)Dan C Wrote:  Nice machines! And great photos! I assume you have taken those photos yourself?
I want to do the same myself, how is your setup for this?

Hi Dan,

it's very easy: the more illumination-sources the better

[attachment=10510]

Here my hp92 is in the right position: light is coming from the general room-lighting, from left and right and from the LED-lamp above. For readability of the LEDs (Faber Castell) the latter has been switched off.
Pictures taken with iPhone12.

Roland

[Dan C]

(04-05-2022 04:51 PM)Roland57 Wrote:  

(04-05-2022 04:26 PM)Dan C Wrote:  Nice machines! And great photos! I assume you have taken those photos yourself?
I want to do the same myself, how is your setup for this?

Hi Dan,

it's very easy: the more illumination-sources the better



Here my hp92 is in the right position: light is coming from the general room-lighting, from left and right and from the LED-lamp above. For readability of the LEDs (Faber Castell) the latter has been switched off.
Pictures taken with iPhone12.

Roland

Thank you! Nice to see your setup! So i must get some good light sources, from above and from the sides. I will try!

[striegel]

This Blackjack calculator was one that my wife bought new. It's a wonderful machine with double-shot injection-molded keys. It plays an honest game, and it also calculates.

[Roland57]

some more pictures from my collection:

Sanyo ICC 82D, from 1971 (2nd Version). 16 digits, the display is split, showing 8 digits and an arrow to indicate, that there are 8 more digits in the result:

[attachment=10525] [attachment=10526]

The ICC 82D ist the only calculator I know of with an analog battery indicator:

[attachment=10527]

Next a Fact 1111 from 1970/71 (technically a Sharp EL 8). Interesting the shape of the digits in the display.

[attachment=10528]

Finally an Anita 841 from 1974, an early scientific calculator.

[attachment=10529]

Roland