Vintage Sears camera catalogs from 1959 through the 1960s are highly prized collectibles showcasing mid-century photography. During this era, Sears didn't manufacture their own cameras; instead, they rebranded high-quality imports from Japanese (Mamiya, Ricoh) and German manufacturers under their famous Tower label and standard "Sears" names.

The 1959 & 1960 Sears Camera Catalog and Photographic Reference Guide

• Key Offerings: It featured an extensive lineup of 35mm, movie cameras, and darkroom equipment.

• Tower 55: A notable standout from this year was the compact Tower 55—a highly affordable 35mm camera equipped with a fast f/3.5 lens. [1, 2]

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The 1960s Camera Lineup

As the decade progressed, Sears shifted its branding to heavily feature Japanese electronics and early SLRs. [1]

• Tower 41 (1961): Built by Mamiya, this "brick-like" rangefinder included a built-in bulb flash and a coupled selenium meter.

• Ricoh Partnership (1962): Sears formed a landmark exclusive deal with Ricoh, rebranding the 1962 Ricoh Singlex as the Sears SL-11.

• 8mm Movie Cameras: The 1960s catalogs heavily expanded into home filmmaking, offering compact regular-8 movie cameras like the Sears Ricoh Tower 8mm Automatic with manual and selenium cell auto-exposure. [1, 2,