Kodak Bantam Special

My Kodak Bantam Special camera.

There are a few cameras that, just due to their sheer design, stand out in any person's collection. Cameras like the Kodak Super Six-20, Polaroid SX-70, Welta Reflekta, and the Kodak Brownie Beau all have a very striking design, whether on the faceplate or the camera's overall design. In my opinion, the one camera that is the most striking and beautifully made is the subject of this week's camera collecting blog, the Kodak Bantam Special.

 The Kodak Bantam Special is a camera made between 1936 and 1948, during the heyday of camera innovation and manufacturing not only in the United States but worldwide. If you think about the cameras produced in this era, there were the Zeiss Ikon Contax I, II, and III. Leica had the IIIC, Ihagee had the Kine Exakta, Kodak produced the Retina, Medalist, Rolleiflex continued to improve their models, and companies like Argus, Voigtlander, Agfa, and in Japan, Canon produced the Hansa in 1936.

Kodak bantam Special with case, manual and original box.

 I've had my Kodak Bantam Special for 20 years or longer at this point, and one of the things I like about my Bantam Special is it's a very clean camera, with a working shutter, very bright viewfinder, a very nice case, the original box and instruction manual(s) too. When I opened the box to retrieve the case, I found two manuals inside. Something I have forgotten about.

 I've owned several different Kodak Bantam cameras, which are relatively common and easy to find, but the Bantam Special truly is a "special" camera. I've owned a couple before the one I have now, but they were in relatively poor condition, with either chips in the paint or a shutter that wasn't working. But when I found this camera online, not only was the price reasonable, but it was complete. The only thing it didn't have was the camera's hang tag, which is extremely difficult to find.

 As I was looking over the cameras above my desk, thinking about the camera I wanted to write about this week, my eyes skimmed over the Bantam Special, thinking I must have written about it in the past. Still, when I looked at my camera reviews, it was one I'd overlooked. 

 The reason it's been looked over was the lack of 828 film I have in my refrigerator, which I use to review cameras. I have many of the other film formats,  35mm, 120, 620, 116, and 127, but no 828. So, a couple of weeks ago, I went to the local vintage camera store in town, which carries several of the film sizes I shoot with, and bought a couple of rolls.

An artistic view of Kodak Bantam Special camera

 For the history section, I've already written about the history of George Eastman, Eastman Kodak, and Walter Dorwin Teague, my favorite camera designer, so I thought I'd talk a bit about the not-too-popular film size that went away almost 40 years ago, 828 film.

History:

 828 film is a niche but significant chapter in the evolution of roll-film photography. Introduced by Eastman Kodak in 1935, 828 was designed as an alternative to 35mm film for compact consumer cameras. Kodak developed it alongside the launch of the original Kodak Bantam, a stylish, pocket-sized camera meant to bring high-quality photography to a broader audience. The goal was to offer the image quality of 35mm negatives without the mechanical complexity and cost associated with perforated 35mm film cassettes.

Kodak Bantam Special ad with 828 film

 Physically, 828 film is 35mm wide, identical to standard 35mm film in width, but it is paper-backed like 120 film. Instead of the multiple perforations found in 35mm stock, 828 features a single registration hole per frame, which helped position each exposure. This simplified both camera design and film advancement mechanisms. The standard frame size—28×40 mm—is actually slightly larger than the 24×36 mm frame on typical 35mm film, giving it a modest image-quality advantage despite its amateur-market positioning.

 Throughout the late 1930s and 1940s, Kodak produced a variety of Bantam models that used 828 film, including several Art Deco designs, such as the Bantam Special, known for its high-quality lenses and elegant styling. Other camera manufacturers occasionally experimented with the format as well, but 828 remained overwhelmingly associated with Kodak.

 The format reached its peak popularity in the 1940s and early 1950s, especially in the United States. However, its momentum began to fade as 35mm film gained dominance, propelled by the rise of precision German and later Japanese cameras, reusable metal cassettes, and the convenience of automated processing. By the 1960s, 828 had become a minor format, kept alive mainly by Kodak's continued film production and the long lifespan of Bantam cameras already in circulation.

 Kodak manufactured 828 film until the mid-1980s, after which demand dwindled, and the film was discontinued. Today, 828 is considered an obsolete format, though it retains a small following among camera collectors and experimental photographers. Enthusiasts occasionally reload old 828 spools with cut-down 35mm film, keeping the distinctive format alive in a niche, hands-on way.

My Camera:

 My Kodak Bantam Special camera is 5" wide by 3" tall by 2" deep with the lens closed, and 4" deep when the lens is extended. It weighs 1 pound, 0.5 ounces with a roll of film loaded. The camera is very sleek and stylish, with a Kodak Anastigmat Ektar 45mm f/2.0 lens and a Compur Rapid shutter. The camera was distributed between 1936 and 1940 with the Compur Rapid shutter made in Germany; after the war, Kodak distributed the camera with a Supermatic shutter between 1941 and 1948. 

To open the camera to take a photo, press the button on the right side, right in the middle, adjacent to the lens door. The door swings open to the left as you hold the camera, which is the opposite of how the popular Kodak Retina line of cameras opens to take a photo. 

 Similar to the Kodak Retina, the Bantam Special's lens is on a lens board, which is attached to a short black bellows that extends as the lens extends, with a scissor-style truss connecting the lens board to the camera body.

To focus the lens, the camera incorporates a "military style" rangefinder system. The focus adjustment is in the upper-right corner of the lens board when you hold the camera. Sliding the lever down focuses the lens. The rangefinder is viewed through the left-hand window on the back and provides a magnified view of the subject you're focusing on. The rangefinder in my camera is very bright and easy to focus with. Just slide the focus lever until a vertical line becomes a single, straight line, which indicates the camera is focused. The viewfinder is the window on the right-hand side that allows the photographer to frame their subject. 

The focus ring is also used to close the lens back into the camera body. Slide the ring up past the infinity marker in the direction of the "close" arrow. The lens's door will unlock, allowing you to retract the lens back into the camera and shut the front door for transportation.

 The shutter speeds and aperture settings are done on two separate settings on the Compur Rapid shutter. The shutter speed range is from 1/500 to 1 sec, along with "B" and "T" settings. The Aperture range is from f/2.0 to f/16 and is set via a sliding lever on the bottom of the shutter.

The shutter's cocking lever is on top of the shutter system, and the shutter release button is in the lower right of the camera's shutter. The placement and size of the shutter release were the most challenging aspects of using the Kodak Bantam Special camera. I'd get the camera focused, set the exposure, set the shutter speed and aperture, frame, cock the shutter, and I kept missing the shutter release. It's relatively small, and while not hidden, it's not in a very convenient place. If there were a shutter release on the top of the camera similar to the Retina's, that would make the camera much easier to use.

To open the back to load the film, on the top left of the camera, as you're holding it, is a protruding clip you pull up to release the lock for the back door. Once open, the camera is like many roll film cameras, with the empty spool going under the winding lever and the new roll of film on the right side of the camera body. Pull the film's leader out, and across the shutter area, and slide the tab into the slot of the empty film spool. Wind the leader until you see the "start" sign on the film's paper backing and close the film door. Open the camera's green window on the back door to see the frame numbers appear, indicating when to stop and take your next photo.

According to the manual, there is a button on the back of the camera that unlocks the frame advance knob, allowing you to advance the film to the next frame. Either the "film for classics" film used to take photos didn't have an automatic frame stop, or the item on my camera wasn't working because I didn't need to press the button to advance the film, and the film didn't stop automatically at the next frame. Either way, it wasn't a significant hindrance, and I just stopped advancing the film when I saw the following number on the roll.

My results:

 Other than the difficulty I had finding the shutter release to take the photo, the camera was enjoyable to use. It's slim and fits nicely into my pocket when I walk around the neighborhood taking pictures. The shutter started to lag after the second shot on the roll, and the rest of the roll didn't turn out because of it. I exercised the shutter for an hour or so, running through all the shutter speeds, and that helped. Luckily, I purchased two rolls of film, and the following day, I loaded the camera and tried again, with much better results, as you can see from the examples below.

 The rangefinder was bright and extremely easy to use. The regular viewfinder was a bit small, but that's probably more to do with me getting older and having an eye issue with my "taking" eye, so I needed to swap over and shoot "left-eyed," which is something I'll need to get used to.

 I loaded a roll of Classics 828 film into the camera and walked the neighborhood for photos. With only eight frames per roll on 828 film, I can see why 35mm became more popular. That's not that many photos before having to change to the next roll of film.

 Anyway, here are the results from my walk around the neighborhood with my Kodak Bantam Special.

Conclusion:

 On a scale of 1 to 10 for camera usability, I'd give it a 7, but for overall appearance, artistry, and appeal, it's a solid 10 in my books. There aren't many other cameras with this one's overall beauty.

 The photos turned out terrific, and it was great fun to use. Other than the price of black-and-white film at over $20.00 per roll, I'd use the camera more often. Still, for special occasions, it is a great camera to use, and one I'm pleased to have in my collection, especially with the case, manual, and box.

 Here's a link to my other Camera Reviews.

 I have some of the reviewed cameras along with other interesting cameras and photo items in my eBay store, Cuny's Cameras and Photos. Please stop by, and if you mention the blog, I'll be happy to offer a discount.

 Thank you for taking the time to read about this fabulous camera from the late 1930s. The Kodak Bantam Special is just that, Special.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Hasselblads Kamera Express

My Hasselblads Kamera Express

When I first saw this camera, which was only a month or so ago, it was on an online camera auction. Seeing the name Hasselblad on the back of the camera, my first thought was to write a blog post about it, since the very prestigious Hasselblad made it, but not the Victor Hasselblad Company most people are familiar with. 

 As I delved into the research of this rare camera, I was filled with a sense of excitement. The scarcity of information about this specific camera only added to its allure. My initial assumption that it was crafted by Victor Hasselblad's Grandfather, Arvid Viktor, was proven wrong, adding a layer of mystery to this unique piece. 

 This camera is the Hasselblads Kamera Express, and it dates from 1893. Hasselblad didn't really make it; it was produced for them by another Swedish company, Hugo Svensson & Company, another camera manufacturer in Gothenburg, Sweden. Here's where it gets a little strange. 

 According to McKeown's Camera Guide, they state the camera was manufactured by Murer & Duroni, of Milan, Italy. Others have said that the camera made by Hugo Svensson & Co. is nothing but a copy, or just very similar to the Murer-built camera. 

 Let me give you a brief history of the Pre-Victor Hasselblad & Hugo Svensson & Co., and how the two became intertwined in the late 1890s.

History:

 The History of Hasselblad goes all the way back to Victor's Great Grandfather, Fritz Viktor, who in 1841 founded the F.W. Hasselblad Company in Gothenburg, selling fabrics, travel accessories, and household goods, sort of the Pre-Ikea company (just a joke). One of Fritz's sons, Arvid Viktor (Victor's grandfather), met George Eastman in 19885 and sparked a business relationship, giving the F.W. Hasselblad Co. exclusive distributorship of Eastman Film & plate in Sweden.

Victor Hasselblad photographed by Per-Olof Swanberg. In search of Skåne's storks. Image Courtesy:Sören Gunnarsson.

 In 1908, Arvid broke away from the F.W. Hasselblad Co. and started a new company, Hasselblad Fotografiska AB, which sold solely photographic equipment to meet the product demands of customers in Sweden. Just two years before opening Hasselblad Fotografiska AB, Victor Hasselblad was born.

 When Victor was 18, he was sent to Dresden, Germany, to learn the camera trade, as many companies manufactured cameras in the area at the time. Victor also traveled the world, including the US, where he worked in camera stores, processing labs, and camera manufacturing. He even worked in Rochester, New York, with George Eastman before returning to Sweden in 1934.

 In 1937, Victor opened his own camera store in Gothenburg named Victor Camera. The first camera Victor made was the HK-7 in 1941. During WWII, he was asked to improve a captured German aerial camera for the Swedish Air Force. After WWII, he went on to produce some of the most iconic medium-format cameras used by professionals worldwide for close to 100 years.

 

Hugo Svensson & Co. 

 There is some excellent information about Swedish Camera history, although it’s in Swedish, you can use Google Translate to convert the text for your language.

 John Hugo Svensson (1867-1942) was trained as an engineer and worked with C.G. Dahlgren & Co. The company was next door to F.W. Hasselblad & Co., where they repaired goods for them. As cameras became more prevalent at Hasselblad, the C.G. Dahlgren Co. took on their repairs.

Hasselblad store advetising from 1902: Image courtesy: Sören Gunnarsson.

 As Svensson repaired the camera, he found ways to improve it, then began designing his own cameras based on those improvements. These cameras were then sold through the F.W. Hasselblad Co. store. 

 When the owner of C.G. Dahlgren & Co. passed away in 1896, Svensson bought out Dahlgren's widow and started his own company, Hugo Svensson & Co., which also included the younger brother of the original owner.

 Hugo Svensson's first camera, built around 1893, was the "Svenska Express", a drop-plate camera for either 6x9, 9x12, or 10x15cm plates. It was a copy of the Italian company Murer's Express camera built in 1900. My guess is Svensson worked on the Murer version and thought he could improve it. Hasselblad also marketed the Murer's Express Newness. 

 By 1902, Hugo Svensson & Co. produced a 20-page catalog of the products it manufactured and sold, including the "Svenska Express", "Simil Express", "Svea", and "Stella". Hugo Svensson produced catalogues until the 1940s, where he also sold German cameras, lenses, and instructions, making the catalog similar to a handbook.

My Camera:

 The camera I am fortunate to own is a slight variation of the models mentioned above. My Hasselblads Kamera Express, standing at 7" tall by 9" long by 4" wide, and weighing 2 pounds, 11.6 ounces, with a serial number of 111566, holds a special place in my collection. This serial number is imprinted on the inside of the back door, where you load the 9cm x 12cm film holders. My camera comes with five film holders, each holding a unique story.

Initially, I was unsure if my camera's shutter was operational. However, as I began to explore the camera, I discovered its hidden secrets. As I turned the center knob, just below the lens, it clicked, and when I pushed in the shutter release on the side of the camera, the shutter fired. This moment of discovery filled me with joy and fascination.

 Let me give you the camera's layout. Above the lens is a small knob that you can pull out. The rod moves the lens on the inside of the camera body and focuses it to the required distances, measured in meters.

 As just mentioned, the knob below the lens can be turned clockwise to cock the shutter. Just to the left of the shutter cocking mechanism is the aperture setting. To set the aperture, pull up the arm and slide it to the desired aperture number. The numbers on my camera are pretty worn and difficult to see, but I believe they are F/11 to the far left, then, as you swing the arm counterclockwise, the next stop is "S" (or closed), then f/14, F/22, and f/36.

On the lower right of the camera's faceplate is the shutter speed control. The shutter speeds available are 1/100, 1/50, 1/25, 1/10, 1/5 and 1. You turn the dial to the desired speed.

 At the top of the camera is the camera's handle, a spirit level, and a waist-level finder for vertical photos. On the right side of the camera is the viewfinder for horizontal photos, another spirit level, and the shutter release, which can be set to "M" for snapshots or "T" for timed exposures. Towards the rear of the camera is the lever that changes the internal film plates. Slide the lever to the top to drop the plate down from the exposed area. As you slide the arm back, it catches the next plate, making it ready for exposure.

 If you're not familiar with how a falling plate camera works, let me tell you what I know. The film holders are stacked vertically on the top of the camera, with the film pointing towards the lens. They are held in place by a spring on the back of the camera, which pushes the film holders forward in the upper chamber. As you take a photo, you flip the switch on the side of the camera forward, which moves the exposed plate a bit, and it drops into the lower chamber of the camera. The next frame is pressed forward by the spring, you then expose the film plate, and so forth until all the frames have been exposed. At that point, you'll need to remove the film holders from the camera in a dark room to prevent exposure to light. The loading process also needs to be done in a dark room for obvious reasons.

To open the back to load the film plates, there are two latches on the top and bottom of the back door on the right-hand side. Pull them out to open the back, then place the plates in. Close the back and press in the two bars to keep it closed.

 On the bottom and on the left side of the camera are tripod sockets.

 

My results.

 At first, I didn't think the shutter was working, but then I found out how to cock the shutter. I can't figure out how the plates drop within the camera. Unfortunately, I didn't try using the camera because I don't have any sheet film, but once I do, I'll try and see how the camera handles making images. I'll need to do it one frame at a time until I figure out whether it's an operator or a camera malfunction.

 I also found Jabcam's overview of a similar falling plate camera. 

 

Conclusion.

 It's nice having an older Hasselblad in my collection, although Hasselblad didn't particularly make it. My real intention was to write about it for the camera blog. Not being a big fan of drop plate cameras, you'll likely see the camera for sale in my eBay store soon.

 If you're interested in purchasing it, let me know; otherwise, you can see some of the cameras I've reviewed for sale in Cuny's Cameras and Photo.

 Here's a link to my other Camera Reviews.

 Thank you for taking the time to read about the intertwined camera companies that worked together in the early 1900s.

 Until next week, please be safe.

References:

Jabcam overview of falling plate cameras: https://jabcam.wordpress.com/2013/04/29/topic-a-falling-plate-camera/

Swedish Camera History: https://www.fotopaw.se/texter/svkam.htm

History Of Hasselblad-Soren Gunnerson: https://gunnarssonforum.blogspot.com/search/label/Fritz%20Victor%20Hasselblad




Hasselblad X-Pan

My Hasselblad X-Pan w/finder

Throughout my photographic career, my passion for panoramic images and cameras, as well as daguerreotypes, has consumed a significant part of my interest in collecting photographic items, including those with unusual or colored features. I recall the timeline when I first acquired specific working models of panoramic cameras.

 In my early days of collecting, I recall purchasing my first panoramic camera, a Russian-made 35mm Horizont camera. That camera helped spark the purchase and use of more panoramic cameras. When I bought a Kodak Panoram 1, I just put it on my shelf. When I found out that 120 film fit into the Kodak Panoram, Model 1 camera, I almost jumped for joy, because I could use it, rather than look and admire it.

 Wanting to add to the panoramic camera family, the elusive Widelux F7 was still years away, as I had a young family and was careful about the types of cameras I purchased to grow my collection. During this time, I came across a few Multiscope Al-Vista cameras, particularly the Baby, because, like the Kodak Panoram 1, the Baby Al-Vista also uses 120 film.

 As time went on, and the kids grew, and I advanced in my career, more funds became available to acquire the more exotic items that were previously out of reach financially when I was younger. A coworker had a friend who was selling an early Panon 120 panoramic camera for a very reasonable price, which I purchased and took with me to Peru’s Machu Picchu when my wife and I took a trip there.

 It was a decade ago when I finally had the chance to acquire a Widelux F7 model at an excellent price. Despite its cosmetic condition, I was determined to bring it back to life. After a visit to Precision Camera Works in Texas, the camera was given a new lease on life. Today, it's one of the most frequently used cameras in my collection, and the one that has captured many of the images in my panoramic section on my website.

My Hasselblad X-Pan w/30mm lens, finder, center filter, 3D printed lens hood and cap.

 The Hasselblad X-Pan was a camera I recall from its introduction to the market in 1998. Like several cameras from Hasselblad during those years, it was a collaboration with Fujifilm in Japan. Hasselblad sold the X-Pan worldwide, except in Japan. In Japan, Fujifilm had the TX-1, which was the same camera, just a different name and model number.

 It wasn't until about five years ago that I had the opportunity to purchase the X-Pan I currently have and am writing about in this post. The Hasselblad X-Pan is a significant addition to my collection, not only because of its unique features but also because of its history and the challenges I faced in acquiring it. I found it on an online auction, but the camera didn't have the standard lens; it only had a 30mm lens. No finder, and the top of the camera was missing the small plastic piece in front of the flash shoe. The camera was used very well, but its working condition was unknown.

 Examining other items being sold in the auction, I discovered a group of items that included the 30mm finder for the X-Pan. I notified the auction house that the finder from this lot should go with the camera from a different lot. They placed the finder in the lot with the X-Pan, which made the items more desirable, especially to me. 

 When it came time for the lot to be sold, I was surprised at the price it sold for, and fortunately for me, I was the high bidder. The price wasn't cheap, but for the items sold, it was a great deal. One of my first reactions was, Is the camera in working condition? I paid the shipping fees, and I just crossed my fingers that the camera wasn't a total wreck, but rather a pile of parts I needed to pay to get repaired. The anticipation and uncertainty of this process added to the thrill of acquiring this unique piece for my collection.

 Once the camera arrived, the first thing I noticed was its physical condition. There were many scratches on the body, and the item missing from the top, near the flash shoe, gave the camera a very "combat" look. The great news was that the center filter was there, which I hadn't noticed, and when I put batteries in the camera, it came to life. All the displays lit up, so I started to feel very good about the purchase.

 Once I put the finder on top of the camera, and it hid the missing piece by the flash shoe, I had a huge smile on my face. The next thing I needed to do was put a roll of film in the camera and try it out. After I did that and the film turned out well, I knew I had a keeper and one I needed to start adding to the rotation of shooting with, especially since it had the lens I desired, the 30mm wide-angle lens and finder.

History:

 The history of Hasselblad, the iconic Swedish camera manufacturer, is inextricably linked to the passion and ambition of its founder, Victor Hasselblad (1906–1978). Though the family business, F.W. Hasselblad & Co., began in 1841 as a trading company, it was Victor's innate interest in photography—fueled by a childhood passion for birdwatching—that transformed the firm into a global innovator. After training in the optics industry across Europe and the United States, even working under Kodak founder George Eastman, Victor opened his own shop, Victor Foto, in Gothenburg in 1937. 

 The pivotal moment for the company arrived during World War II. In 1940, the Swedish military tasked Victor with reverse-engineering and improving a German aerial surveillance camera that had been recovered. His reported reply—"No, but I can make a better one"—set the standard for the company's future. He founded Victor Hasselblad AB in 1941 to manufacture the HK-7 military camera, laying the groundwork for the company's subsequent civilian production.

After the war, Victor applied his modular military design to the consumer market, launching the Hasselblad 1600F in 1948. This medium-format, single-lens reflex (SLR) camera, with its distinctive modular design featuring interchangeable lenses, viewfinders, and film magazines, quickly became the gold standard for professional photographers worldwide, especially with the introduction of the robust 500 series in the 1950s.

 Hasselblad secured its legendary status through its partnership with NASA, which began in 1962. Astronaut Walter Schirra, an avid photographer, suggested using his personal Hasselblad 500C to document space missions. NASA modified the cameras to withstand the harsh conditions of space, and the Hasselblad became the camera system of choice for American spaceflight. The climax of this partnership occurred on July 20, 1969, when a Hasselblad Data Camera (HDC) captured the historic first steps on the Moon, solidifying the brand's legacy as a true pioneer in imaging technology.

My Camera:

 My Hasselblad X-Pan is 7" wide by 3.25" tall without the 30mm viewfinder and 5.5" tall with the viewfinder by 3.5" deep from the back of the camera to the front of the lens. The camera weighs 2 pounds, 9.6 ounces with the 30mm f/5.6 lens. The camera body serial number is 11EE13969, and the lens serial # is 8SXP13110. I purchased an aftermarket, 3D-printed lens hood and cap for the 30mm lens, which fits well. However, it is shifting on the lens and not staying in the proper position, so I may have to spring for an actual Hasselblad-made hood and cap.

The camera is powered by 2 CR2, 3V photo batteries, which, like many cameras, fit into the bottom of the camera. Most of the controls are located on the top of the camera. Going left to right is the camera's hot shoe for flash. That's something I don't use, except for sliding the 30mm viewfinder onto the hot shoe and then screwing it down to hold it in place.

 To the right of the hot shoe is the shutter speed dial, which ranges from 1/1000 to a full 8-second exposure, accompanied by a green "A" for Auto mode. In the case of the X-Pan, when the selector is set to the green "A" position, the camera is in "aperture preferred" metering, which means you select the desired aperture, and the camera will choose the appropriate shutter speed depending on the film's ISO and the lighting conditions. Even in "auto" mode, there are warning signals within the viewfinder that indicate if you are overexposed or using a shutter speed longer than 2 seconds.

If the camera is not in the "auto" exposure mode and you're selecting both the shutter speed and aperture, a series of lights and signals, indicated by +/-, appears within the viewfinder, showing what a properly exposed image will look like depending on the selected shutter speed and aperture.

 To the right of the shutter speed dial is the shutter release, marked in silver, and a small window behind the shutter release that displays "P" if you're in panoramic mode, as well as the frame number you're on. Further to the right is the main On/Off switch at the bottom, along with "S" for single frame, "C" for continuous shooting, and a clock face for self timer. Turn the On/Off switch to the desired mode, and the camera will be on. On top of the dial is exposure compensation, which allows for up to 2 stops of light lighter or darker than the recommended meter settings when in the "A" or auto mode. These are set in half-stop increments on the dial.

On the back of the camera, from left to right and top to bottom, is the camera's viewfinder, which incorporates a coupled rangefinder. My rangefinder is very bright, which makes the camera extremely easy to focus with. Just above the camera's viewfinder is the 30mm viewfinder. The viewfinder features several different frame lines, depending on the film format used, along with a bubble or spirit level at the bottom to check if your camera is level.

To the right of the camera's viewfinder is an essential switch. The X-Pan camera is compatible with the standard 24x35mm film format. Alternatively, by depressing the button and turning the dial to the "P" position, you can shoot in a panoramic format of 24 mm x 65 mm. On the back of the camera by the shutter, the camera will move blades in or out depending on the film format you're using. I've never really heard photographers using the X-Pan as a standard 35mm camera, only for panoramic purposes, but this can change at any time, and you can go back and forth on the same roll of film if desired.

On the back of the camera, on the back door, there are three settings. Ine is "AEB", or Auto Exposure Bracketing, which allows the photographer to automatically bracket either a half or full stop in between shots. The next button is used to light up the display, which is particularly useful at night or in dark situations. The third button is a very small, indented button that you use to rewind the film before reaching the end of the roll.

 On the front of the camera, in the 11 o'clock position, is a dial to set the film speed. The camera features fully integrated DX coding for modern film. However, if you're using a self-loaded cassette or older non-DX-coded cassettes, the ISO can be set manually. Below the dial is the lens release button, which allows the photographer to change lenses. Opposite the camera is the PC flash sync port, which enables flash use via a PC cable.

On the left side of the camera, the shutter remote cable socket is located at the top, and the camera's film door lock lever is positioned at the bottom. Flip the lever up, then slide it up to open the camera's film back and load the film.

 To load the film in the X-Pan, insert the film cassette into the film area, guide the leader to the take-up wheel, and then close the back of the camera. The camera will automatically wind the film all the way out of the cassette and onto the take-up spool before you take your first image. 

As a man, and not having read the manual before loading the camera, I started to get concerned. When I closed the door on my initial roll of film and heard the film advance for so long, I thought the camera was broken and needed servicing. That's just how the X-Pan winds film. When you receive your film back and examine the frame numbers, you will notice that the first frame, or Frame #1, is actually the last image you took, and number 36 is the first image.

 

My Results:

 My wife and I took a drive to Multnomah Falls outside Portland, and since I was going to write about this camera, I took it with me to see how it would perform. 

 Honestly, it's only the third or fourth time I've taken the camera out to shoot with it, mainly because I shoot with the Widelux so much, but this was an excellent time to see how the camera performed.

 The day was overcast, but the crowds were small, and since it had rained recently, the falls were rushing. After shooting the falls, we went into their restaurant to have lunch.

 Here are photos from that small adventure.

Conclusion:

 WOW, what amazing images and camera. I understand why so many people enjoy shooting with this camera. It doesn't have the swing lens curvature like the Widelux has. The X-Pan offers modern advancements over the Widelux, such as auto-exposure, exposure bracketing, and other features, but is physically larger and heavier.

 There's a trade-off for all things, but I'll definitely be using the X-Pan more often. It made shooting very simple and easy. I needed to focus on my subject with the X-Pan, which isn't a bad thing, and the images turned out great.

Another excellent feature of the X-Pan is that it’s a “system” camera, allowing for the use of other lenses. There is a standard wide-angle 45mm f/4 lens, along with a compact telephoto 90mm f/4 lens.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes to read about this fantastic panoramic camera from Hasselblad. A camera I'm fortunate to have in the collection.

 Here's a link to my other Camera Reviews.

 I also have an online store, Cuny's Cameras and Photo. If you see something in my store that interests you, don't hesitate to make me an offer. I'm always looking to negotiate and make deals, and I'd love it if you could share my article.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Ensign Midget-Silver Jubilee Model

My Ensign Midget-Silver Jubilee camera

All of the Ensign Midget cameras have a fascinating look. With three models, the straightforward Model 22, to the more refined Models 33 & 55, featuring a diamond-shaped faceplate and a very Art Deco appearance. The one model that stood out to me with the most significant difference was the Ensign Midget-Silver Jubilee model, introduced in 1935 for the Silver Jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary. This model, in particular, holds a unique place in the history of Ensign cameras, being a rare and special edition.

 As I've mentioned several times, my love for the unusual, quirky, and vibrant cameras holds a very special place in my heart. The majority of my collection has something particularly peculiar about it. Whether the camera is a different color other than the drab black, ot it has a different film format, or an unusual faceplate, or some other oddity about it

 The Ensign Midget, Model 55, Silver Jubilee camera in my collection is a relatively recent purchase. I have memories of reading about it in McKeown's Camera Price Guide, and I've come across a few at camera shows and online, but I never pulled the trigger and purchased one. However, when I finally acquired this model, it felt like a significant addition to my collection, a piece of history that I could now share with fellow enthusiasts.

Ensign Midget with slip-in case & manual

 I found the Ensign Midget, Silver Jubilee model that I currently own online at a very reasonable price, which also included the protective cover and original manual, making it even more desirable. The only thing missing was the original box, which would have increased the price. 

 When the camera arrived, I was very pleased with its condition, as it was free of scrapes and dings, which are very common on a camera that is 90 years old. The camera's cover was clean, the faceplate still had a chrome shine, and the instruction manual was in superb condition. I was very pleased with the camera's condition, and it was in good working order, which was the icing on the cake, as they say.

 In the UK, Kodak also produced a "Silver Jubilee" box camera, which is covered in white leatherette. While I'd love to have one of the Kodaks in my collection among the other colored box cameras I have, it'll be some time down the road for me.

History:

 Ensign cameras represent a significant chapter in British photographic history. The company's roots date back to 1834, with the founding of Claudet & Houghton by George Houghton and Antoine Claudet, who initially dealt in optical glass. This enterprise evolved, eventually becoming George Houghton & Sons, which by the early 1900s was manufacturing cameras, such as the 'Ensign Simplex Auto'. By 1908, their Walthamstow factory was reportedly the largest camera manufacturing plant in the United Kingdom.

Ad for Ensign Midget camer

 A significant turning point came in 1915 when Houghton merged with W. Butcher and Sons Ltd. to form the Houghton-Butcher Manufacturing Company. Throughout this period, they produced popular models, such as the Sanderson folding camera and the highly successful, compact Ensignette roll-film camera, introduced in 1909. The Ensign brand name grew so synonymous with their products that in 1930, the parent company was formally renamed Ensign Ltd.

 Ensign became known for producing affordable, good-quality cameras that helped popularize photography among ordinary people in the 1920s and 1930s. They produced various formats, including folding roll-film cameras like the Popular Ensign and later models, such as the distinctively styled Ful-Vue, post-WWII.

 The company faced turmoil during World War II; their London headquarters, Ensign House, was destroyed by bombing in 1940, and the sales wing was soon after wound up. Post-war, Ensign continued through several mergers, joining with Elliott & Sons to become Barnet Ensign Ltd. in 1945, and then with lens-maker Ross Ltd. to become Barnet Ensign Ross Ltd. in 1948. It finally operated as Ross Ensign Ltd. by 1951. Despite producing quality 1950s roll-film cameras, the company ultimately failed to embrace the emerging 35mm format. Production of still cameras ceased, and the Ross Ensign name faded away, with the company being dissolved around 1961.

Key Features and Models

The Midget was marketed with the slogan "Wear it Always—Like your Watch," emphasizing its petite size, which measures approximately 90mm × 45mm × 18mm when collapsed.

 The camera came in three primary models, whose numbers originally corresponded to their price in shillings:

  • Model 22: The most basic version, typically featuring a fixed-focus meniscus lens and a simple two-speed shutter (Instantaneous/Time). It often lacked the top-folding frame finder found on higher models.

  • Model 33: An upgrade from the 22, this version typically featured a slightly better fixed-focus "All Distance" meniscus lens and a 3-speed shutter (e.g., 1/25, 1/50, 1/100 sec, plus T/B).

  • Model 55: The premium model featured a focusing Ensar f/6.3 Anastigmat lens with iris diaphragm control, enabling focus down to approximately 3 feet. Its shutter offered speeds up to 1/100 sec.

 All models used the dedicated Ensign E10 roll film to produce six negatives measuring 35 mm × 45 mm—a format slightly larger than the standard 35 mm (Leica format). The cameras were constructed with a pressed steel body and leather bellows, featuring an Art Deco design with chrome accents on the struts.

 The Midget family was very popular, but its production was ultimately halted in 1940/1941 as the company shifted its focus to wartime manufacturing. It was not returned to the product line after the war, as Ensign focused on the 120 film format instead of competing in the burgeoning 35mm market.

My Camera:

 My Ensign Midget camera is 3.5" wide by 1.75" tall by 0.75" deep with the front lens collapsed, and 2.75" with the front lens extended and the black bellows of the camera exposed in its normal "picture-taking" position. My camera weighs in at a measly 5.9 ounces. As you can see, the slogan Ensign used, "Wear it Always—Like your Watch," was very informative. I'm thinking that if I had had one of these cameras back in 1935 and carried it in my pocket, it would have been so small that it might have been challenging to locate.

The camera has two struts on either side of the lens, which extend when the lens plate is pulled out for taking photos. Once you're finished taking the pictures and ready to close the camera, start by pulling the end of the struts closest to the lens out, away from the lens plate, to unlock them. Then,  the lens plate can collapse back into the body when not in use.

 Once you have the lens extended and ready to take photos, the front viewfinder unfolds upwards to make the front of the "Direct Vision Viewfinder as noted in the manual. Once the front is extended, the back of the camera houses a "flip up" eyepiece that completes the camera's Direct Vision Viewfinder which is to be used if you want eye-level viewing.

There is a "Brilliant View Finder, tucked into the side of the camera's body, which can be used for taking vertical images, then flipped out when taking a horizontal image. For vertical images, the Brilliant View Finder lens is tucked into the camera body with a small opening just below the word "Midget" on the right side of the camera's faceplate, as viewed from the front. It's evident once the Brilliant View Finder is flipped to use in the horizontal position.

On the right side of the camera, as you're holding it to take a photo, tucked behind the faceplate is the camera's shutter release. Also on the right side of the camera is a slide-out leg that props up the camera for taking vertical images. On the flip-up leg is the camera's serial number, which mine happens to be "H15871."

On the front of the camera are the settings for shutter speed, aperture, and focus distance. The Aperture settings are located along the top of the faceplate and range from f/6.3 to f/22, selected by moving a small slider just below the aperture numbers. 

 Around the F/6.3 "ENSAR" anastigmat lens are focusing distances for you to set. The distance lines up with a small bar that protrudes from the lens, with focus distances of 3" at the 12 o'clock position, 5' at the 3 o'clock position, 8' at the 6 o'clock position, 12' at the 9 o'clock position, and infinity, backing up towards the 12 o'clock position.

 The shutter speeds of 1/100, 1/50, 1/25, "B", and "T" are set on the bottom of the faceplate, similarly to how the aperture settings are made, by sliding a small bar to the desired shutter speed.

Shutter, aperture and focus area on Ensign Midget camera

To open the back of the camera to load film, a locking mechanism on the left side must be pulled down. This slides a small bar that fits into a tiny opening, allowing the back of the camera to swing open and be removed from the camera.

 You load the Ensign Midget just like any roll film camera, but unfortunately, this camera and the other Midget camera takes an odd-size film that is no longer available. Once the film was loaded, engage the feet into the hinges on the right side of the camera and close it up. Just be sure that when you lock the back of the camera, the small rod fits into the tiny hole, which holds it in place. If not engaged, the back will open.

My Results:

 Unfortunately, I don't have film to use in this camera, due to its unique size and limited availability. Therefore, until I learn to cut and process film to use in the camera, this will remain a showpiece in my collection.

 

Conclusion:

 The Ensign Midget, Silver Jubilee edition camera is a camera I've long desired to own and will be cherished in my collection. The silver crinkle finish on the camera is a lovely touch to an already beautifully designed and built camera—a real gem crafted during a heyday period in pre-World War II England.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes to read about this fantastic, small, yet extremely well-built camera. One, I'm happy to give a prominent spot in my collection.

 Click the link to read my other Camera Reviews.

 If you're looking for a photo item, I have a wide selection of cameras, lenses, and camera parts available in my eBay store, Cuny's Cameras and Photo.

 Until next week, please be safe. 

 

Coronet Cameo

My Coronet Cameo camera

It wasn't until I had been collecting cameras that I developed an interest in miniature and subminiature cameras. One of my earliest recollections of liking small miniature cameras was when I became a sales representative for a well-known Swiss large-format camera company (Sinar) and traveled to Sacramento to visit a store that displayed many different miniature and subminiature cameras at the cash register.

 I fondly remember spending time looking at the display, thinking many of the cameras seemed so odd and unusual, which is something I'm always looking for in what I collect. When I asked the owner of the store if any of the cameras were for sale, and his reply was a swift and hardy "no", in my mind, it triggered a need to find out more about this whole new world of cameras I was aware of, but had no interest in collecting.

 While I don't have a large collection of miniature and subminiature cameras, the ones I do have have a special place in my collection because they are all very unique. I have the majority of the miniature and subminiature collection on my desk, which I'm at the majority of the time I'm in my office, or what I call my camera oasis. It's the one room in our house where I can do what I want, within reason. Another terrific part of the collection is that they don't take up much room, so I have many of them in a small area that reminds me of the display at the camera store I went to well over 30 years ago.

 I came across the Coronet Cameo camera on a trip to London about two to three years ago. For me, one of the main objectives of the trip was to visit Portobello Road to see some of the camera and photo stalls we had visited on a previous trip to London many years earlier. When my wife and I visited the outdoor market, I found that things had changed, and many of the vendors only showed up on weekends. This was a massive disappointment for me, especially since my wife and I were leaving on Saturday afternoon.

Coronet Cameo size comparison.

 The main person I was to meet was Juliano of Cameras London, who shows his cameras only on Saturday. Somehow, I convinced my wife that I would take the bus to Portobelo Road and back in time for us to go to the airport. 

 As I took the bus to Portobello Road that Saturday morning, I remember I needed to be mindful of the time and hurry. I arrived early as Juliano was still setting up. He had a fantastic display of cameras and some negatives. There were several cameras I wanted to purchase, one being an Ilford Advocate, which you can read about. He said he had a cleaner version and would ship it to me. 

I got together a small group of cameras, and just before I paid him, I saw the Coronet Cameo. It was in poor condition, but it was odd and unusual, so I threw it into the pile. We made a fair bundle price for the items, including the Advocate and Cameo camera. I paid him for the items, put the cameras in my backpack, and made my way back to the hotel. We had plenty of time to make it to the airport.

History:

 The Coronet Camera Company was a significant English camera manufacturer, founded in 1926 in Birmingham, England, by Frederick W. Pettifer. The company began at 48 Great Hampton Street, Aston, focusing on producing an inexpensive line of cameras for the mass market. Their early focus was on simple box and folding cameras.

Photo of old Coronet building depicted from Historic Camera website

 A key aspect of Coronet's operations was its utilization of local Birmingham businesses. They partnered with the British Optical Lens Co. for lenses and, notably, with Edwin Elliott, a local plastics manufacturer, who fabricated molded plastic cameras for them. This collaboration led to popular pre-war models, including the small and stylish Coronet Midget and the Coronet Vogue, which were often made from colored Bakelite. By 1933, the company had reportedly sold a remarkable 510,000 cameras.

 The company became Coronet Ltd. in 1946. After World War II, the company specialized in low-cost, molded-plastic cameras. Due to French import restrictions, Coronet formed a partnership with the French company Tiranty of Paris. This collaboration led to several Coronet models, such as the Rapide, being manufactured in France, sometimes using Boyer lenses, to bypass trade barriers. Coronet also produced accessories and its own brands of film, including Corochrome.

 The company continued to manufacture cameras from its Birmingham headquarters (later located at 308-310 Summer Lane) until it finally ceased operations in 1967. Over its four-decade history, Coronet played a vital role in making photography accessible to the public by providing thousands of simple, affordable cameras, many of which remain popular collector's items today.

My Camera:

 This portion of the blog will be sparse, as there's not much to this camera. The Coronet Cameo camera is small and will almost fit into a 35mm film container. It's 2" wide by 1.5" deep and 2" tall with the front viewfinder extended and only 1.25" tall when it's retracted. The camera only weighs 1.6 ounces. The Cameo has a fixed 25mm F/11 Meniscus lens and a single shutter speed range of 1/25-1/50, with the shutter release on the right side of the camera body.

The camera is made from plastic and was manufactured between 1948 and 1952.  Coronet attempted to revive the success of the Pre-War Midget camera, which was highly successful for the company at the time.

 The Coronet Cameo takes a roll of 16mm film and produces six 12mm x 18mm negative-sized images per roll. The camera loads and winds like any other roll film camera, with the unexposed film loaded on the left and the leader threaded into the take-up spool on the right via the film winding lever.

The back of the camera is held in place by two clips on the right side of the camera. To open the back, lift it from the two clips; it will open, exposing the film chamber. Unfortunately, my camera, like many Coronet Cameo models, is warped, and the back doesn't fit properly to the body.

 A sliding front viewfinder can be pulled up, and when the rear viewfinder is lifted on the back of the camera, it exposes the red window displaying the frame number of the image you'll be taking on the roll of film.

My Results:

 Unfortunately, there is no longer film for this camera, and with the warped camera back, I wasn't able to take photos with it.

 

Conclusion:

 As I was taking photos of the Coronet Cameo, I had an empty 35mm film tube and tried to see if the camera would fit inside it, but it's just a tad too big.

 The Coronet Cameo camera is sitting right next to my Whittaker Micro 16 Pixie camera, which I considered writing about for this blog post. Still, I'll leave that camera for another day. I do enjoy all the miniature and subminiature cameras in my collection; it just took me a few years of collecting them to appreciate them for what they are.

 Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read about this small plastic camera from about 75 years ago. I'm sure many people owned and enjoyed them when they were made.

 If you're interested in reading about other cameras I've reviewed, here's a link to my other Camera Reviews.

 I also have a store on eBay, Cuny's Camera and Photos, where I sell items I've reviewed, as well as many other camera oddities.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Whitehouse Beacon Cameras

My Whitehouse Beacon cameras

When I was starting to collect cameras, I would collect anything —from straightforward box cameras and point-and-shoot cameras to fundamental bakelite cameras. As you begin to refine your interest in collecting a particular item, the focus becomes a bit more narrow, and the items that you see so often, like Kodak Brownies and bakelite holiday cameras, become less and less interesting. 

 I'm sure that's true with collecting anything. You're always on the hunt for odd, unusual, rare, or exotic items, whether it's cameras, firearms, cars, or sports memorabilia. Once I got over the initial phase of buying "any camera", I started collecting cameras with color to them. Kodak Rainbow box and folding camera, some of the bakelite Imperial camera, Boy and Girl Scout cameras, or even a box camera with odd and unusual faces on them, like the Bear Photo camera, or the Century of Progress cameras. To this day, it's difficult for me not to pick up and look at any colored camera, and I will most likely purchase one if the price is right.

 The Beacon camera was one of the cameras that started in my initial phase of collecting and continued into the next phase of collecting cameras with color. To this day, I can remember walking through a local flea market and seeing a familiar shape of the Beacon camera, but this one was in a different color. I had only owned the black version before, but this one was greenish-turquoise. When the seller quoted a few dollars, I snatched it up right away. The Beacon camera came in traditional black, as well as white, red, and green.

My three Beacons

 I purchased the red Beacon camera well over 35 years ago, when there was no internet, and the only places you could see items like this were at camera shows, camera collecting books, which usually weren't in color, or people selling things at garage sales or flea markets. I remember thumbing through the McKeown's Camera guide, which I had back then. It was considerably smaller, but it did mention whether cameras came in different color versions.

 When eBay launched in the late 1990s, I was an early adopter and joined in 1997. At that time, there were no product photos; only descriptions. It was more of a message board of people buying and selling items. My first number was 1034, this was even before you had a name on eBay. eBay changed the way people collect so many items. The market became flooded with items that were difficult to get before eBay, and their prices dropped. So many antique stores and other retailers were affected by them until they started selling on the marketplace, and it has now become such a vast entity.

 I can even remember starting a similar auction site aimed at the photo marketplace in the early 2000s, and I was going to call it Photo Flea Market, where people could buy and sell cameras, lenses, vintage gear, and even images like prints, Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes, etc. Try to keep it more focused on one particular industry, but like many ideas, it went by the wayside.

Camera History:

Patent Drawing for Beacon camera

 The Beacon camera was manufactured by Whitehouse Products Inc. of Brooklyn, NY, starting in the late 1940s. My friend, podcaster, and excellent camera blogger Mike Eckman has a tremendous post on the History of Whitehouse Products where he deep dives into a famous woman named Vira Boarman Whitehouse, (Mrs. Norman De R. Whitehouse) who was mainly know as a suffragette leader in the 1920 that had a leather company who employed many women, and who also championed company's to go from a 48 hour work week to a 40 hour week. It's truly a fantastic read.

 Whitehouse Products produced the Beacon line of cameras, along with another simple camera in the 1960s, the Beacon Reflex camera, Automatic 705, and the Autoflash WH 127-A, which Ansco also sold. My favorite Whitehouse camera was the 1970s novelty Charlie Tuna Camera, which I also have in my collection.

 The one thing I can be sure of is that William L Lawson was the designer and inventor of the Beacon camera. I conducted a patent search and identified the initial design of the camera, produced in 1948. It's for the original Beacon camera, which also included two shutter speed settings. The two speeds were either "I" for instant or "B" for bulb, or timed exposures. The later Beacon II model removed the ability to set the shutter speed, as shown on my camera. The original Beacon and later Beacon II models took 16 images on 127-size film, producing a 3x4cm negative. 

 Later in the 1950s, Whitehouse produced the Beacon Two-twenty Five. A larger version of the Beacon and Beacon II, which took 12, 6x6cm images on 620 film. This is the camera I used to produce the images included in the post.

My Camera:

 My Beacon Two-Twenty Five is 4" tall by 5.5" wide by 3.5" deep with the lens extended, and 2.25" deep with the lens compressed into the camera body. It weighs 13.7 ounces. The camera has a 70mm Doublet lens with an aperture of F/8, which would be my best guess, possibly a bit faster. To say this camera has no bells or whistles is an understatement, and there are only a few things you need to do to take a photo.

To load the film, on the right side of the camera is the latch to open the back door. Slide the button down to open the back, and swing the door open to reveal where to load the film. This camera takes 620 film, but there is nothing to help load or unload the film roll from the film chamber. Since I had some 620 film, I needed to force the roll of film into place before I tore the tape off and slid the paper backing across the film plane to put the leader into the take-up spool. It wasn't very easy, but I got it done.

Once the film is on the take-up spool, I wound it until I saw the "start" arrows, then closed the back of the camera. I wound the take-up knob until I saw the number 1 in the viewfinder. The camera is now ready to take the first photo.

 Before taking the photos, you'll need to pull the lens area out of the camera body using the two grips on either side of the lens. Once the lens is pulled out, it snaps or locks into place with two wide silver bars located behind the grip. If you don't pull the lens out, your photos won't be blurry. To take the picture, the chrome shutter release is located on the top of the lens chamber. My guess is the shutter speed is around 1/60 of a second.

Once the photos have been taken, press in the two chrome bars that lock the lens into place at the rear of the camera body, and the lens chamber will slide back into the camera body.

 If you'll be using the Beacon flash attachment, attach the flash once the lens is extended. First, the flash takes two penlight batteries, which fit into the back of the flash attachment. On the back, under the reflector, is a small clip that needs to be pulled back to expose the battery compartment. Close the battery cover, slide the front of the flash unit under the lens chamber, then slide the flash over the top of the camera until it's in place, then screw it into the camera body using the small screw on the back of the flash.

The flash units take either size 5, 11, or 22 flashbulbs. Here's a link to Mike Butkus manual for the Beacon camera and the Beacon flash.

 The camera is fundamental to its functions, but let's take a look at the images it produces.

 

My results:

 I loaded up a roll of 620 film I keep for camera testing, and took a walk through the neighborhood. Since the day was cloudy, I had to wait for the sun to come out so I'd get better results.

 Here are a few of the images I took.

Conclusion:

 The Beacon did a better job than I anticipated, especially given its simple camera. No focus, shutter, or aperture settings. It's truly a "point and shoot" style camera, specifically designed for family snapshots. The edges are soft, as expected, but overall not too bad.

 I doubt I'll be taking the camera on an important vacation, but my curiosity got the better of me. I wanted to see how it would perform, and it wasn't horrible.

 Thank you for taking time from your day to read about this snapshot camera from the late 1940s, for the original Beacon, to the 1950s, for the Beacon Two-Twenty Five, which I used for the post.

 Here's a link to my other Camera Reviews.

 If you are looking for an odd or unusual photo item, be sure to stop by Cuny's Camera and Photo, my eBay store.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex III (853/16) camera

My Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex III camera

My first real camera, a Univex Uniflex, was a gift from my Uncle Bud, my mother's younger brother. He was a free-spirited soul, living a bohemian lifestyle that left a lasting impression on me and my older brother. This camera, a symbol of his unique spirit, became my gateway to the world of photography. 

 Uncle Bud was the photographer in the family gatherings, went to art school in Chicago, where he met his wife, made wine, went antiquing, purchased an old school bus, and was converting it into a camper for the family, was health-conscious, all of this in the 1960s, as I was young and impressionable. 

 I tell you this because the Univex Uniflex was a somewhat inexpensive twin-lens reflex camera that I used for many of my early years taking photos, so the twin-lens reflex style has always felt comfortable to me. I've always enjoyed looking through a larger viewfinder and framing my subject, albeit backward when looking down into the camera. It's similar to looking through a view camera, although the view camera isn't backwards, just upside down. 

 Last week, as my wife and I were in Yosemite and the San Francisco Bay Area. One of the reasons we went there was that on the first Sunday of the month, there's a large flea market in Alameda, which I miss since moving away from the area about 9 years ago. I planned the trip partly to visit the flea market and look for cameras and other photo items.

 I arrived at the flea market early and started looking over the many tables. At one of the tables, I found this fantastic Zeiss Ikoflex III camera I've been looking for for many years. As I picked up the camera, the shutter worked at higher speeds and lagged at lower speeds. The lens was clean and the transport worked well. 

 After a bit of negotiation, I left the flea market with the Ikoflex III and a few other small items. The joy of this find was so great that I couldn't wait to share it with you, my fellow camera enthusiasts. Even though I had recently written about the Zeiss Contaflex camera, the Ikoflex III was a gem that I couldn't wait to put a roll of film into and share its story on my camera blog.

Ikoflex History:

 The Zeiss Ikoflex emerged in 1934 as Zeiss Ikon's direct answer to the burgeoning success of the Franke & Heidecke Rolleiflex. The inaugural model, affectionately nicknamed the "Coffee Can" for its distinctive upright, cylindrical body, marked a departure from the more conventional TLR design. This initial offering was a clear statement of intent from the German optics giant to compete in the professional and enthusiast photographer market.

Ad for Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex III camera

 Throughout its production, which spanned until 1960, the Ikoflex series underwent significant evolution, with a clear demarcation between its pre-war and post-war iterations. Before World War II, Zeiss Ikon introduced several models, progressively refining the design and features. The early lever-wind and knob-wind "Coffee Can" models gave way to more streamlined, traditionally styled TLRs. These pre-war cameras often featured high-quality Zeiss lenses, such as the Tessar and Novar. They were equipped with Compur or Klio shutters, offering photographers a range of options in terms of both price and performance. A notable pre-war innovation was the Ikoflex III, introduced in 1939, which boasted a fast f/2.8 Tessar lens and a unique Albada direct-vision viewfinder integrated into the focusing hood, setting it apart from its contemporaries.

 Following the end of the war, Zeiss Ikon resumed production in West Germany and continued developing the Ikoflex line. The post-war models, such as the Ikoflex Ia and IIa, reflected the technological advancements of the era. These cameras often featured coated lenses for improved contrast and flare reduction, as well as synchronized flash capabilities. The final models in the series, like the Ikoflex Favorit, even incorporated a built-in, uncoupled light meter, a significant feature for the time.

 Despite its innovative features and the esteemed Zeiss pedigree, the Ikoflex line always existed in the shadow of the Rolleiflex. While highly capable and well-regarded for their robust build and excellent optics, the Ikoflex cameras ultimately ceased production in 1960, leaving behind a legacy as a compelling, if not dominant, force in the golden age of twin-lens reflex photography.

My Camera:

 My Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex is in very good condition, except for some of the slower shutter speeds, which I'll exercise and hopefully bring back to life; otherwise, I'll have it CLA'd. The camera's serial number is 836152, and it has a Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 8cm f/2.8 lens, serial number 1851589. The camera is 6" tall when the light chimney is closed and 8" tall when it is open, by 4" wide, including the focus knob and film winding lever, and by 4.25" deep when the camera is focused at infinity.

To open the light chimney and look into the viewfinder, on the back of the camera, behind the closed chimney, is a button to press to open it. Unlike many twin-lens reflex cameras, the light chimney opens from the front rather than the rear, which I find interesting. On the right side of the back wall, the small switch locks and unlocks the flip-up magnifying glass for critical focus on the ground glass. On the side walls of the light chimney are "Zeiss Ikon" on one side and an exposure index on the other.

 If you want to use the Albada sports finder, it shows bright frame lines as you peer through it, and the front of the light chimney is a very polished, mirror-like surface, very similar to the previously mentioned Zeiss Ikon Contaflex TLR camera. To close the chimney, fold down the sides, then the front, and finally the rear portion. 

Similar to the Rolleiflex, both the aperture and shutter speed settings can be viewed when peering down the light chimney. Two separate windows show the aperture setting on the left and the shutter speed on the right. To move either setting, there's a lever on each side of the lens; slide it up or down to change the setting. The shutter speeds go from 1/400 to 1 sec, along with "B" for timed exposures. The aperture goes from F/2.8 to F/22. Just behind the shutter-speed slider is the cable release socket. Just to the right of the lens is a small round window that shows black when the shutter is tripped, and red when the shutter is cocked and ready to shoot.

On the right side of the camera, from top to bottom, is the frame counter in a stylized circular window, placed directly behind the shutter release. To activate the shutter, you press down on the shutter release to take the photo, which I prefer to pressing into the camera's body. The main object on the right side of the camera is the transport/winding lever. It is so much more than just a film transport lever; it also cocks the shutter with only about half a rotation. 

On the left side of the Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex II camera is the focus knob, which has a minimum focus distance of 4' to infinity. Just above the focus knob is the depth-of-field scale for the different apertures. Above and below the focus knob are two knurled knobs that can be pulled out to load and unload the film once the back of the camera is opened.

To open the back of the camera to load the film, there is a small disk on the back that is pulled down to open the back. The back will flip down, unlike Rolleiflex cameras, where the back pulls up. Loading the film is just like any other twin-lens reflex camera. Once the new film is on the bottom, bring the lead to the top spool and thread it into the slot, and wind the transport lever. Do this until the arrows on the paper backing point to two white dots on the side of the film chamber. At this point, close the back and wind until you see frame number 1 in the frame counter. Do not go past the first frame (frame 1) in the film counter, or you'll lose images on the film. This may be a flaw in my camera, but at first it doesn't stop at frame 1.

 

My Results:

 The forecast for the end of last week called for rain, so on Wednesday, I loaded up the camera with film and took a short drive to Duggan Falls in Washougal, WA. It's about a 30-minute drive. While it was overcast, it wasn't raining, and I wanted to try the Ikoflex III before the rain hit.

 The camera produced very sharp images. Here are a few photos I took at the falls.

Conclusion:

 The Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex III camera was an absolute pleasure to shoot with. It was similar to many other twin-lens reflex cameras. The viewfinder could have been a bit brighter, but the focus knob was smooth and easy to move. The shutter speed and aperture windows seem a tad dark, but the camera is close to 90 years old, so a good CLA would brighten them up nicely.

 I really enjoyed the short turn of the transport lever. I was surprised that such a small motion would properly transport the film AND cock the shutter, too. It does a fantastic job, and it's one of the reasons I enjoyed the camera so much. Overall, an excellent camera to have in the collection, and one I'll be taking out more often to shoot with, given how sharp the images are.

 Thank you for taking the time out of your day to learn about this fantastic vintage German camera.

 Here's a link to my other Camera Reviews.

 I also have a store on eBay, Cuny's Camera and Photo. Stop by sometime and see what cameras and other photo oddities I have for sale.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Ensign Ful-Vue camera

My Ensign Ful-Vue camera

My wife and I were planning a trip back to California, visiting one of my favorite places on earth, Yosemite, and then heading to San Francisco to visit a friend whom we had moved away from nine years ago. We had been going to Yosemite together since before we were married in the mid-1970s, and there are just so many beautiful and memorable events that have happened there. It doesn't matter what time of year you go; there are things to see and photograph that make it a magical place for us to visit.

 As I was browsing through the many cameras on my shelves, I must have had a subconscious desire for the Ensign Ful-Vue camera. As I looked at the camera and thought about Yosemite, I noticed that the shape of the top of the camera's viewfinder resembles the shape of Half Dome in Yosemite Valley. 

 As I've mentioned in several blogs, I have a passion for colored cameras, so I have two different Ful-Vue cameras in my collection. I have an Ensign Ful-Vue camera that's red in color. Why have a black camera when there are cameras in various colors? This camera was also sold in Black, White, and Blue colors. The other Ful-Vue camera I have is a Ross Ensign Ful-Vue Super in burgundy. The Ross Ensign Ful-Vue Super is a later and more refined camera than the earlier Ful-Vue I took to Yosemite.

The two Ful-Vue cameras in my collection

 It might be fun to put a roll of film into the camera and take it with me to Yosemite. It doesn't take much room in my bag, and I have plenty of 120-size film in my refrigerator, so that's the plan. As I was packing for the trip, I threw a roll of 120 T-Max 400 film, along with the Ensign Ful-Vue camera (a Half Dome lookalike), into my bag and took it with me on the trip.

 Another thought about taking the Ensign Ful-Vue to Yosemite was that the camera is straightforward, and it would be fun to take snapshots of Yosemite as my wife and I walked around the park, taking in all the natural wonders. It would be like I was 8 years old, and I would take my Kodak Holiday camera on summer vacations, taking random photos of the family and other interesting views. 

 That's where my love for photography began, wandering through summer vacation spots with my family, taking photos of the interesting things I enjoyed, and looking back at them to remember the time spent with my family or friends. To this day, I look back at photos with friends that we took when we were younger, and many bring a smile to my face as I recall these memorable times.

History:

 Houghton and Ensign were pivotal names in the history of British photography and camera manufacturing, known for innovation, extensive product lines, and significant contributions to photographic technology from the 19th to the mid-20th century.

French ad for the Ensign Fun-Vue camera

 The roots of Houghton trace back to 1834, when George Houghton, together with Frenchman Antoine Claudet, managed a glass warehouse in London known as Claudet & Houghton. The company initially focused on optical and sheet glass products, but the rise of photography in the late 1830s opened new avenues, with Houghton quickly supplying materials for Daguerreotypes.

 After Claudet died in 1867, the firm became George Houghton & Son, as George Houghton's son joined the business. The family firm steadily expanded, becoming George Houghton & Sons by 1892, and deepened its involvement in the photographic equipment industry.

 By the late 19th century, Houghton was producing a wider range of photographic supplies and had become a full-fledged manufacturer of cameras. Among their early notable products was the Sanderson camera, produced from 1895 to about 1910, which became renowned for its quality. In 1901, they launched the Ensign brand of photographic film, marking the rise of a name that would soon become synonymous with the company's signature camera line.

 In 1903, Houghton introduced Ensign Daylight Loading Film, a crucial development that broadened consumer access to photography. This innovation was followed by the absorption of several other camera firms in 1904, including Holmes Bros. (makers of the Sanderson), A.C. Jackson, Spratt Bros., and Joseph Levi & Co., which formed Houghtons Ltd. This move enabled large-scale production and a wider range of camera selections.

Ad with different colors available

 With their expansion and absorption of other brands, Houghton established the Ensign Works in Walthamstow around 1905. By 1908, it was the largest British camera factory, employing over 700 people. Houghton's reputation was further cemented with magazine cameras such as the Klito and the innovative folding Ensignette.

 In 1915, Houghton's Ltd. partnered with W. Butcher & Sons to form the Houghton-Butcher Manufacturing Company. The merger strengthened their manufacturing and distribution during turbulent times.

 In 1930, Ensign Ltd. was formally established, representing the heritage of both Houghton's and Butcher's. The Ensign Ful-Vue, introduced in 1939, became iconic for its simplicity and bright viewfinder, attracting amateur photographers and children. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Ensign was renowned for its box cameras and advanced folding models, such as the Multex.

 World War II brought massive challenges. The company's London headquarters suffered severe bomb damage in 1940. While Ensign continued to manufacture at Walthamstow, the brand's prominence waned in the post-war years.

 From its origins in optical glass to producing some of Britain's finest and most popular cameras, Houghton and Ensign chart a history of adaptability, invention, and a lasting impact on the UK photographic market.

My Camera:

 My Ensign Ful-Vue is 4" tall by 4.25" deep and 3.25" wide, and weighs 14.2 ounces, so not even a pound. It's viewfinder on top is one of the dominate features of the camera. The size of the viewfinder itself is 1.5" square on the top of the camera, and with the camera being the small stature it is, makes the viewfinder seem huge when looking at the camera.

The Ensign Ful-Vue camera is the epitome of the classic snapshot camera, as there are really only a few settings on the camera that you need to make before snapping the photo. There is a shutter setting for either "I" for instant or "T" for time, allowing for a longer exposure. There is a tripod socket on the bottom of the camera, but there is no cable release socket available for use if you want to make a timed exposure with the camera.

 The other setting in the Ensign Ful-Vue camera is focus. The lens is set to three different focus distances: 2 meters, 3-5 meters, and 6 meters to infinity. Turn the chrome rig and point the red dot on the front of the ring to the desired distance to set your focus distance. There is a separate flash PC outlet to connect an external flash, ideal for low-light photography. The flash would have to be screwed into the tripod socket, and it would be located on the left side of the camera, I guess.

To take a photo, the shutter release is located below the black nameplate, where the lens is positioned, and is pulled up to activate the shutter in the camera.

 Loading the film is pretty straightforward on the Ensign Ful-Vue. On the left side of the camera is a locking lever that you turn clockwise to unlock the film chamber from the camera body. Once the film back is unlocked, the film chamber slides out of the camera body. Once the film chamber is removed from the camera body, you load the camera like any other roll film camera. Just ensure the film covers the larger area, rather than the thinner area closer to the lens.

 Once the film is loaded into the film chamber, slide the chamber back into the camera body and secure it in place by turning the locking ring counterclockwise to lock it into position. On the right side of the camera is the camera's film advance knob. Turn the knob until you see the arrows inside the red window on the back of the camera. 

Just above the red window on the back of the camera is a small knob that opens and closes the curtain, preventing light from coming through the red window. Make sure the curtain is open so you can see the film advancing. If you don't, you'll wonder when it will get to number one and go through the entire roll of film before noticing something is wrong. Once you see the arrows, slow down because you're coming to number one and your first exposure.

 

My Results:

 The Ensign Ful-Vue was a great camera to take to Yosemite, although looking back, the one thing I wish I had taken was a comparison photo of the Ensign Ful-Vue and Half Dome. I should have taken a picture with my phone of me holding the camera up with Half Dome in the background to show the comparison between the two. Like they say, hindsight is 20/20.

 The camera actually did pretty well. The photos are relatively sharp, the viewfinder was HUGH and bright to look through. 

 Here are a few examples of the photos in Yosemite and San Francisco.

Conclusion:

 The camera was what I expected. The viewfinder was very easy to work with and made centering the image easy. The only thing I wish the camera had that I was surprised it didn't have was the ability to use different aperture settings. Generally, even the most basic of cameras offer the option of two different apertures. Not on the Ensign Ful-Vue, though.

 Thank you for taking the time to read about this very basic, but oddly shaped camera. It was fun to throw it in my camera bag and have something fundamental to use at times.

 Here's a link to some of my other Camera Reviews.

 Stop by Cuny's Camera and Photo if you're interested in purchasing some of the cameras I've reviewed. I also have many other photo odds and ends that interest you.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Eho Baby Box camera

My Eho Baby Box camera

During my search for cameras, I found many of the very common black folding or box Kodak cameras, as well as the plentiful Argus C3 and Polaroid cameras. However, it's rare to come across something that sparks an interest. I can't define the feeling very well, but when you attend a Flea market or Garage sale and walk up to a table to see something you like or haven't seen before. It's a surprise, and you get a tiny rush from it.

 That's what happened when I first saw the Eho Baby Box camera. I was at a Flea market probably 20 years ago, and a person had a cloth on the ground with several cameras on it. I visually scanned through the lot and found the regular Kodak box, folding and Polaroid cameras, but something didn't make sense when I peeked behind one of the cameras.

 I could see the top of the camera, which had a small handle on it. I thought it was part of another camera, but as I moved a bit, I could see it was a separate camera itself. Thinking, that's interesting, I went in to have a closer look, and that's when I saw the Eho Baby Box camera.

 It really piqued my interest, as I hadn't seen this manufacturer's baby camera before. I've seen and owned the Baby Zeiss box camera, but the squareness and manufacturer were new to me at the time. Picking it up and playing with it, the camera was in clean condition, and the shutter was working, at least most of the time. The camera even had an intact strap with the maker's name on it, which I always prefer.

 Since the camera had a strap and a somewhat working shutter, I wanted to know what the seller wanted for it, so when I asked, the seller said $5.00. Being a person who likes to haggle on price,  I had to ask if he would take $3.00, which he did. I paid the seller the money for the camera, and I was thrilled to have a new addition to my camera family, especially since I discovered a camera manufacturer I wasn't aware of, and for such a small and cute camera.

History:

 Eho-Altissa was a German camera manufacturer with a rich history tied to the evolution of photographic technology in the 20th century. The company originated in 1892 in Leipzig under Richard Knoll as "Photo Spezialhaus" and began repairing and building its own photography equipment from 1904 onwards. In 1910, the operation relocated to Dresden, a hub for Germany's camera production. By 1927, ownership was transferred to Emil Hofert, who renamed it "Eho" after his initials.

 By the early 1930s, the company was manufacturing box cameras, known for their simplicity and reliability, and often rebranded for warehouse and supplier stores under various names. The mechanician Karl Heinrich Altmann designed the notable Altissa Box camera line, which featured an eye-level viewer, differentiating it from other box cameras of the era. Several stereo and twin-lens reflex (TLR) models followed, including the Altiflex in 1937, a notable reflex camera of its time.

Ad for Eho Baby Box camera

 In 1939, the company introduced its Altix series of compact 35mm viewfinder cameras, marking the beginning of a legacy that lasted nearly two decades. The Altix models were key innovations for Eho-Altissa, and their popularity solidified the company's reputation for offering affordable, high-quality cameras with reliable mechanics.

 Throughout its development, the company underwent several renamings. In 1931, it became EHO-Kamerafabrik GmbH. During and after World War II, it transitioned to Amca Werk Berthold Altmann (1940). Altissa Camera Werk (1941), and finally, in 1952, VEB Altissa Camera Werk was nationalized under the East German state.

 World War II severely affected Eho-Altissa; its Dresden factory was destroyed during Allied bombing raids. Nevertheless, the company was revived post-war, with camera production resuming by 1947. The firm remained small enough to avoid early state intervention but was eventually nationalized in 1959, merging with VEB Kamera- und Kinowerke, which was later incorporated into VEB Pentacon.

Camera output ceased in 1961. Notably, the Altix VI model continued to be produced briefly under license in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, using equipment from the shuttered factory.

 Eho-Altissa produced renowned models such as the Altissa Box series, Altiflex, and Altix, and supplied rebranded products to European photo retailers. Its story reflects the broader turmoil and adaptability of the German camera industry in the wake of economic and political change throughout the 20th century.

My Camera:

 The Eho Baby Box camera is very small, measuring 2 5/8" tall by 2 3/8" wide and 2 3/8" deep, so almost a perfect cube, and weighing only 6.8 ounces. This is one of the smallest, if not the smallest, box cameras I have that still accepts a standard 127-sized roll film, which was common for the time the camera was manufactured. The camera features dual red windows on the back, allowing it to produce 16 3x4cm-sized negatives on a roll of film.

The camera was made between 1932 and 1939 and comes with a fixed-focus Eho Doplar lens that's fixed at F/11. The Eho Baby Box camera is made of metal with a leatherette covering and features a classic chrome ring around its face. The camera has a chrome lever on top that allows you to change the aperture from F/11 to F/22, based on the size of the aperture's opening.

Shutter speed “Z” slide, Cable release socket and shutter release

All of the other camera controls are on the right side of the Eho Baby Box camera. On the bottom right of the camera is a lever with a "Z". This is the shutter speed control. If the lever is pressed in, the shutter clicks at its normal speed. However, if pulled out, the camera can perform a timed exposure for as long as the shutter is depressed. Just above the "Z" lever is a cable release socket. If you plan to take a timed exposure, place the camera on a stable surface, as there is no tripod mount on the bottom, and hold the cable release in for the required exposure time.

It is odd to have a camera with a cable release socket, but no way to secure the camera on a tripod. Then again, the camera is tiny, and adding a tripod socket to the bottom would increase its size.

 Just above the cable release socket is the shutter release, which has a lined grip on the metal, making it easier to grip, especially when needed, as the lever is relatively small. Above the shutter release is one of the two waist-level viewfinder windows. The one on this side of the camera is for vertical, or portrait, images, and the one at the top of the camera is for horizontal, or landscape, images.

To open the camera to load film into it, you'll need to pull out two levers on the right side of the camera. Both levers are located closest to the separation between the front and rear of the camera. Pulling out the two tabs unlocks the front of the camera from the rear, exposing the area where you load the 127-size film. Take the empty spool from the bottom of the camera and place it in the top, which is now the take-up spool. Load the fresh roll on the bottom and pull the leader over the shutter area. Then, place the leader in the slot of the take-up spool.

 Put the back on the camera, and press the two clips to lock the front to the back. Wind the film until you see arrows or some indication that you're approaching the first frame. Wind slowly until you see the number 1 appear in the bottom red window. At this point, you're ready to take your first image. After taking the first picture, wind the film slowly until you see the number 1 in the top red window. This is when you're ready to take your second photo. Follow the same process with the number that first appears in the bottom red window, then in the top one, through number 8. After you take your last frame with the number 8 at the top of the window, wind the film to the end. The film should then be ready to be taped closed and processed.

My Results:

 Before inserting a roll of 127-size film into my Eho Baby Box camera, I tested the shutter. It clicked 9 out of 10 times, so I was confident that even though the camera would miss a frame or two, I'd have enough images from a roll of film to pick four or five to put in the blog post.

 After taking my first image, which required me to click the shutter release twice to capture a photo, the camera refused to cooperate for most of the roll. On the times the shutter didn't fire, I did notice that the shutter would partially open, but not fully, so the film was only getting a small sliver of light through a portion of the lens. This happened for the majority of the roll of film, and I managed to capture only 2-3 fairly good images from it.

 Here are the results of the better images taken:

Conclusion:

 To say I was a bit disappointed is an understatement. I'm more upset that the camera's shutter messed up during the shoot, and when I see how nice the two good images are, it would have been great to have 12-13 more to choose from for the article.

 Overall, the good images are pretty good, so if the shutter were in good working order, the camera would have been enjoyable to carry around or put in your pocket and travel with. It's small, a pocketable camera, and produces nice images; you don't have to worry about a tear in the bellows like with other pocket cameras.

 It's certainly a great camera to have in the collection, and a good step from the subminiature style of cameras and the folding pocket cameras. I like the camera and am happy to have it, although I'm frustrated by the timing issue with the shutter not working.

 Click on the link to see my other Cameras Reviews.

 If you'd like to browse some of the cameras, lenses, and accessories I have for sale, please visit my eBay store at Cuny's Camera and Photo.

 Thank you for taking the time to read about this tiny gem of a camera. 

 Until next week, please be safe.

 

Argus Model C camera

My Argus Model C camera

During my time working in a camera store from the mid-1970s until the mid-1990s, I must have seen hundreds, if not thousands, of Argus cameras, and to be more specific, the Argus C3, or as they were affectionately known as, "The Brick" because of their boxy shape and very sturdy construction. These cameras came in on an almost daily basis just because they were so popular back in the 1940s and '50s.

 I saw so many Argus C3 cameras in my time in the camera store that, when it came to collecting cameras, I had no interest in collecting this particular model. Yet, it seemed like every time I purchased a group or "lot" of cameras, there was always an Argus C3 in the groupings of cameras. 

 I still recall thinking that if I collected enough Argus C3 cameras, I could build a retaining wall in my front yard out of them, as it was cheaper to get the Argus C3 than to purchase real clay bricks.

 To this day, I still see the Argus C3, or similar models like the C2, C3 Matchmatic, or C33, all the time at people's garage sales, estate sales, and camera shows. It is undoubtedly one of the most sold cameras in the history of photography.

 With that said, I'm still looking for one model, which I'm certain I came across during my time at the camera shop. It's the original Argus Model C camera, featuring a dual range switch located under the shutter cocking lever. It's a little earlier than the camera in this blog post, but the pricing for one of these is higher than I'm willing to pay for, so I'll wait and see if I can find one during my quest for a camera. 

 For me, the fun is the hunt for the treasures. The thrill comes from finding a camera or other photo item I've been looking for, especially when it's in an unexpected place and hopefully at a reasonable price.

History:

 Argus Cameras holds a unique place in photographic history as a pioneering American camera manufacturer that made high-quality photography accessible to the masses. The company was founded in 1931 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, as the International Radio Corporation (IRC), by local businessmen including William E. Brown Jr., George Burke, and Charles Albert Verschoor. Initially, IRC's primary business was radios, but seasonal sales fluctuations led Verschoor to seek another product to stabilize revenue. Inspired by the success of his molded plastic radio cases, he envisioned an affordable camera built with similar materials.

This is the early version with switch under cocking lever

 In 1936, IRC launched the Argus Model A, the first low-cost 35mm camera manufactured in the United States. Priced at just $12.50 when most competing models were much more expensive, the Model A democratized 35mm photography and quickly found commercial success. The Model A's innovation lay in its molded plastic body, making it both durable and less costly to produce.

 This success prompted IRC to focus entirely on cameras, eventually adopting the name Argus, Inc. in 1944, and later Argus Cameras, Inc. in 1949. The company's most iconic product, the Argus C3, was introduced in 1939. With its brick-like appearance and robust rangefinder mechanism, the C3 became known as "The Brick" and enjoyed a production run lasting until 1966, with more than two million units sold. The C3 is widely regarded as one of the best-selling cameras in photographic history.

 During World War II, Argus shifted its production to support the war effort, manufacturing military optics and radio equipment for the U.S. and Allied armed forces. By the war's end, Argus had received multiple Army-Navy "E" Awards for excellence in production. After the war, civilian production resumed, and Argus became the second-largest U.S. camera manufacturer, trailing only Kodak.

 In the late 1950s, the company was acquired by Sylvania Electric Products and later sold to Mansfield Industries. Over time, as competition intensified, especially from Japanese manufacturers, Argus struggled to maintain its leadership. U.S. camera production ended by 1969, but the Argus brand persisted in importing photographic products.

Today, vintage Argus cameras, especially the Model A and C3, are valued collectibles. The legacy of Argus endures as a symbol of inventive American manufacturing and mass-market photographic innovation.

My Camera:

 My Argus C dates from 1938, has a serial number of 12127C, so it's not one of the earliest models, but it was introduced before the Argus C2 was introduced in late 1938. The Model C measures 5 3/8" wide by 3" tall, including the shutter release, by 3" deep, including the lens. My Argus Model C camera weighs 1 pound, 7.4 ounces without film loaded in the camera.

The camera has a 50mm f3.5 Argus lens with aperture settings of F/3.5, 4.5, 6.3, 11, & 18, which are odd compared to aperture settings now. The aperture setting is made by turning a ring with two knobs on the inside of the lens that line up with a black line on top of the lens. 

The item missing on early Model C cameras is the coupling gear connecting the focusing ring on the top left to the lens, which adjusts the lens distance during focusing. To focus this model, look through the rangefinder window on the back of the camera, bring the two lines together to focus, and then check the front of the rangefinder dial to determine your distance from the subject. Finally, set that distance on the lens. On the side of the lens, there are markings indicating the focusing distances for the subject. There is an aluminum thread in style lens cap for the Argus Model C camera I own.

The shutter speed dial is located on the top right-hand side of the camera, on the front. The shutter speed settings are 1/300, 200, 150, 100, 75, 50, 30, 20, 10 & 5. There is no "B" setting on the shutter speed dial. The "B" setting is actually set on the "mushroom" shaped shutter release. You can turn the shutter release to either settings, "I" for instant, or to "B" for bulb, or timed exposures.

 The camera's shutter also needs to be cocked before you can snap the photo. The shutter cocking lever is located on the front of the camera, positioned on the far left side, in the middle. It looks like a handle that you flip down to cock the shutter, then springs back up after the shutter is released.

 On the back of the camera are just two small viewfinders. The one on the right is the rangefinder, which has a split that, by turning the focus wheel, will bring two separated vertical lines into one straight line when focused. The other window on the left is the framing window used to frame your subject when you're ready to take the photo.

To open the back to load the film, press the bump on the left side of the camera. This presses in a bar that holds the back onto the body. My camera is very difficult to open by just pressing the button, so I sometimes need to use a small screwdriver to pry the back up slightly to get it to open.

 Once open, the camera looks like any other 35mm camera, with the take-up spool on the left side. The fresh roll fits onto the right side by pulling pot the rewind knob on the bottom of the camera, bring the lead over to the take up spool, and thread into the take up spool. The film advance knob is on top of the camera. To wind to the first frame, there is a small locking lever just behind the frame counter that needs to be pressed down. This unlocks the winding gear, allowing you to wind to the first frame. Close the back of the camera and start taking photos.

This process must be repeated every time you wish to advance to the next frame. Additionally, at the end of the roll, the locking lever must be pressed down to unlock the drive gears, allowing the film to be rewound into the 35 mm cassette.

 The real reason to write about this camera was more of an exercise on how easy it was to use the early Mode Cameras, especially during a time of rapid change with cameras. Like many cameras from this era, it's not the quick and easy cameras of today, where either the shutter or aperture is being set for you. In many circumstances, both settings are being set. 

 To use cameras from this era, you need to take your time and use an external light meter to get the proper settings for your camera. Set the shutter speed and aperture settings depending on the film used. Do you lean more to the aperture and depth of field, or shutter speeds and stopping motion? Then focus on your subject. In this case, focus, then transfer the settings to the lens regarding distance. Frame your image and take the photo.

 On my camera, I also have an accessory finder, which clips onto the top for showing what a 35mm wide-angle or 100mm telephoto will do. I leave it on my camera to hide a bit of paint scratched off by it, as it's more for show, and I don't have either of these lenses. There were several different lenses available for the Argus C line of cameras, as the lens just unthreaded from the body. 

My Results:

 Once you slow down and think about the process, which I'm very used to, the images are really nice. Here are a few from my walk around the neighborhood.

 I photograph similar items, which I am sure you'll notice if you're a regular reader.

Conclusion:

 While the camera isn't the most ergonomic one I've used, it's certainly not the worst.

 The camera performed very well. The images are sharp, and the shutter and aperture were easy to use. The one thing that slowed me down was the process of focusing, then transferring the distance to the lens before taking the photo. The addition of the coupling gear between the focusing wheel and the lens, which sets the distance on the lens, was a vast improvement for Argus. Without this improvement, I doubt they would have sold the number of cameras as they did.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes from your day to familiarize yourself with this early model camera from Argus.

 Here is a link to my other camera reviews.

I also have a shop on eBay, Cuny's Cameras and Photo. Please stop by and see what new and wonderful photo items I have for sale.

 Until next week, please be safe. 

QRS Kamra

My QRS Kamra in box with manual

I first saw the QRS Kamra many years ago at a camera show when I was still living in the San Francisco Bay area. The camera has a look unlike any 35mm camera I had seen before. Up until this time, I was used to looking at a 35mm camera as either a single-lens reflex or a rangefinder style camera. When I first came across the QRS Kamra, my initial impression was that it was a movie camera, given that many cameras from this era have a rather boxy style.

 I spoke with the vendor who had the camera, and he let me try it out, warning me that it wasn't working, which is a common issue with this camera. Still, after picking up and looking at the beautiful brown mottled finish, odd looking shutter release that also seconds as the film transport, and the overall oddness (to me) of the camera, I told myself that I'd like to have one for my collection some day, because the price of the camera was more that I could spend on a camera at the time.

Back portion of the QRS Kamra

 Years go by, and the kids grow up, all the while my fascination with cameras kept growing. During these times, I would frequent a local flea market held at a drive-in theater on Sunday mornings, and I can still remember looking over one person's goods for sale and recognizing what I had many years earlier at the camera show. It was indeed a QRS Kamra. I spoke with the vendor at the flea market, and they mentioned that the camera was their grandfather's from a small collection he had owned. They just wanted to get rid of it, so I bought it for a reasonable price. Unfortunately, this camera was missing the shutter release and winding crank, a common issue with this model. At the time, I was thrilled to have it in my collection.

QRS Kamra w/Registration cards.

 I generally keep cameras in my collection for a few years, then look for a better version if I plan to keep it. About eight to ten years after purchasing the QRS Kamra, I put it up for sale on eBay and sold it to someone else looking to add it to their collection. Since then, I purchased another QRS Kamera in the box with a handle, although it had a broken handle.

 On another occasion, many years after selling the QRS Kamra, I purchased a "lot" of cameras and photo items. Hidden in the photos, I found an Ellison Kamra, a camera very similar to the QRS Kamra. It's slightly larger, featuring a pull-down lens and viewfinder, and is made from Bakelite, dating back a couple of years. I was amazed to find it among this lot of cameras. Looking back at the photo, all you could see was one of the ends, as it was buried under several different items.

 In 1926, Michael Ellison and Edward McAuliffe of Los Angeles filed a patent for a new two-bladed shutter system. They wanted to use the new shutter on a camera they designed and built called the Ellison Kamra. They only produced one camera, which used 35mm film, a format popular in both movie and still cameras at the time. Unfortunately, the Ellison Kamra only lasted a few years, and by 1935, they were out of business.

 The QRS Kamra was also sold under the DeVry Kamra after QRS purchased DeVry in 1929, but this only lasted for a year. The unusual item I still can't put together is the relationship between both the Ellisons and QRS Kamra's. They both have similar-looking cameras, use the same shutter system, and share very similar layouts.

History:

 The histories of DeVry and QRS, though largely separate, are linked by a noteworthy, albeit brief, corporate union in the early 20th century. Both companies originated in Chicago with a focus on cutting-edge technology of their time.

Michael Ellison and Edward McAuliffe Patent

 Herman DeVry, an inventor and innovator in visual education, founded the DeVry Corporation in 1913. He made a name for himself by creating the "Theater in a Suitcase," the first portable motion picture projector, which revolutionized the use of film in schools and other institutions. His work was dedicated to making learning more visual and accessible through technology.

 Around the same time, the QRS Music Company, founded in 1900 by Melville Clark, was a dominant force in the music technology of the era: the player piano. QRS became the world's largest manufacturer of piano rolls, capturing the live performances of famous artists and making music widely available for in-home entertainment long before the advent of widespread audio recording.

 The paths of these two innovative companies converged in 1929 when QRS, looking to diversify its technology portfolio, purchased the DeVry Corporation. For a short period, the company operated under the name QRS-DeVry, producing devices like movie cameras and projectors. However, this merger was short-lived.

 By the early 1930s, the two entities went their separate ways. Herman DeVry, in collaboration with Dr. Lee de Forest, shifted his focus entirely to technical education, establishing DeForest Training School in 1931. This institution would evolve over the decades, becoming DeVry Technical Institute and eventually the well-known DeVry University, a prominent for-profit institution focused on career-oriented education.

 Meanwhile, QRS returned to its musical roots. After a series of ownership changes, it continued to produce piano rolls for decades and adapted to new technologies, eventually developing modern digital player piano systems. While their corporate marriage was brief, both DeVry and QRS left lasting, independent legacies in the fields of education and automated music technology.

My Kamra (Camera):

 My QRS Kamra is 7.5" wide by 3" deep by 2.5" tall, and weighs 1 pound, 14.1 ounces. The serial number on my Kamra is Series No. A 3008, so it is a relatively early version of the camera. The camera is made of a brown Bakelite material with cotton filler, which gives the camera a mottled look. The camera has a fixed focus 40mm f7.7 lens and a bright viewfinder.

On top of the camera, all the controls are located. There are really only two controls on the camera. On the far left, you'll find the shutter setting options: "time" for long exposures and "I" for instant. Just to the right of the shutter settings is the fold-up crank. This crank is turned in the clockwise direction to advance the film, or to the counterclockwise direction to snap the photo.

Just above the shutter release and film advance crank is the bright viewfinder, and to the right of that is the frame counter. This QRS Kamra allows for up to 40 photos to be loaded into their special film cassettes.

To open the back to load film, slide the two knobs on the back of the camera to the left, which allows the back to come off. Once the back is off, you can see two metal cassettes inside the camera. The cassettes take 35mm film, which you'd load into the cassette on the left, and the exposed film would travel into the cassette on the right. There is no inner spool in the cassettes; the film slides into the cassette, very similar to how the Ansco memo cameras operate.

When you turn the crank on top of the camera to advance the film, the drive gears on top and bottom transport the film from the supply cassette into the exposed cassette. The advanced gears are attached to the frame counter, which would move to the next frame. Once all the images were taken, you take the cassette on the right to be processed. Then load the camera with more film and take more photos. 

 The camera is straightforward and basic, without a lot of bells and whistles. The cameras were only made for a few years, first as the QRS Kamra, then, after QRS was purchased, the camera became the DeVry Kamra. Unfortunately, due to a few factors, the cameras were only made for a few years. One factor was the emergence of 35mm cameras, and the second was the poor quality of the advance and shutter release wheel, which broke on many of the QRS and later the DeVry Kamras.

Conclusion:

 I'm glad to have the odd and unusual camera in my collection. The more I think about the connection between the Ellison camera and the QRS Kamra, the more I realize its significance. The QRS company was looking for an inexpensive and straightforward camera. With the new two-blade shutter the Ellison company had, I'm sure they were anxious to get it onto other cameras, and they made the connection somehow.

 Like many of these cameras, mine is operational, but I discovered a fascinating individual in the UK who rebuilt the shutter and created a more reliable crank for the top of the camera. Here is his article on Restoring a QRS Kamra. Once he got the camera operational, he mentions towards the end that the quality of the images is pretty poor. Please take a look at his article; it's very well done.

Here’s a copy of the QRS Kamra manual I found stuck to the top of the camera box.

QRS Kamra manual Pg. 1

QRS Kamra manual Pg. 2

 Thank you for taking a few minutes to read about this odd bird of a camera (Kamra).

 Here's a link to my other camera reviews.

 I also have an eBay store, Cuny's Camera and Photo, where I sell some of the cameras I've reviewed, along with many other photo odds and ends.

 Until next week, please be safe.

No. 4A Speed Kodak Camera

My No. 4A Speed Kodak camera

The No. 4A Speed Kodak camera is a massive camera. It's one of the largest folding-style cameras in my collection. I recently acquired this camera as a trade during a camera show in Seattle, where I was a vendor. 

 The person I acquired the camera from has a very similar collection to mine. During our discussion, he mentioned that he had two No. 4A Speed Kodak cameras. On display at the show was a large and heavy Japanese machine gun camera. I owned the camera for many years, but I didn't want to transport it back to my home, so I asked if he was interested in trading one of his No. 4A cameras for my Japanese machine gun camera. I was very excited when the discussion of trading one camera for the number four speed Kodak became official.

 This is the second No. 4A Speed Kodak camera I've had the pleasure of owning. The first number for a Kodak camera that I purchased was from a customer in Atlanta, Georgia. During a visit to an antique store, I mentioned that I collect cameras. The owner of the shop told me that they were the trustees of an estate that owned many cameras and were getting ready to sell them. I asked if I could see their collection, and they said yes. 

 Unfortunately, I only had about 30 minutes to rummage through what they had, as I had a sales appointment with a customer and didn't want to be late. While rummaging through the cameras I had set aside, I came across 15 to 20 items I wanted to purchase from the estate, including a No. 4A Speed Kodak camera. The camera was in my collection for several years until one day I decided to sell it. 

After selling the No. 4A Speed Kodak, I regretted selling it due to how rare they are and how seldom you see them for sale. It's a camera that I've been looking to purchase again for many years.  I was thrilled to find one and strike a deal for it while I was a vendor at the Camera show in Seattle.

 History:

From Kodak 1912 Sales Catalog.

 George Eastman, a self-taught chemist and businessman, revolutionized the world of photography with the founding of the Eastman Kodak Company. Born in 1854, Eastman's early life was marked by financial hardship, forcing him to leave school at 14 to support his family. His foray into photography began in the late 1870s, a time when the process was cumbersome and expensive, requiring heavy equipment and on-the-spot chemical processing. Eastman envisioned a more straightforward, more accessible method for capturing images.

Advertisement for Speed Kodak cameras.

 After years of experimenting in his mother's kitchen, Eastman developed a successful dry-plate formula and a machine for mass-producing them. This innovation led to the establishment of the Eastman Dry Plate Company in 1881. A pivotal moment came in 1888 with the introduction of the first Kodak camera. It was a small, user-friendly box camera that came pre-loaded with a roll of film capable of 100 exposures. The company's slogan, "You press the button, we do the rest," perfectly encapsulated its business model. Once the roll was finished, the entire camera was sent back to the factory in Rochester, New York, where the film was developed and printed, and a new roll of film was inserted before being returned to the customer.

 The turn of the century saw another groundbreaking innovation with the release of the Kodak Brownie camera in 1900. Priced at just one dollar, the Brownie was marketed towards children but was embraced by all. This affordable and easy-to-use camera democratized photography, turning it from a professional trade into a popular hobby. For the first time, ordinary people could create their own visual records of their lives, leading to the advent of the "snapshot."

 For much of the 20th century, Kodak dominated the photography industry, pioneering advancements in color film and motion picture technology. However, the company's reliance on its highly profitable film business model proved to be its undoing. Despite inventing the first digital camera in 1975, Kodak was slow to embrace the new technology, fearing it would cannibalize its film sales. This hesitation allowed competitors to seize the digital market. By the time Kodak fully committed to digital, it was too late. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2012, a poignant end for a company that had once put a camera in everyone's hands.

My Camera:

As I mentioned in the first line of this blog, the No. 4A Speed Kodak is a behemoth of a camera, which has a beautiful red bellows, measuring 11.75" tall, by 6.5" wide, and 3.5" deep when the camera is closed. When the camera is opened, the lens extended, the camera is 12" deep. My camera weighs in at 5 lbs. 11.5 ounces. The camera first appeared in the Kodak sales catalogue in 1908 and remained there until 1912.

The serial number of my camera is 519-D, which you can find on the back side of the "Kodak" leg used to support the camera when opened. My No. 4A Speed Kodak camera has a batch ID number of 747, which is found on the inside of the back door, along with a matching number on the film "wings" used when loading film. 

 The negative size of the No. 4A Speed Kodak is a whopping 4 1/4" x 6 1/2" on 126-sized roll film. Not to be confused with the 126 cartridge film from the 1960s. Please note the size of the film spool for the No. 4A speed Kodak compared to a spool from a 120 size film.

The unique feature of the No. 4A Speed Kodak is its built-in Focal Plane shutter system. This shutter allows the camera to shoot from speeds of 1/5 on the slow end to a top-end shutter speed of 1/1000. The camera could also do timed exposures if necessary. The focal plane shutter is set by a series of tension wheels and settings done on the top of the camera. To achieve the desired shutter speed, the tensions and sliders are adjusted according to the graph displayed on top of the camera.

 To open the camera and take a photo, as with many other Kodaks, a button on the side unlocks the folding bed. Once the bed is opened and in the locked position, the lens can be slid out onto the bed by pinching the two grips just under the lens and sliding it into the "taking" position. There is a fine focus adjustment on the folding bed, allowing you to focus on your subject. 

 Similar to other folding cameras, a waist-level finder is located to the top right of the lens and covered by a chrome cover to prevent dirt from hindering your ability to frame your subject. This waist-level finder can be used for vertical or swung sideways for horizontal images. There is a secondary finder on top of the camera that flips up, and according to the catalog, this is an extra called the Direct Viewfinder.  

 To close the camera, use the two grips to slide the lens back into the camera body. Once you're all the way in, press down on the arms that lock the camera erect. They will unlock, allowing you to fold the bed back into the camera's body and lock it back in place.

To open the back of the camera and load the film, use the two buttons located on each side of the camera body near the back. Press both buttons, and the back will come off the camera. Sometimes you'll need to pull the back away from the body to remove it if it doesn't spring open. The sides of the camera will also swing open, making it easier to insert or remove the roll. You'll also need to unhook the side strap before taking the back off. Unfortunately, my No. 4A Speed Kodak is missing the strap, but this procedure is similar to how the Kodak Panoram cameras open and close.

 Once the film is loaded in the camera, slide the bottom of the back into the slot and press it into position, ensuring the side wings are closed. The back will then snap and lock into place.

Conclusion:

 The focal plane shutter on my camera is not operable, and the shutter curtains are very brittle. After a bit of coaxing and taking the time to work with it, I managed to get one of the shutter curtains to close, but you can see how brittle it is from the photos.

 Also, on my No. 4A Speed Kodak, the red bellows have separated from the black fabric on the inside of the bellows on the right side of the camera. That's why the bellows seem so wonky on that side. Still, having one of these cameras for display purposes is a wonderful thing, and I'm pleased to have this 110-year-old camera back in my collection.

 Thank you for taking the time to look over and read about this fascinating camera from Kodak's past.

 Click the link to see other Camera Reviews.

 Visit Cuny's Camera and Photos on my eBay store to see cameras and other photo odds and ends I have for sale. At times, I even sell cameras from my reviews.

 Until next week, please be safe.

 

Photo-See Camera Outfit

My Photo-See camera, developing tank and instruction manual.

Almost 20 years before Dr. Land and Polaroid made instant photography world famous, a camera called the Photo-See was introduced in 1936. This company brought a very short-lived and straightforward box camera, along with a pocket-sized developing tank, to the market. These two items enable the photographer to take a photo and develop it without needing to send the film to be processed and printed.

 I don't remember when I purchased the Photo-See camera. I know it was well over 20 years ago. When I bought the photo see cameras, there were at least two, possibly three, of the same camera purchased in a lot of cameras purchased. 

 Several years ago, I recall selling one or two of the cameras on eBay. It wasn't until recently that I understood that there are two parts to this camera. The camera itself, and the developing tank in which the film for the camera was placed and processed.

 Initially, I thought the developing tank fit onto the back of the camera, but I was wrong. The developing tank is actually a separate part that the film from the photo camera fits into, allowing the photographer to process the film at any time they want to. The idea was that the photographer could take the photo, then have the print ready within a few minutes.

 

The History:

The Photo-See camera was the brainchild of Herman Casler, who was born in 1867 in Sandwich, IL, and raised in Fort Plain, NY. Over his lifetime, Casler invented and patented several different products and was also a partner in K.M.C.D. Syndicate, this was along with W.K.-L. Dickson, Elias Koopman, and Henry N. "Harry" Marvin. 

American Mutoscope and Biograph Founders, 1895. Casler upper right.

 Casler, Dickson, and Marvin collaborated in 1893 on a detective camera, the size of a watch, called the Photoret. The Photoret was a watch based on a pocket watch, similar to the Expo camera.

 Casler started his career as a Draftsman for General Electric Co., designing electric rock drills. He became the superintendent of Marvin Drill Company in 1895, which Harry Marvin owned.

 Casler, following Dickson's proposal, invented the Mutoscope, which displayed short films through flip-cards rotated by a hand crank that could be slowed down or sped up at the operator's will by turning the crank faster or slower. The prototype of the Mutograph camera was completed in November 1894, first tested with film in June 1895, and the first official Mutoscope films were made in August 1895.

Patent for Photo-See camera

 Marvin & Casler Co. was formed in 1896, where they manufactured the Mutoscope, which was very popular in nickelodeons during this time. The Mutoscope and Thomas Edison's Kinetoscope are the beginning of the motion picture business as we know it.

 His work in inventing motion picture cameras, projectors, and other motion picture equipment extended well beyond the 1920s, where he helped develop a more miniature hand-cranked motion picture camera and a three-pronged shutter that helped reduce flicker during projection.

 Herman Casler is also the inventor of the Photo-See camera, which was patented in 1937. The company was short-lived, as Casler passed away in 1939, and I don't see production of the camera continuing much after his death.

The Camera & Developing Tank:

 The Photo-See camera is a straightforward box camera design with a few differences, which I'll explain. The camera is 4" tall by 3 "wide by 4.5" deep, including the focusing device, and weighs 12.3 ounces.

 The front of the camera features a distinctive Art Deco design, which is enhanced by a sticker applied to the front of the camera. The camera is made from a thicker cardboard material, featuring a two-part, fold-up viewfinder on top. It's said the viewfinder is put on backwards, but that's not the case, as I find it to work better than the other way.

 On the left side of the camera are three controls; on top is the shutter control. When the bar is "in," the camera takes a regular snapshot, and when it's "out", the shutter stays open for a more prolonged exposure. This is similar to other box cameras from the same time period. The middle slider controls the aperture setting. They are Small, Medium, and Large. The bottom lever is the shutter release.

On the back of the camera, there are three main controls. The bar at the top is pulled down to remove the film from the camera. The smaller round disk on top is turned from the 3:00 to the 9:00 position to expose the film when you're ready to take a photograph. Then the disk is in the 9:00 position, which also locks the top bar, so you cannot take the back off when the film is ready to be exposed. Under the small disk is a larger disk, known as the focusing disk, which is turned to the desired distance from your subject. This is achieved by adjusting the internal focus of the film, moving it back, in, or out, which enables the film to shift its focus from 3 feet to infinity.

When you remove the film back and look inside, you'll see that it's spring-loaded, where you would load the film pack into the camera. The motion of the smaller disk on the outside of the back moved a pin on the inside up and down, which would open a dark slide, allowing light to hit the film once the shutter release was flipped. Moving the disk back to the original position closes the dark slide.

The Photo-See camera, when used in the vertical position, takes a horizontal image, and to take a vertical photo, you turn the camera to the horizontal position. Very similar to how half-frame cameras work.

 The Developing tank is 4.5" long by 3.75" wide by 2.5" deep, and weighs 9.4 ounces. The tank is composed of two parts and held together by a locking arm and a clip that wraps around the tank. Unlocking the arm swings the bar out of the way. On the back side are two spring-loaded clips that need to be squeezed to disassemble the tank. 

Once apart, you slide the locking lever away and turn the disk on the tank to the "up" position. This allows the film to be loaded into the tank. Put the back onto the tank, and turn the disk to the "down position, which exposes the film to the chemicals. Once the film is in the tank, you assemble the two pieces and lock them together to initiate the processing. 

 According to the manual, four bottles and four packets of chemicals are needed for developing your image. #1 is the developer, #2 is the bleacher, #3 is the clearer, and #4 is the toner. Pour the packets into the numbered bottles, fill them with water, and mix. Pour the contents into the larger opening for developing. This camera produces photos and not negatives. Once developed, the final image size is 1 11/16 x 1 1/8 inches.

 

Results:

Unfortunately, the film for this camera isn't available, so I have no images to show from it. Heck, I've been looking for film for this for many years and have not seen one for sale anywhere.

 

Conclusion:

This camera is such an oddball, I couldn't resist writing about it, especially since it was many years ahead of its time. I understand that the process is lengthy, that you need to carry chemicals, and that the image size is small. These factors were the reason why this didn't gain popularity.

 It's nice to have an almost complete system in the collection. A film pack and the box would be nice, but having the camera, developing tank, and manual is good.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes to read about this odd and unusual camera from almost 90 years ago.

 Click on the link to see my other camera reviews.

 Cuny's Camera & Photo is my eBay store, where I sell some of the cameras I've reviewed, along with other camera-related items.

 Until next week, please be safe. 

Photax 1 camera

My Photax camera

This summer, as my wife and I visited Barcelona on a day when my wife was working, I decided to go to the local flea market to look for photo items to add to my collection. Attending local flea markets is something I look forward to, especially when we visit new cities and countries. My main objective was to find a camera built in Spain, which I accomplished by purchasing the Captain camera, which I reviewed earlier this year.

 Strolling the stalls at the flea market, I came across a very large Bakelite camera, which intrigued me. It was a Photax 1 camera made by MIOM in France. What I liked about the camera was its large size, and that came with the original fitted case. As I pulled out the camera to examine it, I noticed a very familiar twist-out style lens, and the shutter was working, which gave me confidence in my purchase. Talking to the person at Stoll about pricing for the camera, I offered a reasonably low price, which they rejected. However, they came back with a counteroffer, which I needed to consider for a while.

 As I spent more time examining different stalls and cameras. Still, my mind kept returning to the Photax 1 camera, which is the large camera with the untwisting lens. Before I left the flea market, I went back to the stall and renegotiated the price with the camera owner, coming to an agreeable price and purchasing the camera.

 This camera was one that I wanted to write about. It's an unusual-shaped camera made of Bakelite and is quite large. When I opened the back of the camera, I noticed that it was a 6 x 9 cm format, which intrigued me. Many of the cameras made by 

MIOM we're a smaller format, generally 6 x 4.5 cm.

 Let me tell you a little bit about the company.

History:

 MIOM (Manufacture d'Instruments d'Optique et de Mécanique) was a French company known for producing optical and mechanical instruments in the mid-20th century, particularly cameras. The firm operated mainly from the post-World War II era into the 1960s, a time when France was striving to rebuild its industrial base and compete in the rapidly evolving consumer goods market.

French Photax ad

 MIOM's roots were in precision engineering, and the company initially focused on optical devices before expanding into the field of photographic equipment. Its location in France allowed it to tap into a tradition of fine optical craftsmanship, drawing on expertise that had developed in Paris and other industrial centers since the 19th century.

 In the camera field, MIOM was best known for manufacturing compact and affordable models aimed at the amateur photography market. Among their most recognizable products was the MIOM Photax series—a line of simple, durable cameras using roll film. The Photax models often featured Bakelite bodies, a lightweight and inexpensive molded plastic popular in mid-century camera production. These cameras were designed for ease of use, appealing to the growing middle class and to families seeking to document their lives without investing in complex photographic gear.

 The Photax range evolved over the years, with various iterations accommodating different film formats, primarily 6×9 cm images on 120 roll film, and later 4.5×6 cm formats. Some models incorporated basic focusing and exposure controls, while others remained strictly fixed-focus, point-and-shoot devices. Though not technically advanced compared to contemporary offerings from Germany or Japan, MIOM's cameras were reliable, affordable, and accessible, helping to democratize photography in France.

 MIOM also ventured into specialized cameras, including stereo models, reflecting the brief postwar enthusiasm for 3D photography. Their designs maintained the company's hallmark of straightforward construction and modest pricing.

By the late 1960s, increasing competition from Japanese manufacturers, whose products offered superior optics and more advanced features at competitive prices, had eroded MIOM's market position. The brand gradually faded, and production ceased as the company either closed or shifted away from photographic equipment.

 Today, MIOM's cameras—especially the early Bakelite Photax models—are collected for their retro aesthetic and as examples of France's postwar consumer design. While they may never have rivaled the technical prowess of major brands, MIOM's work remains an essential chapter in the history of accessible, everyday photography.

 Below is a timeline outlining the evolution of MIOM's Photax camera series.

 1937 – Photax I- MIOM launches its photographic division with several models, including the original Photax (also branded as Camera 77, Loisirs), all of which use 120 film for 6×9 cm images. The Photax I is recognizable by its centrally positioned shutter button and Guillotine shutter, which offers two speeds. 

1938 – Photax II (and Blindé variant)- Introduced in 1938, the Photax II adopts the Boyer Serie VIII meniscus lens and maintains the simple two-speed shutter design. A "blindé" version appears—with a protective Bakelite lens cover that also shields the shutter release. 

1947 – Photax III- Following World War II, MIOM debuts the Photax III, featuring a threaded shutter release and leveraging the same Boyer Serie VIII lens. It introduces additional shutter settings (1/25 sec, 1/100 sec, and T) and continues to use the 620 film format. 

1951 – Photax IV (and IV F)- The Photax IV arrives with a Boyer Rexar meniscus lens and identical shutter options as the III, with enhanced flash synchronization. The IV F variant includes flash sync capabilities via a RIM shutter. 

1955 – Photax V- A stylish redesign marks the launch of Photax V in 1955. It features a modernized Bakelite aesthetic, bi-format capability (6×9 and 6×6 cm), and upgrades to an Angénieux Heanar Type V lens with full flash sync via RIM shutter 

1960–1962 – Photax VI -The final model in the Photax lineage, produced between 1960 and 1962, transitions from Bakelite to molded plastic, featuring a sleek, streamlined design. It's a square-format 6×6 medium-format camera that utilizes an Angénieux Heanar Type VI lens and RIM shutter with flash synchronization.

 

My Camera:

 My camera is 6 1/2 inches wide by 4 1/2 inches tall by 4 inches deep when the lens is unscrewed. In its closed position, the lens is 3 1/4 inches long. Without the case, my camera weighs 1 pound, 2.7 ounces.  The lens on the camera is a Boyer, Series VII lens.

The Photax 1 was produced for approximately one to two years, from 1939 to 1940. The Photax 1 camera uses 120 film, a departure from MIOM's earlier cameras, which used 127 film. As I mentioned earlier, this is a 6 x 9 cm format camera. The Photax 1 was sold with a film mask that allowed the photographer to shoot in the 6 x 4.5 cm format. Unfortunately, when I purchased this camera, the mask was missing, so my camera is only compatible with the 6 x 9 format.

 To extend the lines, there is a chrome ring around the lens with a knob at its top. Twist the ring clockwise, and the lens, which is on a helical screw, unscrews and moves into the taking position. The camera's controls are fundamental. There are only two shutter settings. One is "INST", which is for normal snapshots, and "POSE", which is for time exposures. These are changed by a little switch between the two settings. To control the aperture. There is a similar switch beneath the lens. One setting is the larger aperture, which is number one, and the second setting is for a smaller aperture.

There is no lock on the back of the camera to secure the back to the front of the camera body. To open the camera, on the right side, is a little foam plate that you pull away from the camera body, and the back of the camera comes off. To load the camera, follow a process similar to loading a 120 format or 120 film-style camera. The first thing you would do is to take the take-up spool from the right side of the camera and place it on the left side, under the film, and under the film advance knob. Place a fresh roll of film on the right-hand side and bring the leader over the shutter area. Insert the leader into the slot of the take-up spool and begin winding, ensuring the film advances smoothly. You turn the advance knob until you see "start" on the film's paper backing. At this point, put the back on the camera by just pressing it onto the camera‘s body.

At this point, wind the film advance knob until you see the number 1 in the first window, which is designated for the 6x9cm format. For the 6 x 4.5 format, you would wind until you see the number one in the number one window. After you take the picture, wind until you see the number one in the number two window. You repeat the steps through number eight, which would be the end of the roll of film. For 6 x 9 cm format images, you get eight images per roll. For 6 x 4.5 cm format, you get 16 pictures per roll of film. 

Fitted case for Photax 1 camera. Note the large plastic front cover.

 IMPORTANT: Be sure to turn the chrome ring so that your lenses are in the taking position before you start taking photographs. Failure to do this will result in your pictures being incredibly out of focus. On other MIOM cameras, if the lens is in the transport position, the shutter will not work. Unfortunately, with this camera, the shutter works when the lens is in the retracted or transporting position.

 The viewfinder on top of the camera is tiny, making it difficult to view your subject when framing your photograph. To take your photograph, the shutter release is located in the upper right-hand corner of the lens. Press the shutter button to take your picture. My camera has a cable release socket, and on the bottom of the camera, there is a tripod socket as well.

My Results:

 I cleaned the lens on the camera, loaded a fresh roll of 120 film, and took a walk around the neighborhood to see how this camera would perform.

 For 100% transparency. I broke my arm two days before I took these photographs. It was challenging to hold the camera while taking the photos, so some of the blur or out-of-focus images may have been caused by camera movement.

 Here are the results.

Conclusion:

 The images produced by the camera were disappointing. I'm not sure if the blur in the

photo was caused by my lack of holding the camera still. According to the information on the back of the camera, the minimum focus distance is approximately 1 m. Many of the photographs I took, I tried to be more than 1 m away from the subject.

 Due to the sunny situation, having only one shutter speed to work with, and using the smallest aperture, the photographs are unimpressive. At this point, I'm not sure I'll use this camera again due to the quality of the images, which I found disappointing, especially considering it's a 6x9 format camera.

 Thank you for taking the time to read about this interesting Camera from France, built in the late 1930s. 

 If you're interested in seeing other camera reviews, click the link.

 I also have a store on eBay where I sell some of the cameras reviewed, along with a host of other photo items, Cuny's Camera & Photo.

 Until next time, please be safe.

Ricoh Auto Half Camera

My Ricoh Auto Half E2 camera

The 1960s were a tumultuous time—a wild era—for politics, art, social change, music, and design. Having spent my early and informative years during this time, I was witness to some remarkable events that shaped the world, which I'm happy to say I lived through.

 There were the Beatles, who upended the music world; marches and protests against the war in Vietnam and civil rights; and Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol, who were taking the art world by storm. It seemed like every month, there were issues and events in the news that shaped the world.

 In the photographic and camera design fields, in my opinion, one of the more artistic and interesting products to emerge from the 1960s was the Ricoh Auto-Half camera—a straightforward camera that underwent several model changes, keeping the design fresh for almost 20 years.

 The Ricoh Auto Half camera was introduced in December 1960. For the period, the camera was very compact and lightweight, a half-frame 35mm camera with automatic exposure, no manual focusing, and automatic winding. The size of the camera was compared to a pack of cigarettes.

 Not only were there several different model changes and improvements, but the design style, to me, was the item that kept the camera fresh. The original Ricoh Auto Half camera was available in a bright silver color and featured a wrist strap. However, later in the 1960s and well into the 1970s, the camera took on many different colors and geometric designs, which were very popular during this timeframe.

My three Ricoh Auto Half cameras

 Some of the cameras were black with a white geometric pattern on the front, like one of the models I have. Later in the production cycle of the cameras, the production became bolder and more intricate, which kept pace with the signs of the times.

 There was a yellowish-green checkerboard pattern, or some cameras had brown vertical stripes or a wavy pattern, while others had outlandish red and blue colors that appeared to create a dome pattern on the front of the camera. One of the models I saw was named "King Gold," which is a gold color camera with an interesting pattern on the front. Some have a filigree around the border, or a train or race car on the front. All of these models are just fascinating to me, and one of the main reasons I wanted to write about them.

 I own three different models of the Auto Half cameras. I have an Auto Half E model with a diamond pattern and a Formula 1 race car on the front. I have a Black Auto Half SE model with a swirly pattern on the front, and the camera I used for the post was an Auto Half E2 in superb working condition.

I own three different models of the Auto Half cameras. I have an Auto Half E model with a diamond pattern and a Formula 1 race car on the front. I have a Black Auto Half SE model with a swirly pattern on the front, and the camera I used for the post was an Auto Half E2 in superb working condition.

History:

Ricoh's journey into the world of photography began not with cameras, but with sensitized paper. Established in 1936 as Riken Kankoshi Co., Ltd., the company quickly leveraged its expertise in optics, venturing into camera production just a year later in 1937. This early period laid the groundwork for a legacy of innovation and accessibility in the photographic industry. The company, which would be renamed Riken Optical Co., Ltd. in 1938, introduced its first camera, the Olympic Four, in 1939. This simple folding camera marked its entry into a competitive market.

Japanese ad for Ricoh Auto Half camera

 The post-war era proved to be a transformative period for Ricoh. A pivotal moment arrived in 1950 with the launch of the Ricohflex Model III. This twin-lens reflex (TLR) camera was a game-changer. By implementing a revolutionary belt-conveyor system for mass production—a first in Japan's camera industry—Ricoh was able to produce the Ricohflex III at a remarkably affordable price. This move single-handedly democratized photography for the Japanese public, transforming cameras from a luxury item into an accessible consumer good. The Ricohflex III became a massive commercial success, reportedly capturing over half of the domestic market share at its peak and cementing Ricoh's reputation.

 Building on this momentum, Ricoh continued to innovate throughout the 1950s and early 1960s. The company introduced the Ricoh 500 in 1957, a popular 35mm camera notable for its user-friendly features. However, it was the Ricoh Auto Half in 1962 that truly showcased the company's forward-thinking design philosophy. This remarkably compact and lightweight half-frame camera was fully automatic, with automated exposure, focusing, and film winding. Its purse-sized dimensions and ease of use made it a massive hit, particularly with female consumers, and it became a global success.

 These formative years were crucial in shaping Ricoh's identity. From the mass-produced Ricohflex that brought photography to the masses to the stylishly simple Auto Half, Ricoh's early history is a story of creating high-quality, innovative cameras that were not only technologically proficient but also thoughtfully designed for everyday users. This foundation of accessibility and user-centric innovation would continue to define the company for decades to come.

My Camera:

My Auto Half E2 model camera is 3.5: wide, by 3" tall, by 1.5" deep, and weighs 11.9 ounces. The camera is a 35mm half-frame camera that takes a vertical image of  24x17cm on 35mm film. The camera features a fixed focus 25mm F/2.8 lens, which is typical for half-frame cameras.

The Auto Half camera incorporates a selenium cell metering system, which on many of these cameras isn't working due to the age of the selenium cell. It can no longer meter the light, but fortunately, I have one in excellent working condition. The selenium cell is located around the lens. The aperture has a range from F/2.8 to F/22. 

 The ASA (ISO) range for the film speed on the Auto Half camera goes from 25 to 400. The ASA is set on a dial located on the top of the camera.  The other setting on the dial is for "A" or automatic aperture. There are aperture settings on the dial, but these are for flash settings.

The metering is done automatically and sets the aperture to achieve the proper lighting for the subject you're pointing the camera at. When in the "A" or automatic mode, the camera sets the shutter speed to 1/125th and sets the aperture. When you use a flash, the shutter is set to 1/30th of a second, and then you manually set the aperture depending on the distance to your subject.

 According to the Auto Half manual, the only indication that the camera's lighting will be set automatically is a yellow dot appearing in the center of the viewfinder. If the yellow dot doesn't appear, then the camera will not set the proper aperture, and the image will be either too light or too dark. 

To load film into the camera, there is a lever on the side of the camera that slides down to open the back of the camera. Once open, load the camera as you would any 35mm camera, putting the film cartridge on the right side and slipping the leader under one of the silver tabs on the left. Close the back of the camera, and wind the clock drive winding lever located at the bottom of the camera in a clockwise direction. Continue winding until you can no longer wind. Click the shutter a couple of times to get to your first exposure. You're all set to take photos. The winding motor will last approximately 25 frames before it needs to be wound again.

 The frame counter is right next to the rewind lever. To rewind the film into the cartridge. The rewind release button is in the middle of the winding motor. Press the rewind button, and rewind the film into the 35mm cassette. Once that's done, you can open the back of the camera, remove the film, and have it processed.

My Results:

I loaded the camera with a roll of film and took it with me for a walk around the block with our 15-year-old Pug, Ernie. These walks are getting a bit slower every week, so I had time to snap photos of some of the houses in the neighborhood, as well as many of the flowers in people's yards.

 I wanted to push the limits of the camera and see just how close I could get to capturing a reasonably sharp image. It appears that the minimum focus distance is right around 3-4 feet, even with 200 ISO film in the camera and on a very bright summer day, around noon.

 Here are some of the images I took.

Conclusion:

I think I'm more impressed with this camera than the Canon Demi I did a couple of weeks ago. There was a bright yellow dot in the center of the viewfinder, so I trusted the meter's exposure, which was pretty accurate.

 The focus was pushed, and I received a few blurry images, which I had anticipated, but overall, the camera did a fantastic job. The transport worked flawlessly, the exposures were accurate, the camera fit nicely into my pocket, and all I needed to do was put the camera to my eye, frame the photo, and press the shutter button…Fantastic!!!!

 I'll be using this more often, since it's a small, compact, lightweight, and accurate meter. A real treasure to have in my collection. Now all I need to do is find other models and designs. I think this may be the start of something fun.

 Thank you for taking the time to read about this compact bundle of photographic bliss—a real underappreciated camera from the 1960s.

 If you're interested, you can read more of my camera reviews by clicking on the link.

 I have a store on eBay where I sell some of the cameras featured in my camera reviews, as well as a variety of photo odds and ends. Take a look at Cuny's Camera and Photo.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Welta Perfekta

My Welta Perfekta camera

As I've mentioned in the past, I'm always drawn to the colorful, or odd and unusual cameras. As a camera collector for over 50 years, and having spent countless hours poring over many of McKeown's price guides to cameras, there are cameras that I'm always intrigued by and would love to own. Cameras like an original daguerreotype camera, the Rectaflex Rotor, a three-lens camera, or a beautiful Compass camera made by Swiss watchmakers Le Coultre et Cie for Compass Cameras Ltd., London, England. All of these cameras are out of my league in terms of pricing, unless I win the lottery and have a few hundred dollars burning a hole in my pocket.

 To me, the most enjoyable aspect of collecting cameras is the hunt to find a rare or somewhat rare camera, lens, or other photographic item. Every once in a while in this collecting game, you come across a hidden bargain.  It could be something at the bottom of a box, or just that the person selling the item isn't fully aware of the value of items, and (to me), that is a highly satisfying feeling.

 Having had that same feeling about a year ago when I was at a garage sale in one of the neighboring towns, and I saw a Welta Perfekta camera. As I picked up the camera, it appeared to be in good condition. The shutter worked, the viewfinder seemed clean for being nearly 100 years old, and all the leather was intact. It was a nice camera, and one I'd love to have in my collection. When I asked about the price for the camera, the person selling it said it was her grandfather's. 

Odd shaped camera body

 Letting the seller know that the camera was in good condition and nice shape. I provided the seller with some information on the camera's age and a brief overview of the company. I let them know that I had collected the camera, written a weekly blog about it, and would love to have it in my collection. The seller said that, since I was a collector, it was important to them that the camera go to a good home, and they offered me the price of $50.00. I was happy to pay that price for such a nice example, and at that point, we were both pleased that the camera had a new home.

 I was familiar with the camera because I had written about the Zeca-Flex camera a while ago, and its shape had intrigued me. The Perfekta has a very similar shape to the Zeca-Flex as they are both folding Twin Lens cameras. These are twin-lens cameras with a large viewfinder that opens and closes, comparable to other twin-lens reflex cameras. The body of the camera folds into the film area, making the camera much smaller and more portable. 

History:

Since I just wrote about the history of Welta in last week's review of their Penti camera, I thought I would spend this review focusing on the history of the Reflekta camera, along with its older brother, the Superflekta camera.

 Both the Superflekta and Reflekta cameras are folding twin-lens cameras. As I previously mentioned, they are considered pocket cameras, which means they are smaller cameras intended to be easily transported in your coat pocket. They are a mix of pocket cameras introduced by Kodak in 1912 with their Vest Pocket cameras, and a Twin Lens Reflex camera introduced by Rolleiflex in 1929.

 The Perfekta camera was introduced in 1934. It's a medium-format camera that takes 6x6cm images on 120mm film. It features a large viewfinder that opens like the Rolleiflex and other Twin Lens Reflex cameras of its time. The body of the camera pops away from the film chamber, utilizing a bellows system that separates the lens from the film chamber, and forms an oddly shaped camera. There is a tripod socket and arm on the bottom of the lens area that allows the camera to stand upright on a flat surface, such as a table, if needed.

 The Perfekta could be purchased with one of three different lenses they sold. You had your choice of either a Meyer Trioplan 75mm f/3.5, Schneider Xenar, or Carl Zeiss Tessar 75mm f/3.8 lenses.

 The Superflekta was the first of this style of camera introduced by Welta in 1932. It's a larger camera that takes 6x9cm images on 120 film. The most intriguing feature of the Superflekta camera is that the film chamber rotates from a vertical position to a horizontal one for landscape-style images. This is very similar to how the Cornu Ontoflex operates. The photographer doesn't rotate the camera; instead, they rotate the film to achieve a horizontal image. 

 Rotating the film's back makes sense, as the camera features a ground-glass viewfinder to focus on the image. If you rotated the whole camera, the viewfinder would be on the side, which would affect composition. Turning the film chamber is a remarkable achievement in that camera. I can see where the Perfekta came into play as it's a bit smaller than the Superfekta. With the square format, Welta could cut down the size of the camera and make it even more "pocketable".

 The difference between the Zeca-Flex and both the Superfekta and Perfekta cameras is that the Zeca-Flex is more linear in design, and doesn't have the almost "S" shape that the Welta cameras incorporate. Only the bottom portion of the Zeca-Flex pops out to take the photo, then can be slid back into the camera's body for transport. 

 While Welta wasn't the first to introduce this style of camera, that honor goes to the Pilot 34 or Pilot Reflex camera made by Kamera-Werkstätten Guthe & Thorsch, another great camera manufacturer in Dresden. This camera was introduced in 1931 and was also a twin-lens camera with a bellows system.

 Both the Welta Superflekta and Perfekta cameras were only produced for a few years due to the complexity of their manufacturing. Another factor that contributed to the downfall of the Superfekta and Perfekta was the larger size of the viewfinder, which prevented it from folding into the camera body, thereby making the camera less compact.

My Camera:

My Welta Perfekta camera is 6.5" tall, by 4" wide including the film advance knob and frame counter, by 3.5" deep. These measurements are with the camera completely closed and in it's most compact state. When the camera is fully open, the camera measures 8.5" tall by 4" wide by  5" deep, and the camera weighs 2 lbs—2.2 oz. My camera has the Meyer Trioplan 7.5cm F/3.5 lens.

 To open the camera and pop the lens area from the film area., There is a round button on the right side of the camera, under the film advance knob, that you press. Once pressed, the body pops away from the film area, exposing the camera's bellows, along with the angled mirror area of the viewfinder system.

On the back, to the right of the viewfinder, is a small button that you slide to the left to open the light chimney of the viewfinder. The light chimney should pop up, exposing the ground glass for focusing. On the inside of the front wall of the light chimney is a magnifying glass that helps with focusing, a feature common in twin lens reflex cameras. On the left side of the chimney is a knurled knob that flips up the magnifying glass when turned, and flips down when turned in the opposite direction. 

Closing the light chimney, fold the sides in first, then the back, and finally, fold the chimney down into the camera's body. It will then lock into place.

 To focus the camera, a knob located just to the left of the lens/shutter assembly slides up and down, allowing you to adjust the focus on your subject. The lens moves in and out on a helicoid from the camera's faceplate. There is no focus distance written on the side of the camera, so you can't set the distance and shoot. All the focusing is done through the viewfinder, which I find somewhat dark and difficult to view on darker days.

 To close the body of the camera for transport, press the two buttons located on either side of the front plate. Once pressed, the body will push into the film chamber area and click into place. Just be sure to flip up the leg under the camera; otherwise, the leg keeps the camera from fully closing. I learned that when I tried to close the camera, I noticed the lever sticking out, ops!!

Taking the photo is pretty basic. The shutter speeds on my camera go from 1/300 to 1 sec. along with "B" and "T" for timed exposures and are set via a ring around the lens. The aperture ranges from F/3.5 to F/22 and is set by a slider arm located under the lens. The shutter cocking lever is located at the top of the lens, and the shutter release is positioned on the right side of the lens.

Loading the film is similar to that of many other medium-format cameras. On the back of the film door is a button that you slide to the left and pull down; the film's back will then open. I first noticed that where you put the fresh roll of film, along with the take-up spool, are hinged guards that both of these items fit into. The winding knob pulls out to make it easier to insert the empty spool into the chamber. Then, flip the small guard down to keep the spool in place. Similar to where you insert the fresh roll of film, once the film is in place, flip the guard down to keep it in position.

While the camera features a covered red window on the back, it also has a unique frame counter. On the inside of the film's door is a slotted rod that rolls on the film's paper backing, and it is equipped with a gearing system attached to a round frame counter, which tells the photographer which frame they are on. 

Here's how it works. Once you load the film, use the red window to access frame number one. On the inside of the frame counter, you slide the knurled wheel from A (Aus=Off) to E (Ein=On). Doing this sets the frame counter to number one, and after you take a photo, the ribbed wheel advances the frame counter every time you advance the film from one frame to the next.

 

Results:

I loaded the camera with an older roll of T-Max 100, the fastest 120 film I had available, and went for a walk with my sister, Laura, and her dog, Sally, taking photos along the way.

 Unfortunately, the day was overcast, and I had forgotten to bring my light meter with me, so I was forced to use a light meter app on my phone, which I dislike doing, as it always seems to get it wrong. However, it didn't fail me again, and the negatives I processed were underexposed.

 Here are some of the better ones from the walk.

Conclusion:

I must say that this camera was delightful to shoot with, and for the price paid, it was well worth every penny. The only drawback would be the darker viewfinder and difficulty I had focusing on the subject.

 I liked the size of the camera; I enjoyed how compact the camera is to use. The shutter and aperture worked well, and the odd shape of the camera was certainly a conversation piece when I talked to some of the neighbors I met along the walk to take photos. The camera is less bulky to transport and carry around than a traditional twin-lens camera, and the optics are excellent—an enjoyable camera that I plan on using regularly.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes from your day to read about this unusual, yet jewel-like, camera. 

 Click on the link for some of the other cameras reviewed.

 I also run an online eBay store, Cuny's Camera and Photo. If you're interested in older cameras and other camera oddities, I have for sale.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Welta Penti camera

My Welta Penti camera

The first time I laid my eyes on a Welta Penti camera was almost 45 years ago. I was working as a salesperson at the local camera store in our area, and someone brought in a beautiful gold-colored camera with dark red trim circling the center. I was a bit flabbergasted when I saw it. The customer had just received it from a relative and wanted to know how to use it.

 At the time, I was in my early twenties, and although I had never seen one before, I started to play with it and explained the camera as I tinkered with it. I was learning about the camera at the same time.  The easy part was explaining the items located around the lens, like shutter speed, focus distance, and aperture settings. Still, when I clicked the shutter, and the advance rod came shooting out of the camera, I think I let out a little gasp of surprise as the woman I was explaining the camera to just smiled and said, "That happened to me when I snapped the shutter, but I didn't know what I did".

 It wasn't until I took the back off the camera and noticed that when you pushed the film advancing rod in, it engaged with the film's sprocket holes and pushed the film into the take-up cannister. The rod stayed in the camera body until you snapped the shutter again. Also, with the back off the camera, I did see that the camera took 35mm film, but not the regular 35mm film that the majority of photographers were used to, but the Agfa Rapid style 35mm film. At the time, we did sell a small quantity of Agfa Rapid film. 

The brilliant gold toned Welta Penti camera with advance rod out.

 While I had the camera's back off, I double-checked that the shutter was opening and closing. The aperture was operating correctly, which it was. I explained to the owner of the camera that it was called a Half-Frame camera, meaning it used only half the size of a standard 35mm camera. She would get twice the number of photos from a roll of film. If she purchased a roll of 20 exposures, she would be getting 40, 41, or possibly 42 pictures from the roll. I sold her a roll of film, loaded it into her camera, and sent her on her way. 

 The whole time I was holding this camera, I couldn't help but think, What a beautiful camera. Keep in mind, this was around the same time as I was starting to collect cameras and the ones that impressed me the most were camera with color, like the Kodak Rainbow,  Petites and Beau Brownies camera, so a gold camera with dark red circling the camera just sort of blew my mind and I wanted to know more about them.

 Fast forward 45 years, and at a recent camera collectors fair in Seattle, I purchased two Penti cameras, both in good working condition. I had previously owned a few of the Penti cameras, but sold them off years ago so when I saw them at the camera show, I thought it would be great opportunity to add them to my collection and also to write about them in one of my camera collecting blog posts.

History:

Welta Kamerawerks, a significant yet often overlooked German camera manufacturer, has a history that mirrors the turbulent narrative of the 20th century in its Dresden-area home. Founded in 1914 as Weeka-Kamera-Werk by Walter Waurich and Theodor Weber in Freital, a suburb of Dresden, the company was renamed Welta-Kamerawerk Waurich & Co. in 1919. From its inception, Welta carved out a niche for itself by producing a wide array of high-quality, medium-priced folding plate and roll film cameras, putting it in direct competition with other German contemporaries, such as Balda and Certo.

Welta Kamera Werks

 Before World War II, Welta was known for its solid engineering and innovation. The company produced a range of popular models. Still, it was cameras like the high-end Weltur series that cemented its reputation. Introduced in 1935, the Weltur was a sophisticated folding camera featuring a coupled rangefinder. This design element positioned it in direct competition with premium brands. Welta also ventured into more ambitious designs, creating the unique folding Twin-Lens Reflex (TLR) cameras, the Perfekta (6x6) and Superfekta (6x9). Though not commercial successes, these models are now highly prized by collectors for their fascinating design and mechanical complexity. Many of their cameras were offered with high-quality lenses from renowned makers like Carl Zeiss and Schneider-Kreuznach, appealing to serious photographers.

 The aftermath of World War II dramatically altered the company's trajectory. Located in what would become East Germany, the Welta factory was dismantled and its equipment sent to the Soviet Union as part of war reparations. However, production managed to restart by 1947 under the new state-controlled entity, VEB Welta-Kamera-Werk. The company continued to produce successful pre-war designs, such as the Welti 35mm folder. It absorbed other nationalized firms, including the Richter company in 1950, which led to the development of the successful Reflekta TLR series.

 Despite its resilience, the era of consolidation in the East German photographic industry marked the end of Welta's independence. In 1959, VEB Welta was merged with several other Dresden-based camera makers, including Belca and Altissa, to form the massive conglomerate VEB Kamera- und Kinowerke Dresden, which would later become the famous Pentacon. Following this merger, the Welta name, which had defined quality German cameras for over four decades, gradually disappeared from the market, marking the end of a significant chapter in photographic history.

My dark red and turquoise Welti Penti cameras

 The Welta Penti was introduced in 1959 and produced until 1977 with a few modifications. In 1961, the Penti I and Penti II were introduced. The Penti I had a broader front viewfinder area and small knobs on the lens to control the different lens functions, like aperture and shutter speeds, and the Penti II was similar to the Penti I but incorporated a selenium cell light meter. 

 All Penti cameras are 35mm, half-frame cameras that take an 18x24mm image in a vertical format. The Penti and Penti I cameras have a Meyer-Optik Tripolan 30mm f/3.5 lens. The Penti II has a Domiplan 30mm f/3.5 lens.

 The 28mm to 30mm is considered a standard lens for the half-frame style cameras. The Welta Penti cameras came in different colors; all had a brilliant gold-toned camera body, but the band around the camera came in black, dark blue, turquoise, dark red, or white.

My Camera:

My Welta Penti is a small and compact camera, making it another fantastic option to keep in your pocket or jacket, ready to take photos. The camera measures 4.25" wide by 2.75" tall and is only 1.5" deep, weighing 8 oz. A metal lens hood and case are available for the camera, but unfortunately, my camera does not have either one.

Around the lens, and closest to the camera body, is a ring that controls the shutter speeds, which range from 1/125 to 1/30, and a square that represents timed exposures. Inside the shutter speed control is the lens's focusing ring, which focuses down to 1m. Inside the focusing ring are the lens's aperture settings, which go from F/3.5 to F/22. On the Penti camera, these are awkward to move. Now that I've shot with the camera, I understand why they added the small knobs to the updated Penti I and II model cameras. These are the only settings on the camera, except for the frame counter, which is reset to zero using a wheel located inside the camera.

To remove the back to load the film, there are two grips molded into the back of the camera that you grab and pull the back away from the camera body. The back is held in place with two spring clips that engage with the molded grips to secure it to the camera body.

 Once you have the back off the camera's body, you see the two Agfa-style film cassettes, along with a silver pressure plate that swings down when loading the film and a sliding bar that holds the take-up cassette in place. The nice thing about these film cassettes is that nothing is holding the film inside: no tape or clip is used. The film is loose inside the cassette and has just been wound onto a spool.

To load the Agfa style cassettes, insert 35mm film. Luckily for me, I just purchased a 100' roll of B&W film, which I just loaded into my bulk film loader, so I have plenty of film. Just remember, you don't need a lot of film because you're getting twice as many photos on the roll. 

 Here is the procedure I used to load the cassettes. I removed the film cassettes from the camera and, along with my bulk film loader, placed them in a dark bag. I cut off a piece of film, approximately 2-3 feet long, from my bulk loader and slid the end of the film into one of the cassettes, ensuring the film's emulsion faced down, just like any 35mm film. Once I pushed the film into the film cassette, I removed it from the dark bag and trimmed the exposed film's corners.

I placed the cassette with the film inside on the left side of the camera's body, pulled down the pressure plate, and gently slid the trimmed end of the film into the take-up spool on the right-hand side. I snapped the shutter, and the film advancing rod popped out of the camera's body. The film is transported from the film cassette to the take-up cassette by a piece of metal with two prongs that push the film into the take-up cassette when the film advancing rod is slid into the camera's body. 

 When you take the photo, the pronged metal piece disengages from the film's sprockets. It moves to the left, so when you push the rod in, the pronged piece of metal grabs the film's sprockets and pushes the film from the cassette on the left to the take-up spool on the right. At this point, flip up the pressure plate, and immediately to the left of the viewfinder is a thumb wheel that allows you to zero out the frame counter, indicating the number of photos you've taken. Pop the film back onto the camera body, ensuring it's positioned correctly, and then start taking pictures.

The problem in my circumstance was that, since I didn't know how long the film I cut was, I didn't know how many photos I'd get on the unknown length of film I cut in the dark bag. The good or not-so-good news is that, with these cassettes, you don't know when you reach the end of the roll because you're transitioning from one cassette to another. There's no rewinding the film into the cassette. When you're done with the roll, the pronged metal piece has no more film to push into the take-up cassette, and a film tail (the end of the film) protrudes from the take-up spool.

 

My Results:

Now that I had film loaded in the camera and my trusty Sekonic L-308 meter with me, I took general meter readings. I then took our dog for a walk through the neighborhood. I snapped a few photos, both vertically and by turning the camera to get a few horizontal images. Here are the results from my walk with Ernie.

Conclusion:

What a fun camera to shoot with. It's small, compact, and fits easily into my pocket. The film advance rod popped out as it should, the viewfinder framed the images well, and there were no snags on transporting the film from one cassette to the other, which is what I was most worried about when using it.

 The few minor drawbacks I have with the camera are that, with my larger hands, the settings were a bit clumsy, but not too difficult to use once I got accustomed to their location. Additionally, I was unsure of how many images I had taken on the film, so I had to insert the film cassette. Out of the approximately 2 feet of film I put in the film cassette, I received 22 good images on the negatives, two of which were partial frames.

I also seem to have a slight light leak coming from either the bottom of the camera, as there’s a consistent bright area on my photos, which I’ll need to investigate. The images also look to have an “infrared” glow to them, which I liked.

 To read about any of the other cameras reviewed, click the link.

 I also sell cameras, lenses, and other odd camera items on my eBay store, Cuny's Camera and Photo. Stop by and go shopping.

 Thank you for taking the time to read about this fantastic little camera. I'd love to hear from you, so please email me with any comments or concerns you have about any of my reviews.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Capta Camera

My Capta camera

When visiting another country, I research to find out if there are cameras made in that country that I'm unaware of. If I'm fortunate enough to find one, I can add it to my collection. We were fortunate enough to plan a trip to Barcelona last month, as my wife had a conference to attend and participate in, so I planned on tagging along on the journey to Spain.

 I had a few objectives for this trip, as I'd have time on my own. These objectives were to use my new Fujifilm camera, shoot black and white with my Widelux F7 camera, and attend local flea markets to find Spanish cameras that I wasn't aware of. All three objectives were accomplished. 

 At the local flea market in Barcelona, I stumbled upon a hidden gem-a relatively unknown Spanish Bakelite camera, a Capta camera in a tattered case. The thrill of this discovery was palpable. The camera was in good working condition, took 120 film, and had a 6x4.5 format. I didn't see any chips in the Bakelite. For a decent price, I eagerly made the purchase, already envisioning the stories I would share about this Spanish wonder.

 Upon returning home, I eagerly unpacked the Capta camera. Despite its better-than-expected condition, it was covered in a layer of grime, likely from the leather dust of the case. I  cleaned the camera with a soft cloth, Q-Tips, and lightly soapy water, restoring its original charm. With the camera now sparkling, I was ready to delve into its history and put it to use.

History:

Julio Matutano Benedito

Capta was the brainchild of Valencian pictorialism photographer, Julio Matutano Benedito. Born into a modest family in 1892, he had a passion for art from an early age. At the age of 12, he began his apprenticeship with a local sculptor. Between the ages of 14 and 20, he attended evening classes for artistic drawing at the School of Craftsmen in Valencia. 

 He was an accomplished engraver with his shop in Valencia until he took up photography in 1923, where he honed his craft by taking photos of his family. In 1928, Julio Matutano and a group of his friends formed Foto Club Valencia. Between 1928 and 1936, Julio Matutano won several national and international awards for his photography.

 In 1935, Julio Matutano changed careers. He embarked on designing and manufacturing a new camera company in Spain. His first creation, the Nerva, was a testament to his innovative spirit. This camera, made from stamped aluminum, used 127 film with a 3x4cm format and featured a German Rodenstock lens. It was a true pioneer in its time, selling for 13 pesetas, equivalent to approximately $35.00 in today's dollars.

 In 1942, he designed a wooden camera with a SACO (Sociedad Anónima de Cristales Ópticos) lens, which took 127 film in a 6x4.5 format, named PERFECTA. I couldn't find this camera anywhere, except for the German Perfecta. If you have any information on it, please let me know.

 Julio Matutano registered the CAPTA trademark in 1944. That year, he also designed and introduced the Capta I, a Bakelite camera manufactured by Industrias Sintéticas Abril in Barcelona. The camera featured an optical viewfinder on top and used 120 film with a 6x4.5 format. At this time, the Capta sold for 101 pesetas. Later in 1944, Capta introduced the Baby Capta. I created a smaller version of the Capta, which I named the Baby Capta, featuring a metal face and capable of taking 127 film in a 6x4.4 format. This camera was marketed for a younger audience.

 The Captaflex was designed in 1947. The Captaflex was a Bakelite camera that took 120-size film with an unusual 52.5 x 52.5 cm image area (6x6) format. The camera had a 90mm f/8.5 lens and a helical screw, variable focus lens capable of focusing from 1.5 meters to infinity. The camera bears a strong resemblance to the British-made Ensign Ful-Vue camera. Unfortunately, Julio Matutano died in 1947 before the camera came to market, but his two sons, Julio and Vincente, who had been working in the company since they were 12 and 13. Both sons were artists when they took over the company and moved it to Valencia. From then on, the company's logo was JVM, and the Captaflex was released in 1948 for 375 pesetas.

 The brothers expanded the business during the 1950s, as the resurgence of photography following World War II gained momentum. In 1952, the Capta II was introduced, featuring a coated lens, a focusable lens, and an accessory close-up lens.

 Capta's first 35mm camera, the Capta 35, was introduced in 1953. A 24x24 format camera made of injected aluminum alloy with three shutter speeds and a rectilinear lens. In 1955, the company expanded into other areas and introduced the Capta-Movie. In 1956, Capta introduced the Universal Tank, a film developing tank compatible with 35mm, 127, and 120 films.

 After 1959, the collaboration with Gaspar Mampel ended, and Capta started selling all its products directly to the public. During this time, Capta introduces a microscope, an enlarger, and several other photo-related products. In 1966, the company ceased all production and closed due to extreme financial difficulties.

My Camera:

My Capta camera is 5" wide by 4" tall by 2.75" deep and weighs 10.2 oz without the fitted leather case. The Capta is a straightforward camera with a fixed focus, meniscus lens, and a basic optical viewfinder on top. The camera is a 6x4.5 vertical format camera, and it also has a tripod socket on the bottom.

For shutter speeds, the Capta camera has either "I" for instant, or "P" for timed exposures. These are set by pulling out or pressing in a metal bar that sets the shutter's capability, which is on the right side, below the lens. According to my shutter tester, the shutter speed is 1/40 for instant exposures. The shutter release is above the lens at an approximate 11:00 position, and above the "CAPTA" name on the front of the camera. A shutter release cable can be connected to the shutter release for timed exposures.

To load the camera with film, the back is held to the body with friction. There is no locking mechanism on the camera that secures the back onto the body. On the side of the camera are two small tabs. Push these two tabs apart, and the back separates from the camera body, exposing the area where you load the film. When the camera back is off the body, and you're ready to load film into it. There are three "wings" that can be pulled up to insert the film. These wings make it easier to load the film as opposed to trying to jam the film roll into one of the sides of the camera. There was an interesting empty spool in the camera from a film manufacturer I wasn't aware of. The spool is from Infonal, a Spanish film manufacturer in Barcelona.

The side with the take up spool and winding knob only has one wing that lifts to help load the film. Loading the empty spool is a bit more challenging, as the winding knob doesn't lift to assist with loading the empty spool. After a bit of wiggling, the take-up spool fit into the correct position. Once the film is in the camera, all you need to do is press the back onto the body, and friction hold the back in position.

 The red window on the back of the camera seemed low for the numbers on my roll of film. Still, I was able to see the numbers as they passed and stopped at the appropriate places to capture the whole roll of images on the film.

 

My Results:

I loaded a roll of T-Max 100 film into the camera and took it for a walk through the neighborhood. I should have given the camera one more Spanish experience by purchasing a roll of 120 film at Casanova Camera in Barcelona and trying it out there; unfortunately, I didn't think of it, so I was forced to use the camera in my neighborhood.

 After developing the negatives, I was pleasantly surprised by the results. While the images were relatively sharp in the center, the fall-off of sharpness is rapid as you move to the outer portions of the image, making this a wonderful Lomography camera. It almost has a very dreamy effect on the outer edges which I personally like.

Conclusion:

The camera was enjoyable to photograph with. Using the camera was really applying photography's basic rules, which include ensuring the sun is behind you, framing the image in the viewfinder, pressing the shutter release, and winding to the next frame. In today's world, we'd call this a "point and shoot" camera, as it has no settings. Am I taking photographs or snapshots? Does this make it better or worse? That could be a topic for discussion on another day.

 My trip to Barcelona was a successful one. I photographed many beautiful areas of the town, uploaded my favorite Widelux Images of Barcelona, and purchased a relatively unknown and simple Spanish camera to add to my collection.

 Click on the link to see other cameras I've reviewed from my collection.

 If you're interested in older and collectible cameras, I do have a store on eBay, Cuny's Camera and Photo, where I sell cameras, lenses, and other camera items.

 I'd love to hear from you. If you have a question, comment, or concern, please don't hesitate to contact me.

 Thank you for taking the time to read about this little known Spanish camera.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Canon Demi camera

My Canon Demi camera.

I've never really been a big fan of Canon cameras, as I've always been a Nikon person. In my opinion, Canon cameras weren't well-made, especially in the 1960s, when this camera was manufactured. Their line of early rangefinder cameras has nice optics and is comfortable to shoot with, but I just prefer the Nikon line.

 One of my frustrations with Canon was working in a camera store during the 1970s, when the unbelievably popular Canon AE-1 was introduced. For over a year, the camera was the top seller in our chain of stores as we couldn't keep them in stock, and people absolutely loved it. Personally, I think that Canon held back production on the camera to add to the mystique of having a camera "hard to get", which added to the popularity of the camera. Daily, we had so many questions about that camera. Today, I could do a demo on the camera with my eyes closed.

 I don't remember the exact year I purchased the Canon Demi camera, but I know I've had it for several years.  My guess is it's been about 8-9 years. I do remember, I purchased the Canon Demi camera at a flea market, mainly because the camera was red, and I'm a sucker for colored cameras. Checking out the camera at the time, it had the original red camera case, and the person who sold it to me said the camera's meter wasn't working.

 Having had many cameras with a selenium cell light meter, they tended only to last around 20 years or so until the selenium cell loses the ability to read light and work in cameras. I wasn't worried about that at the time of purchase, as the primary motivation to purchase the camera was that it was red and had a red case.

 The Canon Demi was introduced in February 1963. The camera has a sleek and modern design from this expressive period.  The camera has rounded corners and a straightforward point-and-shoot viewfinder with a zone focus system. It wasn't made to be a professional camera with built-in focus capabilities, but for the family and photo hobbyist. A selenium match needle metering system was easy to operate, keeping costs down for the consumer. By the end of 1963, the Canon Demi came in four colors: traditional, black, white, blue, and red. These colors didn't last long and were quickly discontinued.

My Canon Demi with wrist strap, and 27mm UV filter

 Another advantage of the Canon Demi was that it was Canon's first half-frame camera, introduced four years after the Olympus Pen camera in 1959. Rolls of film at that time had either 20 or 36 exposures, so shooting 40 or 72 photos on a roll of film was excellent and considerably less expensive for the family to use.

 In September 1964, Canon introduced the improved Demi S, which had a 30mm f/1.7 lens and an improved metering system. 

 In April 1965, the Demi  C, with interchangeable lenses, was introduced. You had the standard 28mm f/2.8, and a 50mm f/2.8  was available for the camera.

 The Demi Rapid, with a rapid loading system, battery-operated CD meter, and self-timer, was released in June 1965.

 May 1966 saw the release of the very popular and top-of-the-line Canon Demi EE17. This camera was the same as the Demi Rapid without the rapid loading system. 

In April 1967, Canon returned to the original style with the Demi EE28, back to the Selenium cell metering system, and a 28mm f/2.8 lens. In four years, Canon introduced five different models of the same camera, which were very similar to what the auto industry was doing then.

History:

Canon Inc., a large Japanese multinational corporation, has played a significant part in the evolution of camera technology. The company's journey in the camera industry began in the 1930s and has since developed into one of the most recognized names in photography worldwide.

 Canon's first camera, the Kwanon, was developed in 1934 by a small team of Japanese engineers. It was Japan's first 35mm focal-plane shutter camera named after the Buddhist goddess of mercy. Although it was never mass-produced, it laid the foundation for Canon's future success. In 1935, the company adopted the name Canon, signifying precision and excellence.

Canon ad for Canon Demi

During the 1940s and 1950s, Canon focused on refining its rangefinder cameras. The Canon II, released in 1946, helped the brand establish itself as a competitor to German camera makers like Leica. In the 1950s, Canon began to diversify its product line. By 1959, it introduced the Canonflex, its first single-lens reflex (SLR) camera—this marked Canon's entry into a growing market that prized versatility and interchangeable lenses.

 The 1970s and 1980s were transformative decades. In 1971, Canon launched the F-1, a professional-grade SLR that rivaled Nikon's offerings. Later, in 1976, the company released the AE-1, one of the world's first cameras with a built-in microprocessor. The AE-1 was affordable, reliable, and popular with amateur photographers, helping Canon grow its user base significantly.

 In 1987, Canon introduced the EOS (Electro-Optical System) line, beginning with the EOS 650. This groundbreaking autofocus SLR system used a fully electronic lens mount and paved the way for future innovation. The EOS series would become one of history's most successful camera lines.

 Canon embraced digital technology in the 1990s and 2000s. The release of the EOS D30 in 2000 marked Canon's serious move into digital SLRs. This transition peaked with iconic models like the EOS 5D series, which brought full-frame digital photography to a broader market.

In the 2010s and 2020s, Canon adapted to mirrorless technology, introducing the EOS R system in 2018. This full-frame mirrorless platform represents the company's latest push to stay at the forefront of imaging technology.

 Today, Canon continues to be a leader in photography, producing a wide range of cameras that cater to everyone from beginners to professionals, while also advancing imaging technology across multiple industries.

My Camera:

My Canon Demi camera is 4.5" wide by 2.75" tall and only 1.5" deep, including the compact 28mm f2.8 lens. It weighs 14.4 oz and is not adorned with frills, bells, or whistles. It's a very typical 35mm camera with a zone focus system and shutter speeds ranging from 1/250 to 1/30. The aperture settings range from F/2.8 to F/22.

The zone focus is set by moving the lens to either a mountain for infinity, three people for a group, or one person for a portrait, and these symbols are set around the lens.

The camera uses a match needle system. You point the camera at your subject, and when you turn the dial around the outer ring of the lens, the shutter speed and aperture are set to the ASA/ISO you set within the exposure ring.

The back door latch is on the left side of the camera, which unlocks and opens the film door to load film into it. Drop the 35mm cassette into the camera's left side and bring the leader to the take-up spool. Slide the end of the film leader into the slot on the take-up spool. Make sure the film sprockets are on the back drive gear. 

 One thing I do to make sure the film is moving in the camera is take up the slack by winding the rewind knob a few turns to take uo the slack in the film cassette. That way when you close the back of the camera and wind the camera to get it to the first frame, watch the rewind knob turn so you know the film is advancing in the camera. Checking the rewind knob is a good thing to do with any 35mm camera. I can't tell you how many times I've seen where people think the film is advancing, but the film wasn't loaded correctly, and no images were ever recorded on the film.

Once you've taken all the photos on your roll of film, press the button on the bottom of the camera. This releases the winding gear inside the camera so you can easily rewind the film back into the film cassette. If you don't press the rewind button, you'll tear all the film sprockets on the roll of film, making the process more difficult. After the film is rewound into the film cassette, open the back and load a new roll of film.

 

My Results:

I took this camera on my trip to Barcelona this week, partly because I had a roll of older Plus-X film with 20 exposures, and the second reason was the camera's shutter works, but the meter doesn't. I wanted to experiment with some of the exposures to see if I could get exposures on the roll of film. It probably wasn't the best idea to try a 40-50-year-old roll of film under these circumstances, but I wanted to write about the camera and didn't want to shoot 72 exposures to get bad results.

 The results turned out pretty well, and the camera meter is in decent condition, as many of the images turned out pretty well. However, the film is pretty grainy for being ASA 125. Nonetheless, here are a few photos from walking around one of the main shopping areas in Barcelona.

Conclusion:

My expectations for the camera weren't high, so I was pleasantly surprised by its relatively easy-to-use nature. Basic focus and a match needle meter make this compact camera very fun and easy to use. 

 If you enjoy vintage manual cameras, this is one to put in your coat pocket or hang around your neck. It gets twice as many photos from a roll of film and records memories for the photo albums. It is another excellent camera to use on a daily basis.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes to read about this fantastic, compact half-frame camera. A faster lens would have been nice, but it's unnecessary under most circumstances.

 I also sell cameras on eBay under Cuny's Cameras and Photos. Take a look, and you may see something you are interested in or a camera or two that piques your interest.

 Click on the link to read about some of the other cameras reviewed.

 Until next week, please be safe.

 

Contessa Nettel Cocarette I DeLuxe

My Contessa Nettel Cocarette I DeLuxe camera

As I've mentioned in other posts, colored cameras are some of my favorite cameras to collect. That's a good thing when the camera is a different color than the standard drab black camera and a beautiful, rich brown-toned camera. When the camera is a rich brown-toned camera and is a rarer version, that makes the camera even more special to me. When the camera is a rich brown tone, a rarer version of the black model of the same camera AND, the camera is in good working condition and has a clean lens, then to me, it's, as we say in the U.S. and to use a baseball term  "a real home run."

 The Contessa Nettel Cocarette I Luxus camera was purchased from a seller in Florida five or six years ago. I purchased this camera along with a few other wonderful cameras, like the Zeiss Super Nettel, a Zeiss Tenax II, a Zeiss Nettax, and a few others, which were real gems in my collection for a long time until I sold them, which at times I look back and regret. That's all part of the collecting world.

 The camera appeared to be in great working condition. The bellows seemed to be light-tight, the aperture moved smoothly, and the camera came with an upgraded Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar lens and a Compur shutter, which, upon inspection, were in excellent condition. Also, the exterior leather was without tears and with minor scuffs, and the Cocarette I handle on the camera was still intact.

 When I received the camera, I wanted to find out more about the camera, so as I usually do, I saw if there was a manual or catalog on the camera. My go-to website for camera manuals is www.butkus.org , which has an extensive collection of manuals. They did have the Zeiss Cocarette manual,

According to the manual, Contessa Nettel made three different Cocarette models, each with four cameras of various sizes.

 The three  Cocarette models are:

Special: Called I/0, II/0, III/0, and IV/O, covered in black leatherette and with hinged metal front.

Standard: Described as Cocarette I, II, III, IV, With real black leather coverings, leather bellows, and hinged "Stirrup" front.

DeLuxe: Styled respectively "de Luxe" I, "de Luxe" II, "de Luxe" III, and "de Luxe" IV. This type is covered in the finest brown Morocco leather and has bellows of the same. ​ All the edges are bound in German silver.

 The different negative sizes of the models described above are as follows:

l/0, I and "de Luxe" I . Film 3 1/4 x 2 1/4 inches

II/0, II and "de Luxe" II . Film 4 1/4 x 2 1/2 inches

III/0, III and 'ode Luxe" III . Film 4 1/4 x 3 1/4 inches

IV/O, IV, and "de Luxe" IV. Film  5 1/2 x 3 1/4 inches

History

Contessa-Nettel AG was a prominent German camera manufacturer based in Stuttgart. It was formed in 1919 by merging two influential companies: Contessa Camerawerke Drexler & Nagel and Nettel Camerawerk. This merger combined the innovative strengths of both firms—Contessa Camerawerke, founded by Dr. August Nagel, and Nettel Camerawerk, known for its advanced strut folding cameras and focal plane shutters. Dr. Nagel, who began his camera design business 1908 as Drexler & Nagel, quickly rebranded it as Contessa Camerawerke before acquiring Nettel in 1919 and establishing Contessa-Nettel AG.

Ad showing the different negative sizes.

 Contessa-Nettel became renowned for its diverse and technically advanced range of cameras. The company offered approximately forty different models, including many variations of the Cocarette, a folding camera that became one of its most famous products during the 1920s. Other notable models included the Deckrullo-Nettel series, which featured self-capping focal plane shutters—a significant innovation. The company also specialized in stereo cameras and produced various compact and portable designs, such as the Piccolette and the Stereax.

 The Deckrullo-Nettel cameras, initially developed by Nettel, continued to be produced under the Contessa-Nettel name after the merger. These cameras were admired for their engineering, particularly their strut folding mechanisms and reliable shutters. Contessa-Nettel's products were recognized for their build quality and design excellence, reflecting Dr. Nagel's eye for detail.

 In 1926, Contessa-Nettel became part of Zeiss Ikon, a new conglomerate formed by merging several major German camera manufacturers, including ICA, Ernemann, and Goerz, alongside Contessa-Nettel. This consolidation aimed to strengthen the German photographic industry and create a powerhouse capable of competing internationally. After the merger, many Contessa-Nettel designs and models continued under the Zeiss Ikon brand, and the Stuttgart factory became a critical Zeiss Ikon site.

 Although Contessa-Nettel, as an independent brand, ceased to exist after 1926, its influence persisted. Feeling out of place at Zeiss Ikon, Dr. August Nagel left to establish the Nagel-Werke factory, which Kodak later acquired. Nagel's subsequent innovations, such as the Kodak Retina and the first pre-loaded 35mm film cassette, trace their lineage to the design philosophy he honed at Contessa-Nettel. The Contessa-Nettel name also lived on in Zeiss Ikon's product lines, most notably in the Zeiss-Ikon Contessa cameras of the postwar era.

 Contessa-Nettel's history is marked by technical innovation, quality craftsmanship, and a legacy that shaped the evolution of camera technology in the 20th century.

My Camera:

My Contessa Nettel Cocarette I Deluxe camera is 6 5/8" long by 3.5" wide, 1.5" deep when closed, and 5.5" deep when opened, with the lens extended from the body. It weighs 1 Lb. 6 oz. My camera's serial number is 422872. It also has a Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 10.5cm f4.5 lens, serial #588166.

 To open the camera, there is a button on the side of the camera, which is similar to another folding camera, which you press, and the front door opens, exposing the front of the camera. Just below the shutter is the company name, Contessa Nettel, and on either side of the name are two knobs which you grab and pull the front standard of the camera out from the camera body until they stop. You're now ready to take a photo if you have film loaded into the camera

Pulling the front standard from the camera body lets you see the controls on the camera much better. Looking down at the camera, you have a bright waist-level viewfinder with indents on each corner representing a vertical or horizontal format for framing your photo. Currently, the camera is in the vertical position or, in modern terms, in portrait mode. The viewfinder can also tilt to the side if you plan on using the camera in the horizontal position to photograph in landscape mode. Right next to the viewfinder is a red bubble level to ensure the camera is level for straight photos and does not have crooked horizon lines.

On the camera's bed, just to the right of the shutter, is a focus lever, which allows the photographer to get closer to their subject and take clear photos. The focus lever can go from 2 meters to infinity, with a few different distances in between.

 When you look at the front of the camera and focus on what is on the Compur shutter, on the right side is the shutter release lever, and on the left side is a dial with Z, D, and M. These are used for different shutter functions. Z opens the shutter when you release the shutter lever and closes when you pull the shutter release again. D opens the shutter when you pull down on the shutter release and closes when you release it, and M is for the more normal use of the shutter speeds built into the shutter. The shutter speed ranges from 1 second to 1/250. All the shutter speeds on the camera seem reasonable, even the 1 sec, which is fantastic for a 100-year-old camera.

A small lever is on the bottom of the shutter. Sliding the lever from one side to the other changes the aperture setting, which you can see on top of the shutter. The camera's operations are very easy to see while holding it. You can view the shutter speed, the aperture settings, the focus distance, the viewfinder, and the bubble level, all while composing the photo in the vertical or portrait position.

 On the right side, as you're holding the camera, is a chrome knob on top of the lens standard. This slightly raises the camera lens, which will correct for vertical distortion. It doesn't do much, but it gives you a little movement in several of the better-quality folding cameras from this era.

For horizontal photos, you can swing a wire finder around the lens. On the back of the camera, a small eye finder slides out to create an action or sports finder from the two pieces. Using the camera in this position is a bit more clumsy due to where the shutter release is positioned.

Eyepiece on back up, and wire frame in place for action photo.

Fortunately, the Cocarette I cameras can use the popular 120-size film. The film chamber slides out from the camera body to load the film. On the left side of the body is a lever that you slide to unlock the film chamber from the body. Once the film chamber is unlocked, it can slide up to reveal the take-up spool and the film area. To put the film in the film area, there are holders that you flip up to get the take-up spool and the film into the respective areas.

 When loading the film, slide the paper packing under the thin channel to keep it flat across the opening. Another oddity of this camera is a large cut-away on the top of one of the corners of the exposure areas. I don't understand why this is there, as it did produce the cutout on the negative. If you know why that is there, I'd love to know. It may have had something to do with the older films of that time.

Once the film is loaded into the film back of the camera, slide it back into the camera and lock the back onto the camera body to prevent it from getting exposed to light. A small square red window with a cover is on the back of the camera. Winding the film with the take-up spool will take you to the number 1 photo, and now you're ready to make your first photo.

 

My Results:

I loaded the camera with a roll of Rollei RX100 film and walked through the neighborhood with my trust Sekonic L-308 meter. The day was somewhat overcast, so the contrast in the images wasn't the best. I also used the focus control on the camera. Since the day was cloudy, the settings on many of the photos were a shutter speed of 1/100 and aperture settings of f/4.5, which means there's not a lot of play when it comes to depth of field, and the photos show that.

 Here are the results I got from the Contessa Nettel Cocarette I Deluxe.

Conclusion:

The camera is straightforward to use, which I’m used to because I often use folding cameras. The controls were straightforward to define and comfortable to hold for composition purposes. However, the results I received weren't the best when I used the focus control on the camera. It's very possible my distances were off, and having to use a shallow depth of field didn't help.

 It wasn't bad, but my expectations were too high. Getting a 6x9 format negative with a Zeiss lens, I was hoping for better results. That shows I'll need to take this camera out and try again.

 Thank you for taking the time to read about this beautiful and very functional camera. It certainly looks terrific in my collection, and I enjoy having it.

 Click on the link if you're interested in reading some of the other camera reviews. 

 If you are interested in some of the cameras and other camera oddities I have for sale, I have a store on eBay called Cuny's Camera.

 Until next week, please be safe.