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.

 

Nagel-Kodak Pupille

My Nagel-Kodak Pupille camera and case

Just after I finished last week's blog on the Ricoh Auto Half cameras, I was looking around the cameras on my shelf in my office, thinking which camera I'd write about this week. Nothing stood out to me, so I figured I'd let it rest for a day or two and think about it.

 Going to bed that evening, a camera popped into my head out of the blue. Having a thought or remembering something from earlier in the day is something that often happens to me, generally just as I lie down to go to sleep, something pops into my head, and that's just what happened.

 The thought that came into my head was that I remembered having a nice condition Nagel Pupille camera in a box a few months back, which I store with some of my better cameras. That's the camera I wanted to write about for this week's blog post.

 After I woke up, had my morning coffee, I settled into my office and opened the box of cameras to look for the Pupille camera I had. Right on top of other cameras was the case. I pulled out the case, and inside was the Pupille camera. Looking at the camera a bit closer, I say this was the Kodak version of the Pupille, which was introduced a year or so after its release.

Logo on the camera’s back

 It was just as I remembered it. The camera was in excellent condition with the lens cap. The first thing I did was test the shutter, and most of the speeds seemed accurate to my ear. Some of the slower speeds were not closing, which is somewhat accurate for a shutter almost 100 years old. The upper speeds were working fine, so I figured I'd put a roll of 127 film into the camera and take it to the county fair my wife. I were planning on going to over the weekend.

 I recall purchasing the camera approximately 15 years ago at an auction I bid on. At the time, it was a lovely addition to my collection, especially since it came with the lens cap and a nice, fitted case for the camera. 

 The Nagel-Kodak Pupille was a camera I had intended to write about a few years ago when I started my blog posts, but then forgot about it for a while. When it popped into my head last week, I'm thrilled it did. 

History:

Dr. August Nagel (1882–1943) was a pioneering German camera designer and manufacturer whose innovations profoundly shaped photographic technology in the early 20th century. Born in Pfrondorf, Germany, Nagel displayed an early interest in camera construction. In 1908, at the age of 26, he co-founded his first company, Drexler & Nagel, in Stuttgart. This company quickly evolved into Contessa-Camerawerke, and by 1910, it had produced a broad range of camera models, which were distributed globally. Nagel's innovations during World War I included specialized aerial and balloon cameras, and his achievements earned him an honorary doctorate from the University of Freiburg in 1918.

 Seeking further growth, Nagel's company merged with Nettel Kamera-werke in 1919, becoming Contessa-Nettel, which became one of Germany's most significant camera producers. In 1926, in response to market pressures and Zeiss Stiftung's interest, Contessa-Nettel was merged with other major German camera makers to form Zeiss Ikon, with Nagel as director of manufacturing. However, management frustrations and a loss of control led him to leave Zeiss Ikon in 1928, after which he established his factory, Dr. August Nagel Werke, in Stuttgart.

French ad for Nagel Pupille camera

 Nagel Werke quickly gained a reputation for producing affordable, high-quality folding plate and roll film cameras, notably the Vollenda models, introduced in 1929, and the more expensive Pupille, introduced in 1930. This success attracted Eastman Kodak, which sought to compete in the European precision camera market. In 1931, Kodak acquired Nagel Werke, making Dr. Nagel the general manager of the rebranded Kodak AG. 

 With Kodak's backing, Nagel devised the Retina 35mm camera and, critically, introduced the Kodak 135 film cartridge in 1934—a pre-rolled 35mm film format compatible with both Leica and Contax cameras. This cartridge would become the global industry standard for 35mm photography, marking Nagel's most enduring legacy.

 Under Nagel's leadership, Kodak AG's Stuttgart plant became known for its Retina cameras and innovations throughout the 1930s. Almost two million cameras were produced before World War II. Dr. August Nagel died in 1943, but his influence continued; camera production resumed post-war and flourished into the 1960s under his son, Helmut Nagel. Dr. Nagel's career typifies the innovative spirit of early photographic engineering and established many of the standards still recognized in the industry today.

My Camera:

My Kodak Pupille camera is a tiny, compact camera that measures 4" wide, by 2.5" tall with the viewfinder retracted and 3.5" with the viewfinder opened. The camera is 2" deep with the lens retracted and 2.75" deep when the lens is in the regular taking position. The camera weighs 14.5 ounces when empty, excluding film.

The camera captures a 3x4cm image on 127mm film. My Pupille camera has a Jos. Schneider & Co. Xenon 4.5 cm f/2.0 lens. The camera also had the option of Leitz Elmar 5cm F/3.5, a Schneider Xenon 5cm F/3.5, or a Cook Anastigmat 2" F/3.5 lens, all in a Fr. Deckel Compur shutter.

 On top of the camera, there is an optical finder that pops up, displaying a vertical image. If you want to photograph a horizontal subject, you'll need to turn the camera 90 degrees to photograph in landscape mode. Looking from left to right at the top of the camera, there is the film winding knob, the optical pop-up viewfinder, a removable accessory shoe for a separate rangefinder, and under the accessory shoe, the depth of field scale.

To take a photograph, you first need to slide the lens into the "taking" position. This is done by sliding the lever, located under the lens, to the left when facing the camera. Moving the bar slides the lens out from the camera body. The lens is mounted on a beautifully constructed helicoid, which becomes visible once the lever is moved and the lens is in the "taking" position. Around the shutter is a large black ring that focuses the lens. The focus range on the lens goes from approximately 30" or 2.5' to infinity. The numbers on the focusing ring are big and easy to read, and the focusing on this camera is smooth.

When you look at the back of this camera and many other cameras that take 127 size film, you'll notice the camera has two red windows on the back. This will become relevant once you read the loading and winding procedure for this style of camera, which will be explained over the following few paragraphs.

 To load film into the camera, first you need to unlock the body of the camera from the film chamber. You do this on the bottom of the camera by sliding the lever to the "O" position. You'll see a small line on the tripod socket that aligns the "C" (closed) setting with the "O" (open) setting. Once you have the film chamber unlocked, the top portion of the camera slides out of the camera body, exposing the area where the film is loaded into the camera.

 Take the empty spool from the right side by sliding the spool down. The holding mechanism is on a spring, and the spool will come out. Place the empty spool on the left side and ensure it's engaged in the take-up winding knob. Place the fresh roll of film on the right side and tear the tape so that you can bring the film leader over to the take-up spool, ensuring it is positioned over the rollers on either side of the opening where the film is exposed. Insert the film tab into the slot on the take-up spool and wind the winding knob until the word "start" appears on the paper backing. Once you see the word "start", slide the film chamber back into the camera body, ensuring it's fully inserted. Then, slide the lever at the bottom from "O" to "C" for closed.

 Now, look at the back of the camera and start winding the film winding knob in a clockwise direction until you see arrows in the window. This is the indication that you're approaching your first frame, so you should start to slow down on winding the camera. Stop winding when you see the number 1 in the right side window. This is the indication you're at your first image. Once you've taken the first frame, wind the film advance lever until you see the number 1 in the window on the left, and stop. This is the indication you're at your second image. Once that frame is taken, then wind until you see the number 2 in the right window. You follow these steps until you see the number 8 on the left side window, which means you've taken sixteen images on the roll of film. This operation is standard for 127 size film, which takes 3x4cm size negatives on a camera with two windows on the back.

 The standard operating sequence when using this camera is to have the separate rangefinder, which is slid onto the accessory shoe when the camera is in use. 

 

  1. Meter for your subject with a separate light meter.

  2. Look through the rangefinder and focus on your subject.

  3. Find the distance to your subject and focus the lens to that distance on the camera.

  4. Set the shutter speed and aperture setting on the lens. Shutter speed is located at the top, and aperture is positioned under the lens.

  5. Cock the shutter lever on top of the lens at the 11 o'clock position.

  6. Trip the shutter, which is below at the 7 o'clock position on the lens.

Retracting the lens back into the camera body is a little tricky and something I had to figure out, as I had done it wrong once. The first thing you need to do is focus the lens to infinity. Then, slide the bar at the bottom of the camera from left to right, and the lens retracts into the camera's body. If you don't focus the lens to infinity, the bar won't fit into a small cutout on the focusing ring. The bar will protrude from the bottom of the camera, rather than being tucked away neatly as it should be. Once the bar is back in the camera, you can remove the rangefinder, put the lens cap on, and tuck the camera away in its case, if you have one.

 

Something I've seen for the camera is an accessory reflex finder, which was made by Kodak, that turned the Pupille into a TLR camera. 

Results:

My wife and I attended our local county fair, where I loaded a roll of 400-speed 127 film into the Pupille and brought it with me to take some photos. I don't have the rangefinder for the camera, so all of the focusing I did was purely by guesstimation.

 Bringing my trusty Sekonic L-308 meter for accurate exposures, we walked around the fair looking for nice images to take.

 Once I got home, I processed the film, and here are some of the results taken at the fair. I generally only do light spotting on the images, so please excuse the excess dust on them.

 

I posted a video review of this camera. Just click on the image. I’m new to videos, so any constructive feedback is appreciated.

Conclusion:

One of the first things I noticed when using the Pupille was how sturdy the camera felt. It's small and compact, fitting into my pocket, especially when the lens is retracted.

 The camera was easy to use, and the shutter worked well. There were a few frames when I didn't focus properly, but for the most part, the camera did a good job, and it was great fun to shoot with. 

 Thank you for taking a few minutes to read about this almost 100-year-old camera that still works fabulously.

 Here's a link to some of the other camera reviews.

 Visit Cuny's Camera and Photo for some of the items seen on my blog, along with other interesting photo items I have for sale.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Rajar No. 6 Camera

My Rajar No. 6 camera

I don't know what it is about the Rajar No. 6 camera, but ever since I purchased my first McKeown's camera guide more than 40 years ago and spent hours leafing through the pages learning about all the different styles and shapes of cameras, I've always desired to have one in my collection.

 It wasn't until just a few months ago that I pulled the trigger and purchased one from a great reseller in the U.K. It was listed for parts that were not working. The seller was selling the camera for a friend and wasn't sure if it was in good working condition. They mentioned the shutter fired but couldn't guarantee the other working parts of the camera, so I took a chance and purchased it. I don't know why it took so long to get one.

 The shape of the face and the crosshatching on the camera's face drew me to it. It has a very classy and classic look, which is something I find on many cameras made during this timeframe.

 It took a while for the camera to arrive from the U.K., but it arrived last week, and I was anxious to see its physical condition. To my surprise, the camera was not only in excellent physical condition with no chips in the Bakelite, but the shutter was firing, and there was a roll of film still in the camera, which the seller failed to mention, so I was doubly happy.

 I took hold of the film advance knob to see if the film was advancing, and it was so at this point, I didn't see anything wrong with the camera. Not knowing how old the film was, I went outside to take the last few frames on the included old roll of film, and it wasn't until I got to the final frame I found out what was wrong with the camera. 

 I wasn't aware of what was so different in the film spool until I took the film out of the camera, which I needed to do in a dark bag since the camera stopped winding right after I took the final photo on the roll of film included with the camera.

 The Rajar No.6 camera has a special take-up spool written right there on the back of the camera, "only the Rajar No. 6 spool will fit this camera". I saw that when the camera arrived and at first I thought I couldn't shoot with it because it took a different or special size of film. Nope, it's the take-up spool. At least in my camera, the take-up spool is special and has a square tip that fits into the take-up spool instead of a slot that fits into most 120 spools. 

 It appears the Rajar No.6 has a brass item attached to the metal take-up spool that had become loose, making it impossible for the camera to wind the film to the next frame. The drive portion came loose, and the film wouldn't advance anymore. The disconnect of the brass piece and the take-up spool must have happened during the winding of the film, as it was working for a few frames. Another explanation is that the brass portion was stuck to the take-up spool and became loose after the film was with a few frames.

The Company:

Rajar No. 6 nameplate

Rajar Ltd. was established in 1901 as an offshoot of Brooks-Watson Daylight Camera Company Ltd., which had a facility in Liverpool. The company produced camera film, paper, and Rajar film backs for daylight loading film. In 1904, it moved to Moberly and was renamed Rajar Ltd.

 In 1921, Rajar Ltd. They merged with six other companies to form APM, Amalgamated Photographic Manufacturers Ltd. In London, in 1928, four companies involved in film manufacturing formed APeM, Amalgamated Photographic Equipment Manufacturers Ltd. APeM, which would eventually be rolled into Ilford, which is still one of the major film companies today.

 The Rajar No. 6 camera was introduced in 1929, just a year after APeM started. APeM also produced box camera as well.

The one thing that makes the Rajar No.6 camera unique is that the camera body, faceplate, and back are all made from Bakelite. The Rajar No. 6  was the first camera to have the majority of the camera built with the new material. As I mentioned earlier, it's incredible that after almost 100 years, the Bakelite is still in fabulous condition. There are no chips to be found, and the camera still has the gorgeous shine of the new camera.

My Camera:

My Rajar camera measures 6.5" tall by 4" wide, including the winding key, by 4.5" deep when the camera is extended. My camera weighs 1 lb. 0,6 oz., so the camera is very light. The camera is extremely simple as it has a meniscus lens, and an "Everest" shutter, meaning it doesn't cock. When you move the shutter release from one side to the other, the shutter fires, and then when you move it back, the shutter fires again, so you'll need to wind the film right after taking the photo to avoid double exposures.

There is no aperture setting, as the lens aperture is set to what I'm guessing at F8. The only shutter speed setting is for instant or timed exposures. The Rajar No.6 camera is a strut-style folding camera, which means the camera body pulls away from the body on four chrome rigid arms, as opposed to the traditional folding bed style.

 It took me a few minutes to figure out how to pull the faceplate away from the body, but when I held the camera upside down, the faceplate dropped, and it was easy to pull it away from the body and lock it into position. To close the camera, you only need to pull outward on the four strut corners, and the faceplate folds back into the camera body. There is a small viewfinder on the top of the camera, but this only works for vertical photos. There is no viewfinder for horizontal images unless you tilt your head, which is very uncomfortable.

To open the back of the camera to load film, two clips hold the back onto the camera's body. Just flip back the clips, and the back can be lifted off easily. The Rajar No. 6 camera is a 6x9 format camera and takes eight exposures on a roll of 120 film. Yes, the only difference between the No. 6 spool is the take-up spool. It's not a different film size, as 120 film fits the camera well. I've even seen that Rajar made an adapter to fit onto its square proprietary film take-up end to fit into 120 film spools. I don't have one of the adapters, so I'll need to keep my special take-up spool and reuse it with each roll of film.

My Photos:

Since the take-up spool appeared to be broken and I couldn't pull the film from it, I glued the special square drive area directly onto the metal spool that it was spinning freely on. After waiting an hour or so for the glue to dry, I loaded a roll of 120 film into the camera and onto the special take-up reel. The take-up spool worked wonderfully, and I got through the roll of film without a hitch. In fact, the film transport was extremely smooth.

 Here are some results from walking through my neighborhood with the Rajar No. 6 camera.

Conclusion.

The images have a softness that I find appealing. They are very similar to Lomography-style cameras like the Diana. They seem a bit sharper than a Diana, but the lens has a creamy effect on the images (in my opinion). I enjoy that the corners are rounded on the negatives. I also see that the images extend into the rebate portion of the film's border, as I can see the film name and other information in the image area.

 The camera worked great. The shutter was smooth, and the film transport was even smoother. Once I glued the two pieces together and dropped the film into the camera, the photo-taking experience went flawlessly.

 The camera is compact, rugged, and a real "point-and-shoot" style camera. I aimed the camera for horizontal images and figured the lens on the camera was most likely for wide images, which proved to be true.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes to read about this fun and easy camera to shoot with.

 I'd love to hear from you, so if you have any experience with this camera or any of the others I've written about, please email me.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Original Model K1 Rolleiflex

My Rolleiflex K1 Camera

As is common for me, I purchased this original Rolleiflex model with many cameras, which included some other items I was more interested in. In the photo of the camera lot, I could see the Rolleiflex name, but the image was so small that I couldn't tell what model it was or even if it was in working condition. I took a shot; as I mentioned earlier, I was more interested in some items, and the Rolleiflex was more of the icing on the cake regarding the importance.

 Once I received the items in the lot and looked them over, the main items were great, and I was happy to have them. I picked up the Rolleiflex and checked on the camera's serial number, which was a low number. I have serial number 118104. From what I can see online, this is one of the first batches of cameras made. While the original Rolleiflex camera was only made from 1929 to 1932, a few modifications were made.

 In the photo, the Rolleiflex looked well used, and the top light chimney looked a bit wonky, which it was and still is today. When I tried to open the top, one of the side wings was jammed closed and wrapped under one of the other side wings, and I couldn't look down the chimney to see if the focusing screen was there. I took out my set of small screwdrivers and unscrewed the top 4 screws to remove the light chimney to fix it and bend the sides out a bit to make the chimney more usable.

Early Rolleiflex name and serial number

 Once I took the top off, I noticed the focusing screen was in good condition and still had the bubble level. It was a very clever idea to put in the camera when it was manufactured almost 100 years ago. 

The Company:

I reviewed the original Art Deco-style Rolleicord a few months ago, and here's what I wrote about the company's history then.

 Rollei holds a significant place in photographic history. Founded in 1920 in Braunschweig, Germany, by Paul Franke and Reinhold Heidecke, the company originally bore the name "Franke & Heidecke." Initially, it focused on precision mechanical devices, but by the mid-1920s, Rollei began producing cameras that would revolutionize photography.

 Rollei gained international recognition in 1929 with the launch of the Rolleiflex, the first twin-lens reflex (TLR) camera. The Rolleiflex was compact, robust, and designed for medium-format photography. Its unique twin-lens system featured one lens for viewing and focusing and another for capturing the image on film. This innovative design allowed photographers to frame shots at waist level, making candid photography more discreet and practical. The Rolleiflex quickly became a favorite among professionals and enthusiasts, particularly for portrait and documentary work.

The success of the Rolleiflex led to the introduction of the Rolleicord, a more affordable version aimed at amateur photographers. Both models showcased Rollei's commitment to precision engineering and optical excellence, which became hallmarks of the brand.

 During the 1930s and 1940s, Rollei continued to innovate, refining the Rolleiflex and Rolleicord lines with features such as automatic film winding and improved optics. Despite the challenges of World War II, the company maintained its reputation for high-quality cameras. In the post-war era, Rollei played a significant role in the resurgence of the German camera industry.

The 1950s and 1960s marked a golden age for Rollei. The Rolleiflex TLR became synonymous with professional photography and was used by renowned photographers such as Richard Avedon, Diane Arbus, and Vivian Maier. Rollei also ventured into other formats and technologies. The Rolleiflex 35mm SLR, introduced in the late 1950s, showcased the company's adaptability to the changing market demands.

 By the 1970s, the rise of Japanese camera manufacturers like Nikon, Canon, and Minolta introduced intense competition. These companies offered high-quality single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras at more affordable prices, challenging Rollei's dominance in medium-format and professional photography. However, Rollei's resilience and ability to adapt to changing market conditions inspired by its history.

In response, Rollei diversified its product line, introducing the Rolleiflex SL66, a medium-format SLR, and the compact Rollei 35, which became one of its most miniature 35mm cameras. Despite these innovations, Rollei struggled to maintain its market share due to its higher production costs and its competitors' rapidly advancing technology.

 In the 1980s and 1990s, Rollei faced financial difficulties, leading to changes in ownership and restructuring. The company shifted focus to digital imaging and niche markets, including high-end studio cameras and digital backs for medium-format systems.

The Rollei legacy endures as a symbol of German engineering and innovation, reflecting a century of dedication to the art and science of photography. This enduring legacy evokes a sense of respect and admiration for the brand's contribution to the field of photography.

My Camera:

My early Model K Rolleiflex is 5.25" tall and 3.5" wide by 3.75" deep. These measurements are with the light chimney closed. If I open the light chimney, the camera is 7.5" tall and weighs 1 lb. 9.7 oz. with the original lens cap and without film loaded into the camera. My camera has a Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 7.5cm f3.8 lens, serial #1310339, for the taking lens, and for the viewing lens is a Heidoscope Anastigmat 75mm f3.1 lens, serial #120850. 

The lens is in an F.Deckel-Munchen Compur shutter with speeds from 1/300 to 1 sec. along with "B" & "T". The shutter speeds are set by turning a chrome ring on the outside of the shutter ring. The shutter cocking lever is on the left side of the camera as you view it from the front, and the shutter release is on the right side. The aperture ring goes from F3.8 to F32 and is set by a sliding ring just outside the shutter ring.

Taking lens, and shutter-aperture settings on my original K1 Rolleiflex

The light chimney or light hood is the most interesting thing about the camera. To open the light chimney, on the back of the camera, there is a small lever you need to press down to unlock the chimney. The front and sides will spring open if the chimney is in good working order. Since mine is not in perfect condition, the front opens, but I need to coax the sides to open correctly. Once the chimney is open, you can view the focus screen.

 On the back of the chimney is a magnifying glass on a spring. It can be flipped over and locked into the front part of the chimney, where it can be used for critical focus. Pressing the front part of the chimney releases the magnifying glass, and it returns to its normal position. 

 On the backside of the front wing of the chimney was a mirror, or a highly polished metal piece that flips down with a lever on the left side of the chimney. When the magnifying glass is in the "up" position, and you flip the lever down, the mirror will be at an angle that you can use the back as a level finder and focus the camera while viewing the image through the back opening of the chimney. I really liked this feature as it gives the camera a lot of flexibility when shooting. To close the chimney, fold down the sides first; the back and the front will close, covering the camera.

On the right side of the camera are two knobs. The larger knob on the top is the film advance knob. Around the knob are numbered from 1-12, but the numbers aren't in order; they go 1,7,12, small space, then 5,3,8, small space, 9, small space, and 6,2,10,1,11. At first, I thought these were frame numbers, but the sequences are so off. I know the first camera models were made for film size 117, and the camera only took six exposures with larger gaps between frames. There is also a red arrow pointing towards the number, but it didn't change when I put the film in the camera and advanced it to the next photo. Maybe someone can explain this sequence to me.

 The lower and smaller knob is the focus knob. On the inside are distance numbers, but there is no feet or meter setting. On the camera's left side is a lug, which was used to connect the strap.

The back door locking mechanism is on the bottom of the camera, and there is a tripod socket and a second red window with a cover. I didn't use that frame counting window, as I used the one on the back of the camera as I would for most cameras. To open the back door to load film, you lift the silver-hinged locking mechanism, which opens the back door. After doing some research on the camera, I found that this model doesn't take 120 film like all the other Rolleiflex models. 

I tried anyway, and it's too wide and didn't fit into the film chamber. Luckily, I have some outdated Agfa 620 films that fit correctly. I put the empty spool on the top. You can pull out the larger knob to load film into the camera, then press it in to lock the reel into place. I put the outdated Agfa roll into the camera, fed the leader into the empty spool, wound the film to start, closed the back of the camera, and wound the film to frame number 1. Now, I'm ready to take the camera out on an adventure to see how the camera performs.

 

My Results:

My wife and I planned a trip to Lake Quinault in the Olympic National Forest, so I wandered the lake's hotel grounds with a fantastic camera loaded with film and took some photos. Here are a few of the images from this trip.

Conclusion:

The camera performed very well, and the images were nice and sharp. The focusing screen was dark compared to the newer cameras. Still, it did an excellent job for a camera almost 100 years old and was extremely fun to shoot with. Due to the age of the film, the images have a mottled appearance when looking at something without detail, like the sky or lake. But that doesn't affect the camera's usability, which was overall very good.

 I'd love to hear from you. If you have one of these cameras and have questions or want to let me know what you think of the camera, please leave a comment, and I'll get back to you soon.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes from your day to read about this fantastic camera.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Merlin Camera

My Merlin camera.

This week's posting is about a relatively uncommon camera with an odd and unusual look made by a tiny company in the UK. The camera is the Merlin, produced by United Optical Instruments in Southend-on-the-Sea, England. 

 I had seen the Merlin camera in books and online when looking at subminiature cameras. Still, it wasn't until my wife. I was on a trip to London a couple of years ago when I came across this odd bird at the Camera’s London stall on Portobello Road on a day that my wife and I were scheduled to go home. 

 Our flight wasn't until later in the afternoon, and I wanted to look for cameras before leaving, so I went there early in the morning to make it back in time to go to the airport. That's where I spotted the Merlin camera and a few other cameras I brought back to the States with me.

 What caught my eye about the Merlin camera is the very odd shape of the camera. It has a wide part of the body, then narrows down, but the lens area flares out again, and the winding knob is on the bottom of the camera. You need to display the camera on the side unless you rest the camera on something due to the winding knob on the bottom of the camera. It just doesn't sit evenly on a flat surface.

The Company:

United Optical Instruments is only known to have made two different cameras, and neither was very popular. One of the cameras they manufactured was the Jupiter camera, a simple plastic camera with an Art Deco faceplate that took 127-size film. The only controls on the camera were two shutter speeds, the winding mechanism, and the shutter release. The other camera they manufactured was the subminiature Merlin camera. 

ERAC Camera

 I can find little information about United Optical Instruments, which is located in a resort town on the Thames Estuary in Essex, southeast England, about 68 kilometers from London. However, I did find that the company was associated with the Erac Selling Company.

 The Erac Selling Co. manufactured and patented two slightly different, oddly shaped cameras that resembled a pistol made from thermoplastic material. One of the items was the Erac Automatic Pistol Camera, and the other was the Erac Mercury 1. These pistol-shaped cameras housed a Merlin camera without the viewfinder inside the pistol's body. When you pulled the pistol trigger, the camera took the photo. 

 According to the information I found online, the Erac is described and illustrated in a patent issued to Harry Steward of Southend-on-Sea in 1931. The early version uses a different type of film advance, and the Merlin doesn't seem to be in this version.

 Harry Steward and Harry Covill were issued an improved patent in 1937. The second camera's patent described it as a pistol-shaped device. The patent drawings show it to resemble a Merlin camera inside, but there is no mention of Erac.

 Since the Merlin camera is inside the Erac Pistol camera, they patented a camera without the Merlin inside. Still, they found it too difficult to make it work. A few years later, they decided to put the Merlin camera inside the camera without the viewfinder.

The Camera:

As you can see in the photos, the camera is very small. It's only  2" wide, 2" deep, and 2" tall with finder up and 1.5" when it's down, and it only weighs 3.9 oz. The camera is made from cast metal and painted with a crackle finish, as the exterior has a rough surface. I can see areas where it's either chipped off or some flaked off. My Merlin camera is black, but they also have blue, green, and red cameras.

 The Merlin took a special film of only 20mm rolls with a negative size of 18x18mm. It came on paperback rolls similar to the small "hit" style cameras, and to load the camera, the top of the camera, which is attached to the back, slides off, exposing the film chamber. Put in the roll of film, bring it over to the take-up spool, slide the top back on, and advance the roll to the first frame. The winding knob is on the bottom of the camera, as I mentioned earlier.

 Another slight issue is that the top of the body doesn't lock, so if the camera falls, the top can slide off, exposing the film. Unfortunately, my camera doesn't have any original fill spools, only the blank areas where the film goes.

The bottom of the Merlin camera.

 There is only one shutter speed, and the shutter release is on the bottom of the camera along with the film advance knob. The only item on the top of the camera is the fold-down viewfinder. The lens has no focus as it's a meniscus-style lens.

Conclusion:

Since I didn't have the film for this camera, I couldn't take it out for a walk through the neighborhood to take photos and see how it did. That's OK. I can use other cameras to do that.

 I really like having this small camera in my collection, and now I want to find a Jupiter or Erac camera to add to it.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes from your day to read about this wonderful camera made almost 100 years ago by a very small company in England. It has a nice place in my collection and hopefully inspires you to find one for it, too.

 I'd love to hear from you if you have questions, comments, or concerns about this or any of the cameras I've written about.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Kodak Beau Brownie Camera

My Rose Beau Brownie Camera

To end the unofficial box camera month for my blog post, I was thinking about writing about a few different cameras, but my thoughts kept coming back to one specific model of Eastman Kodak camera, one of the most beautiful cameras made, the Beau Brownie camera.

 The two factors of the Beau Brownie line of cameras that I enjoy are the five different colors they come in: black, tan, blue, green, and the most sought-after rose. The art deco design by one of America's outstanding industrial designers, Walter Dorwin Teague, is also bundled into a very uncomplicated camera marketed more as a fashion statement than the ordinary black box camera. 

 George Eastman and his marketing team realized early on that to broaden the photographic marketplace, they needed to expand the scope of photographers using cameras. Until the early 1900s and into the 1910s, the vast majority of photographers were males due to the time-consuming process of making photographs. While Kodak didn't invent photography, much like Henry Ford, he sold cameras to the masses due to the newer methods of making glass plates easier to obtain and process, making roll films, film processing, and printing available to the masses.

My set of Nos. 2 Beau Brownie cameras

 In the late 1920s, Eastman Kodak started a relationship with Edwin Dorwin Teague, which forged a relationship and changed the design and quality of cameras for thirty to forty years until he died in the early 1960s.

The Relationship:

Walter Dorwin Teague, born Dec. 18, 1883, is often regarded as one of the pioneers of industrial design in America. He had a long and influential relationship with the Eastman Kodak Company. His collaboration with Kodak helped shape the visual and functional identity of the company's products, particularly its cameras, during the mid-20th century.

Portrait of Walter Dorwin Teague

 Teague, known for blending aesthetics with functionality, first worked with Kodak in the late 1920s. He continued influencing the company's product designs for several decades until his death on Dec. 5, 1960. His designs embodied the principles of streamlining, an artistic and engineering approach emphasizing smooth, flowing lines and modern, user-friendly aesthetics. Kodak sought to enhance its product appeal in an increasingly competitive market. Teague's expertise gave the company a fresh, contemporary design language that resonated with consumers.

 One of Teague's most iconic contributions to Kodak was the design of the Kodak Bantam Special, introduced in 1936. The Bantam Special was a masterpiece of Art Deco design, featuring a sleek, black enamel and chrome finish. It was visually striking, compact, and easy to use, aligning with Kodak's mission to make photography accessible to a broader audience. The camera became a symbol of modern design and demonstrated how industrial design could elevate consumer products beyond mere functionality.

Walter Teague designed Kodak Super Six-20 camera

 Teague's impact on Kodak extended beyond individual products; he played a key role in shaping the brand's overall aesthetic identity. His work helped Kodak establish a reputation for producing elegantly designed, high-quality, practical, and stylish cameras. His collaboration with Kodak set a precedent for integrating industrial design into mass-market consumer products, influencing Kodak's future designs and the broader field of product design.

 Beyond the Bantam Special, Teague worked on several other Kodak models, including the Kodak Baby Brownie and the Kodak Medalist. These cameras showcased his ability to balance form and function, making photography equipment more appealing and accessible to everyday users. His designs helped Kodak maintain its position as a camera industry leader, reinforcing its image as both innovative and consumer-friendly.

 Walter Dorwin Teague's relationship with Kodak was a testament to the power of industrial design in shaping consumer products. His work not only enhanced the usability and attractiveness of Kodak cameras but also set new standards for the role of design in consumer technology. Through this partnership, Teague left an enduring mark on both Kodak and the history of industrial design.

The Camera:

Beau Brownie cameras came in two sizes: the smaller Nos. 2, which takes 120 film, and the larger No. 2A, which takes 116 film. They were both introduced in October 1930 and ended production in 1933. However, the two rarer versions, the green and rose colors, were in production for 1 year, which ended in 1931. Luckily, I have all five colors in different sizes in my collection. I've had all five for many years, and this is the second time I've owned all five colors in both sizes. 

 The camera that I used for the blog post is the smaller Nos. 2 camera due to the easily accessible 120 film the camera uses. The Beau Brownie No. 2 camera is 4" tall by 3" wide or 3 3/8" wide if you include the film advance knob by 4 3/8" deep. The camera has a 6x9 negative size and weighs 14.1 oz.

 The larger Beau Brownie, Nos. 2A is 5" tall, by 3 3/8" wide, or 3 3/4" wide if you include the film winding knob, by 5" deep. The No. 2A film format is 2.5" x 4.25" on 116 film, weighing 1 lb.—3.8 oz. 

My Nos. 2A Rose Beau Brownie (L) and Nos. 2 (R). Note the size difference

Looking online, I found a Beau Brownie Camera Manual, which is where I look for manuals for the cameras in my collection. It's a fabulous website and something we all should support.

 The front of the camera has a beautiful, enameled Art Deco geometric design that is two-toned with an accent color to enhance the camera's beauty. The black version has a dark burgundy accent color. In contrast, the other colors have a lighter and darker version of the camera's color. The rest of the camera is made of thin metal material covered in pebbled imitation leather, the same color as the camera. The carrying handle is on the top of the camera, which is the same color as the camera's body.

Also, two round windows are used for the viewfinder on the front of the camera. The top circle is for viewing vertical-format photos from the top of the camera, and the bottom is used when you turn the camera on its side for horizontal-format photos. There is no focus on this meniscus doublet lens, so like many box-style cameras, the minimum focus is around 10 feet, but items around 8 feet may still be in focus.

 The Beau Brownie cameras have two latches securing the back of the camera to the front. One latch is on the top of the camera, and one is on the side of the camera. Before you open the camera, you'll need to pull out the winding knob, which is engaged with the film transport. The winding knob needs to be pulled out; otherwise, the camera's front and back won't slide apart easily.

Once you have the camera apart, you can load the roll of film into the camera. Take the empty film spool from the top of the camera and move it to the bottom. Ensure it's adequately engaged, which will move the film from frame to frame. The fresh, unexposed roll now gets loaded into the camera's top film holder. Break the tape holding the film together and pull the leader over the opening with the paper backing looking outwards. Feed the leader into the empty spool on the bottom and wind a bit so you know the film is transporting properly. Also, check that the film fits within the walls of the spool so it can be transported easily. Wind the film until you see arrows pointing outwards. Ince you see the arrows, put the back onto the camera, press the winding knob, and secure the two latches. Now wind the film until you see the #1 in the red window. That's the indication that you're ready to make the first exposures.

 There are only two controls for the camera, located on the top of the camera. There are two levers just in front of the handle. One is on the left, and the shutter speed controller is the smaller of the two controls. There are only two settings. When the lever is down, the camera is in "instant" mode and has a shutter speed of around 1/100 sec. Pulling that small lever up puts the camera in "B" or timed exposure mode. In this setting, you'll need to set the camera on some camera tripod or bracket to hold the camera still so as not to cause a blurry photo.

The other controller is the larger of the two levers that control the aperture settings. The lever can be in three positions to change the different apertures. When the lever is down, the camera has an approximate aperture of F11, the middle position is approximately F16, and the top position is approximately F22.

 

My Results:

I loaded the camera with Ilford 400 ISO/ASA film and walked through the neighborhood on a very overcast and sometimes rainy afternoon in February. The neighbors are getting used to the old man walking through the streets with an odd-looking camera in his hand, taking photos of houses, objects, or other items I find on my walks.

 Here's what I took.

Conclusion:

Other than the stunning beauty of this camera, it's a fundamental camera with minimal controls and a fixed Meniscus Doublet lens that takes a significant negative. According to the manual, the minimum focus is approximately 8-10 feet. My judgment of distance was off in some photos, as the images are out of focus.

 Overall, it was a fun camera to shoot with, and I'll need to take it out on a sunnier day to get more contrast images. There are a couple of filters available for the Beau Brownie, one of which is a portrait filter that allows for closer focus for portrait photos, so I'll need to dig through the box of old filters to see if I have one of the recommended filters to try on the camera.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes to read about one of the most beautiful cameras ever made. I'm truly honored to have one in my collection.

 Until next week, please be safe.