Kodak-Nagel Ranca camera

My Kodak-Nagel Ranca camera

Being a collector and working in the photo industry for more than 50 years, and, more specifically, in the photographic retail business for almost 20 of those years. My retail years were in the mid-1970s through to the early 1990s. It was the height of film photography with Nikon F's, Canon AE-1's, Minolta SRT's, Pentax, Rollei, Contax, etc. I can remember the introductions of many of the best-selling cameras from this era. I have seen and sold many cameras. But to this day, I still enjoy them.

 When I look at a camera, especially an older one I'm not familiar with, the first impression strongly influences whether I purchase it. I'm always on the hunt for the odd and unusual camera.  I imagine it's really about what you enjoy collecting. 

 Many collectors look for pristine examples of Leica, Rollei, Hasselblad, or items with a slight difference, making them a "rare" item. Still, if I see a camera I'm not aware of, and it has an unusual appearance or color that stands out, that's what catches my eye. It doesn't have to be expensive or rare; it just has to be unusual to me.

 That's where the camera I'm writing about this week comes in. The Kodak Ranca is a camera I first saw on my friend Mike Ott's website. Mike is the longtime owner of Pacific Rim Camera and one of the best photographic resources around. It's a website I often visit, very similar to Mike Butkus's Camera Manual, which offers information on cameras, catalogues, manuals, etc. 

 I purchased the Kodak Ranca because it was a compact camera I wasn't familiar with. It wasn't until it arrived that the camera had a very similar look and feel. I was aware that it was a Nagel-made camera, which was another reason I was attracted to it. Still, when I dug into the camera after it was purchased, it's considered the "less expensive" version of the very popular Nagel Pupille camera, which I reviewed a few months ago.

 According to my reading of the Ranca camera, there were two versions. The earlier model, known as 46/0, has a helicoid lens and shutter system that rotates out from the camera's body when you grip and rotate the shutter/lens area a quarter turn counterclockwise. This also exposes the helicoid on which the lens/shutter rotates. The second version is the 46/1, which has a rigid lens barrel with the lens and shutter on the end. 

 The camera was introduced in the middle of 1930 and remained available for only approximately 1 year, until the latter part of 1931. Both the Nagel Pupille and Ranca camera take 127-size film, producing 16, 3x4cm images on the roll. 

 Sources state that a total of 2,200 Ranca cameras were produced, compared to 5,000 of the more expensive, better-featured Pupille cameras. While the Pupille has superior features, fewer Ranca cameras are produced. Yet, the Pupille is more of a collector's item and fetches a higher price, even today.

 Some of the other differences between the two models: both cameras have "sports"-style pop-up viewfinders; some have glass on the front, and some don't. Different shutters, either Prontor or Ibsor, were available. The camera uses a front focus system, with some cameras opting for a very simple distance scale for portrait, group, or landscape. In contrast, others have the distance in feet on the lens barrel. 

History:

 Dr. August Nagel was one of the most important European designers ever associated with Eastman Kodak, and their partnership reshaped Kodak's position in the precision‑camera market. In 1932, Eastman Kodak purchased Nagel's Stuttgart-based firm, Dr. Nagel-Werke, and reorganized it as Kodak A.G., retaining Nagel as managing director and head of design. Before this acquisition, Kodak was dominant in film and popular roll-film cameras. Still, German makers like Leica and Contax defined the high‑end miniature camera segment. Kodak wanted a German-built precision camera to compete directly, yet at a lower price and in a form that fit its mass‑market philosophy. Nagel, already respected for compact folding designs and his work on Contessa-Nettel and Zeiss Ikon models, was the ideal partner to bridge that gap.

Kodak Ranca advertismant

 Within Kodak A.G., Nagel used generous Eastman funding and Kodak's global reach to develop a compact 35mm camera that could rival the established German leaders. The result was the Kodak Retina, introduced in 1934 (Type 117), a folding 35mm camera that offered solid German construction and good optics at a far more accessible price than Leica or Contax. At the same time, Nagel introduced a new daylight-loading 35mm cartridge—what became known as Kodak 135 film—which fit not only the Retina but also Leica and Contax cameras. This cartridge standardized 35mm still photography worldwide. It made 35mm use far easier for ordinary photographers, who no longer needed to roll film into cassettes in the dark.

 Nagel's collaboration with Eastman Kodak extended beyond the Retina itself. Under the Kodak A.G. banner in Stuttgart, he and his team produced several notable pre‑Retina and companion models, such as the Recomar plate cameras, the compact Pupille, the Vollenda folding cameras, and the Duo 620 medium‑format folders. These cameras married Nagel's hallmark precision and compactness with Kodak's branding and distribution, giving Kodak an instant foothold in the "serious enthusiast" and professional market that had previously looked almost exclusively to other German makers. 

 Although Nagel died in 1943, the Retina line continued to evolve with the introduction of the rangefinder. Later SLR versions, and the 135 cartridge he introduced, remain the standard for 35mm film, making his association with Eastman Kodak one of the most consequential designer–manufacturer partnerships in camera history.

My Camera:

 My Nagel Ranca camera is 4" wide by 2.5" tall with the viewfinder retracted, and 3.25" tall with the viewfinder extended. The camera is 2.25" deep with the lens retracted into the camera body. When it's extended and ready to take a photo, it's 2.75" deep. The camera weighs 10.1 ounces when a roll of film is not loaded.

 My Nagel Ranca has a Nagel Anistigmat 5cm lens, an F/4.5 lens, a Protar shutter located above the lens with only three shutter speeds: 1/100, 1/50, 1/25, along with "T" for timed and "B" for Bulb. The aperture ring, which is located below the lens, has a slide that controls the aperture. The minimum aperture setting is F/16.

Shutter/Aperture settings on Kodak Ranca camera

As mentioned previously, the lens/shutter needs to be turned counterclockwise a quarter turn to extend the lens on the helicoid. The unusual thing about doing this is that the shutter release is now in an odd and awkward position for use. The lens/shutter is retracted, and the shutter release is in the 11:00 o'clock position, which is ideal for tripping the shutter. However, when the lens is extended, it puts the shutter release in the 7:00-8:00 o'clock position, making it a bit more awkward, in my opinion. 

 There is a shutter release socket behind the shutter release if needed. On the right side of the shutter dial is a self-timer with a large red dot. Pull it down to set the self-timer, then press it to activate it. Mine isn't working properly, which is common for cameras from this era.

The lens is a front focusing lens. This means you rotate the lens itself to the desired distance from you to the subject. This is shown on the lens by a red line, which is also in an awkward position when the lens is extended. As opposed to being on the top, it's now on the side.

 The lens doesn't need to be extended to open the camera to load film into it. Slide the lever on the bottom of the camera to unlock the film chamber from the camera body. Gripping the chrome handles on either side of the viewfinder and lifting up allows you to remove the film chamber. Once removed, load the 127-size film into the film holder, then slide the film holder back into the camera body and lock it in place with the bottom locking mechanism.

Since there are two red windows on the back, these are used to advance the film. First, wind the film until you see the number 1 in the right side window. Then take your photo. Now wind the film until you see the number 1 in the left side window. Take your next photo. Wind until you see the number 2 in the right side window. Then repeat this process through the number 8. At this point, you've taken 16 photos on your film, and it's time to get it processed, or process it yourself if you have the equipment and chemicals to do so.

 

My results:

 I loaded a roll of 400 ISO film into the Nagel Ranca camera because the day started out overcast. With the limited shutter speeds available, I needed the extra sensitivity to make good images.

 The day turned out sunnier than expected, and the lack of a high-speed shutter meant I needed to shoot all the images at 1/100, f/16. Even then, the negatives turned out a bit denser than anticipated, but I made the corrections needed in post-processing.

 I tried some close-ups and a few longer shots to assess the camera's lens quality. I was both surprised, in a good way, and surprised, in a bad way, by my results.

 Here are some of the photos from my walk through the neighborhood. 

Conclusion:

 To say I was disappointed by some of the results is an understatement. The closer images, which I thought wouldn't turn out very well, were the shining light of the camera roll. The images taken at infinity, assuming they would be sharp, especially at F/16, are unsharp and disappointing.

 The camera was fun to shoot with, and I always enjoy shooting 127 film in the 3x4cm format. Still, I was also disappointed with the shutter release's location after extending the lens to the "taking" position. The shutter release was in an awkward position, to the point that I had to shoot the camera with my thumb while resting it in my palm.

 I'll get used to it next time I take the camera out for a shoot, but I prefer using the Nagel Pupille.

 Thank you for taking some time to learn about the "lesser featured" brother of Nagel's Pupille, the Ranca camera. A compact 127 camera made in the early 1930s.

 Here are the other Camera Reviews I've done.

 Cuny's Cameras and Photos is my online eBay store where I sell some of the cameras reviewed, along with many other photo oddities I've accumulated over my 50-plus years with cameras and images.

 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.