#35mm film camera | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

dancuny · 22 days ago

Text

Corfield Periflex Camera

The Corfield Periflex is a relatively new camera to my collection. I've only had it for a few months, but I've desired to own one for many years. The opportunity arose to purchase one of the earlier models that was in good working condition and at a reasonable price for this camera in its condition, so I grabbed the opportunity and purchased it.

When the camera arrived, it was in good working condition and in the cosmetic condition described, so I was pleased with the purchase. I knew from purchasing the camera that my aim was to do a blog post on it, as the camera has many unique features that have not been seen in cameras before or since.

The Periflex is a 35mm camera with an appearance that resembles a Leica only because of the size and initial shape of the camera. Unlike the Leica cameras, the Periflex doesn't offer the photographer rangefinder focus, sprockets film advance, removable baseplate, or take-up spool, but it does offer the same lens thread mount and excellent optics in a small and compact camera made in the United Kingdom.

The Company:

Sir Kenneth Corfield (1924–2016) was a British engineer, entrepreneur, and photographer whose work significantly influenced the photographic industry in the UK, mainly through his company, Corfield Ltd. Known for his pioneering approach to camera design, Sir Kenneth's legacy is deeply intertwined with the Corfield Camera Company, which he founded in the mid-20th century. His innovative ideas, especially those focused on making quality, compact cameras, helped the brand gain a reputation in the photography community, although its operations ended in the 1970s.

Kenneth Corfield was born in the UK in 1924 and trained as an engineer. He developed a passion for cameras and photography from an early age, and this interest led him to create camera equipment designed to fill the gaps he observed in the photographic tools available at the time. His mechanical expertise and curiosity about precision instruments motivated him to create Corfield Ltd., a company that produces cameras for professional and amateur photographers alike.

Corfield founded his company in the post-war period when there was increasing demand for affordable, portable, high-quality photographic equipment. Starting in the 1940s, Corfield Ltd. initially operated as a small workshop but soon expanded to meet the needs of a growing photography market in the UK. Unlike the more prominent, established companies primarily located in Germany and Japan, Corfield's British roots gave his products a unique appeal in the domestic market. They also partnered with British Optical Lens Co. in Walsall, which designed and made the Lumar optics for Corfield.

The company's first significant product was the Periflex, introduced in 1953. This camera became known for its innovative use of a periscope-type viewing system. This device made the Periflex one of the more unique 35mm cameras available at the time, as it allowed users to see the image through the lens without needing an expensive reflex mirror. The camera was compact, affordable, and relatively simple compared to other rangefinders, and it catered to a market that wanted quality at an accessible price.

The Periflex series became the backbone of Corfield Ltd.'s reputation. The first model, the Periflex I, was followed by several iterations, including the Periflex II, III, and Gold Star. Each version introduced new features and enhancements to meet photographers' increasing demands, such as improved shutter speeds, lens mounts, and more durable designs.

The defining characteristic of the Periflex cameras was the periscope-like focusing mechanism. This mechanism, placed directly above the lens, allowed photographers to focus accurately without the bulk or complexity of a traditional single-lens reflex (SLR) system. This feature made the Periflex a unique hybrid of a rangefinder and SLR qualities, appealing to those who valued compact design but still wanted accurate focus control. Although some photographers found the system unorthodox, others appreciated the camera's compactness and precision, making it popular among professionals and amateurs.

Despite its successes, Corfield Ltd. faced stiff competition from German and Japanese camera manufacturers, producing high-quality cameras on a much larger scale. Companies like Leica, Nikon, and Canon dominated the market with advanced SLRs, and Corfield's unique designs needed to catch up with the rapid technological advancements. While the Periflex series had gained a loyal following, it required more sophistication and reliability than its competitors, ultimately limiting its market appeal.

In the 1970s, Corfield Ltd. ceased producing its cameras, and the Periflex series also ended production. Although the brand did not survive, the innovations introduced by Kenneth Corfield influenced camera design and highlighted the potential for high-quality British-made photographic equipment.

Kenneth Corfield's contributions to the photographic world extended beyond his camera company. Even after Corfield Ltd. ceased operations, he remained active in the photography industry. Later in his career, Corfield was involved with Gandolfi, a British large-format camera manufacturer, and his influence continued to be felt through his consulting and design work in the field.

Corfield's legacy is remembered by photography enthusiasts and collectors who admire his innovative approach to camera design. The Periflex cameras, in particular, are valued among collectors for their uniqueness and historical significance. Sir Kenneth's work reflects a time of British ingenuity in the photographic industry. It is a testament to a small, independent company's impact on a competitive global market.

Bev Parker has a wonderful website dedicated to The Corfield Company.

My Camera:

My Corfield Periflex camera isn't the first model, as the first 200 Periflex camera had a black top and bottom plate like mine. Still, they were covered in brownish pigskin on the body. I believe mine is the third version, as the engraving has been moved to the periscope but still has the black top and bottom plate, black leatherette covering, and chrome lens.

My Periflex camera is 5.5" wide by 3.25" tall, including the periscope, and 3.25" deep from the back of the camera to the front of the lens focused to infinity. With the standard Lumar 50mm f3.5 lens, it weighs 1 lb 1.4 oz. The camera is made from aluminum, as opposed to brass, which was a more common construction material at the time. Aluminum was easy to work with for both the body and lenses and was less expensive.

This hybrid camera doesn't have a rangefinder to focus. Still, it has a very small mirror that drops down into the camera and points out through the lens, allowing the photographer to focus on the subject, which is very similar to a single-lens reflex camera. The periscope is achieved by the center tube over the lens, which has a small knob on the back that you pull down and look through the optics on the top to view your subject.

I was very skeptical at first, but it does work and focuses very crisply on the subject as it should. There are some things that could be improved in this system. First, you need to open the aperture to get the brightest image to focus on, so you don't do this quickly. Once the camera is focused, you stop the lens down to the desired aperture setting to get the proper exposure, move your eye to the mounted viewfinder on the top to frame your subject, and then take the photo. Once you do it a few times, it becomes manageable. But it would be best if you remembered to reset your aperture, which I didn't do on a few frames. That's just a matter of getting to know the camera and using it more often. I DID like looking through the lens in a small compact camera to focus on the subject.

My Periflex has shutter speeds from 1/1000 to 1/30 sec exposure times along with "B" for timed exposures. Above the shutter speed indicator is a knob that needs to be turned to cock the shutter before making an exposure. Advancing the film DOES NOT cock the shutter. These are two separate operations and are not intertwined. You do, however, need to advance the film winding lever AND cock the shutter before the camera will fire. This makes it impossible to take a double exposure on this camera. At least, I am still looking for a way to do it. The shutter release button is on the front of the camera, similar to the Topcon cameras, so it's more of a squeezing motion than a pressing down motion. There is a removable collar around the shutter release to attach a Leica-style cable release for time exposures.

Another oddity about my camera is that I didn’t discover it until after I had shot all the photos for this post. I didn’t think there were aperture settings on the lens, but after I reread the instruction manual, there is a small black mark on the lens that goes along the depth of field scale which indicates what aperture you’re using. Looking at the Corfield Periflex instruction manual, they discuss apertures and depth of field, but there is where the aperture settings are. All my exposures were guesses of the size of the aperture needed. The focus on my lens is smooth, the aperture ring moves well, too, and the Lumar lens system has a Leica Thread mount, so the advantage is you can use any LTM lens with this camera.

Loading the film is very simple, and there is another camera oddity in the loading process on the camera. To open the back to load the film, you turn the chrome circle on the camera next to the tripod socket until the arrow points to the white dot. Once that is done, the camera's back will slide downward, exposing the film chamber. I first noticed that there was no drive gear to advance the film, and the take-up spool (drum) on the camera was much larger than the usual 35mm cameras on the market. The take-up spool is actually a drum that advances 180 degrees per wind of the film advance, so as the film is pulled and wrapped around the drum, the spacing of the film frames becomes more significant as you go from the first to the last frame.

Once the film is loaded, you slide the back into position on the camera and turn the chrome wheel on the bottom away from the white dot to lock the back onto the camera. When finished taking the roll of photos, rewind the film back into the film cassette. The drum/take-up spool release is a small chrome button between the shutter and film advance knobs. Press that button down, and you can rewind the film back into the cassette for processing.

My results:

I took the camera for a walk in the neighborhood on a sunny afternoon to see what I could do with the camera. It took some time to think about the metering process on the subject. Opening the aperture, setting the shutter speed, pressing down the periscope to focus (which was fun and easy), resetting the aperture to a size opening I thought might be the correct aperture size, putting the viewfinder to my eye to compose the photo, then taking the photo. Certainly not like cameras today with autofocus, automatic light meter settings, etc. You slow down, take your time and compose the shot, which I enjoy doing.

Here are a few of the images from the camera.

Conclusion:

I enjoyed shooting with the Corfield Periflex. It slows you down and makes you think about the process of creating an image rather than taking one. Not that the photos shown are any works of art, but I like the slower and more methodical process of taking the photo.

The camera is small and compact, has the shutter speeds needed, and has good optical sharpness. After finding where the aperture settings are, it makes more sense on how to do the aperture settings. I only wish I knew that before using the camera for the first time.

Thank you for taking a few minutes from your day to read my review of the Corfield Periflex, a gem of a camera.

Until next week, please be safe.

0 notes

dancuny · 3 months ago

Text

Ilford Advocate Camera

It's been a year since I first laid eyes on the Ilford Advocate camera, and I've been eager to share my experience with it. The journey began in England, where my wife and I stumbled upon a charming camera and photo reseller, Juliano of Cameras London, on Portabello Road. Little did I know that this encounter would lead to the acquisition of a unique piece of photographic history.

My wife and I went to Portabello Rd in London on Friday to look at the antiques there and for me to look for photo items, which there were few of, but I was told that Juliano would be there the next day and he was the person to see. While there wasn't much time to return the next day, I took the bus early and arrived while Juliano set up. My intention wasn't to purchase an Advocate, but as we talked and I mentioned I had one before, he said he had a couple and was willing to part with one. He didn't have it with him, so we arranged to have it shipped to my home in the US.

When the camera arrived and a couple of other items I was buying from him, it was in excellent working condition. I was delighted, as the camera isn't typical but more of an oddity. While I collect "colored" cameras, the white color of this camera makes it stand out in the crowd of mainly back cameras. I was happy to have the Ilford Advocate back in the collection, in excellent working condition, and the full-fitted leather case, too.

The Company:

Ilford is known less for its cameras than for its film, photo paper, and now inkjet printing paper, at least within the photo community. The company has had a long history with many name changes. Still, it's always been a significant name in the photo industry before companies like Leica, Rollei, or even Kodak.

The original company name was Britannia Works, which was started by Alfred Harman in 1879 by making Gelatine Dry Plates in his basement on Cranbrook Rd, in Ilford, Essex. Harman initially started printing services in 1863, and in 1878, he patented "producing enlarged photographs with artistic finish." By 1880, Harman moved to Roden St. and started trading as Brittania Works Company. By 1883, the company was expanding with the popularity of photography, and Harman opened a new factory to produce plates.

By 1890, Harman produced a popular book, "The Manual of Photography," and the book, "The Ilford Manual of Photography," was created under that name until 1958, when it was in its 5th edition. In 1891, Kodak started producing plates in Harlow, Middlesex, as a competitor to Britannia Works. In 1897 and again in 1903, Eastman Kodak attempted to purchase Britannia Works Company, but both times were unsuccessful. In 1898, Alfred Harman retired at age 50 but did consulting work for many years. In 1900, the company changed its name to Ilford, Ltd. The town council was happy and objected, but with persistence, the name was changed.

In the 1960s, the company was owned by Ciba, and they merged with the French company Lumiere and Swiss company Tellko and became the Ilford Group. In 1989, the Ilford Group was purchased by the US-based International Paper Company, and together, they merged to become Ilford Anitec. From 1990 to now, the company has gone through a few other acquisitions and receiverships, and the current time is when the parent company is Harman Technology. Through it all, they still produce tremendous film, photo paper, film, and paper chemistry.

To my knowledge, only one camera manufacturer was under the Ilford umbrella in this long-winded explanation of the Ilford company. That is Kennedy Instruments Ltd., which designed and built the Advocate starting in 1947 and updated it in 1952. The rarely-seen Monobar cameras were produced from 1958 to 1967. All the other cameras with the Ilford name were created by companies like Dacora, AGI, or Kershaw-Soho.

My Camera:

The first thing I noticed about the camera, other than the apparent white color, is the weight of the camera. Or the camera's lack of weight as it's a very light camera. The camera is made from a die-cast aluminum body with an enameled white finish. The camera body is smooth to the touch and lacks any leather or leatherette, which is uncommon for cameras. My camera measures 5 3/8" wide by 3" tall by 2.5" deep and weighs 1lb 1.5oz without the fitted leather case.

The camera is straightforward and doesn't have a lot of extra knobs or buttons to do different things on a camera which is what makes this one so unique. To open the back to load the film, you only need to pull open the aluminum bar on the right side of the camera, which releases the lock holding the back closed. Once you open the, I noted chrome gear by the advancing cogs and onto the film advance spool. My first thought was, That's unusual. Then when I tried to put in the film, the rewind knob didn't pull up like the majority of 35mm cameras to load the film. As I poked around, I noticed that the rewind knob is actually hinged, and it pulls away from the body, which allows the photographer to put the film into the camera body.

It's always my inclination to put the film cassette into the camera first, then bring the leader to the take-up spool to load. But looking at the instruction manual, they suggest putting the film leader into the take-up spool first, then putting the cassette after. Having the rewind knob on a hinge makes perfect sense to do it that way. Once I put in the film, I always take the slack of the film with the rewind knob, so when I go to advance the film, I know the film is transporting when I see the rewind knob turn ad I advance to the next frame.

The only other settings needed to take photos are all around the Dallmeyer Anastigmat 35mm f3.5 lens on my camera. There are three different rings around the lens. On the outer or the largest ring, which has "Advocate" printed on the top, is the shutter speed dial, with speeds of 1/200, 1/150, 1/100, 1/50, 1/25, and "B," which are set according to a red dot on the out portion of the ring. The next ring from the shutter speeds is the focus distance, which has the closest focus distance of 3 feet to Infinity. The inner ring has aperture settings, which go from f3.5 to f22. My first inclination was that the inner ring, which is actually on the lens itself, would have the focus ability, but it's the aperture settings. I had to get used to that when shooting.

To take the photos, the shutter release is a pulling action as you pull the shutter release back towards the camera body as opposed to the most common pressing the shutter release down. It's more similar to an Exakta or Topcon Super D. You get used to it when shooting. The feel of the shutter is firm, and you can hear the rotary shutter releasing and firing, so there is no missing if the camera took the photo. There is an auxiliary remote shutter socket on the front of the camera if you choose to put the camera on a tripod and shoot with a more prolonged exposure.

The viewfinder on the camera is bright and easy to compose images. My camera is the second version made, as the original Advocate cameras didn't have the flash sync capability, which is located at about five O'clock on the lens and is a double-prong sync cable. The original model also has a chrome pressure plate to hold the film flat.

Here's the fun and one of the more exciting things I like about this camera. Once you've shot all the photos and want to rewind the film, there is no button to disengage the winding sprocket. All you need to do is press down the winding knob down, which presses the gearing system down, and the winding gear is free moving, and the film can easily rewind into the canister. I really enjoyed the simplicity of this system.

My Results:

I took the camera to a local farmers market and used a real "shoot from the hip" method. I tried to be somewhat discrete, which may be difficult with a bright white camera around your neck, but here are some of the results.

Conclusion:

I really enjoyed shooting with this camera. The biggest obstacle I had was remembering which ring did which function. I kept going back to the inner ring, which was closest to the lens and was the focus, but it was an aperture, so I needed to keep this in mind during shooting. If I were to use it more often, it wouldn't be that big of an issue; I also liked that the case was in excellent condition, which is only sometimes the case for older cameras.

Thank you for taking time from your schedule to look over this post.

Until next week, please be safe.

1 note · View note