mindcircus
Member
Hi all,
I just received my grandfather's Ensign Selfix 420 from a shop in Athens that performs CLAs to film cameras. I noticed that the knob that opens the film compartment door (see attached) was different than the one I remember it had, but the shop owner insisted that this is the original knob of the camera and I am wrong.
Since I cannot find any clean pictures in the web, do we have any owners here that could post a photo of their cameras? I can't get anywhere with the shop owner, but I need to know if there is a problem, because the camera has a sentimental value for me.
I just received my grandfather's Ensign Selfix 420 from a shop in Athens that performs CLAs to film cameras. I noticed that the knob that opens the film compartment door (see attached) was different than the one I remember it had, but the shop owner insisted that this is the original knob of the camera and I am wrong.
Since I cannot find any clean pictures in the web, do we have any owners here that could post a photo of their cameras? I can't get anywhere with the shop owner, but I need to know if there is a problem, because the camera has a sentimental value for me.
Attachments
CharlesDAMorgan
Veteran
I found this online (the only one with a visible catch) and boosted the exposure a bit - it does look like the above one.

mindcircus
Member
This is from camera-wiki.org and looks like the one I remember, but it is not clear at all:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/72498006@N00/6178733091/in/pool-camerawiki
There was a curve in the middle for the finger and it was a bit rough with small slots in order the finger not to slip. I am pretty sure about its shape, but when an expert insists he is right and you are wrong you always have second thoughts in case you are confused with something else. I have not used much the camera, I just played around with it for a couple of weeks before the cla, that is why I cannot be 100% sure.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/72498006@N00/6178733091/in/pool-camerawiki
There was a curve in the middle for the finger and it was a bit rough with small slots in order the finger not to slip. I am pretty sure about its shape, but when an expert insists he is right and you are wrong you always have second thoughts in case you are confused with something else. I have not used much the camera, I just played around with it for a couple of weeks before the cla, that is why I cannot be 100% sure.
mindcircus
Member
The more I look, the more cameras I find with this simple knob in my first photo. So it is either that my memory deceives me or that there was a cap which has been lost in many old cameras. If nobody has this camera in his collection, I will settle to the first explanation.
CharlesDAMorgan, thank you for your time to search about it!
CharlesDAMorgan, thank you for your time to search about it!
Scrambler
Well-known
I don't have a direct comparison, just two Selfix 220 cameras. Though a round catch, they are a plain satin finish with no stamped texture. Like you, I felt a textured finish was what should have been on this style of camera, but not one MF folder that I own has such a catch, and only 1 brand of 35mm camera. So perhaps it's one of those collective 'shouldabeen' memories.
seany65
Well-known
I've just found a clip of an ensign 420 on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgTMgHNRmDk
Look at the start to see if it's the same version of the 420, then pause it at 2:09 while viewing in 1080, it's clearly not like the catch you now have.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgTMgHNRmDk
Look at the start to see if it's the same version of the 420, then pause it at 2:09 while viewing in 1080, it's clearly not like the catch you now have.
Scrambler
Well-known
I've just found a clip of an ensign 420 on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgTMgHNRmDk
Look at the start to see if it's the same version of the 420, then pause it at 2:09 while viewing in 1080, it's clearly not like the catch you now have.
Interesting. Concave, 2 steps up on each side.
Johngwill
Established
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