Guess what's in the field case

[Jack Conrad]

Just for fun guess what camera is in this old leather case. 🙄

First hint. It's a 35mm, was made in America somewhere between 1941 and 1943 and It is somewhat rare.

 

[cfritze]

(unaccountably willing to stick my neck out and look stupid)

a Sears Leica III clone? Or is 40s too early?

 

[oftheherd]

(unaccountably willing to stick my neck out and look stupid)

a Sears Leica III clone? Or is 40s too early?

I don't really have a clue, but I doubt Sears would have been making Leica clones during the war years. Kodak was making cameras (Retinettes), and Argus was. Retinettes were folders, so that doesn't look right, but then Argus C-3s had more protruding lenses.

I would guess any camera would have been rare then, as I doubt 35mm cameras were considered essential to the war effort at that time (1941-1943). EDIT: At least between 1942 and 1943. Before Dec 7 1941, there was no war, but most people knew things were getting tricky in Europe.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

Some variation of the Argus A?

 

[FPjohn]

Kardon?

yours
FPJ

 

[Jack Conrad]

Oftheherd, you're good at this.😀

Ok, here are a couple more hints to fire up the old camera buff anticipation. 🙂

It's not an Agfa or Ansco. The filters came with the camera and were likely used with it, but otherwise has no affiliation.

Here's a big hint. It was commissioned to be made for the US Army and Signal Corp.

I'll let you all play with that for a little while before I show you what it is.
I just found this thing at a local thrift store this morning and it's not the prettiest thing... but it appears to be fully functional. 🙂

 

[FPjohn]

http://shutterbug.com/equipmentreviews/classic_historical/0106classic/index1.html

I'll suggest, as before, the Kardon since the Reid was British afaik.

yours
FPJ

 

[Ezzie]

Kodak 35 RF?

EDIT: As in like this one? http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=355977&postcount=1

 

[FPjohn]

It appears the Kardon was a post 1943 introduction.

yours
FPJ

 

[Ezzie]

WHy I think its the Kodak is because of the bulges in the lens cover each side.

 

[dexdog]

My guess would be a Bolsey

 

[Ezzie]

I thought they were post-war

 

[Jack Conrad]

It's as American as Apple "Strudel" and was made in Rochester NY. 🙄

And Ezzie, you're really close. 😱

 

[Ezzie]

Ok then, the straight Kodak 35 with pop up finder? In olive drab of course.

 

[johannielscom]

That must be it Ezzie. The case also resembles the case for the Medalist a bit, which was also commissioned by the signal corps. Thick and sturdy leather, with tough stitching.

I was thinking a Clarus or a Perfex, but since you were so close already, those cannot be it.

 

[Ezzie]

What threw me off was the OP saying it not being the prettiest thing, the 35 RF is not exactly pretty, there is nothing wrong with the 35 however.

 

[johannielscom]

From the Head Bartenders website, here:

Did Ezzie win anything, Jack? :angel:

 

[Ezzie]

Ok, I retract my previous statement. In drab olive it is not pretty. In standard livery, more than OK.

 

[Leigh Youdale]

Pardon?????

Pardon?????

Before Dec 7 1941, there was no war, but most people knew things were getting tricky in Europe.

Unlike today, America had an aversion to getting involved in other people's wars, but then unlike today America didn't need other people's oil, either.
The war started in 1939. It took two years for the US to decide to join in. To say there was no war before December 1941 is pretty offensive to a lot of people who had been fighting one for two years prior. "Pretty tricky"? No, it was pretty terrible.

 

[dexdog]

OK, second guess is a Kodak Ektra