Beck
Beck Microstigmar macro lenses, date unknown image by Richard Kaye (Image rights) |
R & J Beck was a renowned British optical company based in London.[1] It was founded in 1843 by the nephews of J.J. Lister, Richard Beck (1827-1866) and Joseph Beck (1828-1891) who were in partnership with a famous instrument maker, James Smith (d. 1870): the firm started as Smith and Beck. In 1854 the company was renamed to Smith, Beck and Beck. After Smith's retirement in 1865 the company became R & J Beck. It produced a wide range of optical products: microscopes, telescopes, trench periscopes for army officers in the First World War, eye test glasses for opticians (optometer lenses), other optical equipment, and camera lenses and even some cameras. A Beck Symmetrical is quite a commonly-seen lens on British folding cameras. Some cameras of the Ensign brand have lenses branded as "Beck Ensign". T. E. Lawrence (1888-1935; 'Lawrence of Arabia') used a plate camera made by Beck.[2]
Cameras
- Dai Cornex (1905)
- Folding camera for 123 rollfilm 4 x 5 inches. Fitted with a Beck-Steinheil Orthostigmat lens, Series I and a Bausch and Lomb Unicum shutter [3]
- Frena (1894)
- Hill Sky Camera (1924)
Lenses
- Asymmetrical[4]
- Autograph Wide Angle Lens (100°) (~1888)[5]
- Beck-Steinheil Orthostigmat
- Biplanat
- N° 2, 5"
- N° 3, 6"
- N° 5, 9" f/5.6-f/45
- N° 6, 11"[8]
- Convertible Double Apeanat 9" f/7.7[9]
Beck Ensign Anastigmat Series VIIn nº 0 image by Skink74 (Image rights) |
- Enlarging Anastigmat 2 1/4in f/4.5[10]
- Ensign Anastigmat Series VIIn nº 0
- Isostigmar
- Microstigmar
- Multiflex Lens f/8[13]
- Neostigmar Series IIIn No.3 5" [14]
- Rapid Rectilinear 11 inch f/8 (~1910)[15]
- Symmetrical Lens
Guided Weapons Lenses
R&J Beck designed G.W. Type 2 Mk.3 lens image by Dirk HR Spennemann (Image rights) |
The folowing lenses have been documented
- GW Type 2 Mk 2 (on a Dekko GW 1 Mk1A)
- GW Type 2 Mk 3 (on a Dekko GW 1 Mk1A and a Beck GW 2)
- GW Type 3 Mk 2 (on a Dekko GW 1 Mk1C)
Notes
- ↑ In 1867-80, 31 Cornhill; in 1881-1900, 68 Cornhill. Factory at Lister Works, Kentish Town, Holloway.
- ↑ T. E. Lawrence and his Cameras at the Museum of the History of Science, University of Oxford
- ↑ NMSI - Objects Cornex rollfilm camera
- ↑ See this image set
- ↑ Beck's Wide Angle "Autograph" Lens at Antique Wood Cameras
- ↑ NMSI - Objects Cornex rollfilm camera
- ↑ NMSI - Objects Beck-Steinheil Orthostigmat lens
- ↑ NMSI - Objects Biplanat N° 6
- ↑ Online auction Dec 2011
- ↑ Online auction Dec 2011
- ↑ NMSI - Objects Folding bellows hand camera
- ↑ British half plate camera , with Isostigmar 7.2" f/7.7 sn. #19042 Online auction Dec 2011
- ↑ NMSI - Objects Multiflex Lens
- ↑ NMSI - Objects Neostigmar Series
- ↑ NMSI - Objects Rapid rectilinear lens
- ↑ NMSI - Objects Symmetrical Lens
- ↑ Beck Symmetrical 12 Inch F8 from Markus Glück on Flickr
Links
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- R & J Beck NMSI - People