Bencini

Bencini Comet 1, c1948 image by Dirk HR Spennemann (Image rights)

Founded by Antonio Bencini, in 1937 as I.C.A.F. in Milano (Italy), the company shortly changed its name to C.M.F. After WWII it was renamed again, to CMF Bencini, the name under which it became renowned for its characteristic rigid body cameras. But it made also folding cameras like the Argo rollfilm folder with Aplanatic F:10.5 lens in CMF A3 single-speed shutter. Bencini made cameras for other brands such as Boots and Trifca.

cameras

127 film

• Bencini Akrom I - a rebadged Comet III
• Bencini Comet

Comet S

• Bencini Comet II
• Bencini Comet III
• Bencini Comet Rapid

Relex

• Bencini Comet S
• Bencini Comet 44
• Bencini Cometa
• Bencini Relex
• Bencini Rolet
• Bencini Minicomet

120 film

Koroll II

• Argo
• Bencini Eno
• CMF Erno
• CMF Gabro
• Bencini Koroll 24
• Bencini Koroll 24S
• Bencini Koroll II
• Bencini Koroll S
• Bencini Koroll T

35mm film

NK 135

• Bencini Comet Rapid (for Rapid cassette film)
• Bencini Comet 235
• Bencini Comet 335
• Bencini Comet 435 Electronic
• Bencini Comet 535 Minicompact
• Bencini Comet 635 Electronic Minicompact
• Bencini Comet K 35
• Bencini Comet NK 135
• Bencini Personal Reporter

126 film

• Boots Comet 126x
• Boots 126C
• Comet 326 XL
• Boots/Bencini Comet 404-X
• Comet 455-X
• Comet Unimatic 800
• Boots/Bencini Unimatic II

110 film

• Comet 110 (for Boots?)
• Comet 310

accessories

• pistol grip with cable release

Link

• An example of Bencini's cameras
• Bencini page at Collection G. Even's site
• Cameras at www.collection-appareils.fr
• Company history and cameras at collectiblend.com
• Comet 455-X at Sylvain Halgand's www.collection-appareils.fr
• Comet 404-X at Sylvain Halgand's www.collection-appareils.fr
• Bencini history, 7 pages (Italian) by Donald Consonni, hosted at mistermondo.com