Calumet

Calumet CC-403 image by PhotoShop Guru (Image rights)

In 1939 Kenneth Becker founded the Calumet Manufacturing Company in Chicago. In the beginning its main business were sporting goods. It began to sell cameras through the store and to manufacture darkroom equipment.

In 1955 Kodak sold the rights on its Master View 4x5 camera to Calumet. Calumet started to develop innovations for the view cameras like the Caltar large format lens line and the C-2 roll film holder. The Calumet CC-4nn monorail camera series was derived from the Kodak Master View Camera 4x5.

In 1980 Calumet was a full-line supplier of professional photographic products. It sold cameras of the Dutch manufacturer Cambo. Later it took over the Dutch company. Since that time most Calumet and Cambo cameras have the same technical data. A popular item among Calumet's accessories is the Calumet rollfilm holder.

The company got together with Keith, Johnson and Pelling, a retail chain in the United Kingdom.

Cameras

studio cameras

• Calumet 8x10

monorail cameras

• Calumet Cadet
• Calumet CC-400
• Calumet CC-401
• Calumet CC-402
• Calumet CC-403

Links

• company history on company homepage
• Calumet monorail on Au fil des images by J.C.Boussat (in French)