Debonair (1:8/60mm)
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For other cameras named Debonair please see Debonair (Disambiguation).
The Debonair is an all-plastic camera manufactured in Hong Kong. Many examples have a designation on the box marked NO. 819. Despite a few similarities, it is not the same as the "Debonair" Diana or the Imperial Debonair from Chicago’s Herbert George Camera Company.
The Debonair is designed to accept 120 film, with its red window positioned low on the back to count off 16 exposures of 6×4.5 cm per roll. Exposures are capture in a portrait format orientation, but the viewfinder is more of a square shape. The shutter release sits on the shutter housing along with an indicator for focus and the sunny/cloud flash switch. Compared to the Holga, the film back has a much more secure locking leaver located on the base. Versions with a red shutter release button or promotional tie-in badging are known.
This Debonair shares a suspicious number of similarities to the Holga camera, also originating in Hong Kong. The lens barrel is molded with similar focusing icons (3 vs. 4 with the Holga) and 1:8 60mm lens designations; the sunny/cloudy switch is similar, as is the wind knob. However, the switch does not change aperture but allows the shutter to be open longer, giving this camera a fixed f/8. The exact connection between the Debonair and the makers of the Holga is not known.
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| red window back, base with open switch image by Studioesper (Image rights) |
Links
- Sample photos from the Debonair, by dingadingdang on Flickr.
- Sample photo: Portrait of photographer Jim Austin shot with the Debonair on Kodak Ektachrome film by Michael Raso
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| Puzzling relations: Holga, Debonair, Diana image by remediate.this (Image rights) |
