Difference between revisions of "Ensign Commando"

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|image= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8425/7807525942_ce07cfd254.jpg
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|image_align= right
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|image_text= Ensign Commando & ERC
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|image_by= J. Noir
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|image_rights= with permission
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The '''Ensign Commando''' is a folding coupled-rangefinder camera made by [[Houghton and Ensign|Houghton-Butcher]] and its successor companies for a few years just after the Second World War.<ref name=McK>{{McKeown12}} p397.</ref>
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{{LeftTOC}}
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{{br}}
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==History==
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The '''Ensign Commando''' was first issued to the armed forces by the end of WW2.
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==Description==
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The '''Commando''' makes 2¼x2¼ inch (6x6 cm) pictures on 120 roll film; all but the first version of the camera can also make 1⅝x2¼ inch (4.5x6 cm) pictures, with a mask for the smaller format in the viewfinder.<ref name=EP>Notes on the [http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/entry_C680.html Ensign Commando]] at [http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/index.html Early Photography].</ref>
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The camera is unusual in that it is focused by movement of the film plane, not of the lens, like the [[Mamiya Six]].
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{| class="plainlinks" align="center" style="text-align: center;"
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|| [http://www.flickr.com/photos/jnoir-photography/7807525374/in/pool-camerawiki http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8434/7807525374_4a8beb5406.jpg]
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|| [http://www.flickr.com/photos/jnoir-photography/7807524854/in/pool-camerawiki http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7258/7807524854_c4d25ba700.jpg]
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|colspan=5 align="center"|Film plane focusing (left, at infinity; right, at 6ft) on the Ensign Commando.<br /><small>Pictures by J. Noir</small> {{with permission}}
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The focus control is a knob on the left hand end of the top housing.
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The lens is a Houghton-Butcher Anastigmat in the earliest cameras, and an Ensar Anastigmat in later ones. Most lenses are 75 mm f/3.5; some early cameras have an f/4.5 lens.<ref name=EP></ref> All but the last version of the camera have an Epsilon shutter with speeds 1 - 1/200 second, plus 'B'; the last version, from 1949, has a top speed of 1/300 second.
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The shutter release is on the top housing, and there is a double-exposure prevention interlock between it and the film advance. The shutter is cocked manually.
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The camera has [[red window]]s for film advance; all but the earliest version have optional automatic frame spacing for the square format (so the red window does not have to be used), at the expense that only 11 frames are obtained.<ref name=EP></ref>
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==Models==
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The following differentiation was never made during the production years: this has been defined in modern days aimed to help both users and collectors.
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===Military Edition===
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As said, initially the Commando was made for military purposes<ref>The military version was unmarked, e.g. the lens is "H.B.M.Co. Anastigmat"</ref>, although probably it was released a bit too late and did not saw much use on the front.
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This version is 6x6-only so it has only one red window at the back door. The front of the top cover is chromed.
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{{br}}
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===Civilian Edition MkI===
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The version of the '''Commando''' sold to the general public had few differences with the military variation. It was made available right after the end of WWII, in early 1946, and now had clear "Ensign" and "Epsilon" markings.
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This edition added the dual-format capability by means of hinged masks - a clever feature, unlike other cameras the mask is always present-, so two [[Red_window|red windows for film advance]] on the back. There is also a sliding mask at the front of the viewfinder to accommodate the smaller 6x4.5 format. The front of the top cover is now black: it has a rectangular-shaped leatherette covering.
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{{br}}
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===Civilian Edition MkII===
 
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|image_source= http://www.flickr.com/photos/thorpehamlet/7118071705/in/pool-camerawiki
 
|image_source= http://www.flickr.com/photos/thorpehamlet/7118071705/in/pool-camerawiki
|image= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7109/7118071705_fa42c1461b_z.jpg
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|image= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7109/7118071705_fa42c1461b_n.jpg
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|image_text= Ensign Commando, 1948 version
 
|image_text= Ensign Commando, 1948 version
 
|image_by= John-Henry Collinson
 
|image_by= John-Henry Collinson
 
|image_rights= with permission
 
|image_rights= with permission
 
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}}
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The '''Ensign Commando''' is a folding coupled-rangefinder camera made by [[Houghton and Ensign|Houghton-Butcher]] and its successor companies for a few years just after the Second World War.<ref name=McK>{{McKeown12}} p397.</ref> It makes 2¼x2¼ inch (6x6 cm) pictures on 120 roll film; all but the first version of the camera can also make 1⅝x2¼ inch (4.5x6 cm) pictures, with a mask for the smaller format in the viewfinder.<ref name=EP>Notes on the [http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/entry_C680.html Ensign Commando]] at [http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/index.html Early Photography].</ref> It was made for the British armed forces during the War, and sold commercially from 1945.
 
  
The camera unusual in that it is focused by movement of the film plane, not of the lens, like the [[Mamiya Six]]. The focus control is a knob on the left hand end of the top housing.
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The second variation of the '''Commando''' was introduced in 1948 and simply added a re-design of the film loading system by replacing the knob with a flat disc.
  
The lens is a Houghton-Butcher Anastigmat in the earliest cameras, and an Ensar Anastigmat in later ones. Most lenses are 75 mm f/3.5; some early cameras have an f/4.5 lens.<ref name=EP></ref> All but the last version of the camera have an Epsilon shutter with speeds 1 - 1/200 second, plus 'B'; the last version, from 1949, has a top speed of 1/300 second. The shutter release is on the top housing, and there is a double-exposure prevention interlock between it and the film advance. The shutter is cocked manually.
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{{br}}
  
The camera has [[red window]]s for film advance; all but the earliest version have optional automatic frame spacing for the square format (so the red window does not have to be used), at the expense that only 11 frames are obtained.<ref name=EP></ref>
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===Civilian Edition MkIII===
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{{Flickr_image
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|image_source= http://www.flickr.com/photos/jnoir-photography/7807527006/in/pool-camerawiki
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|image= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8307/7807527006_fc48ee5108_n.jpg
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|image_align= right
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|image_text= Ensign Commando, 1949 version
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|image_by= J. Noir
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|image_rights= with permission
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}}
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This variation was made in 1949-1950, until the model was discontinued and replaced by the [[Ensign Selfix 820]] series.
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The main difference between this variation and the previous one is that from now on it mounts the newest Epsilon shutter, with 1-300 speeds, plus 'B' mode.
  
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{{br}}
  
 
==Notes==
 
==Notes==

Revision as of 01:45, 28 December 2012

This article is a stub. You can help Camera-wiki.org by expanding it.


The Ensign Commando is a folding coupled-rangefinder camera made by Houghton-Butcher and its successor companies for a few years just after the Second World War.[1]




History

The Ensign Commando was first issued to the armed forces by the end of WW2.


Description

The Commando makes 2¼x2¼ inch (6x6 cm) pictures on 120 roll film; all but the first version of the camera can also make 1⅝x2¼ inch (4.5x6 cm) pictures, with a mask for the smaller format in the viewfinder.[2]

The camera is unusual in that it is focused by movement of the film plane, not of the lens, like the Mamiya Six.



The focus control is a knob on the left hand end of the top housing.

The lens is a Houghton-Butcher Anastigmat in the earliest cameras, and an Ensar Anastigmat in later ones. Most lenses are 75 mm f/3.5; some early cameras have an f/4.5 lens.[2] All but the last version of the camera have an Epsilon shutter with speeds 1 - 1/200 second, plus 'B'; the last version, from 1949, has a top speed of 1/300 second.

The shutter release is on the top housing, and there is a double-exposure prevention interlock between it and the film advance. The shutter is cocked manually.

The camera has red windows for film advance; all but the earliest version have optional automatic frame spacing for the square format (so the red window does not have to be used), at the expense that only 11 frames are obtained.[2]


Models

The following differentiation was never made during the production years: this has been defined in modern days aimed to help both users and collectors.

Military Edition

As said, initially the Commando was made for military purposes[3], although probably it was released a bit too late and did not saw much use on the front.

This version is 6x6-only so it has only one red window at the back door. The front of the top cover is chromed.


Civilian Edition MkI

The version of the Commando sold to the general public had few differences with the military variation. It was made available right after the end of WWII, in early 1946, and now had clear "Ensign" and "Epsilon" markings.

This edition added the dual-format capability by means of hinged masks - a clever feature, unlike other cameras the mask is always present-, so two red windows for film advance on the back. There is also a sliding mask at the front of the viewfinder to accommodate the smaller 6x4.5 format. The front of the top cover is now black: it has a rectangular-shaped leatherette covering.


Civilian Edition MkII

The second variation of the Commando was introduced in 1948 and simply added a re-design of the film loading system by replacing the knob with a flat disc.


Civilian Edition MkIII

This variation was made in 1949-1950, until the model was discontinued and replaced by the Ensign Selfix 820 series.

The main difference between this variation and the previous one is that from now on it mounts the newest Epsilon shutter, with 1-300 speeds, plus 'B' mode.


Notes

  1. McKeown, James M. and Joan C. McKeown's Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras, 12th Edition, 2005-2006. USA, Centennial Photo Service, 2004. ISBN 0-931838-40-1 (hardcover). ISBN 0-931838-41-X (softcover). p397.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Notes on the Ensign Commando] at Early Photography.
  3. The military version was unmarked, e.g. the lens is "H.B.M.Co. Anastigmat"

Links