Ensign Focal Plane Roll Film Reflex

From Camera-wiki.org
Revision as of 13:12, 19 May 2016 by Dustin McAmera (talk | contribs) (+ ref to Early Photography; edited text to reflect what's in the notes there.)
Jump to: navigation, search
This article is a stub. You can help Camera-wiki.org by expanding it.
This article needs photographs. You can help Camera-wiki.org by adding some. See adding images for help.


The Ensign Focal Plane Roll Film Reflex, also sold as the Speed Film Reflex,[1][2] is an SLR camera for 2½x3½-inch exposures on 120 film, made by Houghton from about 1928 to 1936.[1][2] It is similar in form to the horizontally-oriented Ensign Roll Film Reflex, but whereas that camera has only a T&I shutter, this model has a cloth focal-plane roller shutter, running vertically. The camera has a reflex focusing screen, taking up approximately the rear half of the top of the body; over this is a folding leather hood. The focus knob is at the front of the left side; the camera focuses down to 3 feet. The shutter control is at the rear of the right side. The shutter is tensioned with a wind-knob, similar to that on the larger Ensign Reflex SLRs, but the speed selector is a small lever, concentric with the knob, with click-stop positions giving at least six instantaneous speeds, plus Time. There is also a separate Time/Instantaneous selector controlling the mirror's return function, again as on the larger SLRs. The shutter release is on the front, by the lens, and is threaded for a cable release. The lens on the example seen is a 100 mm f/4.5 Ensar Anastigmat, stopping down to f/32;[3] other lenses were also offered.[1][2] The film winder is on top of the body, in front of the focus hood. There is a cover over the red window, which releases the pressure of the film pressure plate when opened, to allow the iflm to be wound (the Duo-Ensign 2¼B also has this feature). The notes at Early Photography cite a patent covering the design of this red-window cover.

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 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). p402.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Focal Plane Roll Film Reflex with 4-inch f/3.4 Aldis-Butcher Anastigmat, at Early Photography
  3. Example offered for sale as Ebay item 141995344977.