Filmplate Premo
Filmplate Special Premo image by Bill Strong (Image rights) |
The Filmplate Premo is a folding bed camera for plates and film packs in several sizes, made by Kodak from 1906-16.[1] It is similar to the Film Premo, which was intended only for film packs. The camera illustrated is the No. 3A size, for postcard format (3¼×5½ inch); the camera was also made in No. 3 (quarter plate; 3¼x4¼ inch) and No. 4 (4x5 inch) and No. 5 (5x7 inch) sizes. McKeown states that from 1912, the cameras equipped with the best lenses and shutters were sold as the Filmplate Special Premo; the camera illustrated is a 'Special', with a Zeiss-Kodak Anastigmat (i.e. a Zeiss lens design made by Kodak under licence), and a Bausch & Lomb Compound shutter (again, made by B&L under licence from Deckel) with speeds 1 - 1/200 second, plus 'B' and 'T'. It has a thumb screw below the lens to fix the lens standard vertical. This and the other metal parts are nickel-plated. There is a brilliant finder, which can be turned for use in horizontal or vertical orientation.
Notes
- ↑ 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)., p515.