Fotobras
Fotobras SA was a camera-maker in Curitiba, Brazil.[1] The company is known only for box cameras for 2¼x3¼-inch exposures on 120 film, probably made in the 1960s. Two models have been seen, both styled rather closely after Kodak Brownie cameras: the Brasilmatic and the Unicamatic. Both are metal-bodied, with black leatherette covering, and with the film loaded on a removable insert. The front plate of the camera in particular is decorated to resemble that of a Brownie camera, printed with narrow horizontal stripes;[2] this also bears Fotobras' crest, a yellow tree on a red shield, and the Fotobras name, below a crown. The company name is repeated at the bottom of the front plate. The lens is mounted in a shallow stepped recess in the front plate, that serves as a hood. It has brilliant finders for horizontal and vertical orientation.
The Brasilmatic has a pull-out tab with two apertures, f/12 and f/22 (also marked with 'sun' and 'cloud' symbols). It has a second pull-out tab to give 'B' shutter ('pose'), and a sliding shutter lock.[3]
The Unicamatic has only a simple shutter release with no other exposure controls.[2]
Notes
- ↑ Unsurprisingly, there has been more than one company named Fotobras; there is currently one named Fotobras Fotossensaveis do Brasil, based in San Paolo, but this is unrelated, having been in business only since 1974.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Discussion forum post on the Unicamatic and another Brazilian box camera at Collection Appareils, with pictures of the Unicamatic, and noting the similarity to the Brownie Flash II.
- ↑ Brasilmatic photo-set in Paolo Perci Rocha's Flickr site; several pictures of the camera.
