Difference between revisions of "Ilford Witness"

From Camera-wiki.org
Jump to: navigation, search
(linked to only photo of a Witness on Flickr)
m (Updated LPA link)
 
(11 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
An advanced 35mm rangefinder camera made by [[Ilford]] and sold between 1951 and 1953. Production difficulties led to less than 350 cameras being made, and the line was scrapped in favor of the [[Ilford Advocate]].
+
<div class="floatright plainlinks" style="margin:0px 0px 15px 15px;">
 +
{{Flickr_image
 +
|image_source= http://www.flickr.com/photos/27746888@N03/6690159089/in/pool-camerawiki
 +
|image= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7012/6690159089_ee44a4eebf.jpg
 +
|image_align=
 +
|image_text= 1952 Witness
 +
|image_by= jonshort58
 +
|image_rights= wp
 +
}}
 +
</div>
 +
The '''Witnesss''' is an advanced 35mm coupled-rangefinder camera made by [[Ilford]] and sold between 1951 and 1953. Production difficulties led to less than 350 cameras being made, and the line was scrapped in favor of the [[Ilford Advocate|Advocate]].
 +
 
 +
The camera has a focal-plane shutter, with speeds 1-1/1000 second, plus 'B' and 'T'; slow speeds (1-1/25 second) are controlled with a separate dial. The shutter is synchronised for bulb and electronic flash, with separate sockets on the front of the body. The rangefinder and viewfinder are combined in a single eyepiece.  The standard lens is either a 2-inch f/1.9 Dallmeyer Super Six, as shown here, or a 5 cm f/2.9 Daron.<ref>[https://www.leitz-auction.com/en/Ilford-Witness/AI-23-10607 Witness] serial no. 5062, with collapsible 5 cm f/2.9 Daron lens, sold (for €14 400) at the [https://www.leitz-auction.com/en/Cameras/Past-Auctions/Auction-23/ 23rd Westlicht Photographica Auction], on 25 May 2013.</ref>
 +
The back and base are removed in one piece to load the film. The film is advanced with a winding knob, with a mechanical frame counter arranged around the knob, and also rewound with a knob.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
==Notes==
 +
<references/>
 +
 
 +
==Links==
 +
*[https://mikeeckman.com/2022/04/ilford-witness-1953/ Ilford Witness review] at [https://mikeeckman.com/ Mike Eckman Dot Com]
 +
*[http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/22900/lot/736/ Witness] serial no. 5010, with Dallmeyer Super Six, offered for sale at the auction [http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/22900/ Important and Rare Cameras] by Bonhams, Hong Kong, on 3 December 2015.
 +
 
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
 
* Dave Todd, 'Ilford Witness' in Photographica World no. 57, pp. 21-23.  
 
* Dave Todd, 'Ilford Witness' in Photographica World no. 57, pp. 21-23.  
* [http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/searchresults.aspx?intSaleID=17790 The British Camera 1840-1960 The Jim Barron Collection], Lot 3
+
* [https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-witness-camera-no-5025-4028228/?from=salesummery&intobjectid=4028228&sid=114688a8-bd08-47d8-b08d-ef60a1c6f0d1 The British Camera 1840-1960 The Jim Barron Collection], Lot 3
 
 
==Links==
 
*[http://www.flickr.com/photos/27746888@N03/6690159089/ 1952 Ilford Witness] photographed by [http://www.flickr.com/photos/27746888@N03/ jonshort58] on Flickr.
 
  
[[Category: Ilford]]
+
[[Category: Ilford|Witness]]
 +
[[Category:W|Witness Ilford]]
 +
[[Category: 35mm rangefinder]]
 +
[[Category:1951]]

Latest revision as of 17:24, 21 January 2024

The Witnesss is an advanced 35mm coupled-rangefinder camera made by Ilford and sold between 1951 and 1953. Production difficulties led to less than 350 cameras being made, and the line was scrapped in favor of the Advocate.

The camera has a focal-plane shutter, with speeds 1-1/1000 second, plus 'B' and 'T'; slow speeds (1-1/25 second) are controlled with a separate dial. The shutter is synchronised for bulb and electronic flash, with separate sockets on the front of the body. The rangefinder and viewfinder are combined in a single eyepiece. The standard lens is either a 2-inch f/1.9 Dallmeyer Super Six, as shown here, or a 5 cm f/2.9 Daron.[1] The back and base are removed in one piece to load the film. The film is advanced with a winding knob, with a mechanical frame counter arranged around the knob, and also rewound with a knob.


Notes

  1. Witness serial no. 5062, with collapsible 5 cm f/2.9 Daron lens, sold (for €14 400) at the 23rd Westlicht Photographica Auction, on 25 May 2013.

Links


Sources