Imperial Deluxe Twin Lens Reflex

Six Twenty Imperial Deluxe Twin Lens Reflex image by camera1739 (Image rights)

The Deluxe Twin Lens Reflex is one of the less common cameras made by Imperial for the "Six Twenty" film size.

Despite the grandiose name, this camera is not a genuine TLR, as it lacks true reflex focusing. In fact, the lens is fixed focus and it's simply a pseudo TLR. Inside the top hood (with a red "reflex" badge) there is a brilliant finder for framing. The camera shoots twelve exposures of 2¼" square per roll of film, advanced with a red window. There are no exposure controls, although the camera could be fitted with a large flash bulb holder which plugged into the side of the camera.

There are at least two cosmetic variations on this model, differing in the wind knob, shutter release, and other details. Indeed, this camera seems to be a mostly cosmetic update on the Imperial Reflex 620 Duo Lens, replacing the awkward metal shutter-release with a plastic one. The entire facade of the camera has been redesigned and the molded "Imperial Reflex" livery on the finder hood has been replaced by fluting and the red badge, but the lenses and the shape of the body are recognizable as belonging to the other model.