Mansfield Skylark

Mansfield Skylark image by Zardoz17 (Image rights)

Mansfield Skylark (by Yamato) image by Diana Houlihan (Image rights)

Skylark was the name for no less than four rebadged cameras distributed by Mansfield Industries of Chicago, Illinois.

Cameras

• the 1957 Skylark, rebadged from the Argon rangefinder camera which was the export version of the Windsor 35 by Toko Photographic Works. This rangefinder camera featured a 45mm / f1.9 lens, shutter speeds B, 1s to 1/500s.
• the 1957 Skylark E was a Royal 35M by Royal Camera Company, rebadged for Mansfield. Like the 35M, this rangefinder camera had a Tominar 45mm / f1.9-f16 lens, shutter speeds B, 1s to 1/500s with an uncoupled selenium meter,
• the 1957 Skylark V, from the Royal 35P, was a meterless rangefinder camera with a Cimenar 45mm / f1.9-f16 lens, shutter speeds B, 1s to 1/300s.
• the 1961 Mansfield Skylark was a slightly modified Palmat Automatic by Yamato Optical Company. This last Skylark was an fixed-focus automatic-exposure viewfinder camera with coupled selenium meter, Mantar or Luminor 40mm / f4 lens, shutter speeds B, 1/10s to 1/200s. It does not take a battery, its selenium meter was driven by light alone. Exposure compensation was set by a lever on the numbered scale on the lens, based on an ASA/DIN film guide inset on the camera’s lift-off back. This was the only Skylark that was actually engraved with “Mansfield” as well as the “MI” crest logo seen on the earlier versions.

Mansfield Skylark V image by Valdormar (Image rights)

User notes

The best little camera that no one's heard of! It is pretty easy to use, but I haven't been able to develop a complete roll yet as the winding mechanism tends to tear the film! (writes Camerapedia editor Dhoulihan)

A great 100% manual rangefinder. This Skylark V was in very unusable condition when it came my way. Now a very nice & worthwhile addition. Nice photographs come from this camera. (writes Camerapedia editor Valdormar)

Additional Pictures

Mansfield Skylark (Yamato), showing film guide and internal workings image by Diana Houlihan (Image rights)

Mansfield Skylark, film guide determines lens setting image by Diana Houlihan (Image rights)

Mansfield Skylark, flash settings guide image by Diana Houlihan (Image rights)

Mansfield Skylark, underside of camera showing Yamato logo image by Diana Houlihan (Image rights)

Links

• La collection d'appareils photo anciens
• [Views of the camera and sample shots http://westfordcomp.com/classics/mansfieldskylark/index.htm] at Westfordcom.com
• Greenspun.com thread
• Photo.net thread

Sample Image Galleries

PBase sample photos[1]