Difference between revisions of "Nada"
(stub) |
(A bit more text.) |
||
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
Early cameras have a plated shutter body, marked with focusing zones ('Paysage' (landscape), 'Groupe', 'Portrait'). Cameras from 1931 onward,<ref name=CA/> are seen with a black-painted shutter. | Early cameras have a plated shutter body, marked with focusing zones ('Paysage' (landscape), 'Groupe', 'Portrait'). Cameras from 1931 onward,<ref name=CA/> are seen with a black-painted shutter. | ||
Most cameras have a brilliant finder on the shutter, which pivots for horizontal or vertical orientation, and a folding frame-finder, with cross-pieces, on the body. Some of the examples cited lack the frame finder. | Most cameras have a brilliant finder on the shutter, which pivots for horizontal or vertical orientation, and a folding frame-finder, with cross-pieces, on the body. Some of the examples cited lack the frame finder. | ||
| − | The body of the camera appears to be steel, with some chrome-plated brass fittings, but the folding bed is aluminium. This is | + | The body of the camera appears to be steel, with some chrome-plated brass fittings, but the folding bed is aluminium. This is painted silver grey in most examples, but black in others. The back of the camera detaches for loading. Examples with snake- or lizard-skin leatherette, and matching coloured bellows, are quite common, for the number of examples seen.<ref name=CA/><ref>[https://www.leitz-auction.com/en/Lumiere-Nada-Luxe/AI-8-25577 Nada 'Luxe'] with tan snake-skin leatherette and matching bellows, f/8.5 anastigmat, and no frame-finder, sold at the [https://www.leitz-auction.com/en/Cameras/Past-Auctions/Auction-8/ eighth Westlicht Photographica Auction], in November 2005.</ref> This 'fantaisie' finish added about 25% to the price of the camera.<ref name=Cat31/> |
Lumière's promotion of the camera stresses the ease of use in much the same way as [[Ensign]]'s promotion of similar folders like the All-distance Pocket Ensign of the same period). Loading, erecting and even focusing are described as 'automatic' (a very generous understanding of the word: focusing is 'automatic' in the sense that it suffices only to turn the front element until the pointer is at the desired focus distance; loading is 'automatic' in that the camera has a fitting to make it easier to insert the roll - again rather like an Ensign).<ref name=Cat31/> | Lumière's promotion of the camera stresses the ease of use in much the same way as [[Ensign]]'s promotion of similar folders like the All-distance Pocket Ensign of the same period). Loading, erecting and even focusing are described as 'automatic' (a very generous understanding of the word: focusing is 'automatic' in the sense that it suffices only to turn the front element until the pointer is at the desired focus distance; loading is 'automatic' in that the camera has a fitting to make it easier to insert the roll - again rather like an Ensign).<ref name=Cat31/> | ||
Revision as of 15:56, 5 February 2024
The Nada is a folding camera for 6x9cm exposures on 120 film, made by Lumière in 1930-32.[1] The notes at Collection Appareils state that it is Lumière's first self-erecting folding camera. It has a three-speed everset shutter by Gitzo, and any of several cheapish anastigmat lenses: a 1931 catalogue offers Lumière's own f/6.3 or f/8.5 anastigmats, or Boyer or Roussel f/6.3 alternatives at extra cost.[2] A 1932 catalogue only offers the Lumière lenses.[3]
Early cameras have a plated shutter body, marked with focusing zones ('Paysage' (landscape), 'Groupe', 'Portrait'). Cameras from 1931 onward,[1] are seen with a black-painted shutter. Most cameras have a brilliant finder on the shutter, which pivots for horizontal or vertical orientation, and a folding frame-finder, with cross-pieces, on the body. Some of the examples cited lack the frame finder. The body of the camera appears to be steel, with some chrome-plated brass fittings, but the folding bed is aluminium. This is painted silver grey in most examples, but black in others. The back of the camera detaches for loading. Examples with snake- or lizard-skin leatherette, and matching coloured bellows, are quite common, for the number of examples seen.[1][4] This 'fantaisie' finish added about 25% to the price of the camera.[2]
Lumière's promotion of the camera stresses the ease of use in much the same way as Ensign's promotion of similar folders like the All-distance Pocket Ensign of the same period). Loading, erecting and even focusing are described as 'automatic' (a very generous understanding of the word: focusing is 'automatic' in the sense that it suffices only to turn the front element until the pointer is at the desired focus distance; loading is 'automatic' in that the camera has a fitting to make it easier to insert the roll - again rather like an Ensign).[2]
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Examples, with notes, at Collection Appareils:
- Nada with black leatherette and f/6.3 Lumière Anastigmat.
- Nada with reptile-skin effect leatherette and f/6.3 Lumière Anastigmat.
- Nada with black leatherette, f/8.5 Lumière Taxor, and no frame-finder.
- Nada with black leatherette, f/6.3 Anastigmat, and all-black shutter.
- Nada with reptile leatherette, f/6.3 Anastigmat, and black shutter.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Pages at Collection Appareils from a 1931 Lumière catalogue, showing the Nada (with the later shutter style): Page 5 (shutter etc.), Page 6 (general promotion), and Page 7 describing the features.
- ↑ 1932 Lumière catalogue at Collection Appariels.
- ↑ Nada 'Luxe' with tan snake-skin leatherette and matching bellows, f/8.5 anastigmat, and no frame-finder, sold at the eighth Westlicht Photographica Auction, in November 2005.
