Difference between revisions of "OPL"
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| − | '''OPL''' was a French optical and mechanical company that | + | '''OPL''' was a French optical and mechanical company that made cameras from 1945 until at least 1967. |
| − | + | Société Optique et Précision de Levallois, S.A. (OPL) was founded in 1919, although its predecessor dated from 1911. It produced rangefinders, military, medical, and scientific optics, and the "Foca" and other rangefinder cameras, at Levallois (a Paris suburb) and Châteaudun (Eure et Loire). | |
| − | + | OPL's main models were the [[Foca]] and later [[Foca Universel]] families of 35mm interchangeable lens rangefinder cameras, a French equivalent of the Leica or Contax that met some success in its home market because of the high prices for German cameras induced by the high customs duties of the time. | |
| + | |||
| + | It also made a line of simpler 35mm fixed lens cameras called the Focasport, and a 35mm leaf-shuttered single lens reflex called the Focaflex. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Sales fell off after 1961 and on 1 January 1964 OPL entered into an arrangement with Lumière. In December 1964, the company merged with Société d'Optique et de Mécanique de Haute Précision (SOM), maker of SOM-Berthiot, lenses to form Société d'Optique, Précision, Electronique et Mécanique (SOPEM, later Sopelem), now at Dijon. | ||
== 35mm rangefinder system == | == 35mm rangefinder system == | ||
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== Links == | == Links == | ||
| − | There are | + | There are various excellent sites about Foca, of course in French: |
| − | * [http://roland.weber4.free.fr/index.htm Roland Weber's | + | * [http://roland.weber4.free.fr/index.htm Roland Weber's sitet] |
| − | * [http://www.foca-collection.fr/ Gilles Delahaye's site | + | * [http://www.foca-collection.fr/ Gilles Delahaye's site] |
* [http://perso.wanadoo.fr/photoptic/o_p_l1.htm The Foca page at Photoptic] | * [http://perso.wanadoo.fr/photoptic/o_p_l1.htm The Foca page at Photoptic] | ||
* [http://glangl1.free.fr/Liste%20Foca.html The Foca page at Gérard Langlois site] | * [http://glangl1.free.fr/Liste%20Foca.html The Foca page at Gérard Langlois site] | ||
* [http://www.collection-appareils.com/liste8_imagettes.php The Foca cameras (aka OPL) at camera collection by Sylvain Halgand] | * [http://www.collection-appareils.com/liste8_imagettes.php The Foca cameras (aka OPL) at camera collection by Sylvain Halgand] | ||
| − | == Bibliography == | + | == Bibliography/sources== |
* ''Foca Historica'', by Jean-Louis Princelle, ed. Cyclope | * ''Foca Historica'', by Jean-Louis Princelle, ed. Cyclope | ||
* ''Histoire des appareils français'', B. Vial, ed. Maeght | * ''Histoire des appareils français'', B. Vial, ed. Maeght | ||
| + | * [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Optique_%26_Pr%C3%A9cision_de_Levallois&oldid=17343165 Optique & Précision de Levallois], 1 June 2005 version of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optique_&_Précision_de_Levallois the en-Wikipedia article] | ||
[[Category: Camera makers]] | [[Category: Camera makers]] | ||
Revision as of 08:49, 10 May 2006
OPL was a French optical and mechanical company that made cameras from 1945 until at least 1967.
Société Optique et Précision de Levallois, S.A. (OPL) was founded in 1919, although its predecessor dated from 1911. It produced rangefinders, military, medical, and scientific optics, and the "Foca" and other rangefinder cameras, at Levallois (a Paris suburb) and Châteaudun (Eure et Loire).
OPL's main models were the Foca and later Foca Universel families of 35mm interchangeable lens rangefinder cameras, a French equivalent of the Leica or Contax that met some success in its home market because of the high prices for German cameras induced by the high customs duties of the time.
It also made a line of simpler 35mm fixed lens cameras called the Focasport, and a 35mm leaf-shuttered single lens reflex called the Focaflex.
Sales fell off after 1961 and on 1 January 1964 OPL entered into an arrangement with Lumière. In December 1964, the company merged with Société d'Optique et de Mécanique de Haute Précision (SOM), maker of SOM-Berthiot, lenses to form Société d'Optique, Précision, Electronique et Mécanique (SOPEM, later Sopelem), now at Dijon.
Contents
35mm rangefinder system
screw mount
- Foca PF1 or Foca * (painted)
- Foca Standard or Foca * (engraved)
- Foca Standard S
- Foca PF2 or Foca ** (painted)
- Foca PF2B or Foca ** (engraved)
- Foca PF3 or Foca *** (engraved)
- Foca PF3L
bayonet mount
35mm fixed lens
- Focasport first series: I, IL, IC, IB, ID and II (1955-1962)
- Focasport second series: I, CF, C, IIF, IIC (1962-1964)
- Focamatic (1961-1964)
- Focasport third series: S, SC, SF (1964-1967)
35mm SLR
6x6 rangefinder system
- Focasix, prototypes or pre-production models only
4x4
Links
There are various excellent sites about Foca, of course in French:
- Roland Weber's sitet
- Gilles Delahaye's site
- The Foca page at Photoptic
- The Foca page at Gérard Langlois site
- The Foca cameras (aka OPL) at camera collection by Sylvain Halgand
Bibliography/sources
- Foca Historica, by Jean-Louis Princelle, ed. Cyclope
- Histoire des appareils français, B. Vial, ed. Maeght
- Optique & Précision de Levallois, 1 June 2005 version of the en-Wikipedia article
