Regula I Models

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The Regula I series of models (includes I, I-A to I-P etc.) was a series of 35mm cameras made by King KG between 1949 and 1953, the first camera King ever made was the Regula I. The following models share the same basic body design but each one varies with different lenses, shutters and other parts like the winding knobs and frame counter.

Things the models have in common are: -

  • A small but chubby body made from aluminium, usually covered with a hard wearing nylon leatherette
  • A manually cocked Prontor, Vario or Synchro-Compur shutter
  • A triplet lens usually made by Steinheil and Enna, though some are marked as King Regulon, probably an Anastigmat design.
  • Basic viewfinder with no frame lines
  • King logo (except on III) and accessory shoe on top of the viewfinder hump
  • Frame counter (two different designs) and shutter release on the top between the viewfinder and film advance
  • Film rewind switch just under the film advance (lets you rewind the film when done)
  • 1/4" Tripod socket on the bottom of the camera
  • Two metal plates around the film gate that show the model name and serial number
  • Two small loops of metal either side of the camera's top plate for use with split rings for a neck strap
  • The size is around 130mm * 80mm * 70mm (width*depth*height) and they weigh around 350-400g

The film counter will only count when there is film in the camera, this is via a toothed wheel that sits in the film perforations; it is also connected to the shutter and will prevent the shutter from firing until the counter has increased by one (double exposure prevention).

Regula I Models

Regula I

  • Lens: Steinheil Munchen Cassar 50mm f/2.8 to f/16
  • Shutter(s): Prontor-S, Prontor-SV, Compur-Rapid and a Synchro-Compur
  • Film advance type: Knob for the advance
  • Self timer: Yes, around 8 seconds.
  • Flash: PC socket on top of the lens, flash synchronization at all speeds

The camera looks basically identical to the other knob advance/rewind models like the I-P. [1]

Regula I-A

  • Lens: Steinheil Munchen Cassar 50mm VL f/2.8 to f/16
  • Shutter(s): Synchro-Compur; Bulb, 1s, 1/2, 1/5, 1/10, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100, 1/250th and 1/500th.
  • Film advance type: Knob for the advance
  • Self timer: No
  • Flash: PC socket on the lens, flash synchronization at all speeds, X/M modes

This camera is basically the same as the Regula I-C. It has the chunkier knob style of a lever wind model but with no lever wind.

Regula I-B

Regula I-C

  • Lens: Steinheil Munchen Cassar 50mm VL f/2.8 to f/16
  • Shutter(s): Synchro-Compur; Bulb, 1s, 1/2, 1/5, 1/10, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100, 1/250th and 1/500th.
  • Film advance type: Lever or Knob for the advance
  • Self timer: No
  • Flash: PC socket on top of the lens, flash synchronization at all speeds, X/M modes


Regula I-Ca

  • Lens: Steinheil Munchen Culminar 50mm f/2.8 to f/16 [2]
  • Shutter(s): Synchro-Compur; Bulb, 1s, 1/2, 1/5, 1/10, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100, 1/250th and 1/500th.
  • Film advance type: Knob for the advance
  • Self timer: Yes, around 8 seconds.
  • Flash: PC socket on top of the lens, flash synchronization at all speeds

Regula I-D

  • Lens: King Regulon 50mm f/3.5 to f/16
  • Shutter(s): Prontor-SV - Bulb, 1s, 1/2, 1/5, 1/10, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100 and 1/300th.
  • Film advance type: Lever for the advance
  • Self timer: Yes, around 8 seconds.
  • Flash: PC socket on top of the lens, flash synchronization at all speeds


Regula I-E

  • Lens: King Regulon 50mm f/4.5 to f/16
  • Shutter(s): Prontor-SV - Bulb, 1s, 1/2, 1/5, 1/10, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100 and 1/300th.
  • Film advance type: Lever for the advance
  • Self timer: Yes, around 8 seconds.
  • Flash: PC socket on top of the lens, flash synchronization at all speeds, X and M modes


Regula I-F

  • Lens: King Regulon 50mm f/4.5 to f/16
  • Shutter(s): Vario - Bulb, 1/25th, 1/75th and 1/200th.
  • Film advance type: Lever for the advance
  • Self timer: Yes, around 8 seconds.
  • Flash: PC socket on top of the lens


Regula IP

  • Lens: Steinheil Munchen Cassar 50mm - f/2.8 to f/16
  • Lens: Staeble-Werk Kata 50mm - f/2.8 to f/16
  • Shutter(s): Prontor-S - Bulb, 1s, 1/2, 1/5, 1/10, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100 and 1/300th
  • Film advance type: Knob for the advance
  • Self timer: Yes, around 8 seconds.
  • Flash: PC socket on top of the lens

The differences in this model throughout production seem to be mainly cosmetic, whether an accessory shoe is present seems to be random on earlier models. The only difference between the later version Regula IP and the Regula I-P seems to be the lack of a engraved King logo on the viewfinder hump.

Regula IP - Earlier model, SN: 004396
images by Cees-Jan De Hoog (Image rights)
Regula IP, SN: 004445
images by Morinaka. (Image rights)


Regula I-P

  • Lens: Steinheil Munchen Cassar 50mm f/2.8 or Staeble-Werk Kataplast 50mm f/2.8
  • Shutter(s): Prontor-S - Bulb, 1s, 1/2, 1/5, 1/10, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100 and 1/300th
  • Rewind/advance type: Cassar lens type has lever for advance, Kataplast lens has a knob for advance
  • Self timer: Yes, around 8 seconds.
  • Flash: PC socket on top of the lens


Regula I-Pa

Regula I-Po

  • Lens: Steinheil Munchen Cassar 50mm f/2.8 to f/16
  • Shutter(s): Pronto - Bulb, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100 and 1/200th
  • Film advance type: Knob for the advance
  • Self timer: Yes, around 8 seconds.
  • Flash: PC socket on top of the lens

Regula II

There are two versions of this camera marked Regula II, a later version that looks nearly identical to a lever-wind Regula I-P and an earlier one with more simple design; this is based on serial numbers from photos.

  • Lens 1: Staeble-Werk Kata 50mm f/3.5 to f/16
  • Lens 2: King Regulon 50mm f/3.5 to f/16
  • Shutter(s): Prontor-S - Bulb, 1s, 1/2, 1/5, 1/10, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100 and 1/300th
  • Film advance type: Knob or lever advance depending on the version
  • Self timer: Yes, around 8 seconds.
  • Flash: PC socket on top of the lens


Regula II ST

  • Lens: Steinheil Munchen Cassar 50mm f/3.5 to f/16
  • Shutter(s): Prontor-S - Bulb, 1s, 1/2, 1/5, 1/10, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100 and 1/300th
  • Film advance type: Lever for the advance
  • Self timer: Yes, around 8 seconds.
  • Flash: PC socket on top of the lens

This is basically identical to a I-P but has a f/3.5 lens instead of a f/2.8 lens.


Regula III

  • Lens: Enna-Werk Ennar 45mm f/4.5 to f/16
  • Shutter(s): Vario - Bulb, 1/25th, 1/75th and 1/200th.
  • Film advance type: Knob for the advance
  • Self timer: Yes, around 8 seconds.
  • Flash: PC socket on top of the lens

Even though there is a PC socket on top of the lens for flash synch the camera lacks an accessory shoe in which to put a flash. The top plate also lacks the engraved King logo and instead has Regula engraved on the viewfinder hump.


Reference

  1. Focal Press Regula camera guide from 1957
  2. Focal Press Regula camera guide from 1957

Links