Regula Picca

Regula Picca CB
image by Morinaka_2010 (Image rights)

Manufacturer: King

Date of Production: 1973

Type of Camera: Viewfinder

Film Type: 35mm

Lens: Color-Isconar 40mm f/2.8

Shutter: Rectormat

Focus areas: 1m-Infinity

Viewfinder: Yes

ASA/ISO range: 25-400

Size (w*h*d): 115mm * 75mm * 60mm

Weight: 225g

The Picca camera is another redesign for the Regula range, it bears all the hallmarks of the Sprinty range but is much lighter and streamlined due to a mostly plastic construction, because of this it loses the more solid feeling of the previous Sprinty range and feels a bit chintzy. All models have a light meter panel on the front but only the Picca CB, CBS and CLK have functional meters, this is most likely a way to cut down on manufacturing costs with King's financial situation in the 1970's. This camera was also licensed to be made by the IOR camera company in Romania, even until 1989 after King had ceased to the company.

The models are very similar and share these points between them: -

The shutter speeds and aperture sizes are linked like on the Sprinty range and can't be adjusted separately.
Anodized aluminium top section, and mostly plastic elsewhere including the leatherette texture on the body.
A hot shoe that can be adjusted for use with an electronic flash or flash bulbs.
The film is advanced using a metal lever on the right side of the camera with the film counter just above it, this is reset whenever the rear of the camera is opened.
Each model has a bulb mode but can only be used when a standard cable release is screwed in
All models seem to have minor variants with different focus ring designs.

Picca C

Most basic of the range has a fake selenium light meter cell panel on the front. Shutter speeds are 1/30th - 1/300th + Bulb. There are variants of this called the Picca CS that doesn't have the King logo on the front, and the Regula Rotor-S which seems to be identical, probably an export version for a specific market.

Picca CB

Same as the Picca C but has a working uncoupled light meter with a selenium cell, this is read from a needle on top of the camera, can be set to compensate for film speeds between ASA/ISO 25-400.

Picca CBS

This camera is basically a black coloured version of the Picca CB.

Picca CLK

This is the top of the range model with some additions over the other models such as an extra 1/500th shutter speed, coupled light meter and a self-timer. The light meter is a needle type visible in the viewfinder, you adjust the shutter till the needle is centered to get the correct exposure. The self timer lever under the lens, and you push it to start it.