Difference between revisions of "Soho Reflex"

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The '''Soho Reflex''' is a large-format [[SLR|single-lens reflex]] camera made from about 1900 to about 1930. The cameras were made in the Kershaw factory in Leeds, and originally made for [[Marion|Marion & Co.]] of London. Both Kershaw and Marion took part in the merger to form [[APeM]] in 1921; during the short life of the merger, the camera was sold as the Apem Reflex<ref>[http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/entry_C39.html Apem Reflex] at [http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/ Early Photography]</ref>.
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The standard reflex model was made in a large range of sizes: 3½x2½ inch, 4¼x3¼ inch (quarter plate), 5½x3½ inch ('postcard'), 5x4 inch, 4½x6 cm, 9x6½ cm, 9x12 cm, 10x15 cm and 12x16½ cm<ref>[http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/soho_1.html Soho Ltd brochure for the Soho Reflex range] at [http://www.cameraeccentric.com/index.html Camera Eccentric]; this gives many details, a few pictures and instructions for use of the camera.</ref>. All models have a rising front (for perspective control). A rotating back (i.e. the plate-holder can be turned through 90°, to allow landscape or portrait format pictures without rotating the whole camera) was added around 1920. A special front allowing tilt and swing movements was available at extra cost. The brochure also lists prices for all but the smallest centimetre-size model in tropical finish. Finally, a stereo model was available, being a modified version of the postcard size.
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The structure of the cameras is fairly simple. The camera body is a leather-covered, wooden box. A ground-glass focusing screen comprises more or less the entire top of the box. The front of the box, with the lens panel, is attached to the body by a leather bellows, and can be racked forward and back by a knob on the left hand side, to focus the image. The lens panel can be slid vertically to offset the lens above its normal position (the rising front). Inside the box is mounted the mirror, which reflects the image-forming light from the lens up to the focusing screen. As with all [[SLR]] camera designs, the mirror must be moved out of the light-path from the lens to the film or plate before the shutter is released. In these cameras, pressing a single lever first raises the mirror, then at the bottom of the stroke releases the shutter. The shutter, a focal-plane shutter with cloth blinds, is in the back of the box. The success of the Soho Reflex was attributed to designs patented by Kershaw for the focal-plane shutter, among other features. Most models offered shutter speeds between 1/16 and 1/800 second plus 'T' (as listed for the quarter-plate model, in the brochure linked below; some later models offer 1/1000 second). The shutter is tensioned manually by winding a knob on the right-hand side. The same knob is used to set the speed.
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A wide range of lenses was available. The brochure claims that the mirror action includes a backward movement as well as a simple swing up, in order to allow shorter-than-standard lenses (which would project into the camera body) to be used without fouling the mirror.
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On the back of the camera is mounted the plate holder (dark slide), which could be loaded with a glass plate, or (with a 'film sheath' inserted in it) a sheet of flexible film. A film pack adapter (a holder taking a pack of sheets of film, rather like a Polaroid pack, allowing rapid use) or, when this became available, a roll film holder could be attached instead.
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==Notes==
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<references />
  
 
==Links==
 
==Links==
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* [http://www.shutterbug.net/equipmentreviews/classic_historical/0305classic/ Soho Reflex] at  [http://www.shutterbug.net shutterbug.net]
 
* [http://www.shutterbug.net/equipmentreviews/classic_historical/0305classic/ Soho Reflex] at  [http://www.shutterbug.net shutterbug.net]
 
* [http://www.collection-appareils.fr/marion/html/soho_reflex.php Soho Reflex] on [http://www.collection-appareils.fr/general/html/francais.php www.collection-appareils.fr] by Sylvain Halgand
 
* [http://www.collection-appareils.fr/marion/html/soho_reflex.php Soho Reflex] on [http://www.collection-appareils.fr/general/html/francais.php www.collection-appareils.fr] by Sylvain Halgand
* [http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/soho_1.html Soho Ltd brochure for the Soho Reflex range] at [http://www.cameraeccentric.com/index.html Camera Eccentric]
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Several Soho Reflex models at [http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/ Early Photography]:
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** [http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/entry_C34.html Stereo Soho and quarter-plate Soho Reflex]; this page gives a lot of details of the camera features.
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** [http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/entry_C483.html Stereo ''Tropical'' Soho] (teak-and-brass finished version of the stereo model above)
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** [http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/entry_C550.html 2½x3½-inch Dainty Soho Reflex]. It is stated on this site that the Dainty models were at first very different from the other Soho Reflex models.
  
  

Revision as of 01:33, 5 April 2011

The Soho Reflex is a large-format single-lens reflex camera made from about 1900 to about 1930. The cameras were made in the Kershaw factory in Leeds, and originally made for Marion & Co. of London. Both Kershaw and Marion took part in the merger to form APeM in 1921; during the short life of the merger, the camera was sold as the Apem Reflex[1].

The standard reflex model was made in a large range of sizes: 3½x2½ inch, 4¼x3¼ inch (quarter plate), 5½x3½ inch ('postcard'), 5x4 inch, 4½x6 cm, 9x6½ cm, 9x12 cm, 10x15 cm and 12x16½ cm[2]. All models have a rising front (for perspective control). A rotating back (i.e. the plate-holder can be turned through 90°, to allow landscape or portrait format pictures without rotating the whole camera) was added around 1920. A special front allowing tilt and swing movements was available at extra cost. The brochure also lists prices for all but the smallest centimetre-size model in tropical finish. Finally, a stereo model was available, being a modified version of the postcard size.

The structure of the cameras is fairly simple. The camera body is a leather-covered, wooden box. A ground-glass focusing screen comprises more or less the entire top of the box. The front of the box, with the lens panel, is attached to the body by a leather bellows, and can be racked forward and back by a knob on the left hand side, to focus the image. The lens panel can be slid vertically to offset the lens above its normal position (the rising front). Inside the box is mounted the mirror, which reflects the image-forming light from the lens up to the focusing screen. As with all SLR camera designs, the mirror must be moved out of the light-path from the lens to the film or plate before the shutter is released. In these cameras, pressing a single lever first raises the mirror, then at the bottom of the stroke releases the shutter. The shutter, a focal-plane shutter with cloth blinds, is in the back of the box. The success of the Soho Reflex was attributed to designs patented by Kershaw for the focal-plane shutter, among other features. Most models offered shutter speeds between 1/16 and 1/800 second plus 'T' (as listed for the quarter-plate model, in the brochure linked below; some later models offer 1/1000 second). The shutter is tensioned manually by winding a knob on the right-hand side. The same knob is used to set the speed. A wide range of lenses was available. The brochure claims that the mirror action includes a backward movement as well as a simple swing up, in order to allow shorter-than-standard lenses (which would project into the camera body) to be used without fouling the mirror. On the back of the camera is mounted the plate holder (dark slide), which could be loaded with a glass plate, or (with a 'film sheath' inserted in it) a sheet of flexible film. A film pack adapter (a holder taking a pack of sheets of film, rather like a Polaroid pack, allowing rapid use) or, when this became available, a roll film holder could be attached instead.


Notes

  1. Apem Reflex at Early Photography
  2. Soho Ltd brochure for the Soho Reflex range at Camera Eccentric; this gives many details, a few pictures and instructions for use of the camera.

Links

Several Soho Reflex models at Early Photography: