Difference between revisions of "Spiratone"

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m (added several Spiratone ads from US Camera)
m (added enlarging lenses, and a few more products)
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{{stub}}
 
{{stub}}
  
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==Description==
 
'''Spiratone''' was an American distributor, founded by Fred Spira<REF name="Spira obituary"> [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/14/arts/14spira.html Obituary of Fred Spira] in the New York Times. </REF> around 1940. Originally his company just offered developing services, as "Spiratone Fine Grain Labs"<REF>Advertisement in October, 1942 ''Popular Photography'' magazine (Vol. 11, No. 4), page 94.</REF>; but after opening a store in 1946<REF name="Spira obituary" />  on West 27th Street, N.Y., the company quickly expanded<REF>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerawiki/6071370047/in/pool-camerawiki This February 1947 ad] from ''Popular Photography'' (Vol. 6, No. 1; page 172) shows the beginnings of Spira retailing camera accessories.</REF> into distributing cameras, lenses and all sorts of photo and darkroom accessories.  
 
'''Spiratone''' was an American distributor, founded by Fred Spira<REF name="Spira obituary"> [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/14/arts/14spira.html Obituary of Fred Spira] in the New York Times. </REF> around 1940. Originally his company just offered developing services, as "Spiratone Fine Grain Labs"<REF>Advertisement in October, 1942 ''Popular Photography'' magazine (Vol. 11, No. 4), page 94.</REF>; but after opening a store in 1946<REF name="Spira obituary" />  on West 27th Street, N.Y., the company quickly expanded<REF>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerawiki/6071370047/in/pool-camerawiki This February 1947 ad] from ''Popular Photography'' (Vol. 6, No. 1; page 172) shows the beginnings of Spira retailing camera accessories.</REF> into distributing cameras, lenses and all sorts of photo and darkroom accessories.  
  
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Spiratone closed its doors in 1990.<REF name="Spira obituary" />
 
Spiratone closed its doors in 1990.<REF name="Spira obituary" />
  
=Products=
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==Products==
== Lenses ==
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=== Camera Lenses ===
 
* Spiratone Fish-eye 7mm f/5.6
 
* Spiratone Fish-eye 7mm f/5.6
 
* Spiratone Fish-eye 12mm f/8
 
* Spiratone Fish-eye 12mm f/8
* Spiratone Pluracoat Ultra Wideangle 17mm f/3.5
+
* Spiratone Plura-coat Ultra Wideangle 17mm f/3.5
 
* Spiratone YS 18mm f/3.2
 
* Spiratone YS 18mm f/3.2
 
* Spiratone YS 18mm f/3.5
 
* Spiratone YS 18mm f/3.5
* Spiratone Pluracoat Wideangle 20mm f/2.8
+
* Spiratone Plura-coat Wideangle 20mm f/2.8
 
* Spiratone Wideangle YS 28mm f/2.8
 
* Spiratone Wideangle YS 28mm f/2.8
 
* Spiratone Wide Angle 35mm f/2.8
 
* Spiratone Wide Angle 35mm f/2.8
 
* Spiratone Macrotar 35mm f/3.5 (micro head)
 
* Spiratone Macrotar 35mm f/3.5 (micro head)
* Spiratone Flat Field Macro 75mm f/3.5 (bellows head)
+
* Spiratone Plura-coat Minitel 100mm f/2, 58mm filter size
 
* Spriatone Tc 105mm f/2.5
 
* Spriatone Tc 105mm f/2.5
 
* Spiratone YS 135mm f/1.8
 
* Spiratone YS 135mm f/1.8
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* Spiratone Macrotel 150mm f/4.5 (bellows head)
 
* Spiratone Macrotel 150mm f/4.5 (bellows head)
 
* Spiratone Tc 200mm f/4.5
 
* Spiratone Tc 200mm f/4.5
* Spiratone Telephoto 400mm f/6.3
+
* Spiratone Minitel 300mm f/5.6 (mirror lens)
 +
* Spiratone Plura-coat Sharpshooter Telephoto 400mm f/6.3
 
* Spiratone Mirror-Ultratel 500mm f/8 (mirror lens)
 
* Spiratone Mirror-Ultratel 500mm f/8 (mirror lens)
 
* Spiratone Minitel-M 500mm f/8 (mirror lens)
 
* Spiratone Minitel-M 500mm f/8 (mirror lens)
 +
* Spiratone Plura-coat Macro Zoom 35-105mm f/3.8
 +
* Spiratone Plura-coat Zoom 55-220mm f/3.5-4.5, 55m filter size
 +
* Spiratone Plura-coat Zoom 70-300mm f/3.8-5.5
 
* Spiratone-Sun Electric Zoom 85-210mm f/4.8, T mount
 
* Spiratone-Sun Electric Zoom 85-210mm f/4.8, T mount
 +
* Spiratone 2x VarXtender, M42 mount
 +
* Spiratone 3x TelXtender, M42 mount
 +
* Spiratone 2x TelXtender Model II, Minolta SR, Exakta, other mounts
  
== Slide Duplicators ==
+
===Darkroom Equipment===
 +
* Spiratone 50mm f/3.5 Enlarging lens
 +
* Spiratone 75mm f/3.5 Enlarging lens
 +
* Spiratone 75mm f/3.5 Flat Field Macro / Enlarging lens
 +
* Spiratone 150mm f/4.5 Enlarging lens
 +
* Spiratone Doub Logra M enlarger
 +
* Spiratone Model 200C Enlarging Computer, paper exposure meter
 +
 
 +
=== Slide Duplicators ===
 
* Spiratone Vario-Dupliscope
 
* Spiratone Vario-Dupliscope
 
* Spiratone Vario-Dupliscope II
 
* Spiratone Vario-Dupliscope II
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* Spiratone Bello-Dupliscope with ECLS Outfit
 
* Spiratone Bello-Dupliscope with ECLS Outfit
  
== Other ==
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=== Other ===
 +
* Spiratone metal lens hood, Series VI
 +
* Spiratone metal lens hood, wideangle, 58mm
 +
* Spiratone metal lens hood, 67mm
 +
* Spiratone metal lens hood, 72mm
 +
* Spiratone extension tube set, T mount
 +
* Spiratone extension tube set, M42 mount
 +
* Spiratone Autowinder N2 for Canon AE-1
 +
* Spiratone 444 SLR Film Camera Viewfinder Microscope (square - fits Canon, other brands)
 +
* Spiratone 41 NI Eyepiece Maginfier (round - fits Nikon, Nikkormat)
 +
* Spiratone 35mm Stripfilm Bellows attachment
 
* Spiratone Bellowscope bellows, T mount
 
* Spiratone Bellowscope bellows, T mount
 
* Spiratone Proxiscope Sr. focusing rail
 
* Spiratone Proxiscope Sr. focusing rail
 
* Spiratone Bi-Rail focusing rail
 
* Spiratone Bi-Rail focusing rail
 
* Spiratone Circo-Mirrotach 90-degree lens attachment
 
* Spiratone Circo-Mirrotach 90-degree lens attachment
 +
* Spiratone DR Electronic Flash Meter
 
* Spiratone SSS flash meter
 
* Spiratone SSS flash meter
 
* Spiratone Ring Flash, 55mm mount
 
* Spiratone Ring Flash, 55mm mount
 +
* Spiratone Spiralite SR Electronic Flash
 +
* Spiratone Spiralite SR Electronic Flash, Model BB
 +
* Spiratone Spiralite photo light with Minette photo clamp
 +
* Spiratone Eyepiece magnifier
 +
* Spiratone Spotting Scope
 +
* Spiratone Static Neutralizer Gun
 +
* Spiratone Men's Canvas Photographers Vest (part 001201)
  
=Photos=
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==Photos==
  
 
{{Flickr_image
 
{{Flickr_image
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<br style="clear: both;" />
 
<br style="clear: both;" />
  
=References=
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==References==
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
  
= Links =
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== Links ==
 
In English:
 
In English:
 
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/14/arts/14spira.html Obituary of Fred Spira] by Dennis Hevesi in the New York Times
 
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/14/arts/14spira.html Obituary of Fred Spira] by Dennis Hevesi in the New York Times

Revision as of 06:25, 14 February 2012

This article is a stub. You can help Camera-wiki.org by expanding it.

Description

Spiratone was an American distributor, founded by Fred Spira[1] around 1940. Originally his company just offered developing services, as "Spiratone Fine Grain Labs"[2]; but after opening a store in 1946[1] on West 27th Street, N.Y., the company quickly expanded[3] into distributing cameras, lenses and all sorts of photo and darkroom accessories.

The company had a penchant for locating and importing offbeat photographic items—improbably-cheap 400mm lenses, fish-eye adapters that screwed onto other lenses—then promoting them in typographically overstuffed ads in the back pages of photo magazines. Lenses from various manufacturers were offered under the Spiratone name, including several ultra-wide-angles and a chunky 135mm f/1.8.

Spiratone closed its doors in 1990.[1]

Products

Camera Lenses

  • Spiratone Fish-eye 7mm f/5.6
  • Spiratone Fish-eye 12mm f/8
  • Spiratone Plura-coat Ultra Wideangle 17mm f/3.5
  • Spiratone YS 18mm f/3.2
  • Spiratone YS 18mm f/3.5
  • Spiratone Plura-coat Wideangle 20mm f/2.8
  • Spiratone Wideangle YS 28mm f/2.8
  • Spiratone Wide Angle 35mm f/2.8
  • Spiratone Macrotar 35mm f/3.5 (micro head)
  • Spiratone Plura-coat Minitel 100mm f/2, 58mm filter size
  • Spriatone Tc 105mm f/2.5
  • Spiratone YS 135mm f/1.8
  • Spiratone Tc 135mm f/2.8 preset
  • Spiratone Macrotel 150mm f/4.5 (bellows head)
  • Spiratone Tc 200mm f/4.5
  • Spiratone Minitel 300mm f/5.6 (mirror lens)
  • Spiratone Plura-coat Sharpshooter Telephoto 400mm f/6.3
  • Spiratone Mirror-Ultratel 500mm f/8 (mirror lens)
  • Spiratone Minitel-M 500mm f/8 (mirror lens)
  • Spiratone Plura-coat Macro Zoom 35-105mm f/3.8
  • Spiratone Plura-coat Zoom 55-220mm f/3.5-4.5, 55m filter size
  • Spiratone Plura-coat Zoom 70-300mm f/3.8-5.5
  • Spiratone-Sun Electric Zoom 85-210mm f/4.8, T mount
  • Spiratone 2x VarXtender, M42 mount
  • Spiratone 3x TelXtender, M42 mount
  • Spiratone 2x TelXtender Model II, Minolta SR, Exakta, other mounts

Darkroom Equipment

  • Spiratone 50mm f/3.5 Enlarging lens
  • Spiratone 75mm f/3.5 Enlarging lens
  • Spiratone 75mm f/3.5 Flat Field Macro / Enlarging lens
  • Spiratone 150mm f/4.5 Enlarging lens
  • Spiratone Doub Logra M enlarger
  • Spiratone Model 200C Enlarging Computer, paper exposure meter

Slide Duplicators

  • Spiratone Vario-Dupliscope
  • Spiratone Vario-Dupliscope II
  • Spiratone Vario-Dupliscope III
  • Spiratone Bello-Dupliscope
  • Spiratone Bello-Dupliscope with ECLS Outfit

Other

  • Spiratone metal lens hood, Series VI
  • Spiratone metal lens hood, wideangle, 58mm
  • Spiratone metal lens hood, 67mm
  • Spiratone metal lens hood, 72mm
  • Spiratone extension tube set, T mount
  • Spiratone extension tube set, M42 mount
  • Spiratone Autowinder N2 for Canon AE-1
  • Spiratone 444 SLR Film Camera Viewfinder Microscope (square - fits Canon, other brands)
  • Spiratone 41 NI Eyepiece Maginfier (round - fits Nikon, Nikkormat)
  • Spiratone 35mm Stripfilm Bellows attachment
  • Spiratone Bellowscope bellows, T mount
  • Spiratone Proxiscope Sr. focusing rail
  • Spiratone Bi-Rail focusing rail
  • Spiratone Circo-Mirrotach 90-degree lens attachment
  • Spiratone DR Electronic Flash Meter
  • Spiratone SSS flash meter
  • Spiratone Ring Flash, 55mm mount
  • Spiratone Spiralite SR Electronic Flash
  • Spiratone Spiralite SR Electronic Flash, Model BB
  • Spiratone Spiralite photo light with Minette photo clamp
  • Spiratone Eyepiece magnifier
  • Spiratone Spotting Scope
  • Spiratone Static Neutralizer Gun
  • Spiratone Men's Canvas Photographers Vest (part 001201)

Photos


References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Obituary of Fred Spira in the New York Times.
  2. Advertisement in October, 1942 Popular Photography magazine (Vol. 11, No. 4), page 94.
  3. This February 1947 ad from Popular Photography (Vol. 6, No. 1; page 172) shows the beginnings of Spira retailing camera accessories.

Links

In English: