Universal

Universal Camera Corp. was a film maker and camera maker that created some unique camera designs in New York during the 1930s and 40s. The company was founded in 1932 by Otto W. Githens and Jacob J. Shapiro. Its address was 521 South Avenue, later 23 West Road. It made cine cameras and projectors, still cameras, and binoculars. In 1952 the company became insolvent. Somehow its business was kept alive until 1964.

Note that there were also cameras labeled Univex produced by the Spanish company Casa Univex. These seem to be unrelated to the ones of the Universal Camera Corp. (reference needed).

Cameras

Universal Roamer I image by Steve Harwood (Image rights)		Universal Meteor image by Simon Spaans (Image rights)		Univex Twinflex image by John Kratz (Image rights)
Uniflex II image by Steve Harwood (Image rights)		Mercury II image by Steve Harwood (Image rights)		Univex Iris image by Steve Harwood (Image rights)
Univex Model A image by Steve Harwood (Image rights)			Univex AF-2 and and Univex AF image by Steve Harwood (Image rights)
Further models:
Univex Corsair I & II		Univex Zenith		Uniflex I		Univex Uniflash
Buccaneer		Minute 16		Mercury		Stere-All

Links

• Orphancameras.com free camera manual web site with a number of Univex camera manuals.
• Old Cameras From My Collection, with articles about Universal Camera Corp. and its cameras, by Dana Kennedy
• Universal Camera Corporation, at Paleopix.com
• Univex Ultrachrome film, at Scott's Photographica Collection
• Univex AF-2 Camera at Scott's Photographica Collection
• Exploring the Vex in Univex, PDF article about Universal in Photographica Digest May 2006, at Western Photographic Historical Society
• Universal Camera Corp., at Collection G. Even's site.
• Universal Cameras at www.collection-appareils.fr, by Sylvain Halgand

Bibliography

• Repinski, Cynthia A. The UniveX Story. Centennial Photo Service, 1991. ISBN 0931838177.