Whitehouse Products

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Whitehouse Products Inc. was a camera manufacturer based in Brooklyn, New York, USA. It made simple Bakelite (and later other plastic) snapshot models, branded Beacon. Early Beacon models had collapsible lens panels; collapsing the panel disabled the shutter. Early models featured a B shutter setting, which was removed on later examples. The Beacon II and Two-Twenty Five were fitted for mounting a flashgun.

The later Reflex model was almost identical to the Ansco Cadet Reflex. The WH 127-A model was also sold by Argus as the Argus 127.

As a representative model, the Two-Twenty Five exposes 12 images of 2¼" x 2¼" size on 620 film. The name "Two-Twenty Five" is clearly a reference to the 2.25" square image size taken by the camera, which was the only camera in the range that took photos of this size. It features a 70mm Whitar coated air-spaced doublet f/12 lens. Includes a Whitehouse shutter with 1/50 sec speed, built-in flash synchronization for class M bulbs, and eye-level viewfinder. The Beacon II featured the same mechanical specs, except using a 50mm f/11 lens and the different film size.[1]


Cameras

Name Dates Film Format
Beacon 16 3x4cm on 127
Beacon II 1947-55 16 3x4cm on 127
Beacon Two-Twenty Five 1950-58 12 6x6cm on 620
Beacon Reflex c1960 12 4x4cm on 127
Beacon Automatic 705 ? 12 28x28mm on 126
Beacon Autoflash WH 127-A ? 12 4x4 on 127
Charlie the Tuna 1971 12 28x28mm on 126

The Beacon, Beacon II & Two-Twenty Five cameras were usually black, but were available in various different colours.



Notes

  1. "Photography Directory", 1955

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