Beattie

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The name Beattie appears on a variety of specialized cameras, originating from the Los Angeles, California, area. Beattie products included long-roll cameras for school and portrait photographers, data-recording cameras, and other specialized devices.

Company

The history of the two brands Coleman and Beattie is a bit unclear, as camera nameplates may indicate:

  • Beattie Coleman Systems
  • Beattie Photographic Products, Hollywood 38, Calif.
  • [Beattie] Photographic Products Inc., Anaheim, Calif
  • Beattie Coleman Inc., 1000 N. Olive St., Anaheim Calif.
  • Beattie Coleman Engineering Company, Inc., Santa Ana California
  • Beattie Engineering Corp., 213 Bean Ave., Los Gatos Calif.
  • Beattie Systems, Cleveland, Tennessee

Cameras

  • Portronic
    • Model A-162 with Wollensak 152mm, f6.3 Raptar
    • Model 90 with Beattie-Coleman 6 3/8 inch f 4.5 Portronic Navitar[1]
  • [Beattie] Coleman Datronic (TLR)
  • Oscillotron
  • Varitron
  • Imperial 90
  • Universal Studio Camera (Model 2000)
  • Beattie F-1000
  • Beattie LRX
  • Beattie Gemini system 645 P

Accessories

  • Beattie Coleman Transet (70mm rollfilm back fitting Graflok 4x5" format)
  • Beattie Systems Converter 67 fitting Mamiya RB67
    • C-55 (35mm long-roll adapter)
    • D-67 S (70mm long-roll adapter)

Beattie Intenscreen

Beattie Systems are perhaps most known to amateur photographers for their series of aftermarket screens replacing the original ground glass focusing screens for a variety of cameras. These add a thin coating of optically-clear epoxy over the ground surface to increase image brightness, a technology which received US patents 4,339,188[2] (in 1982) and 4,558,922[3] (in 1985), both showing Harry L. O. Smith as the inventor. The first patent shows that the original use envisioned was for a long-roll TLR portrait camera, such as those made by Beattie. The patent includes a rather heartfelt observation:

"The procedure of focusing, composing, and making technical and artistic judgements on some 500 to 700 subjects daily imposes a strain on the eyes and visual perception of the photographer."

The Intenscreen product line continues today, now marketed by a company based in NSW, Australia[4].


Notes