Perfex one-o-one

I started this forum for any collecting hobby and it turned into my camera collecting and using forum. I use it mostly to keep a record of my photo adventures. Nobody but me seems to have photo adventures that visit here....but however. I have so many cameras now that I forget which is which and which ones work and which ones don't. If you have cameras and adventures you would be welcome to post here.

Moderator: DuncaninFrance

Post Reply
User avatar
Niner
Site Admin
Posts: 11513
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2003 1:00 pm
Location: Lower Alabama

Perfex one-o-one

Post by Niner » Tue Aug 21, 2018 6:33 pm

A really primitive camera. It was made by a company from Chicago that called itself The Candid Camera Company. The Company started in 1938 and was attempting to make a camera to compete with Argus C that , as the brick, sold more cameras American made, than any camera in history. Their first cameras had a few interesting "features" but not selling so well they reduced the features and produced the one-0-one in 1948 through 1950 as a barely better than a one speed box camera.

There were better cameras made in 1949 ...to say the least. The shutter was on the lens like the old Kodak folders. The top shutter speed was 150 and the largest opening was 4.5. The only good thing about it was that it has an Alphax lens, made by Wollensak in Rochester New York. They made lenses for other consumer grade inexpensive cameras. The lenses weren't anything to brag about... but they would take a reasonably good photo.

Got this one with one other camera for next to nothing. Had to take it out for a trial run.

The camera came mounted on a heavy brass bracket shape frame with hooks for a thin leather strap. I never saw anything like it before. The base of the camera opens with the big round wheel that also holds the frame on. O for open and C for close.

One of the better than the Argus brick features was a button on top that would unlock the film advance and then lock back when a frame distance had been reeled forward. Another ...good for it's day... feature was the flash shoe holder on top. It has a range finder window in green and a view mirror that's clear. The rangefinder either doesn't work or it is so subtle I can't tell any difference. But.. there is a range adjustment on the lens barrel so... that worked.

One of the crap features was the button on the front to release the film advance lock to rewind the film into the canister. In my camera it would stick and produced a problem. I ended up taking the camera apart in a dark bag and then easing in a developing tank and reel. Real clumsy and added to some development problems. I also over cooked the film in the development time, hot day makes warmer and faster developing, and the images were mostly crap...but... I could tell it will take photos if properly handled. On the other hand...if you are a fan of pin light cameras or those Holga art cameras... I could show you some photos that might be right down your alley.
Attachments
img999.jpg
img026.jpg
img025.jpg
img010.jpg
img001.jpg
DSC08309.JPG
DSC08317.jpg
DSC08315.jpg
DSC08314.jpg
DSC08312.jpg
DSC08311.jpg
Post Reply