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Wallis Bros. Penna Focal Plane Camera Nº 2 |
 Version française |
Manufactured or assembled in United Kingdom from 1901 to (Circa) 1905.
Index of rarity in France: Rare (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 13117
See the complete technical specifications
Chronology of cameras Wallis Bros.
The Wallis Bros. was a British company that produced photographic materials between 1897-1908 and advertised a strut folding camera based on a series of patents of roller blind shutters. Initially named Penna Folding Hand Camera, the Penna Focal Plane Camera was a strut folding camera for ¼ plate format, with the front standard attached via double metal flat struts.
The focal plane shutter of the Penna camera is described as ‘Compound’. This simply means the mechanism which allows for the alternative use of a narrow and wide aperture on the shutter single blind, corresponding to separate ranges of instantaneous speeds. Initially, it delivered speeds in the range 1/8 to 1/800, and was extended from 1903 to 1/5 - 1/1000.
Two models were available from 1902, both made for the sizes ¼ plate, 4x5 inch and ½ plate:
Model No. 1 was a simpler model with a Beck f6 Rapid Rectilinear lens. The first drawings seem to indicate a polished uncovered wooden body.
Model No. 2 was introduced in 1902, covered by black leather with rising / cross front, and focusing hood, with a f6.3 Beck-Steinheil Orthostigmat lens.
This specimen is a model no. 2 in ¼ plate format, fitted with the Beck-Steinheil Orthostigmat lens. The camera has two slots for an external viewfinder with 3 cm of width. An Anschütz folding wire finder was installed. The front standard has sliding vertical movements guided by four slots. The shutter has a vertical orientation, that is, the shutter blind travels vertically when the camera is in portrait mode (and horizontally in landscape mode). This is more common on roller blind shutters and most strut folding cameras would have the opposite configuration.
The very rare Penna camera is one of a kind and a very interesting piece of the history of early hand cameras in the UK.
The Penna Focal Plane Camera in landscape orientation showing the 'Anschutz' finder.
The Penna Focal Plane Camera in portrait orientation showing the optical finder.
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