|
Candid Camera Corp of America Perfex Fifty Five |
 Version française |
Manufactured or assembled in USA from (After) 1945 to (After) 1947.
Index of rarity in France: Rare (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 1535
See the complete technical specifications
Chronology of cameras Candid Camera Corp of America
The cameras manufactured by Candid Camera Corporation of America are mostly called Perfex, and there is often confusion between the model name and the brand.
With the exception of the premier and last models, Perfex cameras all look alike.
They all use 135 film.
The lower part of their body is black. The metal cover is usually metallic in color. It incorporates the viewfinder and rangefinder. Depending on the model, there may also be a extinction light meter.
Some models have interchangeable lenses.
The difference from one model to another often lies in the lens and its maximum aperture.
| Year | Lens | Lightmeter | Shutter | ||
| Perfex Speed Candid |
 |
c. 1938 | Graf 3.5/50 mm |
Yes | Focal plzn |
| Perfex Forty Four |
 |
c. 1939 | Scienar 2.8/50 mm |
||
| Perfex Thirty Three |
c. 1940 | Graf 3.5/50 mm |
|||
| Perfex Fifty Five |
 |
1940 | Wollensak Velostigmat 2.8/50 mm |
No | |
| Perfex Fifty Five |
 |
1940 | Scienar 3.5/50 mm |
Yes | |
| Perfex Twenty Two |
1941 | Scienar 3.5/50 mm |
|||
| Perfex One-O-One |
 |
1947 | Wollensak 4.5/50 mm |
No | Central |
| Perfex One-O-Two |
 |
1948 | Wollensak 4.5/50 mm |
||
| Perfex de Luxe |
 |
1947 | Wollensak Velostigmat 2.8/50 mm |
Focal plan | |
| Perfex de Luxe |
 |
1947 | Wollensak Velostigmat 2.8/50 mm |
||
| Cee-ay 35 |
 |
1948 | Wollensak 4.5/50 mm |
Central | |
Perfex cameras were manufactured for about a decade. They are often criticized for their lack of reliability.__________
The latest models of Perfex Fifty Five no longer have a light meter. One could assume that such a feature was completely outdated and gave the camera a "has been" feel.
Operating it without a manual is... odd. It's often reported as "faulty" due to its cloth shutter. So, I wasn't too surprised when I couldn't release the shutter or cock it. I kept pressing the shutter button without any effect... until I noticed that the upper part of the concentric button is a protective cap. Once unscrewed, the shutter release button appears, responding immediately. Triggering the shutter means cocking becomes possible again by turning the knob around the shutter release. The shutter speeds are engraved in very small characters at the base of it. Surprise, they range from 1/5 to 1/1250. The slow speeds (1 to 5) are on the front face. The rangefinder view is not very practical. In the bottom of a green rectangle, a non-colored square moves around, forming a sort of T. Sure, it's highly contrasted, but by the time you find the square and move it, the subject to be photographed is gone. The lens is interchangeable with a screw mount.
Interesting links or bibliography :
Add a link or element of bibliography, a picture taken with this camera, a picture of box or an ads about this camera
Your photos taken with the same camera:
Cameras from Ebay France (Candid Camera Corp of America) (Uploaded each 3 hours)