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Olbia BX |
 Version française |
Manufactured or assembled in France from (Circa) 1950 to (After) 1952.
Index of rarity in France: Infrequent (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 1300
See the complete technical specifications
Chronology of cameras Olbia
Olbia was first called Omega, which was not to the liking of the watchmaker of the same name, especially since the advertisements announcing the launch of the brand in 1947 fueled the confusion.
The brand only manufactured or distributed two modest models available in several variants.
The first model, the Omega Eikon, was presented at the 19th Salon de la Photo et du Cinéma d'Amateur (1948). It's a pseudo TLR since the sight lens is not focussing. It is made of plastic and is very reminiscent of the Voigtlander Brillant, which the advertisements do not forget to mention. On the sunshade of the viewfinder there is the Greek letter Omega, as in the logo of the watch brand. We can assume that the name Eikon is intended to evoke Zeiss Ikon.
The shooting lens is a Roussel Trylor 4.5/75 mm. The Gitzo shutter is limited to 1/150 sec. and allows one-time and two-time exposures. There are copies with blue lens.
After complaints from Omega, the brand changed its name in 1949 to become Olbia. The cameras undergo the same change and their new name is simply Olbia. A nameplate is riveted over the old Omega logo. Some catalogs from 1949, like that of Photo-Hall, are confused, mixing Olbia and Eikon.
| Year | Lens | Shutter | Price (French francs) | ||
| Omega Eikon |
 |
1948-49 | Roussel Trylor 4.5/75 mm |
1/25 à 1/150, B, T | 7615 (1949) |
| Omega Eikon | 1948-49 | Roussel Trylor 4.5/75 mm Coated |
1/25 à 1/150, B, T | 8225 (1949) | |
| Olbia |  |
1949-55 | Roussel Trylor 4.5/75 mm |
1/25 à 1/200, B, T | 8405 (1949) |
| Olbia |  |
1949-55 | Roussel Trylor 4.5/75 mm Coated |
1/25 à 1/200, B, T | 9015 (1949) |
A second camera model was marketed from 1950. It was also a 6 x 6 in plastic, but of a very different shape. In front of a transverse body, a cube serves as a darkroom; some catalog calls it box. The viewfinder is at eye level.
There are black copies and others of brown colour.
The model marked BX is the most common. The meaning of this BX is not known. They are all fixfocus, with a meniscus lens. They have a unique speed and time exposure. If most models (variants) offer only two diaphragm apertures, one, without BX marking, offers three. There is also a model marked X9, without known explanation about this strange name.
A camera similar to the second model was sold under the name Clartex.
| Year | Lens | Shutter | Price (French francs) | ||
| 6 x 6 |
 |
1950-52 | Three apertures | P, I | |
| BX |  |
1950-52 | Two apertures | P, I | 1220 (1950) |
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L'Olbia BX se demande s'il est un box ou un autre type d'appareil ... nous aussi. On retrouve quelques appareils assez semblables chez Coronet, avec, par exemple, le Cadet.
Ils se présentent comme une chambre noire cubique, dont le fond est très élargi pour accueillir les deux bobines 620. L'ensemble est en bakélite. Elle peut être noire ou marron.
Il n'y a pas de réglage de distance. Il y a une vitesse (instantané), la pose et deux ouvertures.
Un appareil d'harmonie si on s'en réfère à l'étrange petit yin et yang qui décore la face avant.
Interesting links or bibliography :
 Photo France de mai 1951 |
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