Bencini Comet 200-X

Photos by - text by Sylvain Halgand. From the collection of -. Last update 2023-11-30 par Sylvain Halgand.

Manufactured or assembled in Italy from (Circa) 1970 to (After) 1979.
Index of rarity in France: Infrequent (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 3319

See the complete technical specifications

Chronology of cameras Bencini

Starting in the mid-1960s, Bencini followed the trend towards simplicity initiated by Kodak and its Instamatic 126 cameras. The first models, starting from 1966, were named Unimatic and were made with a serious approach. In 1968, Bencini introduced a new series of 126 format cameras, primarily made of plastic. For these cameras, the manufacturer revived the name Comet, which the brand had used since the late 1940s.

The Unimatic cameras were intended for both domestic and international markets, while the Comet models were more geared towards the Italian market.

The Comet series included several models, all capable of using the Flashcube and thus requiring a battery. Starting in the early 1970s, following Kodak's lead, Bencini adapted existing models for the use of the Magicube. Since the Magicube did not require a battery to initiate, the previous cameras were modified at a lower cost, retaining their name but with an added "X" to indicate Magicube compatibility. Later, new models were introduced, with some of them ending in "XL," signifying the presence of a winding lever (starting from 1979).

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The Comet 200-X is the adaptation of the Comet 200 for use with the Magicube. An X in a square with a blue background, added after the model name, marks the difference between the two models.

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Document sans titre

Lampe Magicube

The name Magicube was trademarked by Sylvania in 1970. The Magicube follows the general principle of the Flashcube but has the advantage of not requiring an electrical power source to be ignited.

In the early 1970s, Sylvania filed several patents for percussion-ignited bulbs that could be lit through chemical reactions among the elements contained inside the bulb. It only remained to package them in a plastic cube.

The Magicube is slightly larger than the Flashcube. To avoid any confusion, the shape of the part that inserts into the camera is different between the two models.

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