Pupille
Advertisement for the Pupille and Ranca in Asahi Camera June 1932. Scan by rebollo_fr (Image rights) |
Leitz Elmar 5cm lens image by Geoff Harrisson (Image rights) |
The Pupille is a rigid-bodied 3×4cm camera, made in the 1930s by Nagel and later Kodak AG. It makes 16 exposures on 127 film, has a big helical mount holding the lens and shutter assembly, and a folding optical finder.
The lens and shutter combinations include:
- Leitz Elmar 5cm f/3.5 with Compur 300[1][2]
- Schneider Xenon 4.5cm f/2 with Compur 300[3]
- Schneider Xenar 5cm f/3.5 with Compur 300
- Cooke Anastigmat 2 inch f/3.5 with Compur 300
Pupille with Elmar lens and accessory rangefinder image by willboy2010 (Image rights) |
The Pupille has two small holes on the top plate, used to attach an external rangefinder made by Leitz, similar to that of the Leica Standard. Accessory reflex finders were also made, transforming the camera into some sort of TLR. At least two types were available; one is the Megoflex by Hugo Meyer, also made for other cameras; the other is pictured below and was made by an unknown manufacturer, perhaps Nagel.
The Pupille was sold in England by R. F. Hunter as the Rolloroy.[4]
The Ranca is a less expensive version of the Pupille, with a front-cell focusing 5 cm f/4.5 Nagel Anastigmat and an everset shutter.[5]
Nagel Ranca: two examples with 5 cm f/4.5 Nagel Anastigmat and three-speed everset shutters image by Rick Soloway (Image rights) |
Pupille with accessory reflex finder image by willboy2010 (Image rights) |
German, French & Italian Cameras using 127 film | |||
G e r m a n y |
3×4 | rigid | Dreivier | Futuro | Gewirette | Kolibri Parvola | Pupille | Ranca | Reporter | Puck |
folding | Baby Ikonta | Baldi | Dolly | Goldi Gucki | Ingo | Korelle | Makinette Metharette | Perkeo | Vollenda | ||
4x4 | Navax | Paxina Electromatic | Rothlar | ||
4x6.5 | Bella | Billy | Bob | Dolly | Goldi Gucki | Korelle | Panta | Parvola Piccolette | Rio | Ultrix | ||
TLR | see German TLRs | ||
F r a n c e |
3×4 | rigid | Fotobaby | Lynx | Super-Boy |
folding | Derby-Lux | Elax | ||
pseudo TLR | Auteuil | Longchamp | ||
4×4 | rigid | Impera | Marly | Pari-Fex | Rubi-Fex | Top | |
4×6.5 | rigid | Photo-Magic | |
I t a l y |
3x4 | Comet | Comet III | Cometa | Euralux Ibis | Maxima | Piccolo | Tanit | |
4x4 | Comet | Euralux | Ibis | ||
4x6.5 & other | Alfa | Delta | Relex | Rolet | Rondine |
Notes
- ↑ Two examples of the Nagel-branded Pupille with 5 cm f/3.5 Elmar lens sold at the tenth Westlicht Photographica auction, in November 2006: with focus scale in metres, and with both focus scale and accessory rangefinder scaled in feet, with leather case and filters.
- ↑ Kodak-branded Pupille with 5 cm f/3.5 Elmar (scaled in feet), sold at the nineteenth Westlicht auction, in May 2011; several pictures.
- ↑ Pupille with Xenon lens as a lot in a 2010 LP Foto auction in Stockholm.
- ↑ Rolloroy with 4.5 cm f/2 Xenon lens (scaled in feet), also sold at the May 2011 Westlicht auction.
- ↑ Auction lot of three Ranca cameras sold at the November 2006 Westlicht auction.
Links
- Ranca at Sylvain Halgand's Collection d'Appareils