Ansco Automatic Twin Lens Reflex Camera
Photo thanks to Ursula!
[email protected]
Related Local Links:
Chuck Boyd on Ansco Automatic Reflex Camera
Twin Lens Reflex Camera FAQ
The following photo notes and posting by Chuck Boyd give a good overview
to the Ansco Automatic Reflex camera. I might note that by roughly 1950,
the list price had dropped from $262 to $165. Today, you might expect to
find a good one at that closeout price - but in today's dollarettes!
I find it interesting how often efforts to upgrade a mass-producer
consumer camera brand to compete with top-dollar top-of-the-line cameras has
failed (e.g., the Automatic Reflex by Ansco vs. Rolleiflex, Kowa 6
against Hasselblad 500c, Bronica/nikkor S2 vs. Hasselblad 500c, ...). For
more on similar price comparisons and why knocking off #1 is so hard, see
Deja Vu - Camera Prices and related
issues pages.
Automatic Reflex, a high-quality twin-lens reflex camera made by Ansco (Binghamton, N.Y.) in 1947. 12 exposures 6x6cm on 120 film. The camera turned out to be a commercial miscalculation because at the list price of $262.50 it didn't find too many customers. (for about $20 more you could buy a Rolleiflex with the 3.5 Zeiss Tessar lens!). Ansco Anastigmat 1:3.5 83mm lens in flash synchronized leaf shutter (B, 1 - 1/400 sec). Rapid film transport crank. Automatic frame counting. Ground glass viewing with built-in magnifier. Sportfinder built into the viewing hood. The serial number of the camera in the photo above is: 2004528....
Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998
From: Chuck Boyd [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Ansco Automatic Reflex
Hi Bob.
To supplement the information on this camera, I would like to offer
my findings. There are three versions of this camera. I believe the first
provided no flash sync. The second, was synced, and an example that I have
has two sync posts, opposing each other beneath the taking lens. The single
sync post model has the connection on the winding knob side. Also, the
viewing hood is equipped with an optical lens sportfinder, and a critical
focus magnifier. The operation of this camera is somewhat like a
Rolleicord, in that one must manually cock the shutter with the left hand
lever (located between the viewing and taking lens) and release the shutter
using the right hand lever (opposite the cocking lever). It boasts double
exposure prevention, and once the film is oriented to the first frame, film
advance is simply a matter of turning the crank. A nice feature is the main
focusing knob (on the left side) is augmented with two front mounted "thumb
wheels" located on the front, one on each side, outside of the lens
frame assembly. As a final note, shutter work is expensive, due to the
involved procedure to gain access to the shutter itself.
You may want to include some, or all, of my findings on the appropriate
page.
Later. theboyd
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1999
From: "Gordon W. Nichols" [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Ansco Automatic Reflex
When I was randomly searching for Ansco Automatic Reflex on the internet I
found your email address.
I worked for Ansco/GAF for 23 years in Binghamton, New York, until the plant
closed in 1977, and have in my possession the prototye model of the first
model of the Ansco Automatic Reflex. It has an uncoated f3.5 lens and, by
the way it focuses, probably has no lubrication in it. Though it operates,
I am not sure they ever intended to take pictures with it. Inside the case
is written "Approved 4-3-47 with spring insert. Quality Control sample."
There is an undecipherable signature.
The camera name is a decal with part of the "A" missing that says, "ANSCO
f3.5 REFLEX." It has manual film wind and shutter cocking.
The camera was given to me by Mr. J. J. Kottman, a German engineer and the
manager of the mechanical development lab, when he retired and returned to
Switzerland. He is dead now. I have had it for over 25 years.
I just thought you might be interested in some ancient history.
- Gordon Nichols
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