Ansco B2 Speedex Folder Camera
Photo thanks to [email protected]
Photo Text thanks to Ken Decker
[email protected]

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Folder Cameras FAQ

The Ansco and Agfa Speedex series cameras are relatively common mass produced folder cameras. The model B2 speedex was a 6x6cm 120 rollfilm format folder made around 1940 - in the United States! The lens was typically a f/4.5 Anastigmat in a decent shutter featuring a range of speeds from 1/2 to 1/250th second shutter speeds. As a mass produced folder, you can often find these for around $25 US. A related Speedex Jr. was also produced, but with a fixed focus lens (which brings even less on the used market).

Other Speedex models:
• Agfa Speedex 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 (1933-36) (or Speedex Compur)
• Agfa Speedex 0 (4x6.5cm on 127 film) (1935-58)
• Agfa Speedex 1 (cf Billy I) (1928-33)
• Agfa Speedex 2 (cf Billy II) (1930-33)
• Agfa-Ansco Speedex B2 (6x6cm) (1940s)
• Agfa-Ansco Speedex Jr. (cf B2, fixed lens) (1940s)
• Ansco Speedex 1A (116 film f/6.3 Anastigmat) (1916..)
• Ansco Speedex 45 (cf Isolette V, agnar f/4.5 lens) (1946-50)
• Ansco Speedex 6.3 (cf Titan, anastigmat f/6.3) (1950..)
• Ansco Standard (cf Speedex 6.3 above) (1950..)
• Ansco Speedex Jr. (cf Speedex 45, simpler lens/shutter) (1945-48)
• Ansco Speedex Special (cf speedex 45 with Agfa Apotar f/4.5) (1946-50)
• Ansco Speedex Special R (6x6cm 120 film, cf Agfa Isolette III) (1953..)
• Ansco Standard Speedex - (cf Titan; anastigmat f/6.3, or Speedex 6.3) (1950..)

As you can see, there were a number of Speedex cameras and variants sold, none of which are likely to fetch more than $100 US, and many of which sell for less than $25 US (esp. lower end models). See Folder Camera pages for guidelines to recommended folder camera features and models for user cameras. You could obviously have quite a nice, inexpensive camera collection with just the various models of Speedex cameras and their related cousins and variants (Isolette III, Titan..).

Photo notes:

Ansco B2 Speedex...85mm f 4.5 Anastigmat... Takes 120 film

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