Newman and Sinclair Autokine model "A" 35mm cine camera no. 221 complete with five lenses and case

This camera was manufactured by Newman and Sinclair, London from 1927 onwards. Invented by Arthur Samuel Newman (1861-1943), it is constructed of duralumin, a lightweight metal. It is powered by a spring-driven motor which could run a full 200 feet load of film continuously, and works at speeds between 10 and 24 frames per second. It also has a variable shutter which can be adjusted to create 'fade in' and 'fade out' effects and a direct vision optical viewfinder. Because it is light, hardwearing and can be used hand-held, the camera was popular with newsreel and documentary film-makers for over three decades. Documentary-makers such as Robert Flaherty, Basil Wright and Humphrey Jennings used these cameras.