Compass miniature camera

PART OF:: The Kodak Museum Collection

Made:: 1937 in Switzerland

manufacturer:: Jaeger-LeCoultre

The Kodak Collection at the National Media Museum, Bradford

Miniature all-metal camera for 24 x 36mm plates. Fitted with a Kern anastigmat lens F:35mm, f/3.5 NO.CCL 3B rotating plate with 4 apertures: B-3.5, W-4.5, H-6.3, G-16. With multiple speed rotating shutter 4.5, 4, 3.5, 3, 2, 1.5, 1/2/4/8/10/16/25/32/50/64/125/200/250/375/500/T. Rotating plate with 3 fillers: K1 ortho, P2 G panchro, P4 1X panchro. Lens cover with depth of field scale. Coupled coincidence type rangefinder. Direct vision optical finder converting right angle finder. Extinction type exposure meter is built into the viewfinder with two ranges. With a spirit level and a click stop rotating tripod bush for panoramic photographs. There is provision for a stereo head. With a ground glass focusing screen with magnifier. The back swings out to accept plate holder with a removable attachment of film holder. No. 3691. Jaegar LeCoultre, 1937.

The Compass miniature camera, manufactured in Switzerland by Jaeger LeCoultre in 1937.

Fitted with a Kern anastigmat lens F:35mm, f/3.5 NO.CCL 3B rotating plate with 4 apertures: B-3.5, W-4.5, H-6.3, G-16. With multiple speed rotating shutter 4.5, 4, 3.5, 3, 2, 1.5, 1/2/4/8/10/16/25/32/50/64/125/200/250/375/500/T. Rotating plate with 3 fillers: K1 ortho, P2 G panchro, P4 1X panchro. Lens cover with depth of field scale. Coupled coincidence type rangefinder. Direct vision optical finder converting right angle finder. Extinction type exposure meter is built into the viewfinder with two ranges. With a spirit level and a click stop rotating tripod bush for panoramic photographs. There is provision for a stereo head. With a ground glass focusing screen with magnifier. The back swings out to accept plate holder with a removable attachment of film holder. No. 3691. Jaegar LeCoultre, 1937.

The Compass camera was designed by Noel Pemberton Billing. It demonstrated great flexibility, being capable of use with 24 x 36mm glass plates or a roll-film back. Unusual and innovative in design, this high-quality model was patented in May 1936 and an estimated 5,000 were manufactured before the second world war halted production.

Details

Category:: Photographic Technology

Collection:: Kodak Collection

Object Number:: 1990-5036/2054

Materials:: metal (unknown) and glass

type:: plate camera and miniature camera

credit:: The Kodak Collection at the National Media Museum, Bradford

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Parts

Compass miniature camera

Materials:: glass and white metal (unknown)

Object Number:: 1990-5036/2054/1

type:: carton

Pocket Tripod for Compass Camera

Pocket tripod in fountain pen shape. Opens to 9 or 12 inches high with a built in ball and head socket. Jaegar LeCoultre, 1937.

Pocket tripod, part of the Compass miniature camera kit, manufactured in Switzerland by Jaeger LeCoultre in 1937.

The tripod opens to 9 or 12 inches high and has a built in ball-and-head socket. Supplied for use with the Compass camera. The camera was patented in May 1936 and an estimated 5,000 were manufactured before the second world war halted production.