Coffee and a Kodak Ektra and a Bell and Howell Foton

My wife and I had coffee today with two friends who we haven't seen for almost two years due to Covid.
They are both great photographers (that was how we met). Karoline has been in group shows with me, and Gary is, besides being a photographer, also a collector and a very talented camera repairer.
Knowing what I am interested in, this is what he brought to show me.
A Bell and Howell Foton:


and a Kodak Ektra:



Gary does wonderful work, although mostly just for his own collection.

He advises that both cameras are now fully functional.
I've never seen a Bell and Howell Foton. Gary advises that the mechanism is as much cine camera related as still camera - an impressive spring operated motor drive that operates at 6 fps! Apparently it was robust and reliable.
And as for the Kodak Ektra, I've only seen one once before, and it was behind glass. I could actually hold this one. It was as nice and beautiful as I imagined.
The Ektra's shutter is of course notoriously unreliable, and as it was incredibly expensive in 1941, there were relatively few made, and very few remaining.

MattKing said:

My wife and I had coffee today with two friends who we haven't seen for almost two years due to Covid.
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This makes me happy to read. I have a lot of friends I don't see except for places that are closed or forever changed.

And man, that's showing off. How cool are those?

Very Nice Ektra and Foton. Wish I had them.

BobD said:

Very Nice Ektra and Foton. Wish I had them.

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Darn - I knew that, but why did I type that?!
Thanks for drawing my attention to the error - it is fixed now.

Wow, that's some awesome hardware. Bell and Howell, so amazing. And the Ektra is rarefied stuff. So cool.

Moose22 said:

This makes me happy to read. I have a lot of friends I don't see except for places that are closed or forever changed.

And man, that's showing off. How cool are those?

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We did make a point of meeting at a place with outdoor (under a cover) tables, and wore our masks until we were seated at the table.
And of course we and all our respective family members are fully vaccinated.
And it was an absolutely beautiful October sunny day.
The tables are on the outside walkway here:

Life is returning to "normal' here in Tucson too, but things change day to day it seems. Great to be out having a coffee. That Foton is a real beauty, and I know the Ektra has a great lens, but I prefer the rounded shape of the Foton. It reminds me of an old Bosley camera I once owned.

The chart below shows that the Foton has held its value over the years. In the illustration, their camera looks identical to your friend's except for one of the little knobs on the front.

https://collectiblend.com/Cameras/Bell-&-Howell/Foton.html

Is that a left side shutter releaser button on the Ektra?

They both look great.

Mick Fagan said:

Is that a left side shutter releaser button on the Ektra?

They both look great.

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The Ektra had a left side release, and a left side (at the back) film wind.

A WORKING Kodak Ektra?! WOW...

Would love to have one.

Funny stuff, "fotón" is slang for "big photograph" or "great picture" in spanish. Also means "photon" as well.