Identifying a camera

[Ian Grant]

I'm trying to identify this camera, it's a screenshot from a documentary on the car industry in Coventry, here in the UK. I'd guess from the car he's photographing very late 1950s to early 1960s, initially he's shown with a 5x4 or half plate camera on a tripod.

This is obviously a rangefinder camera, possible 120 format. Here in the UK and continental Europe there were some very short-lived camera manufacturers in the 1950s.

Ian

 

[Dwight Anderson]

Kodak Medalist I believe

 

[cramej]

Kodak medalist

 

[Donald Qualls]

I'll make a third in agreement. It used 620 rather than 120 (same film, thinner spool, both diameter and flange thickness). There are a couple threads in the Medium Format sub about this camera (two models, Medalist and Medalist II) and it's "little brother" the Chevron (6x6 on 620). Excellent cameras that saw a lot of service in WWII. That one has a lens hood that's not seen much these days.

 

[Ian Grant]

It is very obviously the Medallist I, thanks, they were never imported and sold here in the UK. It's likely been bought from someone in the US forces, directly or via a shop.

Cameras were in short supply here in WWII, I have 3 or 4 wartime Amateur Photographer magazines and there are adverts requesting cameras for the forces. After the end of WWII we had very strict austerity Import restrictions, you couldn't buy a camera from abroad without a special licence and that only eased in the 195os, but there was still a high Luxury Goods Import duty of 33%.

So Kodak Medalist cameras are extremely rare here in the UK, I've never seen one. Our Kodak cameras were mostly made in the Kodak Nagel plant in Germany which was a subsidiary of Kodak Ltd, although a few mostly LF were made here in the UK.

Ian

 

[Guth]

I just watched this documentary via YouTube yesterday and actually wondered the same thing. So thanks to the OP for asking and to those providing the answer to the question.

 

[Lensbrain]

May I ask which documentary that would be?
Thanks...

 

[Guth]

May I ask which documentary that would be?
Thanks...

Classic British Cars - Made in Coventry - BBC British Documentary

 

[Lensbrain]

Thank you very much!

 

[gone]

I guess that's the 100 3.5 Ektar on it?

I know a lot of people like to shoot the more modern 6x9 cameras, but the shots I've seen online from that Ektar lens look way better than any of them. Must be a Heliar type design, it sure images like one. If anything, its better than the Heliars I had on my past Bessa II cameras.

 

[John Wiegerink]

I guess that's the 100 3.5 Ektar on it?

I know a lot of people like to shoot the more modern 6x9 cameras, but the shots I've seen online from that Ektar lens look way better than any of them. Must be a Heliar type design, it sure images like one. If anything, its better than the Heliars I had on my past Bessa II cameras.

Yes, I can honestly say the 100mm f3.5 Ektar on the Medalist is an extremely good lens. I've owned the 6X9 Fuji's and while their lens is excellent, I like the rendering of the Ektar better. The Fuji 90mm has a little better contrast, but for some things high contrast isn't always better. I will never part with my Medalist I or II. They are a beast, but a very good beast.