What was the first 35mm camera with a lever film advance (instead of a winding knob)?

[Sharktooth]

This has been puzzling me for the last few minutes, and I can't find anything obvious on Google. Anyone know?

 

[albada]

I'll guess it was the Retina type 122, made in 1936 or 1937.
Here's a picture and description of it:
Retina type 122

Mark

 

[Les Sarile]

According to Cameraquest Asahi Pentax, "Far right top mounted lever advance. This was actually a first in 35 SLR design. Previous cameras had used knob advances, while the Exakta had long used a left handed advance lever. The film advance and shutter release are very smooth, helping to start the Pentax reputation for high precision and quality workmanship."

Lomography 100-2_05-29 by Les DMess, on Flickr

Another excellent resource on early Early History of Single Lens Reflex (SLR) camera

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

Retina type 122 [1936-37]

Kine Exakta 1936-48.

If 127 film is allowed to play there is the VP Exakta 1933-??

 

[Sharktooth]

Kine Exakta 1936-48.

If 127 film is allowed to play there is the VP Exakta 1933-??

I suspected the Exakta might be one of the earliest, but the Retina that albada suggested was a surprise. I think the 127 VP Exakta fits the bill, since I said 35mm only because I thought that it had to be the first with lever wind. How wrong I was.

I should rephrase from first 35mm lever wind, to first "miniature" camera with lever wind.

 

[ant!]

While only later then some mentioned here, in the 50s, I find the add-on lever to the Praktina interesting. The camera has a wind knob, but on the bottom can a "fast wind lever" be attached, or a spring-loaded or electrical motor. http://praktina.com/puacc03.htm
Did other cameras had a lever add-on?

Beside this, it is a SLR with exchangeable finders with an additional through-viewfinder...

 

[Les Sarile]

While only later then some mentioned here, in the 50s, I find the add-on lever to the Praktina interesting. The camera has a wind knob, but on the bottom can a "fast wind lever" be attached, or a spring-loaded or electrical motor. http://praktina.com/puacc03.htm
Did other cameras had a lever add-on?

Beside this, it is a SLR with exchangeable finders with an additional through-viewfinder...

Not an add-on but Canon's first SLR - the Canonflex, used a bottom mounted film advance lever.

First SLRs from each company by Les DMess, on Flickr

As a system camera, the Praktina was far ahead of it's time . . .

Modern Photography February 1958 Praktina FX ad by Les DMess, on Flickr

 

[MultiFormat Shooter]

Not an add-on but Canon's first SLR - the Canonflex, used a bottom mounted film advance lever.

Just curious, does the Canonflex use the same lens mount as the AE-1, F-1, et al?

 

[brianssparetime]

The bottom trigger wind lever was popularized with the Leicavit rapid winder attachment. Early Canon rangefinders in the V and VI series were also available with a bottom trigger wind, often denoted by a T in the name (e.g. VT, VT Delux, and VI-T).

 

[dynachrome]

The Canonflex cameras had a breech lock mount and was used with Canomatic and Super Canomatic series lenses. They were made from 1959 to about 1963. The next series of Canon SLRs started in 1964 with the FX and FP. These took the FL series of lenses. The FL lenses had the same outer breech lock mount but the aperture pin did not match up with the pins of the older Super Canomatic lenses. The FL line ended in about 1970. In 1971 the Canon F-1 and FTb cameras came out. These used the new FD mount which allowed full aperture metering. Most of the FL lenses could be used on cameras made for FD lenses, in stop down mode. The Super Canomatic lenses could not be used safely on cameras made for FL or FD lenses. Finally in 1979 Canon introduced the New FD line of lenses. These would fit cameras made for FD lenses but would mount in a bayonet style rather than a breech lock style. New FD lenses could also be used with cameras made for FL lenses, with metering done in stop down mode.

 

[MultiFormat Shooter]

Thanks @dynachrome! I thought maybe Canon 35mm SLR lenses were all the same, mount-wise, up until the introduction of the EOS mount. I appreciate the clarification.

 

[John Earley]

Although some might not think the Ansco Memo (1926) qualifies, it was a half frame 35mm camera that had a novel film advance system that used a claw based advance mechanism with a sliding lever on the back of the camera. It didn't have a winding knob. One is shown in my avatar.

Flickr of an Ansco Memo

 

[Tomwlkr]

This has been puzzling me for the last few minutes, and I can't find anything obvious on Google. Anyone know?

Petri Racer