Bolsey B, 1947, Rangefinder Camera, PhotoMuse Collection, 2018, Donation of Dr. Unni Krishnan Pulikkal, Source – Herbert Ascherman collection.

The Bolsey B is a 35mm rangefinder camera with a cast aluminium body, introduced by Bolsey in 1947. The lens is a fixed Wollensak Anastigmat 44/3.2 with helical focusing, and the Wollensak leaf shutter gives T, B, 10-200 speeds. The rangefinder is of the split-image type, coupled to the lens but separate from the viewfinder.

Agfa Silette Rapid L, 1964, Viewfinder Camera, PhotoMuse Collection, 2017, Donation of Dr. Unni Krishnan Pulikkal.

Silette Rapid L is a 35mm film viewfinder camera made by Agfa and introduced in 1964. It belongs to the long-lasting Silette series. Silette is a name used by the German maker Agfa from 1953 to 1974 to designate successive generations of 35mm fixed-lens viewfinder cameras. The camera uses Rapid 35mm film cartridges. It has a…

Polaroid Supercolor 635 CL, c.1990, Box Camera, PhotoMuse Collection, 2014, Donation of Dr. Unni Krishnan Pulikkal, Source – Herbert Ascherman Collection.

The Polaroid Supercolor 635 CL camera is a box-style plastic bodied camera produced throughout the 80s and early 90s. It works with original Polaroid 600-type film. It is an instant camera. The instant camera is a type of camera which uses self-developing film to create a chemically developed print shortly after taking the picture. It…

Kodak digital science DC40,1995, Digital Camera, PhotoMuse Collection, 2016, Donation of Mr. Vinu Mathew.

The Kodak DC40 was among the first consumer digital cameras released in 1995. It was also marketed by Logitech as the Fotoman Pixtura. Its features include 756×504 resolutions (<0.4 megapixels) CCD sensor, fixed focus and a non-zooming lens (its coverage equaled a 42mm lens on 35mm film). The built-in flash is capable of distances of…

Kodak Brownie Special six-16, 1938-1942, Box Camera, PhotoMuse Collection, 2018, Donation of Dr. Unni Krishnan Pulikkal, Source – Herbert Ascherman Collection.

The Brownie Special Six-16 is a wedge-shaped metal box camera manufactured by Kodak in the United States between 1938 and 1942. It features a built-in close-up lens for subjects 6 to15 feet and beyond 15 feet distance, but no flash capability. It also has a multiple exposure guard and tripod socket. The shutter release located…

Polaroid ProCam, 1996, Box Camera, PhotoMuse Collection, 2019, Donation of Mr. Naushad K.A.

Polaroid ProCam is the variant of the Polaroid Spectra camera. Polaroid introduced the Spectra system of cameras in the early 1980s. It was an all-new line of cameras and had a corresponding new film. Spectra film image format is a rectangular 9.2 x 7.3cm rather than 600 film’s square format.  Most of the models utilize an arc-shaped range…

Perfekta, 1953-1957, Box Camera, PhotoMuse Collection, 2014, Donation of Dr. Unni Krishnan Pulikkal, Source – Herbert Ascherman Collection

The Perfekta is a Bakelite 6 x 6 120 film fixed-focus box camera made by VEB Rheinmetall in former East Germany. The camera body was made in black Bakelite with cream-coloured controls. The original model of this Perfekta has a flip-up frame finder. The lens is an 80 mm f/7.7 achromat lens. There is an aperture control knob below the lens giving f/7.7, f/11 and…

Agfa PD 16 or Agfa Ansco Plenax, Folding Camera, 1935, PhotoMuse Collection, 2015, Donation of Mr. Herbert Ascherman Jr.

Agfa PD 16 or Agfa Ansco Plenax was a series of folding cameras for type PD 16 roll film and manufactured by the Agfa company from 1935). Many models are distinguished only by the lens designations Antar (f/14) or Tripar (f/11). Others are designated “Plenax” (regardless of lens type), and this camera includes a few higher-specification models with Hypar f/6.3 Anastigmat lenses…