This
is not a rangefinder, not even a 120 film camera. It's for 620 film,
long gone, which is the same film material as 120, but rolled to a
spool with a smaller core, so that the spool diameter is a bit smaller
as well. For most 620 cameras you have to have 2 620 spools and you
must re-spool the 120 film to the 620 spools in absolute darkness or a
sleeve. With this camera it would be sufficient to have a 620 wind
spool and clip the edges of the 120 film spool in subdued light, it
would then fit in. If you give the film to a lab, don't forget to
reclaim your 620 spool.
The Kodak Folding 620 Angenieux 4.5 is a simple 120 film folding
camera, 6x9 format. I found little information about this
camera model, most probably it is french. It's not listed in McKeown's.
Earlier models are named Six-20, later 620. I found a 1951 french
catalogue where it is named Kodak 4.5 model 32. Some say it's model 33.
Production is said to be from 1951 to 1959. I bought the camera for its
nice lens.
Size (mm): 165 x 95 x 40 Weight: 558 g Lens: Angenieux Anastigmat 4,5/100, closest focus ~1.75 m Shutter: B, 1s - 1/250, F 4.5 - 22 Finder: fixed finder in the housing Film advance: via red window
Here are some photos of the camera. There is a short introduction to the use of it and how it feels at the bottom of the page.
Camera folded. Front. Stand folded and tripod socket (portrait mode). There is a logo from a Parisien camare dealer.
Seen
from the back. Red window.
Camera open, landscape mode.
The coated Angenieux les. Shutter speed setting on top of the lens:
shutter cocking. Under the lens: aperture setting. To close the camera you have to press the silver tab bar on the bed.
Camera open, portrait mode. Bottom side.
Camera
open, portrait mode. Top side. The shutter release is on the housing,
near the wind knob. The opening button for the bed is between the
viewer and the peg.
the camera has front cell focussing, turning the lens moves it out a bit.
Shutter speed and aperture setting are both visible on the top of the lens.
Camera back open. 620 spool.
Handling this Kodak camera. is easy, it's just like
other folding cameras. Loading film is as usual. Open
the
camera back, retract the film advance knob to liberate the top of the spool and put the
take-up spool into
place, the othe peg is spring held. Same procedure for the film spool. Insert the film paper
backing
into the take-up spool and advance it using the advance knob until it's
well engaged. Close the camera back. Look at the red window and
advance
the film via the advance knob
until the red window shows "1".
Open
the camera. Set shutter speed and aperture and cock the shutter. Set focus via turning the lens,
focusing moves it out. Press the
shutter release. That's it. To
close the camera, squeeze the silver tab under the lens and fold, it will fold easily. Turn the film advance until the next number is
shown.
The Kodak Folding 620 Angenieux 4.5 is a nice and simple camera, easy to use, with a very good lens and a reliable shutter. It
lacks automatic film advance and a rangefinder, but it's a nice camera
nevertheless. It's extremely lightweight for a 6x9 camera. It's good choice if you want to
start with a basic 6x9 120 film folder and spend little money.
