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Ansco B-2 Cadet

The Ansco B-2 Cadet is a box camera distributed in the United States by Ansco in the late 1930s. The camera is based off of earlier designs of Agfa box cameras and came in two versions: one using Agfa B2 film (same as 120) and the other using D6 film (otherwise known as 116). The camera itself is pretty simple, with just a single shutter speed, plus Time. The shutter switch toggles up and down, firing the shutter with each flip up and down. It has a fixed aperture and fixed focus. Like many box cameras, it produces a 6x9cm negative, allowing for 8 exposures on a single roll. The lens is a simple, single element meniscus lens, which produces sharp images in the center, but with noticeable blurriness along the edges of the film. This camera was likely manufactured merely a means of encouraging the sale of more film.

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Ansco B-2 Cadet

The Ansco B-2 Cadet has a face that any box-camera-mother would love. We don't know quite why this face shows a state of perpetual surprise - it really is a simple, little thing.

The B-2 Cadet is a 6x9cm box camera that uses Agfa B2 (aka 120) film, as opposed to the D-6 model that used D6 (aka 116) film. The B-2 Cadet was part of an ongoing line of box cameras, with this particular model coming around 1937-38. It was originally based off of German designs done by Agfa. For a while, Ansco and Agfa were intertwined as a business, going by Agfa-Ansco... until WWII intervened and the United States seized control of the German-held portions of the Ansco company in 1941.

The B-2 Cadet is a pretty straightforward camera. It has a single element meniscus lens behind a spring-tensioned metal disc of a shutter. Flicking the shutter switch up fires one exposure, while flicking it back down fires again. Keep this in mind as you use it - a two way toggle will create two exposures. The effective shutter speed is likely in the 1/60th range, while the effective aperture we figure is likely to be around f/11. This means the camera is best suited for outdoor work and most exposure control is going to be done via the film speed loaded into the camera. In other news, the camera features two viewing windows: one for landscape and one for portrait. A clever marketer could advertise this camera as having that nifty "RC" featuring, which stands for rotating camera, as opposed to those much more heavily engineered cameras who could only rotate their film backs.

These cameras were originally just a vehicle for film purchases. They were meant to be simple and cheap; to turn new photographers into returning film purchasers. Box cameras have since gained a new life and we know so many of our customers who love using them for their specific merits.

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Blue Moon Camera and Machine llc

sales@bluemooncamera.com
(503) 978-0333
(503) 978-0370
8417 North Lombard Street
Portland, OR 97203

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Ansco B-2 Cadet

Ansco B-2 Cadet

Blue Moon Camera and Machine llc