Spartus Press Flash
The Spartus Press Flash camera might be one of the more distinctive looking and beautiful box cameras of all time. Built from molded Bakelite, with stylized ridges running down its sides and a lovely Art Deco faceplate, this is a camera that proclaims that simplicity does not have to be boring or plain.
The Spartus Press Flash was originally introduced as the Falcon Press Flash, and then later as the Falcon-Abbey Electricamera. It was originally made by the Utility Manufacturing Company of New York, but when that company was acquired by the Spartus Corp. of Chicago, the camera became the Spartus Press Flash. Interestingly enough, it was known by a few other additional names over its lifetime - it hit retail shelves under the names Regal Flash Master, Falcon Press Flash, and Galter Press Flash as well.
Mechanically, it is about what you would expect from a box camera. It has a simple viewfinder for composition. The 120mm, f/11 meniscus lens has a fixed focus that favors landscape and cityscape types of images. There is only one shutter speed, which is about 1/70th and an option to choose between two different apertures in the lens. Conveniently enough, it makes use of 120 roll film (as opposed to 620), so finding film for these cameras is super easy. It uses that film to produce a 6x9cm image.
Perhaps the most noteworthy feature on the Spartus Press Flash is its built-in flash. This was potentially the first camera to feature a built-in flash, or at least a built-in flash with reflector. The flash makes use of the screw-in Edison E27 bulb, or No.40 flashbulbs. On the bright side (no pun intended) the flash is charged using AA batteries... however, modern AA batteries do require peeling off their outer layer in order to make contact with the battery chamber contacts. In short, if you pick one of these up, temper your enthusiasm about using its flash.
za/sd
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