120 – Facts, notes and thoughts about vintage cameras and other trifle matters

October 5, 2025

Walz camera family list

Walz camera family list Walz camera origins are shrouded in mystery; there are two versions, one siding with the opinion that they were distributors that sourced cameras from third parties, namely Zenobia, Tougudo, and Okada, while the other version suggests that they were actual manufacturers. There is no cut-and-dry evidence either way. The company first appeared in 1936 as Nihon...

120/127/35 mm/Japan/Klapp/Rangefinder/Walz Comments: 0

September 20, 2025

Aires Family List

Aires Family List Post-war Japan saw an abundance of camera makers, being a spending outlet for the American soldiers stationed there. Only a few manufacturers were in this trade before; most have converted existing facilities, such as those for making clocks, bicycles, sewing machines, and pecil sahrpeners, into camera production. Looking back at the long list of post-war brands, most...

120/35 mm/Aires/Japan/Klapp/Rangefinder/SLR/TLR/Viewfinder Comments: 0

January 4, 2025

Dacora Digna

Dacora Digna Dacora made cameras in Germany from 1946, from the early Daci box cameras, through basic klapp models in the 1950s to entry-level viewfinders and rangefinders till its demise in the early 1970s. They made cameras for European distributors, such as Ferrania, Ilford, Hanimex, Lumiere, Porst, Universa, Heiland and probably more private label sellers. Certex made several Dacora models...

120/Dacora/Germany/Viewfinder/West Germany Comments: 0

May 21, 2024

Fuji Kogaku Lyrax

Fuji Kogaku Lyrax Most early Japanese cameras on this site are post-war, where manufacturers took available technology and ran with copies of it. Fuji Kogaku, literally Fuji Optical Works, preceded this period and is recorded from the early 1930s. Several models were offered till 1955 when the company went dark. Several online articles about this brand mostly chew upon the...

120/Japan/Obscure/Rangefinder Comments: 0

December 19, 2023

Bencini Comet / Koroll

Bencini Comet / Koroll Online information about Bencini feels like time travel. Sources state different, sometimes contradicting activity and model dates. Antonio Bencini seemed engaged with everything camera in Italy in the early 20th century. He was involved with FIAMMA and Filma before branching independently with ICAF, later named CMF. From his work, it seems that Bencini liked acronyms, classical...

120/127/Bencini/Italy/Viewfinder Comment: 1

December 26, 2022

Japanese Semi and Six models

Japanese Semi and Six models The 120 format was popular worldwide from the 1930s onwards. A size that is small enough for compact, portable cameras, and large enough for contact printing. Came the war, which had ended with a large GI contingent in Japan. Buying power was there, but little to apply it for. To fill the need, a whole...

120/Japan/Klapp Comments: 0

December 15, 2022

Mamiya Six family

Mamiya Six family model list The late 1940s and the 1950s saw most Japanese camera makers offering cookie-cutter 120 klapp cameras, most named Six or Semi in one way or another. Some makers survived a further decade or two, a few have reached the next century, while most just faded away. These models were made for the local market, where...

120/Japan/Mamiya Comments: 0

November 10, 2022

Fujipet 35 EE

Fujipet 35 EE Fujipet EE user manual Current value: Fujipet Fujipet 35 Fujipet EE As (I think) other collectors, I buy cameras in two avenues. If something captivating comes my way, I will pick it up and also hunt for models I wish to explore. The Fujipet was unknown to me, and I grabbed it just for its intriguing name;...

120/Fuji/Japan/Viewfinder Comments: 0

August 30, 2022

Hasselblad 500 C/M

Hasselblad 500 C/M Current values: 500 C/M 500 C/M 25th anniversary 500 C/M 30th anniversary 500 C/M 50th anniversary 500 C/M Black / Gold Exclusive 500 C/M Colours 500 C/M SE Victor Hasselblad List number 6271 Brand Hasselblad Format Medium Model 500 C/M Introduced 1970 AKA Country Sweden Qty made Initial price Currency Type Medium format SLR Body material...

120/Hasselblad/Medium Format/Medium format SLR/Sweden Comments: 0

August 10, 2022

New Olympic Kinsi

New Olympic Kinsi Current values: New Olympic Semi Olympic Riken Semi Kinsi Riken Kinsi New Olympic Kinsi One of the obscure Japanese cameras with many fathers on record, depends on where you look. The model I have on my desk is marked ‘Kinsi’ on the front, ‘The New Olympic Camera Worlks’ on the side latch. The Kinsi is reported to...

120/Japan/Olympus/Viewfinder Comments: 0

Category: 120