Howard Boys - a home-made camera
The majority of cameras nowadays are single lens reflex where an automatic mirroring allows the photographer to see just what is being captured and focus directly. Prior to this a "rangefinder" system was used in which the distance to the object being photographed was measured. Rangefinders existed independently or were "coupled" i.e. adjustment of the focusing of the lens was directly coupled to the rangefinder so one didn't have to read a distance on the rangefinder and then adjust the lens focus. Of course modern developments allow for automatic focusing.
Coupled rangefinders became used more generally in the 1930's.
With an engineer's mind, inventive nature and short of cash Howard Boys determined to make his own camera and here it is, set on a Zeiss Icon tripod of the thirties. Essentially it is made from pieces of brass soldered together. Purchsed components are a Compur shutter and a Taylor Hobson Cooke Cinema Lens. The shutter adjustments are clearly visible and the aperture diaphragm can be seen too.
At the top of the camera can be seen the two openings for the rangefinder and through the one on the left of the picture is seen the small mirror essential to the rangefinder. Not so clearly visible is the angled mirror behind the opening on the left. Careful inspection will reveal the arm linking the angled mirror to the rear of the lens mounting. The two bolts holding the rangefinder casing engage with nuts soldered onto the camera casing.
Below the left-hand opening an alternative, non-focusing viewfinder can be seen. It has to be admitted that this has deteriorated with age but I'm sure a clean-up could be achieved.
Two strips of horizontally mounted brass about mid-way down the camera hold the back which and can be seen better in the bottom picture.
Note the brass strips holding the shutter mechanism.
Three-quarter left and right views show off the engineering a little better.
With the back detached and turned around it can be seen that time and use have degraded the original matt black finish. Items to note here are, I'm afraid, not very clear but you can see the spring-loaded pressure plate which held the film in position and small cogs which engaged with the 35mm film and by way of a small arrow visible from the top gave an indication of the wind-on position. One rotation of the arrow advanced the film to a new exposure position. Unusually, the format of the images was 23mm square; not the usual 35mm x 23mm.
And now for one Howard made earlier.
Unfortunately the lens is missing but there are some quite eclectic features visible here. I find it interesting that the shutter (a focal plane one) release is on the left of the camera; not unusual for a left-handed person but Howard was right-handed.
And while considering photography.
I found this scrap of paper in an old "Bandaid" tin along with some lens tissues and a couple of filters. It shows quite a deep interest in matters photographic and was clearly kept for reference purposes.