Cameras/Folding Cameras
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Question
I just received a 120 folding camera today from a friend who didn't want it. The manufacturer is Proud and the model is a Chrome Six. The f-stops are numbered fro half stops such as 6.3,9,11.5,18,25. The image format can be changed inside the camera with metal flaps that convert the format from 6x6 cm square to 6x 4.5 vertical.
I know this is a cheap camera and the image quality won't be good.I just need to know where it was made and when it was produced. Don't sweat the details.
Thanks,
Doug
Hello Doug,
The Chrome Six is actually something of a mysterious line. There was a Proud company that apparently first made Chrome Six cameras, they sold them under two other affiliate names, then there was the Sumida company that made the Proud Chrome Six models that may or may not have been related to the Proud company, and then Olympus somehow got hold of the rights and continued a Chrome Six line of their own! It's all very confusing, and has presented an historical puzzle for researchers like me for a long, long time. Some of the models are simple and common, while others are quite advanced, and some are down right rare. Prices are all over the map. I can't identify your model by description or questions. I need to see it. AllExperts deosn't allow images, but you are welcome to send a couple small JPEG images to my personal e-mail <silver@well.com> and I'll get back to you after I take a good look.
Best wishes,
David Silver
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David Silver
Expertise
I'm an expert on all types of antique, classic, and contemporary cameras, as well as the general history of photography. Everything from ancient box cameras to modern single-lens-reflex; from simple Kodaks to sophisticated Leica and Nikon; from glass plates and roll film to movie and 35mm. I can identify and appraise them, explain how they work, and offer insights on their restoration and care. I can also provide historical background on vintage cameras and equipment, and guidelines on their purchase and sale.
Experience
I've been a professional photographer and a student of the history of photography for nearly 30 years. During that time my collection of vintage cameras and photographic paraphernalia has grown beyond 2000 significant pieces. I've published nearly 70 articles in the field, including 16 in the popular "Buying Classic Cameras" series for PHOTO SHOPPER MAGAZINE from 1995 to 1997, I'm currently a contributing editor for CAMERA SHOPPER MAGAZINE and McKEOWN'S PRICE GUIDE TO ANTIQUE AND CLASSIC CAMERAS, and I've written numerous entries for WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA. Portions of my collection have been displayed in museums and special exhibits in the past two decades, and many of the items were photographed as illustrations for books. In 1985 I founded the International Photographic Historical Organization (InPHO), which eventually evolved into its intended purpose as the best first resource for information on the history of photography. I'm also a founding member of several e-mail forums dedicated to specialized areas of photography, and I'm the moderator of the Internet Directory of Camera Collectors (IDCC), which remains the largest and most successful such group in the world. For more information about the International Photographic Historical Organization and its many services, please visit its web pages at:
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