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Large format (5" x 4") film camera

Technical Information

Catalogue No: C0240
Category: General Purpose
Object Type: Sensor/Transducer
Object Name: Large format (5" x 4") film camera
Part No: None
Serial No: None
Manufacturer: Micro-Precision Products
Division: Unknown
Platform(s):
Year of Manufacture: circa 1955
Dimensions: Width (mm): 194
Height (mm): 224
Depth (mm): 120
Weight (g): 3,107
Location: Rack RAA07 [Main Store]
Inscription(s):

Micro-Precision Products
Micro Press Camera
5 x 4
England
────────────────
LENS:
Synchro-Compur-P
Schneider-Keuznach
Xenar 1:4.7/135
4006368
────────────────
ASSET LABELS:
270/818/169
2P/818/169

Notes:

After World War Two the British Government brought in severe austerity measures, these included restrictions on imports and one consequence was very few cameras were imported until the restrictions were lifted in the early 1950's.

The Government encouraged British camera manufacture and one of most noticeable new products were MPP's Micro ranges, including this Micro-Press Camera. Micro Precision Products Ltd (MPP) was a British optical company that between 1941 and 1982 produced cameras and related equipment. (From 1976, its name was MPP Photographic Products Ltd.) MPP was based in London: in Kingston until 1976, Wandsworth thereafter.
MPP's first major product was the Micro-Technical Camera, in 1948. This was far in advance of any other camera produced in Britain. Mark II followed in 1949; Mark III in 1951; Marks VI, VII and VIII in 1952, 1956, and 1963. (Marks IV and V were not sold.) These had the full versatility and quality of technical cameras; some long remained in professional use.

The Micro-Press Camera was a press camera available through the 1950s.
It was made from British Honduras Mahogany, with Schneider Xenar f4.7 135mm (Lens no. 4006368) in a Synchro-Compur P shutter.

During the 1950s, the Micro-Press Camera sold quite well to professional press photographers and was priced at an expensive £85 (around £900 to £1,000 in today’s money). This camera was the Company press camera and was used to take pictures by the Company Photographer of equipment, people and the site accounting for most of the negatives held in the RAA archive. The Micro-Press Camera would accommodate Quarter Plate (3.25” by 4.25”) glass plates or 5”x4” film.
The given dimensions are with the lens retracted and the case and screen hood closed. With these opened out the camera is 390mm deep.

More information can be found at various specialist websites such as this one.

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