A really primitive camera. It was made by a company from Chicago that called itself The Candid Camera Company. The Company started in 1938 and was attempting to make a camera to compete with Argus C that , as the brick, sold more cameras American made, than any camera in history. Their first cameras had a few interesting "features" but not selling so well they reduced the features and produced the one-0-one in 1948 through 1950 as a barely better than a one speed box camera.
There were better cameras made in 1949 ...to say the least. The shutter was on the lens like the old Kodak folders. The top shutter speed was 150 and the largest opening was 4.5. The only good thing about it was that it has an Alphax lens, made by Wollensak in Rochester New York. They made lenses for other consumer grade inexpensive cameras. The lenses weren't anything to brag about... but they would take a reasonably good photo.
Got this one with one other camera for next to nothing. Had to take it out for a trial run.
The camera came mounted on a heavy brass bracket shape frame with hooks for a thin leather strap. I never saw anything like it before. The base of the camera opens with the big round wheel that also holds the frame on. O for open and C for close.
One of the better than the Argus brick features was a button on top that would unlock the film advance and then lock back when a frame distance had been reeled forward. Another ...good for it's day... feature was the flash shoe holder on top. It has a range finder window in green and a view mirror that's clear. The rangefinder either doesn't work or it is so subtle I can't tell any difference. But.. there is a range adjustment on the lens barrel so... that worked.
One of the crap features was the button on the front to release the film advance lock to rewind the film into the canister. In my camera it would stick and produced a problem. I ended up taking the camera apart in a dark bag and then easing in a developing tank and reel. Real clumsy and added to some development problems. I also over cooked the film in the development time, hot day makes warmer and faster developing, and the images were mostly crap...but... I could tell it will take photos if properly handled. On the other hand...if you are a fan of pin light cameras or those Holga art cameras... I could show you some photos that might be right down your alley.
Perfex one-o-one
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