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Folding camera
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A folding camera is a camera type.[1][2] Folding cameras fold into a compact and rugged package for storage. The lens and shutter are attached to a lens-board which is connected to the body of the camera by a light-tight folding bellows. When the camera is fully unfolded it provides the correct focus distance from the film. The key advantage of folding cameras is their excellent physical-size to film-size ratio when the camera is folded for storage.
Portable folding cameras dominated camera design from the 1890s to 1930s and were significant into the late 1940s. Specialized cameras such as the Polaroid SX-70 Instant film camera, and the Speed Graphic press cameras used folding designs into the 1970s.
The typical amateur camera of the early 20th Century made various "postcard" sized negatives around 4" × 5". By the 1930s 6 cm × 9 cm cameras for either the 120 or 620 film size, were highly popular. A 10" x 12" camera can also be self-made.[3]
The use of folding cameras declined in the late 1930s with advances in lens technology allowing superior enlargement, high quality images on smaller negatives, and shorter distances between the lens and the film. 35mm film made small-sized cameras practical without using bellows. Lens technology allowed 120/620 cameras to use shorter focal distances, and the twin lens reflex cameras became popular. However, some 35mm cameras continued to be built as folding cameras, e.g., the original Kodak Retina and the Ensign Midget model 22 camera (image at lower right). Medium format folders were produced in USSR until the 1960s.
Notable folding cameras include
- Polaroid Corporation's line of instant film folding cameras, including the famous SX-70, a single lens reflex camera
- Seagull Camera model 203, popular throughout the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s as an inexpensive, entry-level, medium-format camera
- Cosina Voigtländer Bessa III, a retro-style camera with a 6x6 or 6x7 frames using 120/220 medium-format films
References
[edit]- ^ Hannavy, John (2013-12-16). Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-Century Photography. Routledge. p. 249-250. ISBN 978-1-135-87327-1. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
- ^ Marco, Pasquale De (2025-04-08). American Cameras: A Collector's Guide to the Best. Pasquale De Marco. p. 78. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
- ^ Greene, Alan (2013-04-11). Primitive Photography: A Guide to Making Cameras, Lenses, and Calotypes. CRC Press. p. 63-64. ISBN 978-1-136-09270-1. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
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Folding camera
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History
Early Development
Folding cameras emerged in the late 1880s and 1890s as compact alternatives to the bulky, rigid view cameras that dominated professional photography, enabling greater portability for field use.[4] One of the earliest examples was the Lucidograph, designed by Thomas Blair and introduced around 1885 by the Blair Camera Company in Boston. This folding plate camera utilized a side-hinged front panel and dropping focusing rails to collapse into its own mahogany body, serving as a protective case while accommodating glass plates in formats up to 6½ x 8½ inches.[4] Similarly, folding bed plate cameras, such as the 1892 Folding Rochester by the Rochester Camera Manufacturing Company, featured collapsible bellows and dual brass tracks for the lens standard, allowing the device to fold flat for transport in sizes like 4 x 5 inches.[5] Key innovators in this period included American designers like Blair and H.B. Carlton of Rochester Optical, alongside early German contributions from Heinrich Ernemann, who founded Ernemann AG in 1889 and began producing wooden folding plate cameras shortly thereafter.[6] The International Camera Aktien-Gesellschaft (ICA), established in 1909 through the merger of earlier German firms, built upon prior German designs from the 1890s to advance compact models.[7] These developments introduced bellows mechanisms—lightweight, accordion-like leather or cloth enclosures—to connect the lens and body, permitting the camera to collapse significantly for travel without compromising optical alignment.[5] This collapsibility fueled the amateur photography boom by making equipment more accessible to non-professionals on excursions.[4] Early folding cameras primarily used glass dry plates, which required careful handling and loading in subdued light to avoid fogging, limiting their practicality for quick hand-held shots.[5] Hand-held operation posed challenges due to the absence of built-in viewfinders in some models and the need for steady support, often necessitating tripods despite the portability gains. Foundational patents, such as U.S. Patent 436,891 granted on September 16, 1890, to the Scovill Manufacturing Company, described folding struts for supporting the lens standard in view cameras, establishing key mechanical principles for later designs.[8]Peak Popularity and Evolution
Folding cameras experienced a surge in popularity from the 1890s through the 1930s, driven by their compact design that facilitated portability for amateur photographers and tourists documenting travels and everyday scenes.[9] This era saw over 1.5 million roll-film cameras in circulation by 1898, with production centers in the United States, led by Eastman Kodak, and in Europe, particularly Germany, where manufacturers refined designs for mass appeal.[9] The cameras' ability to fold into a pocket-sized form made them ideal for casual use, contrasting with bulkier plate cameras and aligning with the growing snapshot culture.[9] A key advancement came around 1900 with the transition from glass plates to roll film, which simplified loading and increased convenience for users.[10] The Kodak No. 3 Folding Pocket, introduced in 1900, exemplified this shift by utilizing 118 roll film for 3¼ × 3¼-inch exposures, enabling multiple shots without reloading plates on-site.[11] This innovation, building on Kodak's 1897 introduction of the first folding roll-film cameras, dramatically expanded accessibility and contributed to the device's widespread adoption among non-professionals.[12] By the early 1930s, folding cameras evolved to include self-erecting mechanisms, where a button release allowed springs to automatically deploy the lens and bellows into position, streamlining setup for quick shooting.[13] Models like the Kodak Six-20 Model C (c. 1934) demonstrated this feature, pressing a button to open the front and extend the lens via internal springs.[14] German firms, including Zeiss Ikon, advanced these designs by integrating coupled rangefinders for precise focusing, as seen in their Super Ikonta series.[15] World War I and II significantly disrupted civilian production of folding cameras, as factories shifted to military optics like rangefinders and binoculars.[16] During World War I, Zeiss prioritized optical components for the German military, halting much consumer output.[16] World War II further devastated operations, with Zeiss Ikon's Dresden facilities bombed and production redirected to wartime needs, though innovations in rangefinder technology persisted for military applications before resuming postwar.[17]Design and Mechanism
Folding Mechanisms
Folding cameras achieve compactness through mechanisms that allow the lens and body to collapse while maintaining a light-tight path to the film plane. The primary types include bed-folding designs, where a hinged bed swings out to support the lens, and full-body folding systems, where the entire front assembly collapses inward.[2] In bed-folding mechanisms, prevalent in early 20th-century models, a release button or latch unlocks a front door or panel, which hinges downward to form a stable base. Brass or metal struts then brace the bed horizontally, while the lens board, mounted on a sliding standard, extends along parallel rails or tracks to unfurl the bellows and achieve focus. This design, as seen in the 1892 Folding Rochester camera, uses dual brass focusing tracks for precise extension, ensuring structural integrity during use.[5] Full-body folding variants, such as the 1912 Kodak Vest Pocket, integrate struts or scissor-like arms to draw the entire front away from the body, folding flat for storage without a protruding bed.[2] Central to these mechanisms is the bellows, an accordion-like structure of pleated material that expands to bridge the distance from lens to film plane, providing flexibility for focusing movements like rise or fall. Typically constructed from leather or coated fabric in early designs, the bellows collapses accordion-style when the camera folds, supported by struts, rails, or tension arms to prevent sagging and ensure alignment.[2][18] Self-erecting systems emerged in the 1920s and became widespread by the 1930s, employing tension springs and latches for one-handed deployment. Pressing a release button disengages a catch, allowing springs—often coiled within the struts—to automatically extend the lens board and bellows to operating position, as exemplified by the 1934 Kodak Six-20 model. These innovations streamlined setup, enhancing portability for amateur photographers.[2] Despite their ingenuity, folding mechanisms faced limitations such as light leaks from pinholes or cracks in the bellows material, exacerbated by repeated flexing, and mechanical wear on hinges, struts, and latches. Manufacturers addressed these issues using durable leather or rubberized fabric for bellows to improve light-tightness and flexibility, combined with metal reinforcements like brass struts to minimize distortion and prolong lifespan.[2][5]Key Components
Folding cameras feature lenses typically of the meniscus or Tessar types, with apertures around f/4.5 for moderate light gathering in compact designs.[19][20] These lenses, often comprising three to four elements, are mounted on sliding lens boards that extend the bellows to achieve focus by varying the distance from the film plane.[2] Shutters in folding cameras are predominantly leaf types integrated into the lens barrel, providing exposure speeds ranging from 1 second to 1/500 second for versatility in varying light conditions.[20] Early models employed pneumatic bulb releases to trigger these shutters, allowing timed exposures without direct mechanical contact that could cause vibration.[21] Viewfinders on folding cameras commonly include folding optical designs or wire-frame types, which collapse with the body for portability while offering a bright, erect image for composition.[22] Many incorporate parallax correction mechanisms, such as adjustable frames, to align the viewed field with the lens perspective during close-up shots.[22] Film holders in folding cameras consist of removable plate backs for glass plates or roll film spools accommodating formats like 120 or 620, enabling multiple exposures per load.[23] These incorporate spring-loaded pressure plates to ensure film lies flat against the focal plane, minimizing distortion and maintaining sharpness across the frame.[24]Types
Bellows-Based Models
Bellows-based models represent the most prevalent type of folding camera from the early 1900s through the 1950s, characterized by an accordion-style bellows that expands to position the lens relative to the film plane while allowing the camera to collapse into a compact form for storage and transport.[25] These cameras typically accommodated medium to large formats, ranging from 6x9 cm up to 4x5 inches, often using roll films such as 120 or 620, which enabled portable photography for amateurs and professionals alike.[25][26] A primary advantage of bellows-based designs lies in their ability to adjust focus by extending or contracting the bellows, providing a variable focal distance typically from about 1 meter to infinity without requiring additional mechanical focusing aids in basic models.[27] This flexibility made them particularly suitable for landscape and portrait photography, where precise control over depth of field and subject distance was essential, allowing photographers to achieve sharp focus across varied scenes while maintaining a lightweight profile.[25][28] Within bellows-based models, notable sub-variations include tailboard cameras, where the rear standard folds against a baseboard for storage, and field cameras, which achieve full collapse through a more integrated folding mechanism for enhanced portability in outdoor settings.[29][30] The Kodak Folding Pocket series exemplifies early implementations of these designs, featuring collapsible bellows on a baseboard that balanced compactness with medium-format image quality.[26] Despite their innovations, bellows-based cameras are prone to common issues such as pinholes developing in the bellows material over time, which can lead to light leaks exposing the film and necessitating repairs like patching or replacement.[31] Additionally, their setup process, involving manual extension of the bellows and alignment, is generally slower than that of more rigid folding alternatives, potentially hindering candid or fast-paced shooting.[25] Later evolutions in the peak popularity era introduced self-erecting mechanisms to streamline deployment.[27]Rigid Folding Models
Rigid folding models of folding cameras feature solid metal bodies, typically constructed from aluminum or other lightweight alloys, that collapse into a flat, pocketable form without relying on extensive bellows. These cameras employ scissor or strut mechanisms—consisting of hinged metal arms or struts—to deploy the lens board forward from the body, providing structural rigidity and stability once extended. This design contrasts with more flexible bellows systems by minimizing moving fabric parts, resulting in a more durable and streamlined construction suited for everyday portability.[32] Introduced primarily in the 1930s and continuing production through the mid-1950s, these models predominantly utilized 35mm film in standard cassettes, enabling 36 exposures per roll after initial proprietary cartridge experiments. Earlier variants sometimes accommodated smaller formats like 127 roll film or subminiature 16mm derivatives for even greater compactness, aligning with the era's shift toward roll film for amateur photographers. Key examples include the Agfa Karat series, such as the Karat 36 (1948), which featured a coupled rangefinder and a Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar lens, and the Zeiss Ikon Bobette I (circa 1930s), a strut-folding design for 22x31mm frames on paper-backed 35mm film.[33][34] The primary advantages of rigid folding models lie in their rapid deployment via the scissor struts, which snap into place quickly for spontaneous shooting, and their reduced fragility compared to bellows-dependent designs, making them ideal for street photography where durability is essential. Integration of early rangefinder systems in models like the Karat allowed for precise focusing in dynamic environments, enhancing usability without sacrificing the folded camera's slim profile—often under 40mm thick when closed. These attributes promoted ultra-portability, appealing to travelers and casual users seeking a balance between compactness and optical quality.[32][35] However, the fixed extension provided by the struts limits bellows-like adjustability, restricting close-up focusing capabilities to a minimum distance of around 1 meter in many cases and often relying on zone or fixed-focus variants for simplicity. This trade-off prioritized speed and robustness over versatility in depth of field control, occasionally leading to issues like seized mechanisms in older examples due to the mechanical complexity of the struts.[32]Usage and Operation
Loading Film and Setup
Loading film into a folding camera typically requires subdued lighting to prevent exposure, beginning with the removal of the camera's back panel via a sliding lock or catches. For roll film models, such as those using 120 or 620 daylight loading spools, the empty take-up spool is placed in its designated recess, followed by insertion of the film cartridge with the backing paper threaded over internal rollers and into the take-up spool's slit.[36][37] The winding key is then turned to secure the paper, ensuring it remains taut, and the back is reattached before advancing the film until the first frame number appears in the red window.[38] In contrast, plate film loading, common in earlier models like the No. 4A Folding Kodak, involves a darkroom setup where dry plates are inserted into holders (dull side up) within a glass plate adapter that snaps onto the camera body after back removal.[37] Once loaded, the camera is deployed by unlatching the front bed—often via a bottom button or lever—and extending it forward until the bellows fully unfolds and locks into the shooting position, with the lens assembly protruding.[36][38] Users should inspect the bellows for light-tight integrity by examining seams and folds in a darkened environment, shining a light inside to detect any pinholes or gaps that could cause fogging.[39] Initial setup proceeds with removal of the lens cap, followed by configuration of the shutter and aperture dials; for instance, on Kodak Pocket models, the shutter speed lever is set to values like 1/25 for sunlight, while aperture rings are adjusted to f/16 or similar for bright conditions.[36] The viewfinder, whether a simple brilliant type or notched frame, is then aligned by holding the camera level to the eye, ensuring accurate framing without parallax error.[38] Safety features enhance reliability during operation: red windows on the back allow frame counting without opening the camera, protected by a hinged lid to block stray light, while integrated tripod mounts—typically threaded sockets on the base or side—provide stability for longer exposures.[36][38]Shooting and Focusing
Folding cameras primarily relied on scale focusing, where the photographer estimated the subject distance and aligned it with markings on the lens barrel to set focus, often aided by depth-of-field scales for hyperfocal distancing in street or snapshot photography.[40] Earlier models, particularly plate-based designs from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, incorporated ground glass screens at the rear for precise focusing, allowing the inverted image to be viewed directly on the frosted surface, sometimes with a loupe for critical sharpness assessment before inserting the plate holder.[28] By the 1930s, advanced folding cameras introduced coupled rangefinders, integrating a coincidence viewfinder that linked the focusing mechanism to the lens, enabling simultaneous composition and precise distance measurement through image superposition, as seen in models like the Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta.[41] Exposure in folding cameras was manually controlled by selecting shutter speeds and apertures on the lens or shutter assembly, typically ranging from 1 second to 1/500 second, with bulb (B) mode for time exposures using a pneumatic release.[41] Without built-in light meters in most designs, photographers adapted rules like Sunny 16, setting the aperture to f/16 on a sunny day and matching the shutter speed reciprocally to the film's ISO (e.g., 1/100 second for ISO 100), then adjusting for cloudier conditions by opening the aperture or slowing the shutter.[42] The shooting workflow began with extending the bellows to unfold the camera, composing the scene through a simple optical viewfinder mounted above the lens, which provided a basic frame but required mental compensation for parallax shift in close-range shots by leaving extra space around the subject.[43] After focusing and setting exposure, the shutter was released via a cable or direct lever, followed by advancing the film with a side-mounted knob—often requiring a full rewind motion first to disengage the mechanism and align the next frame via a red window or counter.[44] Once complete, the camera could be collapsed for compact storage, protecting the lens and bellows. Common errors included bellows misalignment from loose hinges or warped standards, which shifted the lens plane away from parallel with the film, resulting in soft focus across the image despite correct scale settings.[45] Metering challenges arose from the absence of integrated exposure tools, leading to over- or underexposure if environmental light estimation (e.g., via Sunny 16) was inaccurate, particularly in mixed lighting without external aids.[42]Notable Models and Manufacturers
Kodak and Eastman Kodak Cameras
Eastman Kodak played a pivotal role in popularizing folding cameras through innovative designs that emphasized portability, affordability, and ease of use for amateur photographers. By leveraging advancements in roll film and mass production techniques, the company introduced models that transitioned photography from bulky plate cameras to compact, user-friendly devices. These efforts significantly expanded access to photography, enabling everyday individuals to capture images without professional expertise.[46] The Kodak No. 1 Folding Pocket, introduced in 1897, marked Kodak's entry into folding camera design as the company's first truly pocketable roll film camera. This model utilized nitrocellulose-based film to allow a collapsible bellows structure, producing 12 images in a 2¼ x 3¼-inch format with an achromatic f/11 lens and a basic rotary shutter.[12] Priced at around $10, it introduced the concept of daylight-loading roll film in a folding format, making photography more convenient for casual users and setting the stage for subsequent pocketable models.[46][47] In the 1930s, Kodak advanced 35mm folding cameras with the Retina series, produced from 1934 to the 1960s by Kodak AG in Germany. These bellows-based models featured high-quality Schneider-Kreuznach lenses, such as the Xenar f/3.5, and Compur-type leaf shutters offering speeds up to 1/500 second. Early variants like the Retina I (Type 117, 1934) used scale focusing, while later models including the Retina II (1936) and Retina III (1940s) incorporated coupled rangefinders for precise focusing, along with features like flash synchronization in post-war versions (e.g., Retina IIc, 1954). The series, spanning over a dozen major types, combined German optical precision with Kodak's manufacturing efficiency, producing sharp images in a compact, foldable body that appealed to serious amateurs.[48][49][50] Kodak's Brownie line extended folding camera accessibility to budget-conscious users during the 1920s through 1940s, with models like the No. 2 Folding Autographic Brownie emphasizing simplicity and low cost. Introduced around 1915 and produced into the 1920s, this camera used 120 roll film to yield six 2¼ x 3¼-inch images, featuring a meniscus lens, waist-level viewfinder, and autographic feature for noting dates on negatives. Its affordable price of about $6, coupled with Kodak's streamlined assembly processes, sold millions of units and democratized snapshot photography for families and children.[51][52] Through mass production innovations, such as automated emulsion-coating for film and standardized camera assembly, Eastman Kodak reduced costs dramatically, transforming folding cameras from luxury items to everyday tools. This approach not only dominated the amateur market—selling over 100,000 units of early folding models annually by the early 1900s—but also influenced global photography by encouraging widespread personal documentation and inspiring competitors to adopt similar accessible designs.[46][52]European Manufacturers' Models
European manufacturers played a pivotal role in advancing folding camera design during the early 20th century, emphasizing precision engineering, high-quality optics, and innovative features tailored for professional and enthusiast photographers. German firms like Zeiss Ikon and Voigtländer dominated with models that integrated superior lenses and shutters, while British and other European makers contributed compact, portable options inspired by emerging trends in miniaturization. These cameras often featured bellows or strut mechanisms for compactness, reflecting a focus on durability and optical excellence over mass production.[53] The Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta series, produced from the 1930s through the 1950s, exemplifies German craftsmanship in medium-format folding cameras. The Super Ikonta A model (531/2), designed for 6x9 cm exposures on 120 roll film, incorporates a Compur Rapid shutter offering speeds from 1 to 1/500 second, paired with a renowned Carl Zeiss Tessar f/3.5 lens of 105 mm focal length for sharp, high-contrast images. Its folding viewfinder and coupled rangefinder enhance usability, allowing precise focusing even in the compact folded state, making it a favorite among landscape and portrait photographers.[54][55] In Britain, the Ensign Midget, introduced in the 1930s by Houghton & Butcher, drew inspiration from Leica's compact rangefinder designs but adapted them for subminiature roll film use. This rigid-folding camera, measuring just 3.5 x 1.75 x 0.75 inches when closed, uses special E-10 film (approximately 35 mm wide) to produce 1.625 x 1.375 inch (41 x 35 mm) frames, enabling pocket portability without sacrificing basic functionality. Equipped with an Ensar anastigmat lens at f/6.3 and an Everset shutter providing speeds of 1/25 to 1/100 second plus B and T modes, it catered to candid street photography in an era before widespread 35 mm adoption.[53][56] Voigtländer's Bessa models from the 1930s further showcased self-erecting mechanisms that simplified deployment for quick shooting. These roll-film folders, available in formats like 6x9 cm on 120 film, feature Skopar f/4.5 lenses (a Tessar-type design) of around 105 mm focal length, delivering excellent resolution and minimal distortion for general-purpose photography. The self-erecting front standard automatically extends the lens and bellows upon opening the bed, a innovation that improved handling speed while maintaining a slim profile for travel. Production spanned various subtypes, with the Bessa I emphasizing robust metal construction and leather covering for everyday durability.[57] The Deckrullo-Nettel Tropen, manufactured in the 1920s by the German Contessa-Nettel firm (later absorbed into Zeiss Ikon), addressed the needs of photographers in harsh climates through specialized tropicalization. This strut-folding plate camera, available in sizes like 9x12 cm, uses a teakwood body resistant to humidity and insects, combined with brown leather bellows for double extension close-ups. Its vertically running cloth focal-plane shutter achieves speeds up to 1/2800 second, enabling fast action capture in equatorial environments where standard models would fail due to material degradation. Primarily aimed at colonial and expedition photographers, it highlighted European ingenuity in adapting folding designs for extreme conditions.[58][59]Decline and Modern Legacy
Factors Leading to Decline
The rise of rigid-bodied 35mm rangefinder and single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras in the 1940s and 1950s significantly contributed to the decline of folding cameras, as these new designs eliminated the need for time-consuming bellows extension and offered quicker operation for photographers. Models like the Leica M3, introduced in 1954, exemplified this shift by providing a compact, fixed-body rangefinder with bayonet lens mount and bright viewfinder, appealing to professionals seeking reliability without mechanical delays associated with folding mechanisms. Similarly, early SLRs gained traction for their through-the-lens viewing and interchangeable lenses, further diminishing demand for bellows-based systems that were slower to deploy in dynamic shooting scenarios. Advancements in film emulsions also played a role, allowing high-quality images from smaller 35mm negatives and reducing the necessity for the larger formats often favored by folding cameras. Post-World War II material shortages severely hampered production in major folding camera manufacturing regions, particularly Germany and Japan, exacerbating the challenges faced by traditional designs. Factories in these countries had been repurposed for wartime efforts, leading to disruptions in supply chains and limited access to metals, leather, and other components essential for bellows construction. In Germany, where companies like Kodak AG (Nagel) produced the Retina series, reconstruction efforts prioritized basic needs over specialized camera parts, stalling output of complex folding models. Meanwhile, Japanese manufacturers such as Canon and Nikon, facing similar shortages but driven by economic recovery imperatives, pivoted to mass-producing affordable rigid 35mm cameras that undercut European competitors in price and availability by the mid-1950s. The transition to color film and the emergence of instant photography in the postwar era further eroded the appeal of bellows-dependent folding cameras, as these innovations prioritized simplicity and immediacy over precise manual adjustments. Color films like Kodachrome, widely available from the 1940s, combined with improved lens technologies, enabled sharp results from fixed-focus systems, lessening the demand for the adjustable precision offered by bellows for depth-of-field control. Instant photography, pioneered by Polaroid in 1948, introduced self-developing prints in rigid, user-friendly formats that appealed to casual users, bypassing the setup and focusing steps inherent to folding cameras. Major folding production tapered off by the 1960s, with the Kodak Retina IIIC—released in 1958—marking one of the last significant models before the line ended around 1960.[60] Economic pressures sealed the fate of folding cameras, as their intricate bellows proved more prone to wear and costly to repair compared to the emerging durable plastic and metal bodies of postwar designs. Bellows degradation from light leaks, creasing, or environmental exposure often required full replacement, a labor-intensive process that deterred maintenance amid rising consumer preference for low-maintenance alternatives. In contrast, rigid cameras with sealed bodies offered longevity at lower long-term costs, aligning with the mass-market shift toward disposable or easily replaceable equipment. This combination of higher upkeep expenses and reduced market viability led to the virtual cessation of new folding camera development by the late 1960s.Contemporary Influences and Revivals
In the digital era, folding camera principles of portability and compactness have influenced modern mirrorless and compact cameras through retractable lens designs that mimic the space-saving fold of vintage models. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ series, introduced in the mid-2000s and evolving through the 2010s, features a collapsible zoom lens that extends for use and retracts into a slim body, allowing pocketable travel cameras with significant optical range, such as the TZ100's 10x zoom in a 1-inch sensor package.[61] These designs echo the folding camera's emphasis on convenience without sacrificing functionality, enabling photographers to carry high-quality optics discreetly.[62] The resurgence of film photography since the 2010s has spurred reissues and new models drawing inspiration from folding cameras' compact forms, blending nostalgia with accessibility for contemporary analog enthusiasts. Kodak's Ektar H35, launched in 2022, is a half-frame 35mm point-and-shoot with a lightweight, vintage-inspired body that promotes economical film use—yielding up to 72 exposures per roll—while evoking the portability of early folding designs through its simple, handbag-friendly build.[63] Similarly, recent innovations like the 2025 TTArtisan instant film camera incorporate retro folding bellows for a collapsible structure, paying homage to classic rangefinders while integrating modern flash and color options for instant prints.[64] This revival aligns with broader trends in analog photography, where sales of 35mm film and related gear have surged among younger users seeking tactile, imperfect aesthetics.[65] Vintage folding cameras maintain strong appeal in collector markets, where restored models attract analog revivalists valuing their mechanical elegance and historical significance. Kodak Retina series cameras, prized for their Schneider lenses and precise German engineering from the mid-20th century, typically fetch $50 to $300 at auctions and online marketplaces, depending on condition and accessories, with well-preserved examples often restored for functional use in contemporary film projects.[66] This demand underscores the enduring legacy of folding designs, as collectors preserve and adapt them for modern creative pursuits amid the digital shift. The conceptual influence of folding cameras extends to smartphone photography, where mechanisms for compactness inspire pop-up and modular systems to minimize device bulk. Pop-up selfie cameras, popularized in devices like the 2019 OnePlus 7 Pro, deploy via motorized sliders reminiscent of bellows extension, prioritizing uninterrupted screens while echoing the hidden, extendable optics of folding models.[67] Modular approaches, such as Xiaomi's 2025 Modular Optical System with detachable lenses, further this legacy by allowing users to swap optics for varied shooting without permanent protrusions, enhancing portability in line with folding cameras' core innovation.[68]References
- https://camera-wiki.org/wiki/ICA
- https://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Folding_Pocket_Kodak
- https://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Karat
- https://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Kodak_Retina_IB/IIC/IIIC