Kodak 35 Rangefinder
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Kodak 35 RangefinderEntry/Object ID
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The Kodak 35 Rangefinder is a fascinating piece of American industrial design and a direct response to the popularity of the Argus C3 (your other "Brick"). Originally released in 1938 as a simple viewfinder camera, Kodak "bolted on" a rangefinder mechanism in 1940 to compete with Argus. This resulted in the camera's famously cluttered and "over-engineered" appearance, featuring an external linkage that connects the lens focusing to the rangefinder windows. Technically, this unit features the high-quality Kodak Anastigmat Special f/3.5 lens. The "Special" designation is important; it indicates a four-element design (based on the Tessar formula) that is optically superior to the standard three-element lenses found on cheaper models. The shutter is a Flash Kodamatic, which was one of the first to offer built-in synchronization for flashbulbs. The "EO" at the start of your lens serial number is a Kodak date code: E=4 and O=0, meaning the lens was manufactured in 1940. This makes yours a very early example of the rangefinder model. It features a unique split-image rangefinder where you look through one window to frame (the larger one) and a smaller, separate window to focus. On the top plate, you'll find a beautiful "film type" reminder dial on the left and a heavy-duty winding knob on the right. Like many cameras of this era, it is built entirely of heavy Bakelite and metal, giving it a very substantial feel in the hand.Category
Camera, Rangefinder, 35mm Film, Project Analog
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