Can anyone identify this camera??

motogypsy

Senior Member
I'm trying to help someone by figuring out what kind of camera this is, their grandpa owned it in a photo dated in the 1930s.

Thanks!

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spb_stan

Senior Member
It looks like the small Paillard-Bolex consumer 8mm movie camera that was available then. My dad had one during the war. They were known for pro movie cameras like the H-16 but came out with a line of popular small 8mm movie cameras in the late 30s shaped just like that.
 

motogypsy

Senior Member
i googled 'cameras from the year 1930's' and found this, looks kinda the same????

Untitled Document

hard to tell if its that exact model, but maybe give you a starting point.
I'm looking into both of those. Thanks y'all!
It looks like the small Paillard-Bolex consumer 8mm movie camera that was available then. My dad had one during the war. They were known for pro movie cameras like the H-16 but came out with a line of popular small 8mm movie cameras in the late 30s shaped just like that.
 

spb_stan

Senior Member
The model my dad has was from the mid 30s called the L-8 Bolex. With the detachable handle it looked similar, in size and shape but I think the camera in the photo that Roy1961 posted is the one.,even the name plate is in the right place. The L-8 was a little shorter in vertical height. The camera in the posted photo being so narrow, and with such small lens, it was likely 8mm spring driven. Only a couple Bolex had single lenses and were cheap enough for popular home movie shooting. Most had 2 or 3 lens turret lens mounts. I am not sure when he got rid of it but I remember seeing the camera my dad had a few times in its case but in the 50s he used a Kodak 8mm for the dog, kids and my little league baseball. The little Kodak was smaller but wider. He also had a full dark room but stopped using it after I was born. I revived it at around 8yo and was active with developing at 12. He took up still photography after retirement with Pentax gear.
 
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