Homéos, Homeos - Antique and Vintage Cameras

Homéos

1913

J. Richard

Paris

France

Image of Homéos

Lens:
Two, f4.5, 28 mm Krauss Tessar, apertures on sliding bar to f20. Lens separation 2 ¼". Serial no. 140108 140107 .

Shutter:
Horizontal guillotine acting between the lenses, two-blade. Spring powered with pneumatic regulation, speeds 1/8 - 1/150. Self-capping.

Construction:
Blued metal body, partially leather covered.

Format:
26 pairs of exposures, 24 x 18 mm on standard 35 mm cine film, wound on spool with leader and trailer. Sequence of exposures on the film is 1, blank, 2, 1, 3, 2, 4, 3 ... i.e. each stereo pair is separated by two images. The film is sandwiched between a pressure plate and a glass plate at the time of exposure, the pressure plate lifts clear during film advance.

Focusing:
Close-up lenses, marked .5 m on sliding bar on front of camera.

Attributes:
Two eye-level finders (lens/lens).
Film advance is by double sprocket wheel after shifting a lever clear of retaining cam. Auto-stop on film advance. Film counter operated indirectly by sprocket spindle.
Spirit level.

Serial Number:
291 .

Notes:
Address on viewer: 10 Rue Halevy. 25 Rue Melingue.

With:

  • Removable cable release attachment on camera. Cable release, marked The Bowden release with brass connector to fit adapter on camera.
  • Case.
  • Homéos viewer (Serial no. 334).

The Homéos was the second camera to be produced for 35 mm cine film and the first to be patented. The general construction and many of the fittings resemble the Richard Verascope (1895). Reportedly a few models were sold before the outbreak of World War I, more were sold after the war. In 1920 the price was over £40.0.0 making it one of the more expensive hand cameras on the market. In Britain the camera was sold at reduced prices during the later 1920s.

Film advance is by a sprocket spindle. The film rests on a glass plate through which the exposures are made, during film advance the pressure plate hinges up to allow free movement of the film.

Early models have different re-wind fittings to later examples. Other differences between models are a toothed plate that clips over the aperture setting (present on this example); a small plate is sometimes present surrounding the speed setting control; some (? early) models have a flat spring pressing on the frame counter mechanism; a cable release attachment is sometimes fitted.

The viewer has twin plano-convex lenses of two elements. A claw mechanism advances the frame.

Some modern sources give the number of cameras made as being around 1500, this would seem to be far too many judging by the known serial numbers.

References & Notes:
BP 27646/1912. BP 23027/1913. BP 20623/1914 (Roll-film spools). US Pat. 1256774/1918. BJA 1921, p. 733. BJA 1925, p. 576. Lothrop, Century, p. 120.

Further Information:
The camera illustrated in 'Wills, History' has the re-wind knob on the bottom of the camera, a camera with serial number 111 sold at the Permutt auction had been re-built but had the re-wind knob on the top plate.

Illustrations:
Prague Cat. 572. Isenberg, p.166. Sci. Mus. Cat. p.108. Plate surrounding speed control. Wills, History, p.59. A Homéos enlarger is shown in Christie's Cat. 18/12/1996 lot 112. See also Phillips Cat. 11/5/2004 lot 575 showing a printer.

Homéos

No. 00 Cartridge Premo

Eka

Photoscopic

Amourette

Sept

Ansco Memo

Leica I(a)

Leica I(b)

Leica I(c)

Leica Standard

Leica II

Stereo attachment

Leica III

Leica Motor

Leica IIIa

Leica IIIb

Leica IIIc

Leica 250

Leica Single Exposure

Leica Ic

Leica IIc

Leica IIIc

Leica If Black Dial

Leica IIf Black Dial

Leica IIIf Black Dial

Leica IIf Red Dial

Leica IIIf Red Dial

Leica Ig

Leica IIIg

Leica M3

Leica M2

Leica MD

Contax I

Contax II

Contax III

Super Nettel

Nettax

Tenax II

Tenax I

Contaflex

Peggy II

Korelle K

Argus A

Argus C-2

Argus K

Retina I

Karat

Certo Dollina

Super Dollina

Compass II

Boltavit

Eljy

Verascope F 40

Finetta 88

Robot

Mercury II

Adox 300

Fed

Vito

Prominent

Vitessa T

Agimatic

Werra IV

Zeus

Advocate

Periflex

Reid

Kiev 4

Retinette

Optima Ia

Super Shot 2.4

KI Monorail

Wray Stereo Graphic