Camera ads from 1949 and 1955

I was using ABBYY FineReader yesterday to see how well it would copy items from some old photo magazines.  I think it works reasonably well.  So I decided to share a few things that I copied.  I also wanted to test putting the resulting pdfs on Google Docs. 

In 1955 Geiss-America offered a modification to the Argus C4 which allowed it to use interchangeable lenses.  Geiss-America Ad

Also in the same 1955 Photography Directory were some short descriptions and prices for most of the cameras made at the time.  Here is one page for box cameras.
Box Cameras

Also there was a nice early ad for Canon cameras.
Canon

The ad above is from the September 1949 issue of US Camera.  You can get a larger view with the pdf.  Ciro-Flex Model F

Lastly from the same issue is an ad for Bloom's Camera Center in Springfield MA.  Like most independent camera stores Bloom's is long defunct. The ad does list a nice variety of new and used still and movie cameras.
Bloom's

Hopefully, the links to Google Docs work okay.  If there are any problems let me know.

Beacon Two-twenty five

The Beacon Two-twenty five was made by Whitehouse Products Inc in Brooklyn NY from 1950 to 1958. The one pictured here is one of the earlier models because it has two apertures and a bulb setting. These were removed in later models.

I did find a manual for the later model that said that the single aperture is f12.5.  So I would guess that the aperture on my version would be 12.5 for the larger and maybe f9.5 or f8 for the smaller.  The single shutter speed is 1/50.  The lens is a 70mm doublet.  It uses 620 film which is no longer made.  However if you have an empty 620 spool you can roll 120 film onto it and it will work fine.

So the Beacon Two-twenty-five is a very simple camera.  To me its main distinction is its wonderful molded bakelite body.  It is one of the few cameras that I found myself wanting just on the basis of appearance.  And I think its main value will continue to be that I enjoy looking at it.  The Beacon Two-twenty five I think is a little above average in its class in picture taking, however so far I haven't used it much for that purpose.  The Beacon Two-twenty five did do me the service of providing a name for this blog.  I am not good at naming things so when I had to type in a name I looked at this camera sitting on the shelf decided to use Beacon 225. And helpfully the Beacon Two-twenty five gave me the subject for the first post here.

Here are a few images in the Beacon Two-twenty five Gallery

Here are manuals for the Beacon Two-twenty five and the Beacon II:
http://www.butkus.org/chinon/beacon_ii/beacon_ii.htm

Found this after making the post.  It is an ad from the 1955 Photography Directory.