Popular Ensign 6x9 folder

[Xpres]

I can find out very little about this camera, anyone got any links?

I found it today at a charity shop for a fiver and the devil on my shoulder decided I should have it I'd not seen one before, or heard of the lens which is a Lukos and so I'm curious. I'd guess it's from the 20's.
Everything seems to work OK so I'll try a roll.

[PaulC]

Ensign was a British manufacturer (possibly the leading one). I think they had quite a good reputation but the build quality of the post-war Ensign I got was decidedly tinny compared with the German and Russian folders.

Hang on, is it a rollfilm camera or a plate camera? The focusing rail system was replaced with front cell focus around the time they switched from plates to rollfilm.

There are some Ensigns here - the nearest type seems to be a "Carbine". http://www.ozcamera.com/ensign-folding.html

[PaulC]

And it looks very like the Ensign Carbine No 6 at Slough Museum:

http://www.sloughmuseum.co.uk/COLLECTIONS/HOBBIES/hobbiesPage81.html#null

[Xpres]

Thanks Paul. I think it shares a lot with the Carbine. The carbine No. 5 even has the same lens - which doesn't seem a common one. I found a reference to the Popular Ensign here:

http://www.ensign.demon.co.uk/Jdoc/Form_2_24.htm

Maybe this is a budget version. All I can say for sure is it was made after 1926 when Houghton Butcher put their name on the cameras.
The post war ensigns I have are built like tanks. The commando being my favourite.

[Xpres]

I've been trying to find out a little more about the Lukos lens. It seems HB used the name a few times, including a 75mm f3.5 version on an autorange 220, which was not a cheap camera - so maybe it's a good one? But they also used the name for a shutter. And on their films...

the word itself....
"...the word lukos meaning crow, an animal that announces the presence of God Lug in Celtic mythology..." Lug was God of the Sun and light...
And Wolf in Greek.

[Today is a Good Day]

I got the exact same camera a couple of weeks ago at a house clearance auction. Exactly the same!

I too was trying to figure out what it was.

Mine also works - but has a bit more waer than yours. The writing on the shutter speed Vario dial is quite faded, the lens element looks a bit used but the belows seem OK. Not entirely convinced the back is light tight, I guess we'll see quite soon!!

The only real problem I have with it that the ends of the focus rails nearest he camera body have both been turned up slightly....making it hard to fold out. It needs a bit of encouragement with a pencil. I can't figure how to repair them.....I'll maybe post a picture of them later.

Anyway - thanks again for the ID.

I hope that I get as good results!!

Ken

[Attila]

Welcome Ken!

[Xpres]

I nearly bought a house in Tring!

Yes. do post a photo... and some pics when you try it out.

Good luck.