Norca A 1938

[Attila]

he original Norca, or Norca A, was launched in 1938

and was the first 24x36 camera made in France.

"The Norca is a series of cameras made by the French society FAP between 1938 and the beginning of the 1950s. They were inspired by the Argus A.


The original Norca, or Norca A, was launched in 1938 and was the first 24x36 camera made in France. It had a 50/3.5 Boyer Saphir or Berthiot Flor lens, and a T-B-25-50-100-300 shutter marked Norca Paris. According to Vial, this shutter was made by Gitzo. The lens and shutter assembly was mounted on a spring-loaded telescopic tube. The Norca had a black plastic body with leather covering, and a metal removable back, with Norca engraved, sometimes upside down (seen at ebay auction). It had a tubular optical viewfinder molded with the body, an exposure counter at the top right, an advance knob at the top left and a rewind knob at the bottom right. The metal front plate was attached by four apparent screws. The production was stopped by the war. Known lens/shutter combinations for the Norca A:

Boyer Saphir 50/3.5 & Norca Paris T-B-25-50-100-300 (see here, pictured in Vial and McKeown)
Berthiot Flor 50/3.5 & Norca Paris T-B-25-50-100-300 (see here, probably a Norca A mistaken for a Norca B)
McKeown mentions a Berthiot Anastigmat 50/3.5 lens (never observed) and also a Norca Paris B-T-25-175 shutter (never observed)


The Norca A was offered in 1939 by Manufrance, a French distributor, with a Berthiot Flor 50/3.5 and a T-B-25-175 shutter."

Source: (http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Norca)


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[luisalegria]

Looks exactly like an early Argus, but better made I think.

[Orio]

Very interesting, is it working?

[Attila]