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Old 30th December 2013, 11:38 AM
JamesK JamesK is offline
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Smile VP Twin

This was a surprise Christmas present from my wife.

Launched in 1935 by E. Eliott Limited of Birmingham, this particular model is the version that was re-introduced in 1952. While early models were made of Bakelite in a variety of colours, the later ones such as this are in black plastic, the only apparent variant being a white or black winding knob.

The early models were known for being sold by Woolworths in three pieces (front, back and lens), fulfilling that company's then “price pledge” of selling no single item for more than 6d (2 ½ pence). Thus, the whole camera would have cost the princely sum of 1/6d (7 ½ pence to you young folks).

In effect, this is a half-frame 127 camera, taking 16 1 1/4” x 5/8” shots on a standard roll of 127.

The lens is an f12.5 BOLCo (British Optical Lens Company), and the shutter speed is probably around 1/30 – 1/50 (I haven't found any data for this).

In the attached photograph, the shutter lever (which fires in both directions) is behind the coin.

The back is removed by inserting a coin into a recess just below the metal viewfinder, the coin then being twisted so that the back comes off completely.

Two red windows at the rear (without covers) allow you to expose half of each (full) frame in succession, thus giving 16 exposures.

Although what literature I've found states that this is most certainly a snapshot camera, I'd love to give it a try (as I like to do with all my old cameras), although the availability of 127 film is problematic.

(There is a video on YouTube showing how to cut 120 film down to 127 with a cigar cutter, but this doesn't address the issues of frame numbering or spool sizes.)

Even if I don't use it, it's certainly a nice (and unexpected) addition to my growing collection of British cameras.

(Note: most information from Camerapedia and gbcameras.org.uk)

Stop Press: I've just figured out the L over a yacht logo on the front of the lens - Elliot (L-yacht), get it?
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Old 30th December 2013, 12:09 PM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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I remember the VP twin, if fact I remember having one as a child, I think it was bought from Wolly's over here and was a present from an uncle who was a very keen photographer and as I was showing an interest from an early age, having been given a Kodak Brownie Starmite, with a built in bulb flash, he thought it might be another camera to foster my interest, I must have been 10 or 11 at the time, He dosen't know how right he was
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