28-11-2021, 05:59 PM
When I started work in the early 1950ÔÇÖs I wanted to move up from my box brownie to a 35mm camera but most 35mm cameras seemed out of my modest price range.
I became aware however of a camera in the window of a small ÔÇ£film kioskÔÇØ in the Auckland bus Terminal whch sold all manner of photographic and other items as well as handling film processing.
It was a Bilora Radix manufactured by Kurbi & Niggeloh, Germany beginning in 1948. There were various models made through into the 1950ÔÇÖs. It used the Agfa karat cassettes. There were two identical cassettes, one holding the unexposed film and the other receiving the film after it had been exposed. The one holding the exposed film was then removed and sent for processing while the now empty cassette was swapped to the other side of the camera and a new cassette inserted. It took 16 24mmx24mm photos, or as was more common slides. My camera was similar to this one.
I became aware however of a camera in the window of a small ÔÇ£film kioskÔÇØ in the Auckland bus Terminal whch sold all manner of photographic and other items as well as handling film processing.
It was a Bilora Radix manufactured by Kurbi & Niggeloh, Germany beginning in 1948. There were various models made through into the 1950ÔÇÖs. It used the Agfa karat cassettes. There were two identical cassettes, one holding the unexposed film and the other receiving the film after it had been exposed. The one holding the exposed film was then removed and sent for processing while the now empty cassette was swapped to the other side of the camera and a new cassette inserted. It took 16 24mmx24mm photos, or as was more common slides. My camera was similar to this one.