Closter Sport - Pizza Camera

This followed me home from a charity shop. It was so fascinating I

just had to find out more. It's a Closter Sport and is made in Italy.

Year of manufacture is probably sometime in the 60's, but I can't find

any information on it at all - can anyone help?

 

Fascinating because the body is fairly well made, die cast alloy, the

back is likewise die cast with a proper pressure plate, the film

advance mechanism is well designed and smooth and all in all it seems

a lot of thought has gone into it's manufacture. It even has a frame

counter.

 

That brings us to the lens, which is a simple miniscus single element

and appears to be coated! The shutter is a single speed (about

1/100th) disc a' la' box camera. The lens is mounted in a fine focus

helical that requires a full 360 degrees rotation from infinity to 3

feet (yes, marked in feet) and there is a choice of three f-stops,

8,16 and 22 via fixed size holes in a sliding plate. There is also a

lever beneath the lens that allows the shutter to be set to "B".

There is also a flash terminal. Seems a lot of trouble and expense

for such a simple lens and shutter?

 

For loading, the entire back is removed after sliding open two catches

on either side. The take-up spool is a large diameter drum with a

single slot for the film tongue and the film advance requires a double

stroke. It's a surprisingly solid camera.

 

I fed it a roll of Agfa 200 negative (One Pound a roll) and walked

around our local shopping centre. the light was hazy sunshine so I

set it on f16 hoping that the shutter speed was between 1/50th and

1/100th. The results are surprisingly good for such a simple camera -

apart from lots of flare whenever the open sky was in view (not

necessarily in frame) and focus by guesstimate, it makes pictures.

 

Here are some of them.<div></div>

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I also have a Closter. Mine was the only one I'd ever seen until I saw your post. I've attached a photo of it with its original case. Unfortunately, I packed the camera away somewhere and can't locate it, so can't give you any more details. I do know it is made in Italy.<div></div>

David - That looks like a much classier camera than mine - obviously they made different models.

Hi,

 

Here is my Closter marked in meters.

 

http://www.collection-appareils.com/appareils/html/closter.php

It sure looks like a nicely made camera, especially seeing that is houses a simple meniscus. Does a surprisingly good job. I like your flower and sausage shots.

I have a Closter C61 and like most people it was the only one I'd ever seen. Like your pics, I'll have to give mine another try. Take care and good shooting, Curt.

Maybe we should form a Closter Club....

 

Thanks everyone.

I have an older Closter Camera on my site at:

 

<A HREF="http://www.virtualcameramuseum.com/"> www.virtualcameramuseum.com </A>

 

Enjoy!