This week’s offering is my first 127 format camera. 127 is a paper-backed roll film format slightly larger than 35mm. I found “Dolly” in my local thrift shop. Her black leatherette carries her name embossed and no other markings. I have found references online to other Dolly cameras but not this one specifically.
It’s a folder, with the lens telescoping straight out approximately 1 1/2 inches from the camera body. The lens is zone-focused from 3 feet to infinity. Shutter speed is set with a lever to the right of the lens; speeds are 1/25, 1/50, 1/100 plus B and T. Aperture opens to f4.5, with oddly numbered indications at 6.3, 9, 12, 18 & 25. Shutter release is a small lever on the lower side of the lens near George’s left hand. The viewfinder pops up when the lens is extended; an interlocking design holds it closed when the camera is stowed. There are no batteries or meter. As shown above, it has a folding stand to hold the camera vertically.
This could perhaps be described as a half-frame 127 camera. It has two red windows on the back. Film is advanced until each number appears first in the right window, then the left. This makes 16 3×4 exposures on an 8 exposure roll.
127 film is rare but not dead yet. I’ve loaded a roll of Efke R100 black & white and pocketed Dolly for the week.
I have no references this week. I’ve not found a manual, there is no Wiki listing, and entering the phrase “Dolly camera” into eBay sends you in a completely different direction. If you’d like one, good luck.
Notes from Mosquito Hill 