QUESTION: What became of the old Rolleiflex cameras? What other forgotten camera makes are there?
Paul Franke and Reinhold Heidecke founded Rollei in Germany in 1920 to produce Heidecke’s invention, a twin-lens reflex camera (TLR). It had two lenses of identical focal length — the top one a ‘viewing lens’ and the bottom one a ‘taking lens’ (the lens the film is actually exposed through).
Rolleiflex was the name used to refer to Rollei’s premier line of medium-format TLRs, made from 1929 right up until the 1980s. They were high-quality cameras featuring Zeiss Tessar lenses, and used by the best photographers of the era.
In the late 1930s, Franke and Heidecke introduced the Rolleiflex Automat, which featured Rollei’s first automatic film-loading system.
With personal cameras becoming increasingly popular, Franke and Heidecke began producing 35mm cameras in the 1960s. The Rollei 35 (1966) was one of the smallest fully manual 35mm cameras ever made.
Photographer Robert Doisneau with a camera Rolleiflex during 1992 in France
To fight costs, some production was moved to Singapore, but the company was fighting a losing battle against the Japanese camera industry and Rollei went bankrupt in 1981. However, it lives on through various offshoot companies and their classic cameras are still renowned for their build quality and unique style.
There are many fine brands that have disappeared in the digital age. Meopta, a Czech company, produced the Flexaret — an excellent TLR that rivalled Rolleiflex — from 1939 to 1970. Yashica in Japan made decent TLRs as well as first-rate 35mm point-and-shoot cameras, while in Britain, Ensign produced some of the best examples of folding roll film cameras available in the 1950s. Agilux of Croydon made good SLRs and the Coronet Camera Company was noted for its box cameras.
Simon Worrall, Richmond, Surrey
QUESTION: Which countries have the longest and the shortest National Anthems?
The Greek national anthem, Hymn To Liberty, is based on a poem by Dionysios Solomos that consists of 158 stanzas. However, typically only the first two stanzas are performed during official events.
The national anthem of Uruguay is among the longest in terms of the official version typically performed, lasting about five minutes.
Uruguay football fans listen their national anthem prior to the Copa America third place match against Canada in Charlotte, North Carolina, in July
Japan boasts the shortest national anthem, Kimigayo (‘His Imperial Majesty’s Reign’). The lyrics are taken from a waka poem written by an unnamed author in the Heian period (794-1185). It is only five lines long. These lines consist of 32 characters and translate as: ‘May your reign / Continue for a thousand, eight thousand generations / Until the pebbles / Grow into massive boulders / Lush with moss.’
The Ugandan national anthem, Oh Uganda, Land Of Beauty, is also short, consisting of three stanzas, each lasting about a minute.
Sue Watson, Bridgnorth, Shropshire
QUESTION: Did the French Foreign Legion support the Vichy government during World War II?
To suggest that the French Foreign Legion supported the Vichy government would be to distort the political realities of the situation.
The Foreign Legion was not an independent entity. It came under the command of the French Army in the territories in which it was serving. It is very rare for field commanders, such as those in charge of Foreign Legion battalions, to go against the orders of their higher command.
Marshal Petain (right), Leader of the Vichy Puppet Government, shaking hands with Otto Abetz (left)
TOMORROW’S QUESTIONS:
Has a professional race walker ever been penalised for running?
Hannah Legge, Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Does anyone remember a drama about an alcoholic football player who is offered redemption by a young manager who idolised him?
Peter Smith, Durham
The Foreign Legion served in the French overseas territories in South America, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia and North Africa. When the Vichy government was formed in 1940, under the terms of the peace treaty with Germany, all French overseas territories were absorbed by the Vichy government, so the colonial administrators and army had no say in who they served.
In some of the French colonies, such as French Guiana, there was a quiet opposition to the Vichy government. They officially joined the Free French movement in March 1943. Elsewhere, the administrations were content to be left alone to run affairs as they always had. French territories in Southeast Asia had been taken over by Japan in November 1940 and so were in no position to support either side.
When the Allies invaded Morocco and Algeria in November 1942, the French army units there put up a token defence before capitulating. The Germans entered Tunisia, stifling any French opposition there.
The French army units in Morocco and Algeria then joined the Free French forces and fought for the Allies up to and including VE Day in May 1945.
Bob Cubitt, Northampton
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Publish date : 2024-08-05 12:59:00
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