Tropical Idento - Antique and Vintage Cameras

Tropical Idento

Improved model

1907

Adams & Co.

London

England

Image of Tropical Idento

Lens:
f6.3, Ross (Zeiss Patent) Protar. Combinable lens of two 11 ½" groups. Iris diaphragm to f32. Serial no. 17462 .

Shutter:
Between-the-lens pivoted two-blade return, spring powered pneumatic regulation, speeds 1/2 - 1/100, T.

Construction:
Polished teak with brass fittings. Brown Russia leather bellows and focusing hood.

Format:
3 ½" x 5 ½" plates.

Focusing:
Bellows to 2 yards, rack and pinion movement to rear part of body.

Attributes:
Adams Identoscope brilliant view-finder with automatic parallax correction coupled to rising front. Revolving lens panel.

Identification:
Lens panel released by a button on the front panel.

Movements:
Rising front.

Serial Number:
4183 .

Notes:
Address on camera: Adams & Co. 24 Charing Cross Road. (1908 - 1932).

With:
Hooded focusing screen.

The Idento is a folding strut camera, introduced in 1905 in three sizes: quarter-plate; 4" x 5" and 3 ½" x 5 ½". A year or so later 3 ½" x 2 ½" and 6 ½" x 4 ¾" sizes were introduced. A stereo model (6 ¾" x 3 ¼") was also produced possibly as a special order.

In 1907 the shutter was altered, originally it was a two-blade sector type tensioned by a sliding bar under the lens, this was replaced by a two-blade return model with a rotating handle to the lower left of the front panel for tensioning.

The Idento continued to be advertised after World War I, but most sales must have been long before this.

The camera was commonly available with either a Ross Homocentric or Zeiss Protar lens. A focal-plane back was available as an accessory. Although the Protar was a combinable, the front group could only be used with an accessory back which provided the necessary extension. The price of the 4" x 5" was £19.18.6.

A model with a Unicum shutter and Aldis lens was advertised for a short time, also a Minimum Idento with a Compound shutter. Minor variations exist, on some models the lens panel is rotated by first pressing a small button on the front panel, on others a lever to the side of the front panel is used, similar to the Verto.

The tropical model was not advertised.

References & Notes:
BP 11670/1905 (finder). BJA 1906, pp. 312, 921. BJA 1907, p. 299. BJA 1908, p. 262. BJA 1909, p. 272. BJA 1910, p. 272. YBP 1906/07, pp. 112, 114.


Company Details:

Adams & Co.

Scénographe

Shew Eclipse

Xit

Focal Plane Xit

Stereo Xit

Euxit

Idento

Tropical Idento

Dallmeyer Strut Camera

Folding Frena

Tylar's Pocket Tit-Bit

Jeffrey & Wishart's Patent

Adams Vesta

Nydia

Nydia Stereo

Natti

Pocket Cyko No 1

Parvex

Ensign Focal Plane Camera

Goerz Anschütz

Soho Press Camera

Ernemann Tropical Klapp

Ernemann Tropical Klapp

Ernemann Miniature Klapp

Block-Notes

Tenax

Bebe

Lilliput

Klippa

Ensignette No 1

Ensignette No 2

Vest Pocket Ensign

Ensignette Junior No. 2J

Popular Ensignette

Nixie

Strut Camera

Vest Pocket Kodak

Piccolette

Piccolette De Luxe

Rajar No. 6

No. 2 Hawkette

Cadet Model B

Ensign Midget

Double-8

Welta Gucki

Foth Derby

Orion Strut Camera

Imperial Roll-Film

Dallmeyer Snapshot

Tropical Deckrullo

Makina

Makina II

Jiffy Kodak V.P.

Elvo

Sprite

Salex

Speedex Clack