Dainty Soho Reflex - Antique and Vintage Cameras

Dainty Soho Reflex

1908

Original Model

Marion & Co. Ltd

London

England

Image of Dainty Soho Reflex

Lens:
f4.5, 112 mm Zeiss Tessar, iris diaphragm to f32. Serial no. 95262 (1907).

Shutter:
Kershaw focal-plane, spring powered, adjustment by slit variation. Not self-capping. Speeds 1/20 - 1/800, T.

Construction:
Morocco leather covered mahogany body, blackwood parts, black leather bellows.

Format:
2 ½" x 3 ½" plates held in double dark-slides.

Focusing:
Bellows to 19".

Attributes:
Reflex viewing through taking lens. Full-size ground glass screen. Removable focusing hood with single magnifier in hood.
The mirror and shutter are set separately, the release trips the mirror then the shutter, mirror raised by spring. Removable lens panel.

Movements:
Rising front, cross front.

Serial Number:
K2058 .

Notes:
Retailer's plaque: Westminster Photographic Exchange Ltd. London.

With:
3 double dark-slides (1 - 6).

The hood of the early model is distinctive, it is of unpleated leather held in position by two wire frames. One of these is in a piston type arrangement and can collapse in on itself, the other frame then folds across to close the hood. Later models (1910) have a conventional hood with wooden lid.

The mirror of the early model does not move backwards when raised as in the larger Soho models. By removing a side panel the whole shutter/mirror mechanism slides out from the casing. Early advertisements state that the value shown on the shutter dial is not the speed, which has to be looked up on a separate table. On this example the values are speeds but are hard to read e.g. 1/800 is shown as 8. There are no screw holes for a separate speed plate. The camera was also sold by Ross. A pencil inscription inside the camera shows that it was serviced in 1927.

In 1910 a conventional hood was fitted and the original model was designated No 1. A No. 2 was introduced which was a conventional type Soho in a smaller size. The No. 1 was discontinued before World War I. The workmanship of the late model Soho does not match the earlier ones.

Dainty Soho Reflex

Late version

Soho Ltd

London

England

Image of Dainty Soho Reflex Late version

Lens:
f2.9, 5 ⅝" Ross Xpres, iris diaphragm to f32. Serial no. 113134 (c. 1928).

Shutter:
Kershaw focal-plane, spring powered, adjustment by slit variation. Not self-capping. Speeds 1/18 - 1/800, T.

Construction:
Morocco leather covered mahogany body, blackwood parts, black leather bellows.

Format:
2 ½" x 3 ½" plates held in double dark-slides.

Focusing:
Bellows to 25".

Attributes:
Reflex viewing through taking lens. Full-size ground glass screen.
The mirror and shutter are set separately, the release trips the mirror then the shutter, mirror raised by spring.
Revolving back. Removable lens panel.

Identification:
Version with Bakelite tensioning knob and finder mask.

Movements:
Rising front.

Serial Number:
M3703 .

With:

  • 1 double dark-slide (5/6). Film pack adapter. Serial no. K5044.
  • Changing box for 12 plates. Serial no. M244.
  • Lens cap. Removable magnifiers in hood. Case.
  • Catalogue "The Soho Reflex Camera". Letter from Soho d. 1936 to accompany catalogue.
  • Wynne's Hunter Meter. With Instructions, packet of Deadmatch paper, pouch. Speed list d. 1936. In tin box.

The Soho Reflex

The Soho was one of the most popular early single-lens reflexes and came to epitomise the English reflex of that period. It was sold by Marion and their successors up to the 1940s. The camera was manufactured by Kershaw who were later to join with Marion as part of APM in 1921. The same camera was also sold by Ross, Beck and others under their own name.

The mirror moves in a curve when being raised, this gives a backward movement as the mirror is lifted allowing lenses with shorter back focus to be used. The mirror is also connected to a dampening cylinder providing a smooth movement without jolts. When lowered the mirror forms a light-tight box in which the non-self-capping shutter can be tensioned.

The Stereo Soho, in the smaller size, is a post-card model with a septum attached to the underside of the mirror and dividers to fit in the image plane and below the focusing screen. These fittings were removable allowing the camera to be used for mono work.

Soho Models

Ordinary
Introduced in 1905 in three sizes: quarter-plate, 5" x 4" and half-plate (the half-plate may have been introduced after the other two). The following year the postcard size was added. Around 1913 metric sizes of 6.5 x 9 cm, 9 x 12 cm, 10 x 15 cm and 12 x 16.5 cm were added. Apart from the postcard size the camera had a revolving back. The shutter was a non-self-capping focal-plane by Kershaw with a top speed that depended on the model size. The body was made of mahogany and finished in Morocco leather.

Tropical
These were introduced around 1909. They were made of teak with a lacquered finish and brass fittings. The bellows and hood were of red Russia leather. They were available in all the imperial sizes and 9 x 12 cm, 10 x 15 cm and 12 x 16.5 cm. The brass lacquerer used is often a dark red/orange colour.

Dainty
When first introduced in 1908 this was a different camera to the Ordinary Soho. The internal mirror arrangement was completely different. The hood was very distinctive, it did not have a front cover and was fitted with a single magnifying lens. In 1910 a conventional hood was fitted and the camera was designated No 1. A No. 2 was introduced which was an Ordinary Soho in a smaller size. The No. 1 was discontinued before World War I. The plate size was 3 ½" x 2 ½". A tropical version of the later model was made.

Stereo
Two sizes were made, 5 ½" x 3 ½" introduced in 1907 and 6 ¾" x 3 ¼" introduced c. 1913. The smaller version was a postcard model with removable septum, focusing screen divider and image plane divider. In other respects it was similar to the Ordinary. The larger size was available for only a few years.

Baby
This took 4.5 x 6 cm plates. It was similar to the Ordinary model but had a simplified front standard without movements. High speed lenses could be fitted. Introduced in 1926.

Variations

These cover the Ordinary, Tropical, Stereo, Dainty No.2 and Baby.

  • Shutter setting knob - For the first year or two this may have been a small diameter round knob. By 1907 it was the familiar two pronged wheel. In c. 1926 a larger diameter Bakelite knob was fitted.
  • T&I settings - At first this was a lever. In 1928 it was changed to a small conical knob.
  • Rising front - A rack and pinion rising front was fitted in c. 1909 except on the postcard and stereo models which had a friction grip.
  • Focusing screen mask indicating reversing back position - Fitted in 1927. Manually operated.
  • Speed dial - This was changed in 1927, the new dial was clearer and had a plastic cover. A 'B' setting was added.
  • Swing front - This was an option fitted to all but the Baby. It gave a four-way swing movement.
  • Reversing hood - Available from the 1920s.
  • A focusing scale may be engraved on one of the extension brackets.
  • A Ross model was briefly advertised in 1906 finished in hand-sewn cowhide.

Accessories

Front Extension
Extra bellows could be attached to the front of the camera giving extra extension for copying or long-focus work. Advertised in 1911.

Viewing Mirror
A mirror could be fixed to the top of the viewing hood for eye-level use.

Plate Holders
Double dark-slides either book or block form, adapter to use single metal slides, changing box, film pack adapter and a Mackenzie-Wishart slide were all available.

References & Notes:
Kershaw shutter. BP 22698/1904. BJA 1906, p. 71. BJA 1907 p. 66. BJA 1908, p. 55. BJA 1909, p. 51. BJA 1910, p. 51. BJA 1911, p. 54. BJA 1912, p. 63. AP 21/6/1910, p. 616, shows new form of hood.


Company Details:

Marion

Soho

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Stereo Tropical Ross

Stereo Tropical Soho

Tropical Soho

Improved Artist Reflex

Tropical Minex

Tropical Folding Minex

Duplex Ruby Reflex

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Ensign Tropical Reflex

Lizars De Luxe Tropical

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Shew Reflector

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Adams Reflex

Videx

Minex

Folding Minex

Aidex

Birdland Reflex

Self-Focusing Reflex

Square Reflector

Two Shutter Reflex

NS Patent Reflex

R. B. Auto Graflex

Mentor Reflex

Soho

Dainty Soho Reflex

Special Ruby Reflex

Ruby de Luxe Reflex

Duplex Ruby Reflex

Junior Special Ruby

Horizontal Reflex

Rubyette

Apem Reflex

Salex De Luxe

All British Planex Reflex

Dallmeyer De Luxe Reflex

Dallmeyer Baby Speed Reflex

N&G Folding Reflex

N&G Folding Reflex

Ensign Folding Reflex

Miroflex

Roll-film Paff

2 ¼B Roll-film Reflex

Ensign Roll-film Reflex

Focal Plane Roll-film Camera

Ideal Reflex

Mentor Compur

K W Box Reflex

Reflex-Korelle

Primarflex

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Exakta Model C

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Pentacon Six

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Hasselblad 500c

Corfield 66