Autorange - 20

1937

Ensign Ltd

London

England

Lens:

f4.5, 100 mm Ensar Anastigmat, iris diaphragm to f32. Serial no. 131643 .

Shutter:

Rim-set Compur, speeded 1 - 1/250, B, T. Delayed action. Serial no. 3427303.

Construction:

Leather covered metal body, leather bellows.

Format:

8, 6 x 9 cm or 16, 6 x 4.5 cm exposures on E20 (120) roll-film.

Focusing:

Bellows to 3 feet.

Attributes:

Coupled rangefinder, double image. Brilliant and direct-vision (lens/lens) view-finder.
Film-advance indicated by red window. Not coupled.
Radial focusing lever on front bed.

Movements:

Rise and cross front.

Serial Number:

H25219 .

The Autorange was produced in several models:

1934 - This model was for 6 x 9 cm exposures only, it had a wire frame finder as well as a brilliant finder. The rangefinder has rounded ends and there is no direct-vision view-finder. Lenses: Ensar; Aldis Uno; Xpres or Tessar, all working at f4.5. All lenses were available in a Compur shutter the Ensar was also available fitted in a Trichro or Mulchro shutter.
1935 - The rangefinder housing now has square windows and a direct-vision view-finder. The same lenses as previously were available. A Prontor shutter was additionally added for the Ensar lens, and a Compur Rapid was available for all lenses. A model with an f3.8 Tessar in a Compur Rapid was advertised as the 'Super Speed'.
Focal Plane, 1935 - Same lenses as for the 1935 model but with a focal-plane shutter.
Autorange-20, 1937 - Dual format 6 x 9 cm and 6 x 4.5 cm. There is no frame finder. Same lenses and shutters as the 1935 model.

The camera with its pull-out front looks very dated for the mid 1930s, the Autorange 220 introduced in 1937 has a much more modern look.

References & Notes:

BP 415770/1933 (rangefinder). BP 345719/1930 (back catch). Ensign Cat. 1934, p. 22.; Ensign Cat. 1936, p. 31.; Ensign Cat. 1937, p. 21.; BJA 1935, p. 85.; BJA 1936, pp. 78, 294.; BJA 1937, p. 60.; AP 21/7/1937, p. 50.; DRGM 1150595.

Houghton-Butcher Company Details

Early Photography