Stephen
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Post by Stephen on Oct 21, 2015 11:43:15 GMT -5
Coming from Ebay.......... A Foca Focasport II camera from Société Optique et Précision de Levallois, S.A., a Paris based French made rangefinder camera from 1957, one of last models they made before closure and merging with Som Bertiot, the lens makers in 1964. They are very nicely made, with decent lenses, well assembled, and a make that always tried innovations on the inter changeable lens Foca models, and had a unique SLR, the Focaflex. The Focasport II has a long base rangefinder, and a better F2.8 45mm lens than the model 1. The Foca make is rare outside France, and was not easily available when new in the UK. Killed off as a brand mainly due to the price against similar Japanese models in the mid 1960's. They made the whole camera, including shutter and the Oplar lens. The last models before closure were plastic bodied, and not so well made. I have a Foca body from the pro range, bu no lens, and the current prices for the Leica types are very high nowadays, so settling for a Focasport.....for the moment.  Stephen. |
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Stephen
Lifetime Member
Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Oct 21, 2015 14:27:31 GMT -5
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Stephen
Lifetime Member
Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Oct 24, 2015 7:32:31 GMT -5
The Focasport II rangefinder camera arrived, and is in good overall condition. The whole camera works, the Oplar lens is clean and clear. Shutter speeds are all right, bar the slow speeds, which have speeded up on use to the correct timing.
The shutter is very quiet indeed, and the controls of everything on the camera are precise and smooth, well finished, and good design. The interior is very neat indeed. All metal construction, except insulation for the flash contact.
Speeds are quite accurate, within 10%.
The long base rangefinder needs slight adjustment, it focuses beyond infinity very slightly.
I was told by an ex Wallace Heaton Salesman that they did sell these models in the London stores only, as they were expensive, more than rivals like the Paxette, Vito, and Retinette. But he always stated that the Oplar lenses were the best of the rivals. But then the French makes were always excellent lens manufacturers.
The Foca sport camera was underrated in the UK due to rarity. Despite coming from France, Foca were caught in the general ban on imports after the war, brought in to stop the use of money in foreign exchange purchases. By the time the restrictions had gone, the Japanese cameras had under cut the market, and Foca could not compete. The bad loss on closure was the Foca Leica style rangefinder range, which was very good indeed.
The other loss was the unique Focaflex, the 35mm reflex camera, which was a complete delight in being so different to all other reflex cameras.
Stephen.
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Post by hannes on Oct 29, 2015 9:23:10 GMT -5
Hi Stephen,
This post did not help to suppress my GAS
The foca sport looks really nice, there was one a ebay from France, placed a low bid and was the only bidder.
It arrived yesterday, in original leather case. Condition is not the best, low speeds are stuck and focus is a little bit stiff. But it is possible to run a film through.
Hannes
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Stephen
Lifetime Member
Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Oct 29, 2015 10:40:20 GMT -5
Regrettably mine came without a leather case. Never had a Foca apart to service the shutter, but it looks pretty standard access, and I expect the shutter, although French, is a Compur clone.
Now after the Leica clone Foca PF models, I have a body, but no lenses. The quality is OK, and got better by 1950 with the bayonet standard models. The lens were generally excellent.
Trouble is they are all very expensive..................
Stephen.
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Post by hannes on Nov 1, 2015 14:25:26 GMT -5
First images from my FOCA SPORT II    Hannes |
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Stephen
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Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Nov 1, 2015 15:02:23 GMT -5
Yes. the same model, the number on mine is 75.552G
The more I collect cameras, the more it seems there was a disaster going on in the late 50's as many fine models from good makers were replaced with mediocre plastic trimmed rubbish. Costs came to the fore in Europe, but even the Japanese makers lost so many fine models, which were better than later models. Japan did have a financial crash in the late 50's.
SLR's were different, they improved all round, but compacts and Leica clones vanished, perhaps just too old fashioned as well.
Stephen.
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Post by hannes on Nov 2, 2015 16:55:28 GMT -5
Yes. the same model, the number on mine is 75.552G Mine has serial 59.299G Is there a way to find the year of production from the serial? Hannes |
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Stephen
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Post by Stephen on Nov 2, 2015 17:07:58 GMT -5
Never heard of one for Foca dating. No part of the number seems related in both, apart from the letter G, which may be a year code.
Stephen.
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Stephen
Lifetime Member
Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Nov 2, 2015 19:52:26 GMT -5
 This is the only reference I can find. Stephen |
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Stephen
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Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Nov 3, 2015 9:49:49 GMT -5
Retrieved the end of a part roll of Agfa for a test of the Focasport, works well, the light was none too good. The Old High Street in Upnor, the fortified village opposite over the River Medway from the Chatham Naval Dockyard, now a museum.  Stephen. |
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Stephen
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Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Nov 3, 2015 14:07:53 GMT -5
 At the bottom end of the Old High Street Upnor, the Lookout. Larger aperture and slow speed as the light was failing. Stephen. |
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Post by conan on Nov 4, 2015 4:39:58 GMT -5
Yes. the same model, the number on mine is 75.552G The more I collect cameras, the more it seems there was a disaster going on in the late 50's as many fine models from good makers were replaced with mediocre plastic trimmed rubbish. Costs came to the fore in Europe, but even the Japanese makers lost so many fine models, which were better than later models. Japan did have a financial crash in the late 50's. SLR's were different, they improved all round, but compacts and Leica clones vanished, perhaps just too old fashioned as well. Stephen. What Japanese models are you referring to. I cant think of any fine models that disappeared. The disaster was caused by the Japanese manufacturers really getting into their stride and there was intense competition among them. The casualties were the semi protected industries in Western Countries (The USA camera Industry had really ceased to exist at that stage) The German manufacturers had a better scale but would eventually succumb to Japanese cameras. |
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Stephen
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Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Nov 4, 2015 13:19:18 GMT -5
The list of dropped 35mm models is long, the Nikon rangefinder, Canon, Leotax, Minolta, Konica, Nicca, Yashica, Tanack, Foca, all made top quality Leica clones, or derivatives, and all dropped them in favour of middle or the road designs in terms of the engineering quality, and sometimes optical quality. For the customer the usability went up, but durability fell, and it was in the modern term, a dummed down product, that replaced a previous quality item.
Some pro quality makes that went on cost and other reasons were Reid, Kardon, and Corfield.
By the 60's the real enthusiast had started the move to SLR's along with Pro photographers, so maybe the loss of these older designs was no real loss, but it was sad to see them go.
Stephen.
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