Vintage Folding Cameras
The first folding cameras appeared in the 1850s as wooden field cameras with leather bellows. These were still large, but they collapsed into compact boxes for transport.
Key Innovations
- Bellows allowed variable focus.
- Hinged front standards enabled collapse.
- Brass lens boards improved stability.
- Dry plates (1871) made portable photography practical.
The First True Folding Cameras
By the 1880s, companies like Lancaster, Scovill, and Voigtländer produced cameras recognisably similar to later models: compact, portable, and aimed at amateurs.
George Eastman’s Kodak company revolutionised photography with roll film. Folding cameras became lighter, cheaper, and easier to use.
German manufacturers refined the folding camera into a precision instrument. Zeiss Ikon’s lenses and shutters set new standards for quality.
Popular Models
- Kodak No. 1 Pocket Folding Camera
- Zeiss Ikon Ikonta series
- Voigtländer Bessa
- Ensign Selfix (UK)
Cultural Impact
Families took folding cameras on holidays, documenting everyday life in a way previously impossible.
