Home
Scheimpflug file
My articles
Contact


C Ordinary (1891)

The C Ordinary Kodak is the largest of the Ordinary series, taking pictures of 4 x 5 inch (10 x 12,5 cm) on darkroom loaded film or plates. The A or B ordinary are for films only, having no provision to accomodate a plate holder.

The film holder back of the C Ordinary, which is visible in the video, can be replaced with a plate holding back. When this model was sold with a plate back only, it was called C Ordinary Glass Plate Kodak.

The model C cost $ 15.00, for which the buyer got a camera with:

  • a double lens (means higher quality than a single lens)
  • revolving waterhouse stops
  • two reflecting finders
  • an automatic exposure counter
  • a shutter with adjustable speed
  • a focusing lever to set the distance with.

It is a typical snapshot camera, being quite easy to use. It also is a camera for people who could not, or did not want to, pay more for a camera. Other 4x5 inch box cameras of the day were the C Daylight ($ 25), the No. 4 Kodak ($ 50), No. 4 Kodak Junior ($ 50).

The C Ordinary was introduced in 1891 and discontinued in 1895. Only 2025 were made.

Salesman sample photo of High Falls, Rochester, taken with C Ordinary or C Daylight Kodak.

 

 

 

 

Top

jerdkamp@hotmail.com