Debonair' toy camera in box, Great Wall Plastic Company, 1950-1979, collected as part of Kodak New for Old collection.This camera is part of the New for Old collection, named after the camera exchange scheme ran by the Kodak company. Through this scheme, customers received a price reduction for a new camera in exchange for an old one. The collection represents a range of 20th century camera types from early box brownies and folding roll film cameras through to Polaroid cameras and Kodak tele-instamatics. A diverse group of manufacturers are represented in the collection, from around the world.
Despite a few similarities, it is not the same as the "Debonair" Diana or the Imperial Debonair from Chicago’s Herbert George Camera Company. Nope, not a Diana, not a Holga but a strange hybrid manufactured in a mysterious, unknown factory in Hong Kong!
The Plastic Filmtastic 120 Debonair takes 120 roll film. You’ll get 16 - 6×4.5 cm wonderful, dreamy images per roll! The red window on the back of the camera counts off 16 exposures as you manually roll to your next shot.
The lens barrel is molded with zone focusing icons (one person – group shot – mountains) and the f8 60mm plastic “Super Lens” has a sunny/cloudy switch. Shutter is fixed at approximately 1/100th sec.
Double exposures are easy by just clicking off the shutter to your heart’s content!
On top of the camera is a “hot shoe” for your favorite flash or consider adding the awesome FPP Electronic Flash (available HERE but not included).
100 or 200 iso film recommended for direct sunlight / flash and 400 iso film recommended for overcast days.
- uses 120 film (35mm for Sprocket Hole photography)
- ‘light leaks’ and "scratches" may result to produce unique effects
- 60mm optical Super Plastic Lens, f/8
- approx 1/50th sec on cloudy/flash - 1/100th sec shutter on sunny
- no batteries needed
- hot shoe for flash (optional external flash not included)
For other cameras named Debonair please see Debonair (Disambiguation).
The Debonair is an all-plastic camera manufactured in Hong Kong. Many examples have a designation on the box marked NO. 819. Despite a few similarities, it is not the same as the "Debonair" Diana or the Imperial Debonair from Chicago’s Herbert George Camera Company. Other names such as Hollywood Park and Winner have also been seen. Similar plastic products made in Hong Kong have the same Debonair branding and font. This includes a couple of binoculars including a 3.5 x 20 model and a opera style 3 x 25 pocket folding binocular.
The Debonair is designed to accept 120 film, with its red window positioned low on the back to count off 16 exposures of 6×4.5 cm per roll. Exposures are capture in a portrait format orientation, but the viewfinder is more of a square shape. The shutter release sits on the shutter housing along with an indicator (red, blue, white or no colour) for focus and the sunny/cloud flash switch. Compared to the Holga, the film back has a much more secure locking lever located on the base, this is very similar to the Diana back. Versions with a red shutter release button or promotional tie-in badging are known.
This Debonair shares a suspicious number of similarities to the Holga camera, also originating in Hong Kong. The lens barrel is molded with similar focusing icons (3 vs. 4 with the Holga) and 1:8 60mm lens designations; the sunny/cloudy switch is similar, as is the wind knob. However, the switch does not change aperture but allows the shutter to be open longer, giving this camera a fixed f/8. The red shutter release version does not have a accessory shoe. The bulb flash attachment is connected directly to the side of the shutter housing. The exact connection between the Debonair and the makers of the Holga is not known.
