Pho-tak: Macy 120

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bill339
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Location: Southern New Jersey

Pho-tak: Macy 120

Postby bill339 » Sat May 25, 2019 5:05 am

The Macy 120 Flash box camera was manufactured by the Pho-tak Corporation for Macy and Associates in circa 1950 to 1954. The camera was constructed of all metal with a decorative faceplate. It features an optical viewfinder, safety lock on the back, a carrying handle, and two connectors for the Pho-tak flash unit that used the G.E. Mazda Flash bulbs that were the biggest flash bulb on the market with 183,000 lumens. The camera took eight, 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 inch (6x9cm) exposures on standard no. 120, color or black and white roll films. It is fitted with a 110 mm Zellar fixed focus meniscus lens and a Pho-tak time and 1/50 of a second instantaneous shutter. The camera was originally priced at $7.95. This is the same camera as the Scout 120 flash, Spectator Flash 120, and the Pho-tak Trailblazer. The Pho-tak Eagle Eye is also the same but is minus the flash connectors. Pho-tak also sold a Cub Photographer Kit for $10.95 that included a flash unit, 4 flashbulbs, two penlight batteries (AA) for the flash unit, Press Photographer’s card, a roll of Ansco 120 B&W film, and a book “Getting Started in Photography”. An adult version called “Official Photographer’s Kit”, sold for $13.95 with more flashbulbs and a leather camera case. The Pho-tak Corporation was based in Chicago, Illinois and was active from approximately 1948 to 1960. They shared the same address with United States Camera Corporation that produced several model variations similar to (same as) Pho-tak models with different names and sometimes the same name as in the Trailblazer 120. In the end, a marketing stratagem but USC continued with some new camera intros until about 1968 then vanished about 1970.

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