Bolsey B2
by
Karen Nakamura
Overview and Personal Comments
Released in 1949, the Bolsey B2 is the predecessor of the 1950 model Bolsey C22. If you haven't read my C22 page first, please go there and read those comments as this B2 review is an addition to it. The Bolsey B2 was in production for about 7 years, until 1956 when the Bolsey Corporation went backrupt. Using the text or images on this website without permission on an ebay auction or any other site is a violation of federal law.
The picture to the right pictures the B2 with the C22 in the background.
Like the Leica III series of the same period, the Bolsey B2 has a separate viewfinder and split-image rangefinder. A year later, Bolsey Corporation added a beautiful but uselessly small twin-lens reflex to the C22 model. Unfortunately, the domestically made Bolsey couldn't compete either against the German and Japanese imports which were starting to become more popular, or against the domestic competition from Polaroid and Kodak.
Interesting Features
The B2 shares the same inanely complex double-exposure prevention / shutter interlock. To wind the camera, you lift the knob slightly and then turn it counter-clockwise. The wind lever only pulls the film. As the film pulls through, the sprocket holes engage the sprocket counter. On most cameras, this is usually used only to ensure proper film spacing and the film counter (which it also does on the B2). But as the sprocket wheel turns, it pulls the small pin that you see on the front of the camera. This pin retracts into the body, allowing the shutter cocking/firing lever to spring all the way to the top.
The Wollensack shutter is self-energizing. Once the lever is at the top, you can set the shutter speed from a blazing 1/200 sec to a miserly 1/10 sec. Sorry, this really isn't the most flexible of cameras if you want to take it both in and outdoors. Using the text or images on this website without permission on an ebay auction or any other site is a violation of federal law.
The Wollensack Anastigmat lens isn't too bad for its day. At least it's (single) coated.
The B2 features the amazing Set-o-Matic flash control feature. This adjust the aperture based on the guidenumber of the film and the distance to the object. This simple feature rivals the most sophisticated E-TTL metering of current SLRs.
The other quirk that the C22 shares is the chromed pressure plate. While this is fine for negative film which has an anti-reflective backing, it causes double-images with slide film. Either paint it matt black or only use negative (print) film in this camera.
Unfortunately, most of this camera was made of aluminium, which tends to oxidize black. So it looks a bit ugly, but with some elbow grease, it cleans up quite well.
Technical Details
| Camera
Name |
B2 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer |
Bolsey |
| Place
of Manufacture |
Rochester, NY |
| Date
of Manufacture |
1949 |
| Focusing
System |
Rangefinder focusing (split image) Optical viewfinder (reverse Gallilean) |
| Fixed
Lens |
44mm f/3.2 Wollensak Anastigmat (Coated) |
| Shutter |
Wollensak Synchromatic (Alpha X) leaf shutter T / B / 10 / 25/ 50 / 100 / 200 |
| Metering
System |
Hah! |
| Apertures |
f/3.2 - f/22 |
| Flash |
Bolsey C flash system mount |
| Film
type / speeds |
Type 135 film (35mm standard) |
| Battery
type |
hah! |
| Dimensions
and weight |
A (light aluminum) brick |
| Note: Using the text or images on this site in an ebay auction without permission is a violation of your ebay Terms of Service. I will report you to ebay if I discover such a violation taking place. |
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About Bolsey (Obex Camera)
Jacque Bolsky first started designing cameras in 1923 in Switzerland. The first unit was the Cinegraph Bol. He followed with the Bolec which was later renamed the Bolex. Then he designed the Bolca which became the Bolsey Reflex and then was sold to a Swiss company to become the Alpa. Using the text or images on this website without permission on an ebay auction or any other site is a violation of federal law.
There's some argument over Bolsky's real name. Some have him as Ukranian and his real name as Bogopolsky.
Bolsey emigrated to the U.S. after the war, changed his name to Bolsey, and started designing cameras around the Wollensack lens/shutter. He wanted affordable, well made cameras. The Bolsey Model B and Model C's accomplished those goals handily. The first were made by Pignons SA (Alpa) but the later ones were made by the Obex Corporation of NY. Unfortunately the imports from Japan and Germany were too much for him and he closed his factory doors in 1956.
On the Net
The Bolsey C series is very popular in Japan (all pages Japanese):
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Karen, one small correction to your otherwise excellent write-up on the Bolsey B2. The Bolsey B2 did not come with the Set-O-Matic feature. When this feature was added, the Model designation was changed to B22. This model number was shown on the front of the camera, and below it was the Set-O-Matic name. After the B22 was introduced, Bolsey would modify an existing Model B2 to add the Set-O-Matic feature. This involved modifying the lens mount to include the Set-O-Matic tab, adding the Set-O-Matic chart on the back of the camera, and changing the distance scale on the top of the lens mount by adding a stick-on scale. Look carefully and you can see the stick-on on your camera.
The same thing happened with the C-series. The Bolsey Model C (introduced in 1950) did not have the Set-O-Matic feature, but after the Model C22 was introduced with the Set-O-Matic feature, Bolsey would modify Model C cameras to include the feature.
The Bolsey B22 and the Bolsey C22 were introduced about the same time in 1953.
My guess was there was a charge for the Set-O-Matic upgrades, but I have seen no mention that there was one, or what the cost might have been.
Keep up the good work.
Curtis
Hello,
I have recently acquired a Bolsey model B2 camera, and I am experiencing
some difficulty locating information about this specific variant. My search
for information led me to your website. I have been unable to locate
another Bolsey camera exactly like mine, nor any reference to one like it.
The chief difference is that the leatherette on the camera is red. The
leather Bolsey case has the words, "CAROL ANN MODEL" in gilt lettering on
the top. Do you have any information about this type of Bolsey camera, or
might you perhaps point me in the right direction, so to speak?
Thanks very much for your time.
Yours sincerely,
Lucian