Vintage King Cameras

Founded in 1936, King  started manufacture of simple cameras in 1949.  The company  produced a large number of uninteresting cameras in its lifetime (some estimates are as high as 5 million units).  The company also produced flashguns and other photographic accessories.

King Regula Sprinty BC

Date: c.1964
Country of origin: Western Germany (that’s what it says)
Rangefinder: Viewfinder only – zone focusing
Meter: Selenium
Shutter: Leaf (Rectamat)
Speeds: B 1/30 1/60 1/125 1/250
Lens: Isco-Gottingen Color-Gotar 1:2.8 45mm
Stops: 2.8 4 5.6 8 11 16
For its time, this is a very simple point-and-shoot camera.  The shutter and aperture are locked together – if you set it to 1/125 you have the option of f11, f8 or f5.6 only.  Much plastic is used (especially in the lens housing), but overall the camera feels fairly well put together – considering its target market. ‘Bulb’ is set using a small lever underneath the viewfinder, and you can choose between electronic of bulb flash using a screw in the hot-shoe.  I’ve not had chance to use this camera yet, but it seems that it’s never had a film in it at all.