Ciro Flex model E Photos

Ciro Flex model E
Originally uploaded by Mr. 0

Over a year ago... May 10 2007 to be exact...I mentioned that I received a Ciro Flex camera. At that time I mentioned that it was probably a model C, but now I'm more positive that it is a model E. I finally managed to get through a roll of film, and get it processed.

I kept forgetting to take it with me, and also didn't want to take it out where the camera might get damaged. The Ciro Flex will take 12 exposures on one roll of 120 film. I wasn't 100% sure about where to get the film processed. When I spoke to the folks at the local Cord Camera when I bought the film they said they could process it. The problem was they would have to send it to their main store in Columbus, and they didn't know how much it would cost. They assured me it would probably be pricey. Since I had paid $25 for 4 rolls of film already, and this was my first roll through a type of camera I've never used, I figured I would try to find a cheaper route. I knew that there were going to be some throw-aways. I didn't want to pay a huge price for those. I took a chance and dropped it off at the local CVS. The cashier had no idea if it could be processed, since she had never seen 120 film before. I got a call the other day, 11 days after dropping it off, that it was ready. I just picked it up this evening.

Overall I like the quality of the pictures. The first one was shot out my back door just to make sure I had the film loaded and everything. The following pictures I took at the Scioto River, but they were far too dark. I didn't bother to scan those. After that the camera was on the shelf for a while. I got it out a couple weeks ago and took a couple of photos at Alum Creek State Park, which finished up the roll. One ended up being an out of focus, double exposure. I shot the first one, and then remembered that I needed to focus it. I focused, shot again, and remembered that I needed to advance the film....yeah I'm that spoiled on automatic cameras that I forgot to both focus AND advance the film. I advanced, focused, and took the last picture on the roll. I still have a lot to learn. Like to pay attention and advance more slowly. I only got 9 exposures on the roll, which should have taken 12. When I loaded the film I advanced past exposure #1. Then a couple of times between shots I advanced too far as well.

In the meantime I also purchased another Ciro Flex. It's the "top of the line" model F. I have a roll in it right now, but I haven't shot anything on it yet.

So here are the shots that I scanned. They are not cropped. The film itself develops square instead of rectangular.

The very first shot

One of the photos that came out too dark

The out of focus, double exposure.

Alum Creek State Park. This is the one that came out decently.

The Ciro-Flex arrived today.

Today I received my Ciro-Flex camera that I mentioned below. I also got the working Ciro-35...sort of. I took the additonal insurance on its shipping, and I got my notice that I have to go to the post office to sign for it. So I should be picking that up tomorrow.

As I also mentioned the Ciro-Flex came with a ton of extras; the original manual, a couple of advertisements for the camera, a filter adapter, a lens hood, a lens cleaning brush, two Kodak flash guides, a GE Photo Data Book from 1950, several informational booklets that originally came with the camera, another book purchased separately at the time that is somewhat of a basic photography guide using this camera (written by Bruce Downes, copyright 1950), and a letter to the original owner of the camera (see scan below) from Ciro Cameras from when it was here in Delaware, it also came with the bottom half of the original box.

I'm still trying to determine exactly which model this one is, as they were made in models A through F. I'm positive that it's not a F, which is the top-of-the-line model, even though it came with a booklet extolling the virtues of the F. Because it has the Rapax synchromatic shutter, it is either a C, D, E, or F. It's not an F because it's not stamped as such on the side, it also has an 85mm lens, and a maximum aperture of f/3.5. The F model had an 83mm lens and a max. aperture of f/3.2. Based on the pictures I've seen around the web I'm leaning toward this being a model C.

In one of the original booklets that came with the camera it shows how the camera was made, and includes several photos of the outside of the factory and various people inside building the cameras. Using the photo of the outside of the factory, I should be able to waymark the building in the "Photos, then and now" category, as the factory still stands today.

Again as promised, here are some pics. It did come with the original case, but I forgot to grab a pic, and I'm just too darn lazy to take more pics right now. :) Same as yesterday, excuse the odd colors, and you'll notice that the pics are a little lesser quality. Dewgrl took our newest digital with her today, so I was stuck using one of the other two we have. I first took some pics with a 2.1mp RCA camera I have since it's the newer of the two, but it doesn't have a macro function, so those pics were horrible. I then broke out my old Olympus D-320L which doesn't even have a mega pixel rating (it shoots 640x480) but has a much higher quality lens and a macro mode....although it eats 4 AA batteries like they're going out of style, even without using the display screen. The pics below are from that Olympus.

The front and side showing the focusing knob.


The front and other side with the hood up.


The front of the camera


The letter that was included with the camera. Interestingly, it mentions that the shutter allows a speed up to 1/400, but it might take some extra work to get it into that position, and that it'll work better with more use. The shutter does indicate 1/400, and it is still a little hard to get it to turn to that setting. You can click on the image to get a larger (which you can then also click again to zoom in), easier to read image of the letter.