It's About Time

The Phochron XA shutter tester and a Kodak Duex

In issue 3 of Monochrome Mania, I provided estimated shutter speeds for most of the cameras that I listed. At the time, I had not tested the speeds with my shutter tester - The Phochron  XA. I probably should have done so before publication, but it just didn't happen.  One of my readers asked me if I had checked the speeds or used the ones given in the literature. The ones provided in the various sources are what I used, because they are the benchmark numbers that provide a basis from which to work from.  I don't expect any of these cameras to have the same shutter speed across all examples.

Today, I went and tested a number of my toy cameras. I repeated each shutter activation 6-10 times, and got an average speed.  The numbers listed below don't mean that every example of a camera will have the same speeds, but you can compare what I found with the published speeds and go from there. All shutter speeds from my test are given as the average.

120 Cameras (Listed in the same order as in MM#3)

The Diana

DIANA

First up is the mighty Diana, and the shutter speeds of the original versus the Lomography Diana + are definitely different. The original Diana shutter speed was given at about 1/60, and the Diana + at 1/100 sec.  Here's what I found.

• Original Diana - 1/130 sec 
• Banier - Diana clone - 1/140 sec
• Diana + No. 1 - 1/72 sec 
• Diana + No. 2 - 1/190 sec

HOLGA

I realize that I didn't provide a shutter speed for the Holga, but it's considered to be about 1/100 sec.

• Holga 120N - 1/170 sec 
• Holga 120S No. 1 - 1/171 sec
• Holga 120S No. 2 - 1/155 sec

DEBONAIR 

The number typically given is 1/60 sec.  My example has an average speed of 1/36 sec.

Agfa Isola I

AGFA ISOLA I

The literature says the shutter speed is 1/30 sec.  Mine has a speed of 1/32 sec., which is certainly within the tolerances!

ANSCO SHUR SHOT 

The typical speed provided is about 1/35 sec.  My example has a shutter speed of 1/50 sec.

SPARTUS FULL-VUE

The shutter speed given is about 1/60 sec.  My example's shutter speed is 1/53 sec.

620 Cameras

ANSCO PANDA

The shutter speed given was 1/30 - 1/50 sec., and my example has a shutter speed of 1/35 sec.

KODAK BROWNIE BULL'S EYE

The instant shutter speed is supposed to be around 1/50 sec, and my example has a shutter speed of 1/38 sec.

KODAK DUAFLEX III

My Duaflex III witha Kodar lens has a shutter speed of 1/48 sec

KODAK DUEX 

The Duex shutter speed is supposed to be "about 1/30 sec," and my example's shutter speed was 1/66 sec.

Beacon 225

BEACON 225

My example of the Beacon 225 has a shutter speed of 1/60 sec.

IMPERIAL MARK XII

Posted shutter speeds are in the 1/30-1/60 sec range. My example has a shutter speed of 1/63 sec.

IMPERIAL SIX TWENTY

My example's shutter speed was 1/50 sec.

IMPERIAL REFLEX

I guess my example's shutter must be a bit fast, as the shutter speed was 1/106 sec.

Photak USC Reflex III

USC REFLEX III

My example of this camera has a shutter speed of exactly 1/60 sec.  

I did not test all of the cameras that are in Monochrome Mania, as some have film in them, and the construction of some makes it difficult to do a speed test.  Your examples my be different from what I found for my cameras, or they may be the same.  However, I think that even if they were fresh from the factory, there would still be variance in the shutter speeds. These are not precision cameras, so do not expect precise shutter speeds.  My biggest surprise was with the Diana and Holga cameras. I did not expect the Holga speeds to be over 1/150 sec, nor did I think that the Diana+ examples would be so different.  However, as I have said before, the variance in performance of those cameras makes them ideal candidates for owning several, as they seem to have individual character.