Flying the Flag

1950's Ensign Selfix 16-20, Model II. A very nice 6x4.5 folder, and made in England ! This version has an f4.5/75mm Ross Xpres lens - a Tessar clone, and a folding Albada viewfinder. Takes 16 frames on 120 (or 620!) film.

High quality of construction and finish, but spoilt by having no accessory shoe for a rangefinder, and the front cannot be closed with a filter mounted - how stupid !! There were other versions of this camera, with triplet lens and conventional viewfinder, and also a version with a coupled rangefinder, but these last are rare, and thus quite expensive.

Ensign was the trademark of a wide range of cameras made by the Houghton Butcher company in London, one of the earliest camera makers in England, but despite several mergers in post war years, they finally ceased production in 1961.

Canon Ixus 960is

Camera-Wiki article: camera-wiki.org/wiki/Houghton_and_Ensign