Produced from the middle of the 1930's until 1940,
the Billy-Clack is a small camera which opens by means of struts.
Similar folding struts were used on the No. 1 Folding Pocket Kodak
Cameras of 1897 and on later similar Kodak models. The basic style was
very popular with troops in WW 1 because of its compactness when closed.
It is equipped with a rotating shutter offering
only two positions « Time » and « Instant ». A lever located below the
shutter allows the shutter to remain open for long exposures. There is a
built-in portrait lens.
The lens
is an Agfa Bilinar f = 95 mm. On the front, a small lever allows
aperture adjustments of (f11, f16 or f22).
Horizontal and vertical framing are possible using
2 reflex viewfinders located on the front plate. A non optical, direct
view 'action' viewing frame is located on the right of the camera.
The
Billy-Clack was
made in 2 film formats :