K. G. Corfield Ltd
Encyclopedia
K. G. Corfield Ltd was an innovative camera
and lens
manufacturing company based in Wolverhampton
. The company produced high quality cameras and lenses basing many design features on the Leica range of 35mm cameras. One unique design was employed in the Periflex series of cameras which utilised a novel periscope
viewing system to achieve fine focus. A miniature periscope descended into the optical path of the lens when the film was advanced. This provided a much enlarged view of the central area of the film frame. When the shutter was released, the periscope sprung vertically up out of the optical path and then the horizontal cloth focal plane shutter operated.
The company also produced other photographic equipment including the Lumimeter,an exposure meter for use in the darkroom based on the comparison between reflected light from the enlarger and a variable transmitted light from the meter observed in s split screen. When both sides were equally lit, the dial controlling the variable light showed the correct exposure.
The driving force behind the company and its products was Sir Kenneth Corfield
The company ceased trading in 1971
Subsequently Sir Kenneth Corfield resurrected the firm to build the Architect camera and to be come involved in the production of Gandolfi
cameras.
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
and lens
Photographic lens
A camera lens is an optical lens or assembly of lenses used in conjunction with a camera body and mechanism to make images of objects either on photographic film or on other media capable of storing an image chemically or electronically.While in principle a simple convex lens will suffice, in...
manufacturing company based in Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
. The company produced high quality cameras and lenses basing many design features on the Leica range of 35mm cameras. One unique design was employed in the Periflex series of cameras which utilised a novel periscope
Periscope
A periscope is an instrument for observation from a concealed position. In its simplest form it consists of a tube with mirrors at each end set parallel to each other at a 45-degree angle....
viewing system to achieve fine focus. A miniature periscope descended into the optical path of the lens when the film was advanced. This provided a much enlarged view of the central area of the film frame. When the shutter was released, the periscope sprung vertically up out of the optical path and then the horizontal cloth focal plane shutter operated.
The company also produced other photographic equipment including the Lumimeter,an exposure meter for use in the darkroom based on the comparison between reflected light from the enlarger and a variable transmitted light from the meter observed in s split screen. When both sides were equally lit, the dial controlling the variable light showed the correct exposure.
The driving force behind the company and its products was Sir Kenneth Corfield
The company ceased trading in 1971
Subsequently Sir Kenneth Corfield resurrected the firm to build the Architect camera and to be come involved in the production of Gandolfi
Gandolfi
Gandolfi is an Italian surname, from a Lombardic given name Gundulf.people called Gandolfi:* Ubaldo Gandolfi , an Italian painter* Gaetano Gandolfi , an Italian painter* Mauro Gandolfi , an Italian painter and printmaker...
cameras.
Products
- PeriflexCorfield PeriflexThe Periflex 35mm rangefinder camera was launched by K. G. Corfield Ltd, England in May 1953 as the first and original model from this source. The camera resembles the Leica Standard and qualifies fully as a Leica copy...
- Periflex 2
- Periflex 3
- Goldstar
- Interplan
- Architect
- Lumimeter