In the 1920s, camera construction begins to evolve - wood starts to give way to metal bodied cameras, but the need to keep them compact whilst being carried means that most cameras are the folding type. Industrialized mass production techniques reduced the cost of buying a camera so that the general public took to making snapshots. This was assisted by generally increasing amounts of leisure time in the industrialized countries and relief at the end of the First World War and the outbreak of Spanish flu. Camera styling becomes noticeably austere, black paint predominates, black leather bellows and black leatherette covering feature in many designs, brightened by nickel plated parts and occasionally chrome plating. Aluminium starts to feature in the construction of cameras as pressings or castings.

Select a vintage camera image, below, to view details, most cameras have 360° views. Pictures are not to scale.