Bolsey B2, 35mm coupled rangefinder

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Bolsey B2, 35mm coupled rangefinder. Photograph gallery.

De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk

The Bolsey B2 handles identically to the B version. The lens appears to be slightly better however, although that is difficult to appreciate over the internet.

This is a De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk, wearing 1950s RAF training colours.

Ferns

The rangefinder is accurate despite the small rangefinder base. The camera also focuses down to 2ft which is quite useful. The focus mechanism has quite a short travel which makes the process quick and if looked after the action is lovely and smooth, the only drawback is the need to change viewing windows after focussing.

Raffy to his friends

The Bolsey B2 uses one window for range finding and focussing and another for composing the image. This can make picture taking a rushed event and this is partly responsible for the camera shake in this picture. The Bolsey B2 is a nice sized and usable camera but it needs to handled carefully to get the best from it.

Raphael (Raffy to his friends), was our elderly cat, 16yrs old when this picture was taken in 2003, that knowing look is how a sophisticated cat contemplates a camera. Amazingly, Raffy lived until he was 21, succumbing to his diabetes in December 2008.