Kodak No. 3A Folding Pocket Kodak Model B-5

Kodak No. 3A Folding Pocket Kodak Model B-5

No. 3A Folding Pocket Kodak Model B-5 - Good Condition | Iconic 122 Postcard Format Medium-to-Large Format Folding Camera with Bausch & Lomb Rapid Rectilinear Lens

Introductory Paragraph The Kodak No. 3A Folding Pocket Kodak Model B-5 is the definitive choice for the vintage collector and analog historian who values the true pioneer of "postcard-format" vintage imagery. Manufactured between 1909 and 1912 by the Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, New York, this impressively proportioned folding bed camera is celebrated for introducing the massive 122 roll film format, yielding expansive 341×521 inch exposures intended to be directly contact-printed onto standard postcard backings. It comes equipped with a beautifully preserved Bausch & Lomb Rapid Rectilinear lens mounted into a fully mechanical Kodak Ball Bearing shutter assembly. Featuring stunning, decorative mahogany structural wood inserts lining its aluminum folding bed, this Kodak masterpiece delivers the turn-of-the-century structural honesty and mechanical charm required to anchor an advanced photographic collection.

Key Features

• Historic 122 Postcard-Format film standard, capturing exceptionally wide, cinematic framing with massive architectural resolution.

• Premium Bausch & Lomb Rapid Rectilinear glass formulation, engineered to drastically minimize optical radial distortions for uniform landscape lines.

• Exquisite mahogany baseboard accent inserts, highlighting the premium transition-era craftsmanship combining seasoned wood with industrial metals.

• All-mechanical Kodak Ball Bearing multi-blade leaf shutter, functioning natively without any modern battery dependency at speeds up to 1/100s.

• Comprehensive rising and sliding front lens standard movements, offering perspective correction adjustments to prevent building keystone effects.

• Fully collapsible sliding rail bellows deployment, flattening securely into a seal-grain Morocco leather-wrapped aluminum enclosure.

• Reversible top-mounted brilliant reflecting viewfinder with spirit level, allowing accurate, level compositions from a traditional waist-level perspective.

Condition Report Good condition. Body: Shows normal signs of light use and minor superficial cosmetic wear on the outer Morocco leatherette wrap consistent with its 110-plus year vintage heritage. The structural aluminum housing is solid, the folding bed snaps open rigidly, and the original leather-over-cardboard bellows are supple, flexible, and completely light-tight. Sensor/Optics: The Bausch & Lomb optical lens elements are clean and clear; free from internal fungus, heavy separation, or deep glass scratches. The waist-level reflex finder provides a clear framing view. Mechanics/Electronics: Fully operational. The mechanical ball bearing shutter clicks reliably across all timed steps (1/25, 1/50, 1/100) along with functional Time (T) and Bulb (B) actions. The sliding rack-and-pinion front track glides evenly.

Specialist Note "The No. 3A Folding Pocket Kodak Model B-5 is an absolute giant of early American analog manufacturing—and despite the word 'Pocket' in its title, it stands as a commanding, beautiful masterpiece on any gallery display shelf. What makes the B-5 variant highly prized by collectors is the presence of those gorgeous, deeply grained mahogany wood inserts on the folding bed rail; Kodak added these to ease consumers out of the wood-camera era into modern structural aluminum. The 341×521 postcard negative it produces is beautifully sweeping, offering a wider aspect ratio than modern full-frame layouts. (Note for modern shooters: While original 122 roll film was discontinued in the 1970s, this camera can easily be shot today using highly accessible, 3D-printed plastic 'camerhack' adapter spacers that let you load standard modern 120 film into the supply well). It is a wonderfully transparent, mechanical artifact that tells a gorgeous story of photographic evolution."

What's Included

• Kodak No. 3A Folding Pocket Kodak Model B-5 Folding Camera

• Bausch & Lomb Rapid Rectilinear Lens (Integrated)

• Native Kodak Ball Bearing Mechanical Shutter Assembly

• Attached Vintage Leather Top Carrying Handle
  

Technical Specifications

• Brand: Kodak (Eastman Kodak Co.)

• Model: No. 3A Folding Pocket Kodak (Model B-5)

• Camera Type: Medium Format Camera

• Film Format: 122 Roll Film (Postcard Format: 341×521 inches)

• Lens Mount: Fixed Folding Bed Mount

• Lens Type: Bausch & Lomb Rapid Rectilinear Two-Element Lens

• Shutter System: Kodak Ball Bearing Mechanical Leaf Shutter (1/25s, 1/50s, 1/100s + B + T)

• Aperture Scale: Uniform System (US 4 to US 128 / Equivalent to f/8 to f/45)

• Category: 1. Cameras ▸ Medium Format Camera