SPARTAFLEX
Spartus Camera Corp. Chicago IL
1950's
If you follow the history of Spartus Camera Corp (and who doesn't ?!!) you'll note that it's a confused
chapter in photographic history.
All those name changes. All those design changes. All those identical camera with different faces.
All those completely different cameras with the same names. It can drive you nuts.
The Spartaflex shown above looks nothing like the one shown in McKeown's. The McKeown's S'Flex looks
like my Super R-I but my Super R-I looks different McKeown's one.
The Soviets used a Spartaflex flash to track Sputnik in the 1960's.
And why the name "Spartus ?"
Victor Mature as "Spartus" in the movie: "Don't hit me with that sword, Demetrius !"
The externally coupled focus gears were used years later in Ford Pinto transmissions.
F 7.7 ?
The Spartaflex has a shutter speed of about 1/30 second. This, combined with the sports finder make it and ideal
sports camera. As long as you photograph 90 year olds playing chess.
The practice of assembling cameras with screwdrivers and wrenches is not a common practice today.
A highway runs through 715 W. Lake Street today.
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The scout standing by the tailgate of the 1956 something or other is either eating something or he's about
to sneeze and cover the kid in front of him with germs.
Pack 137. The camera made it to me from a Pennsylvanian flea market.
The scout on the far right was probably called "Bucket." That was a popular name for large boys in a less
politically correct time. The other scouts hated to share a tent with him because he ate everything
your mother packed for you and snored at night.
The first line of standing scouts displays fading interest (going from right to left, starting with Bucket) in standing at "attention." By the time you reach the
far left there's really no interest at all.
"Bucket ! " "Ten - SHUN !"
This is the late afternoon February sun - 2009 shot on the same roll as the photos above.
Yes, the sun still sets, scouts.
