Introducing the Modified Ful-Vue

Britain Can Make It poster designed by Ashley Havinden for the Council of Industrial Design - Public Domain.

In post-war Britain, there was a need to draw a line under recent years of austerity and look ahead to more prosperous times.  Sir Stafford Cripps, the President of the Board of Trade, proposed an exhibition to showcase the best of forward-looking British manufacturing.  The resulting “Britain Can Make It” Exhibition, was organised by the Council of Industrial Design and held in the Victoria & Albert Museum between September and October 1946.  Many manufacturers were invited to exhibit products that would play a role in creating a prosperous future economy through exports abroad.  The emphasis was very much on design and the role of the designer in maintaining a healthy and competitive market.  Products were exhibited from many different categories, including clothing, household goods, and office equipment.  Opened by King George VI, the exhibition attracted on average a staggering 20,000 visitors a day during its three month running.
 
Barnet Ensign Ltd introduced two new cameras to the public at the Exhibition. One, the Ensign Commando,  was a folding coupled-rangefinder camera that had been originally developed for military use during the war.  The other camera was a modified Ful-Vue with a strikingly futuristic appearance - a real departure from the standard box camera design.

Modified Ful-Vue c.1946

Instead of a back door, the inside of the camera is accessed through a lockable side panel. The camera kept its shutter speed of 1/30th of a second at f/11, and also its time and instantaneous settings.  The shutter release was moved to the front of the camera, and the provided ‘ever-ready’ case allowed pictures to be taken and film to be advanced without removing the camera.  A viewing window on the back of the case allowed the photographer to see the red window on the back of the camera.

The Ful-Vue was advertised in the October 1948 issue of Popular Photography:

“Roll film size 120: 12 exposures, 2 ¼ x 2 ¼; Ensign All-Distance lens with a two position focusing mount; reflex-type finder; single action shutter with Instantaneous speed and T; all metal construction.  Price $12.95, tax included.” p.117

It was also advertised in the Yorkshire Evening Post on Thursday 30^th June 1949:

“Happy Days! REMEMBER THEM WITH PHOTOGRAPHS. We can now offer the IDEAL FAMILY CAMERA – THE ENSIGN FUL-VUE
New streamlined design. Large illuminated view finder. Takes 12 pictures, 2 ¼ x 2 ¼ in. on size E20 film. Price (inc. of tax) - £3-8-2″. p.5

Modified Ful-Vue in its Ever-Ready Case

For more information about the Britain Can Make It Exhibition, see:
http://www.vads.ac.uk/learning/designingbritain/html/bcmi_intro.html

and
http://www.ensign.demon.co.uk/ful-vue.htm

How was the Ful-Vue camera different?

Ful-Vue Viewfinder

A few Ensign box cameras pre-date the Ful-Vue, such as the Ensign ‘Box-Form’, the ‘All-Distance’, and the ‘E29′. 
The Box-Form cameras are listed in the Ensign Handbook of Photography (c.1908), which gives the following description:

“The Box-Form Ensign Film Cameras are exceptionally well and strongly made. They give excellent sharp-all-over pictures.  There is nothing to go wrong, and their absolute simplicity makes success certain.” p.36

The Ensign Box-Form 2 ¼ B had an f/11 rapid achromat lens (variants had a meniscus lens), two reflecting viewfinders and a frame finder.
The All-Distance Ensign was introduced in 1927.  It had a meniscus “all-distance” lens, simple T and I shutter settings, two brilliant viewfinders and a frame finder, and a tripod socket.  Models in blue, red, and brown were introduced in c.1929.  In the accompanying manual, Instructions for Using the All-Distance Ensign Camera, it states:

“There are two outstanding features…The All-Distance Ensign Camera, as its name implies, permits of brilliant sharp pictures being taken at all distances in excess of 3 ½ feet from the camera (WITHOUT THE NECESSITY OF PURCHASING A SUPPLEMENTARY PORTRAIT ATTACHMENT).
Second - By a specially designed (Prov. Pat. 27103) internal spring pressure plate the film is held perfectly flat and thus the definition is as good as will be obtained with a glass plate.” p. 2-3

The Ensign E29 Box Camera (c.1930) was a wooden bodied camera finished in black or blue leatherette, with a simple T and I shutter, a meniscus lens and two reflecting viewfinders.  Close-up lenses were available as accessories.
So what about the Ful-Vue?  How did it differ from these earlier models?
Its main selling point was undoubtedly its large viewfinder (pictured).  A glance at newspaper adverts from the time of its release reveal as much.  On 24th March 1939, the Kent & Sussex Courier featured the following announcement:

“The New British Made Ensign “FUL-VUE” Camera takes 12 pictures 2 ¼ square on the usual No. 20 film, has specially brilliant new view finder so that picture can be clearly seen under all conditions.  Adaptable for Views and portraits and fitted with the Time and Instantaneous Shutter.  With a sling strap 25/-” p. 7

The same newspaper featured another advert on 12th May 1939:

“See your Picture at a glance…
Ensign FUL-VUE the CAMERA with the GIANT VIEW-FINDER
Taking good pictures is simpler and certain with the Ensign ‘Ful-Vue’ - the ideal camera for the beginner and the keen amateur.  CLOSE UPS AND DISTANCE VIEWS with the famous Ensign ‘ALL-DISTANCE’ LENS.
Takes 12 pictures 2 1/4x 2 ¼ in. on Ensign standard size E.20 film.
Get an Ensign ‘Ful-Vue’ to-day! Andalways use Ensign Film.  Only 25/-
BRITISH THROUGHOUT” p.7

Chemists were among the primary retailers of cameras at the time, so it was important for manufacturers to convince chemists that their cameras would sell well.  Ful-Vue adverts therefore appeared in issues of The Chemist and Druggist. Such an advert featured on the 4th February 1939:

“NEW ENSIGN BOX CAMERA - Ensign Ltd, 88-89 High Holborn, London, WC1, have introduced a new box camera which is described as the Ful-Vue, the main feature of which being the bigger, brighter and better viewfinder.  This model is very compact, measuring only 4 1/8 by 3 1/8 by 4 1/8 in.  It has an excellent finish in black ripple enamel, and it takes close-ups down to three feet.  In adition, it is economical to use, taking twelve 2 ¼ in. square pictures.  Stocks are available for immediate delivery.” p.122

It appeared again in the same publication on 1st April 1939:

“ENSIGN FUL-VUE CAMERA - A newly introduced box camera that bids fair to achieve a widespread popularity is the Ful-Vue  brought out by Ensign Ltd, Ensign House, High Holborn, London, WC1.  The important feature of this is a super-size, waist-level brilliant viewfinder giving an image 1 ½ in. square.   The camera, which is of metal construction, with all-distance lens is in two-position focusing mount, and time and instantaneous shutter, is designed to take twelve pictures (size 2 ¼ in. by 2 ¼ in.) on a standard 20 film.  Numbering of the exposures is viewed through  a centrally-placed ruby window in the back of the camera, and thus the camera requires no re-numbering device as on certain other models of the twin-lens type.”  p.382

Another advert appeared in the Sunday Mirror on 25th February 1945 and refers to the impact the war had had on Ensign in diverting its manufacturing efforts to the war effort:

“The easiest camera to use in the World is this popular Ensign Ful-Vue Model with its unique Picture size brilliant viewfinder.  When the skill now employed upon the manufacture of Aircraft cameras and similar precision instruments for the Services is available, the Ensign Ful-Vue will be even better, for like all Ensign Cameras the post-War models will incorporate the great advances made by Ensign in Optical Technique and precision Engineering.” p.5

A History of Ensign

The history of the manufacturers of Ful-Vue products is complex, full of mergers and consequently many different company manifestations. ‘Ensign’ began as a brand name in 1902, and had clearly gained enough prestige to be adopted as the company name in 1930.  As a result, the first Ful-Vue was made by Ensign Ltd, the modified model by Barnet Ensign, the model II by Barnet Ensign Ross, and the Ful-Vue Super and Fulvueflex Sychroflash by Ross Ensign.

The company certainly faced obstacles, one of the most severe being the bombing of its offices at 88/89 High Holbourn in London on 24th and 25th September 1940.  As the war continued, they were obliged to do their bit for the war effort and concentrate on the manufacture of items for the armed forces.

The company prided itself on the sale of high quality lenses in well-built cameras.  Their folding roll film cameras were prime examples of their craftsmanship.  Unfortunately though, they had an ongoing battle with the British public and the perception of British-made cameras as inferior to those made in Germany.  They were also victim to their own staunch refusal to embrace 35mm cameras, believing that 120 film was far superior.  As such they were unable to meet the increasing demand for 35mm cameras and by the early 1960s the company could no longer compete.

For more information, see: http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/companies1.html#E

and: http://www.ensign.demon.co.uk/ensigncamerapage.htm