Kodak Vigilant Six 20 Folding Roll Film Camera From 1939-1949
- Kamera Ostalgie
- Aug 10
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 30
Many people tend to overlook the folding Kodak cameras as nothing special or too common, but really that is not always the case ! Take this Vigilant for example, it is well made well finished and has stood the test of time well. Looking at blogs in the US it seems many film enthusiasts are still using them and obtaining good results. Looking at this example in front of me, I'm not surprised.
Oh yes, this camera is built ! The lens standard, often a weak point on folding cameras is vertical and rock solid ! No wag here. Looking at the strut design and build, that is not really a surprise!
My example was built by the Canadian Kodak Company Toronto Canada. Though I have seen examples made in America by the Eastman Kodak Company Rochester. I'm sure that there will be small differences in the detail, but they look to be the same camera.
Some of the Rochester versions have faster lenses, 6.3 and even 4.5 have been mentioned, but here on this lovely example we have just got 8.8. The apertures than go through, 11, 16, 22, and a tiny 32. The lens is 100mm Kodak Anastigmat.
Shutter wise we have speeds of 100, 50, 25, With B and T. The shutter is called a Kodak No 1 Diomatic, which I know very little about, but the silver face is impressive and it is still working today on all speeds.
The Vigilant is quite a hefty camera weighing in at 820g, but that is not surprising as this folder is built.
Check out those struts! This is rock solid! No movement here!
They could hold a bridge up, let alone a lens and shutter!
This Kodak was designed for 620 Roll Film, giving 8 exposures per roll. To use it today would mean getting re-spooled 120 film, ie a 120 film rewound on a 620 spool, which could work out pretty expensive.
But there is this !! Oh yes, Shanghai GP3 100 620 film straight from China! Don't laugh, I've tried their 127 film it arrives pretty quick and seems okay. A much better option than paying over the odds for a respooled film or an out dated one in my humble opinion! I'll be trying some! I have a few 620 cameras that will have to be dusted off now !
My example came with this really well written book on how to use the Vigilant, it tells you everything you need to know simply and clearly ! This is how instruction books should be written !
So, there you have it, the Kodak SIX-20 Vigilant camera. It's a belter!
Right, that's it! I'm off to buy some 620 film from China, and have a look on evil bay for some 620 cameras whilst they are still cheap !
Take care,
Phil
