No. 4 Folding Kodet (1894)

The No. 4 Folding Kodet is an easy to use and cheap instrument for the not so wealthy snapshooter. It was sold as a plate camera but could accomodate a roll holder for darkroom loaded film. In the back, behind the plane of focus, is room for a ground glass and three double plate holders or one roll holder. It takes pictures of 4 x 5 inch (10 x 13 cm). The camera was sold for $ 15, with a simple achromatic lens, or $ 20 for one with a Rapid Rectilinear lens.
There are a few settings: the shutter on this early model can be set on instantaneous or time. Its speed can be changed from slow to fast by a lever below the lens. There are four stops on a wheel that rotates in a slot in the lens barrel. The lens panel can not be moved up and down or sideways, like in the Special Kodet models.
The No. 4 Folding Kodet was made from 1894 to 1897 in two variations: a vertical one (in the video) and a horizontal one. Only 2246 were produced and it is a sought after camera now. The No. 3 Folding Kodet looks just like the No. 4, but it is a bit smaller.