This camera named "Foca" is a rangefinder camera manufactured in France. Some of you might know the name of this as one of Leica-copy models.
This is said to be the only French-made Leica-copy model. But on the basis, this was developed under the policy of not just copying Leicas, but producing a precision and compact camera as Leicas with originality.

The company that manufactured "Foca" was O. P. L., France. It had had the blueprint for manufacturing it before the W.W.II. But the fact that the W.W.II. had begun soon after prevented OPL from manufacturing it. For that reason, it was after the war in 1945 when Foca was launched at last. The first model of Foca series was named Foca PF 2 (which is commonly called "Two Stars"). This "PF" is the contraction of Petit Format (Small Format) in France and means that this is 35 mm format.
There are three kinds of Foca in the series: Screw-mount Foca with no rangefinder, bayonet-mount type with rangefinder that couples with the lenses from 28mm to 135mm, and screw-mount type with rangefinder that couples with only 50mm lens. Foca PF3 is in the third category.

The camera we introduce for this feature is the one released around 1947, and had three stars on the name plate on the camera front. This is an upgrade version of "Foca PF2 bis" and has the slow shutter.
The lens is f1.9/50mm of the collapsible barrel type. Shutter speeds are T, B, 1 to 1/1000 sec. The higher shutter speeds are selected with the dial on the camera top that is also used as the film wind knob. In addition, PF 3L that was release after this model employs the lever to wind the film.

Foca cameras have a unique shutter sound. You can listen to that sound on the usage page in this feature, so please listen to it.

Well then, let's take a look at it.


NEXT


Back to Camera Shopper Back to Index Page