Kodak/Kodak View Camera 2D
Kodak View Camera 2D

Kodak View Camera 2D

Kodak · USA · 1921–1950 (29 years) · 4x5 film

The View Camera 2D was a 4×5 large format camera produced by Kodak from 1921 to 1950. During this period, large format cameras remained essential tools for professional photographers, especially in commercial, portrait, and landscape photography. Kodak, having pioneered roll film and made photography accessible to the masses through their consumer products, also supplied professional photographers with quality equipment. The View Camera 2D likely served as a reliable workhorse for studio and field photographers who needed the image quality and flexibility offered by 4×5 sheet film. Its production spanning nearly three decades indicates that it met the needs of professional photographers consistently throughout this important period in photographic history.

As a Kodak product, the View Camera 2D would have benefited from the company's manufacturing capabilities and distribution network, making quality equipment available to professional photographers across the country. Like many large format cameras of its era, it would have featured a monorail or field camera design with movements for perspective control, bellows for focusing, and a ground glass viewing screen for precise composition. While not known for specific innovations, the View Camera 2D represented Kodak's commitment to providing professional-grade equipment throughout the mid-20th century, when photography was transitioning from purely analog processes to include new technologies.

Specifications

Film Format4x5

Pricing

Market Value
~$1,000

Editorial Ratings

Build Quality
3.5
Value
3.0
Collectibility
3.0
Historical Significance
2.5

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