Berning Robot Robot Royal 36b (black)

The Robot Royal 36b (black), introduced by Berning Robot in 1959, represents a continuation of the distinctive Robot camera line known for its unique spring-wound motor drive and focal plane shutter. Designed as a professional-grade 35mm camera, it featured rapid motor winding and a robust, compact metal body, emphasizing fast shooting capabilities favored by press and sports photographers. Its core innovation lay in the integrated motor drive mechanism, eliminating the need for separate motor drives and enabling a relatively high frame rate for its era. The camera utilized the standard 135 film cartridge and employed a sophisticated focal plane shutter offering speeds up to 1/500 second, housed within its characteristic angular, black metal casing that differentiated it from contemporary rangefinder or SLR designs. While sharing the Robot lineage's commitment to rapid photography, the Royal 36b maintained a niche appeal, primarily appealing to photographers who valued its unique combination of motorization and reliability over the evolving SLR technology of the late 1950s.