# Presenting the Dover 620-A



## smithdan (Feb 14, 2015)

There probably wasn't a model "B".
This black plastic curiosity is the weirdest contraption I've found yet.


No need to fumble about in the pocket for a cloud filter or a close-up adapter, they're right there on sliders on the front.  Strange viewfinder, must be a piece missing.  The thing is in portrait orientation now but the finder is almost square.  Apertures are a choice of 5 holes on a rotating disc.
The flash  reflector is missing.  Probably a real cheek toaster anyway.

All the instructions needed to run the thing are riveted right handy on the back.

Anyway, after a good dusting out I fed it some re-spooled HP5 and took it along on a trip to the mountains.  All are full frame scans, just a bit of exposure fiddling and dust spotting. 



The yellow filter didn't seem to make much difference.  focus drop off from not very to not very much at all toward the corners.



almost impossible to hold and shoot this thing without camera (and I use the term camera loosely) movement.


Anyhoo, a mountain


a waterfall,  shutter fixed at around 1/60 or so.


a typical touristy snapshot of the Prince of Wales hotel


and a surprisingly sharper than expected shot using the close-up slider, of my bride of 45 years.



This one will live on the weird shelf and get dusted from time to time.
In closing, may The Dover and I present "The Tea Party"


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## dxqcanada (Feb 14, 2015)

Cool !!
I've never seen/heard of that camera.
The images are better than I would have expected coming out of that thing.


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## dxqcanada (Feb 14, 2015)

... and I think it is bakelite, not plastic.


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## smithdan (Feb 14, 2015)

A wander through the internet showed a previous model from Dover Film designed to take pictures on reversal paper and process them in an attached tank.  Anything that weird and user un-friendly didn't sell so the moulds were used to make this thing.    Heavy black stuff so yes, bakelite.


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## Derrel (Feb 14, 2015)

Wayyyyyy cool camera, smithdan! LOVE that crazy engineering and wacky feature set.


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## smithdan (Feb 14, 2015)

Nice to hear from you Derrel.

Spotted this one in a thrift store in rural Texas.   HAD TO HAVE IT!


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## Derrel (Feb 14, 2015)

I loves me a good monstrosity! Looks like you do too!  Thanks for the kind words. Nice to be back in the saddle.


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## compur (Feb 15, 2015)

With this camera there is no need to tell your subject to smile.


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## desertrattm2r12 (Dec 25, 2015)

Made circa 1950. I love it. Body based on the failed Speed-O-Matic camera, according to McKeowan's. A keeper.


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## jcdeboever (Jan 15, 2016)

Wow, pretty awesome and sharp. 

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


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