# Recent find: Vero Four



## compur (May 16, 2014)

I found this Vero Four last weekend at a flea market for $20.  







 It is a viewfinder camera that uses 127 film made in Japan in the 1930s-40s. The button on top looks like a shutter release but it isn't. It's a film advance release linked up with the frame counter. The actual shutter release is one of the levers on the shutter itself. Film loading is done through the bottom like a screw mount Leica. 

These are pretty rare in the USA.  More info on the camera can be found in the Camerapedia here:

Vero Four - Camerapedia

 I have a soft spot for 127 cameras, especially ones with decent optics and I wish 127 was taken more seriously by the camera manufacturers back in the day because it's really a much more efficient format than 35mm, IMO.  

 Here is a size comparison with a Canonet QL17:






 You can see that it is smaller than the Canon yet the negative size is 4x4cm, substantially larger then the dinky 24x36mm negative of most 35mm cameras.

 Though the cosmetic condition is very good, the Vero has the usual problems of cameras of this vintage related to dried up lubricants causing sticky shutter and stiff focusing helicoid.  I haven't decided if I'm going to restore it or sell it on but I'm leaning toward keeping it since I probably won't see another anytime soon.


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## vintagesnaps (May 17, 2014)

Very cool, haven't seen one of these.


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## Derrel (May 17, 2014)

Looks like with the lens collapsed it is positively diminutive. It's a handsome camera design.


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## webestang64 (May 17, 2014)

Very cool find........and you said it, hard to find.


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## Bruce Allen (Jan 30, 2015)

Here's mine, a recent acquisition:




1939 VERO FOUR F, third version

A 127 film camera taking 12 4cmx4cm pictures made by Kinsho Seisakusho. Distributed by Ueda Shashinki-ten. All metal viewfinder camera finished in nickel with a focusing helix at the base of the telescopic tube and a Verona Anastigmat 6.0cm f/3.5 lens. Vero Rapid T,B,1-500 shutter. Has an auto-stop advance mechanism with automatic exposure counter (small round window on top). Film loaded through the bottom.

This one is nickle finish and has 4 visible screws in the leatherette as opposed to Compur's which appears to be chrome and doesn't have visible screws. I believe his is also  the last, or version three, but much later, around 1943 (?) Mine has serial number 2957 which would be a very early version three, so there must have been some variations from beginning to last.


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## Paul_Vlasov (Jan 25, 2017)

I have a similar camera. He is beautiful. But I do not know how much it might cost.


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## Dany (Jan 26, 2017)

A very nice piece of beautiful mechanic !
Great find for a soft price ....


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