Tina Towner Camera TOWER Camera Varizoom -Overview

Camera Overview

Camera Specifications

Camera Maker: Sears Roebuck and Co. SIMPSONS-SEARS LTD. Model: 584.91250 Film Type: Double 8mm - 50ft film roll Film Speeds: ASA 10 to ASA 40 Running Speed: Single frame, 16fps and 48fps (slow motion.) Lens: TOWER VARIZOOM f1.8 / 9-27mm Mechanism: Spring Motor Lightmeter: Built-in. Non-reflex viewfinder (parallax corrected and coupled with zoom.) Additional Parts: Removable Pistol Grip with built-in thumb trigger.

The Tower camera is the "clone" of another B&H camera

The first time I saw Tina Towner’s camera I thought than this camera was very similar to the Zapruder camera. At first glance the Tower camera could be mistaken for a carbon copy of the B&H 414PD "Director Series".  Indeed… there are just two differences between both cameras, the shape of the body and an extra button allowing locking the “starting button” in “run” position at 16fps (see hereunder the similarities between both cameras).  Following thorough research, I finally discovered that the Tower camera wasn’t a clone of the Bell & Howell 414PD, but of another Bell & Howell camera - the Model 8125.  Till now, I cannot be 100% positive, but I am convinced that the Tower camera was manufactured under licence of Bell & Howell by Sears Roebuck and Co. SIMPSONS-SEARS LTD.

Bell & Howell Zoommaster - Model 8125 To see specifications click the link here beside: Model 8125

Bell & Howell 414PD & Tower Varizoom Cameras comparison

Very interesting Website: Kurt Tauber's Homepage Kamera Museum (Germany)
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