Ansco Speedex

Introduction: The Ansco Speedex at a Glance

Speedex is the name Ansco, a company in Binghamton, NY, put on a range of 6x6 folders that closely resemble the Agfa Isolette line. They fold flat and open on a bellows. If you are exploring analog cameras, a Speedex is a classic roll-film folder.

This article covers the Speedex as a family, with details taken from the manual for the f/4.5 Speedex. The manual describes a camera that takes 12 exposures of 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 inches on 120 roll film. Treat the specifics below as those of the f/4.5 model.

Shooting a square-format folder is a deliberate process: open the camera, cock the shutter, set aperture and speed, estimate the distance, then press the release. With twelve frames on a roll, every exposure counts.

Design Roots and Historical Background

A series, not a single camera

Camera-wiki treats Speedex as a series rather than one model. It dates the start of the range to 1940, when the cameras carried the Agfa Ansco name before it became plain Ansco. That is a fact about the series, not about any single camera.

The family resemblance to the Agfa Isolette is strong, and the wiki lists the correspondences for later models. Speedex 4.5 corresponds to the Isolette V, Speedex 4.5 Special to the Isolette II, and Speedex Special R to the Isolette III. See also the Agfa Isolette V and Agfa Isolette III.

From Ansco to Agfa

Models made after about 1953 were produced by Agfa. For another folder from this tradition, see the Agfa Commander B2.

Key Technical Highlights

Lens, aperture and focusing

The specifications in this section come from the f/4.5 Speedex manual and apply to the f/4.5 model. It describes an f/4.5 anastigmat lens. Aperture settings run f/4.5, 5.6, 8, 11, 16 and 22. Focusing is done with a ring on the lens barrel, and the scale on its front face is marked in feet from 3 1/2 to infinity, which is about 1.1 m at the close end. Distances are estimated by eye.

Shutter and exposure

The shutter must be cocked with a lever before every exposure and is released by a body release. It also offers Time and Bulb settings. The exposure table in the manual runs from 1/5 to 1/200 s, and the text refers to 1/250 s as the faster speed the camera provides. Confirm the speeds marked on the camera you are buying.

Viewfinder, tripod and folding

The camera has an eye-level optical viewfinder and a tripod socket under the body. The manual advises a tripod for any exposure longer than 1/25 s. To open it, you press the platform catch; to close it, press the two side arm braces and push the platform up until it clicks.

• f/4.5 model format: 12 exposures of 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 inches on 120 (B2) film.
• Lens: f/4.5 anastigmat, apertures f/4.5 to f/22.
• Focusing: ring on the lens barrel, 3 1/2 feet to infinity.
• Shutter: lever-cocked, body release, with Time and Bulb.
• Viewfinder: eye-level optical, with a tripod socket on the base.

Modern-Day Use in 2026

Where the Speedex excels

A Speedex gives you a large square negative from a body that folds small. Everything is manual, so you think about exposure and focus for each frame, and the square format changes how you compose.

Use it for:

• Square-format portraits shot at a measured pace.
• Landscapes and architecture on a tripod.
• Black-and-white projects.

Practical shooting tips

• Always cock the shutter before you press the release, and do it as part of a fixed routine.
• Use a tripod and cable release for anything slower than 1/25 s, as the manual advises.
• Estimate distance carefully, and stop down when unsure of focus.
• Count your twelve frames so none are wasted.

Buying and Maintenance Guide

What to check before buying used

Condition matters more than model name.

• Bellows: open the camera, extend it fully and look for pinholes and cracks, especially in the folds and corners.
• Shutter: cock and fire it at every speed, and listen for sluggish slow speeds or a sticky release.
• Lens: look through it against a light for haze, fungus threads and scratches.
• Folding mechanism: the platform catch and side arm braces should lock firmly and close with a click.
• Viewfinder: it should be clear and firmly mounted.

To test the bellows, work in a dark room with no film loaded, extend the camera, open the back and shine a torch inside. Any pinpoint of light is a pinhole.

Film and power

The manual describes a hand-operated camera with a cocking lever, body release and focusing ring. The main consumable is 120 roll film.

• Pick a medium-speed black-and-white film for a first test roll.
• Unload the exposed roll in subdued light and tape the end down.

Basic care and accessories

A few photography accessories keep a folder in good shape:

• A leather or soft case, as the original manual lists an Eveready case.
• A yellow filter in size 24, as the manual lists an Ansco No. 1 yellow filter and an Ansco Portrait Attachment (size 24).
• A cable release for tripod work and long exposures.
• A blower and microfiber cloth for the lens.

Conclusion: Square Frames, Folded Away

The Ansco Speedex is a family of 6x6 folding cameras closely related to the Agfa Isolette line. The f/4.5 model in the manual gives you 12 square frames on 120 film, an f/4.5 anastigmat lens and a lever-cocked shutter in a body that folds flat.

When buying, the condition of the bellows and shutter matters most. If those check out, a Speedex offers a careful, manual way to shoot medium format.

Ready to explore cameras like the Speedex? Browse our analog cameras and pair them with photography accessories at DutchThrift.com.

Sources: original instruction manuals for the f/4.5 Speedex and the Speedex 4.5; Ansco Speedex on camera-wiki.org, text licensed under GFDL 1.3.