Press camera

A press camera is a large format camera suited to the press photographer need. The most common size film for press cameras is 4x5. Press camera were widely used by professionnal photographers from the 1930s through the early 1960s. A press camera has the following characteristics:

• folds into a strong, compact box
• lenses can be easily interchanged
• accepts sheet film
• ground glass focusing screen
• can be used handheld
• comes equipped with an optical viewfinder
• can synchronize with flash

Classic American press camera: Speed Graphic

Typical user: Weegee