The VIDEON stereo cameras

Stereocrafters Inc. was a camera maker in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.

Their first camera was the Videon introduced in 1950.

It makes 16 stereo pairs on 20-exposure 35mm film. The pair of Ilex “Stereon” Anastigmat 35mm f3.5 lenses are in unnamed (but probably Ilex) four speed shutters with B and T but no provision for fitting a cable release. There is a PC flash contact below one shutter. The lenses are coupled for focusing by a bar that moves as the lenses are rotated so it indicates the distance, in feet, on the front scale: Each winding advances the film ten perforations. The wind knob is lifted to disengage it so the film can be rewound using the rewind knob. The camera body is moulded from a heavy plastic with metal top and bottom plates; it feels quite a solid unit. The back and base are removed as one unit for easy film loading.

The Videon was replaced in 1953 with the Videon II that had a slightly different appearance and redesigned features.

Priced at $97.48 it was cheaper than the competition. The same body now has the top and bottom plates finished in chrome. The same lenses and shutters are now in different mounts. The outer rings around the lenses rotate; the right ring selects the shutter speed, the left ring selects the aperture. Beside each mount is a tab; the right tab cocks the shutter, the left tab is for focusing.Again there is nowhere to fit a cable release. On the top plate there is now a switch for film advance or rewind. The flash contact is in the same position but has been changed to a bayonet fitting.

I found that on both cameras the back is a tight fit. After turning the lock button to the unlock position I removed the retaining screw from the case and screwed it into the base which gave me a grip to pull on.

I have not been able to discover when production ceased but one source says the company continued into the 1960s at 2430 S. 28th Street, Milwaukee. It seems that Stereocrafters made no other cameras.

Text and photographs ©2018 Geoff Harrisson