Modern cameras are loaded with features such as automatic focusing, in-built exposure meters and of course now use digital media instead of film.

I wanted to explore what it was like to take photographs of events using the type of cameras that would have been available at the time.   The British mainly recorded WW2 in Black and White as colour film was in limited supply and tended to be reserved for newsreels.  cameras themselves were in short supply and the government urged the population to hand in good quality cameras such as Leicas, Contax and the Zeiss Super Ikonta so that they could be transferred to the military.

The Army Film and Photographic Unit was founded in 1942.  The stills photographers were issued with Zeiss Super Ikonta 532/16 cameras, from a shipment seized in Turkey.  This was a slow and awkward folding camera, using 120mm medium format film.  It was generally disliked by the photographers (and me!) who much preferred to acquire cameras like the  Rollei Automat - although the government refused to service them.  Some AFPU photographers also acquired the US Kodak Medallist, a heavy and ugly camera using 620 size medium format film.  Use of 35 mm cameras by the British was rare, although the Americans did so.

The standard press camera of the 1930s was the Speed Graphic - a 5" x 4" large format camera, although 35mm Leicas and Contax II cameras were being increasing used.  The Speed Graphic is  frequently shown in publicity shots of the Canadian Photographic Unit and, although unwieldy, the US produced a military version which was used to take the famous photo of the raising of the US flag at Iwo Jima.

I have a  tremendous admiration for the combat cameramen who went into battle armed only with their cameras and a pistol.  There are extraordinary stories of sergeant cameramen calmly cleaning and re-loading their camera on the beaches of Normandy, riding into action exposed on the backs of tanks, and taking part in commando landings in Greece.  They also recorded for posterity the first horrific scenes as the Nazi concentration camps were liberated.

To see a collection of their original photographs go onto the Imperial War Museum web site and explore their online photographic collections, searching under the key word Army Film and Photographic Unit or AFPU. 

Malcolm Atkin

If you would like to purchase copies of these prints or would like to reproduce them commercially please contact me at Susatkin@pastimage.com