most versatile permanent-precision camera
The Micro Precision
Products Ltd.
- 146 London Road Kingston
upon Thames Telephone Kingston 0153 -
Camera # 6856
The M.P.P 5x4 Micro Technical
MK VI Body style B
The most versatile
permanent-precision camera.
Takes roll films, American
Grafmatic magazines and adaptor for 9x12 metal slides..
The M.P.P. Micro Technical is designed and build to the ideals of leading professional photographers. It gives the performance of a studio camera with the compactness, portability and simplicity of a press camera. It has the utmost flexibility and will cope with difficult photographic problems whatever their nature.
The Mark VI Technical Camera has a metal construction, leather bellows, drop baseboard to 30 degrees, wide angle rack, triple extension, rising, tilting, cross and swing front, quick release lens-panel, direct vision view finder, four way swing rotational universal back with spring loaded slide holder. Slide lock. Removable focusing screen-hood. Cable release holder. Flash-gun bracket. Accessory shoe for sports finder. Rangefinder instantly coupled to lenses by interchangeable cams. A choice of accessories under which negative holders 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 or roll film holders 4 1/2 x 3 1/4 inch. plates, sheet film and cut film is Grafmatic holder. Weight 6 1/2 lb. Dimensions 8x8x4 in.
Camera £ 95 Lens extra.
B&J almanac 102nd year
of publication 1961 page
43
Wallace Heaton Blue Book 1970.
Photos © Jo Lommen.
On the first glance the M.P.P is a look alike of the Pacemaker Speed Graphic. However the fine metal finishing and the sturdy controls of the standard movements are the top of design and without doubt comparable or even better than the Linhoff Technica cameras from that time. The MPP 4x5 is undoubtedly a fantastic well made camera of the highest standards. The most significant differences are the lack of a focal plane shutter, the square housing, the 4 way spring back and triple extension. Further more the swing front allows the lens to be swung on vertical axis which makes it more a technical than a press camera. According to the 1953 British Journal page 517, a focal plane shutter could be ordered as an accessory for use with a 180 mm lens.
Having said that it is about time to take the M.P.P in the hand to open it and study all these beautiful machined controls, handles and knobs to find out all about their working. With a weight of 3250 Gram it is some 250 grams more than the Speed Graphic, which is quite a lot taking in consideration that the Speed Graphic has a build in focal plane shutter. Unfortunately my camera is not equiped with such a device so that the difference in weight is quite considerable. It consist out of a metal housing of aluminium and is covered with black leather. All controls are well made and definitely more sophisticated than the Graflex handles and controls.