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In 1934 a French company released a small camera l'Aiglon (the Eaglet). The following year the  Bobby and Maniga. The l'Aiglon is a bright nickel plating whereas the other two are painted black. The Bobby has been said to have been for the English marked but the M and Z (for Moment and Zeit) markings on the shutter would indicate a German speaking market rather than an English one. The Maniga is also marked in German and offers three apertures.

The l'Aiglon has a removable single speed shutter attached to the lens cone. It has a Meniscus lens. Special roll film for 8 exposures on 11x15mm (some sources report 13x14mm and 14x14mm) measured from inside the camera. The film spool allows for a film width of up to 17mm. 

Type1 has short fat shutter lever

Type 2 has longer, thinner shutter lever

Type 3 has longer front cone, integral cast finder and larger red window on back.

The case is sometimes marked Aiglon with a nice logo (a hand holding the mini camera).

The Bobby is cast metal, similar to the Aiglon and Maniga cameras. Black enamel finish. Made in Germany. "Bobby" moulded on front. Version marketed in Spain, has "Riba" stamped in the rear finder.

Maniga has an oversized round or oval shutter fixed to the camera.

The construction is better, or has been better preserved, than the ULCA type cameras and the samples seen have a crisp shutter response. Most ULCA cameras have the die cast metal broken or cracking that supports the aperture and shutter mechanisms.


Go up a level Last updated 12th September 2007