Bencini Comet III Viewfinder camera

The Bencini Comet III is an unconventional viewfinder camera, built for the 127 film format. This camera was introduced in 1953 by the Italian manufacturer Bencini as the latest model under the name Comet. In South America, this camera was sold as the Bencini Akrom I. There is also a clone, confusingly the Comet 3 (with Arabic numerals instead of Roman), which has a white-striped front panel and a non-focusing lens. Unlike its predecessors, such as the original Comet and the Comet II, which have a more traditional design, the Comet III is vertically oriented. This sets it apart from other Bencini cameras and the vast majority of other cameras from that era.

Given the slim profile, there is little to find on the front panel of this camera, aside from the viewfinder window and the lens, which is focused by turning the lens barrel. This lens has a fixed f/8 aperture with two shutter speeds: bulb (stays open while you hold the shutter release) and 1/50 second, which can be selected via a small metal tab on the side of the lens, at the 3 o'clock position.

The rotating shutter release is located at the top right of the camera, just above the flash synchronization button. The round lock with concentric rings unlocks the other side of the camera for loading and unloading film. Alongside the internal parts of the camera, on the left side of the Comet III there is also a screw-thread attachment for the shutter release cable, a film transport knob and a hot shoe. At the back there are two red windows and the small eyepiece of the viewfinder, while the tripod mount is at the bottom.

Dimensions of the Bencini Comet III (circa 1953) are: Width: about 13 cm; Height: about 8 cm; Depth: about 7 cm (including the retractable lens). The camera weighs about 350 grams and has a very compact, rectangular design of die-cast aluminum.