Royer Altessa

Photos by Arnaud Saudax text by Arnaud Saudax. Last update 2022-10-20 par Sylvain Halgand.

Manufactured or assembled in France from 1952 to (Circa) 1955.
Index of rarity in France: Rare (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 13122

See the complete technical specifications

Chronology of cameras Royer

In 1952, Royer introduced a 6 x 9 camera; they had not yet ventured into producing smaller formats. René Royer had the idea to offer a 6 x 9 camera with an interchangeable lens, a luxury reserved for those using 24 x 36 cameras.

To bring this idea to life, he used a classic 6 x 9 camera body from his folding camera range as a base and replaced the bellows with a telescopic tube. This tube featured a bayonet mount for changing the lens. Two lenses were developed for this camera: a 190mm telephoto lens from Berthiot and a 75mm wide-angle lens (Berthiot or Angénieux) that could only be used in the 6 x 6 format. To change lenses, it was imperative to use the rotary button located on top of the camera and trigger the closure of a curtain to protect the film. A safety feature prevented the shutter from firing unless this same curtain was positioned for either 6 x 6 or 6 x 9 (for the 6 x 9 position, the curtains were completely wound onto their drum).

Despite a very reasonable price and a fairly aggressive advertising campaign, the Altessa did not sell well. It disappeared from the catalogs by 1955. Nevertheless, it is undoubtedly one of the most original 6 x 9 cameras ever manufactured, and its rarity, due to its short existence, adds to its appeal.

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Not yet translated into English

Cette variante de l'Altessa a un objectif Angénieux.

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Science et Vie de 1952

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