1948-1953 / Pho-Tak Foldex-20 / Vintage Camera

The Pho-Tak Foldex-20 is a vintage medium format folding camera produced by Pho-Tak Corporation, Chicago, between approximately 1948 and 1962. It features a robust all-metal body with artificial leather covering and uses 120 or 620 roll film to produce 6×9 cm exposures. The camera is equipped with a fixed-focus, fixed-aperture 86mm Octvar meniscus lens and a leaf shutter with speeds from bulb (B) to 1/50 second, which is tripped via a lever integrated into the front door panel. Its simple design lacks shutter speed adjustment and manual focusing, making it easy to use as a straightforward, durable folding camera for medium format photography. The Foldex-20 is noted for its solid build quality and affordability but is considered limited compared to higher-end cameras of the era.