The Sub Club

Ducati Simplex

Simplex production began in 1950. So the Simplex qualifies as an early half-frame which helped move the half-frame format to a new level. The Simplex was the simpler of the two half-frame cameras made by Ducati. Its big brother -- the Sogno -- had many more features. The Simplex came with a collapsing, non-interchangeable, focusing 35mm (f3.5) lens. It had a simple viewfinder, unlike the Sogno's rangefinder. Speeds of B, 1/25 - 1/250. It was a manual camera with no meter and used special cassettes. Obviously, the designer was left-handed! It's production run was shorter than that of the Sogno so few were made, and it's harder to find.