Skyview Aerial Camera – 35mmc started the quest

I’m a long term reader of 35mmc and recently read an interesting article, The Miniature Camera Monthly by Art Meripol, 27 February 2026. Art gave readers a look at the August, 1939 issue of this early photography magazine. As I read through the articles, I came to this page of cameras.

As a camera collector, I perused the cameras in the ad carefully to see what I might like.  I immediately spotted the Skyview D 3 1/4 X 4 ¼ camera with Tessar lens which was obviously an aerial camera from the period.  From the viewfinder proportion, I thought this might be smaller than many of the classic aerial cameras I have seen.  I did an online search and found almost no information, except this from Historic Camera.com, a site maintained by the Historic Camera Collector’s Club (used with permission.)

Not expecting any luck in finding one, I was surprised to see there was a camera listed on an auction site as Skyview aerial camera Carl Zeiss 150mm F4.5 lens + bag mag + plate holder + case. The price was not cheap, but not horrible and the description showed it would be one I could easily carry at 5 pounds, especially with the large handle on the side. It also focused closer than I expected for an aerial camera so that it would be easily usable on the ground.

I just had to buy it.

In addition to wanting it from a camera collector’s viewpoint, I also have a bit of history with aerial photography.  After college, I took a three month job while waiting to enter the Air Force.  The job involved using blueprint sized aerial photographs of real estate property lines for a tax evaluation program.  In the Air Force, I was an aerial photo interpreter and viewed many hundreds of aerial photographs.  Years later, I bought an airplane and often shot  photos out the window of my Cessna 150. I also flew in a county helicopter and shot pictures of all our facilities for enlargements and mounting in the board room, all with my Olympus OM-1.  It appears that aerial photography is in my blood.  But now there is a twist and that is terrestrial photography with an aerial camera.

The actual camera differed slightly from the overview from the Historic Camera Collector’s Club in that it focused to 5 feet and there is no infinity focus lock. All sounded good there.  The kit came with two film holders.  One was a Graflex “Bag Mag” and the other was a Graflex Film Pack Adaptor.  Neither looked like anything I would want to use and there was no spring back or Graflok back on the camera.  My choices were to buy some standard sheet film holders plus a spring or Graflok back or instead, a Graflex Graphic 23 roll film holder (6X9 format on 120 film.)  The normal film size for this camera is 3 1/4 X 4 1/4, a not so common size that makes availability of all the accessories that I considered limited and more expensive.  I chose the roll film holder that I found on the same auction site.  When it arrived, I had to fabricate a wider aluminum strip to hold the roll film adapter against the camera and added a felt seal along a space that was apparent.  It was quick work with a hacksaw and drill.

I cleaned the shutter, attached the roll film back, and shot a test roll of 120 format film to check for light leaks and focus.  All went well.

How does it shoot? It is a bit heavy at 6 pounds, 5 ounces with the back and requires a number of steps. First you release the film winder, then wind the film, set shutter speed, f/stop and focus.  Before shooting you also have to cock the shutter.  But that really isn’t any different with shooting another Graflex 23 roll film back on my 2 ½ X 3 ½ Speed Graphic. And did I say it was fun? Yes it is.

Here are some shots, appropriately from a local airport.

Finally, while searching the auction site, I found this postcard noting the photograph was courtesy of  Skyview Camera Company.  I had to add it to my kit.

Now I need to take this camera up in an airplane, preferable a biplane.  Not sure when or if but I can dream.

Share this post: