Jacques Bogopolsky Explained

Jacques Bogopolsky (also Jacques Boolsky or Jacques Bolsey; born Yakov Bogopolsky; December 31, 1895, Kiev, Kiev Governorate, Russian Empire – January 20, 1962, Long Island) was an engineer and camera designer.

Early life

He was born into a Jewish family.

Career

He was an inventor of movie cameras.^[1] The brand name Bolex comes from his name. He was also instrumental in the initial design of the Alpa-Reflex Camera 35mm single-lens reflex camera that later was developed into the Alpa cameras.

Bolsey Camera Company

In 1947, Jacques Bolsey founded Bolsey Camera Company,^[2] after making cameras for US military^[3] during WW2, making the Bolsey B, a consumer 35mm, similar to the mil-spec devices. In 1956, the company closed, when Bolsey sold to Wittnauer.^[4]

Bolsey B (1947-1949)
Bolsey B2 (1949-1956)
Bolsey B22 (1953-1956)
Bolsey Jubilee (1955-1956)
Bolsey B3 (1956)
Wittnauer Festival (1957), sold by Wittnauer

35mm TLR + rangefinder

Bolsey C (1950-1956)
Bolsey C22 (1953-1956)

35mm viewfinder

Bolsey A
La Belle Pal
Bolsey Explorer (made by Braun)

8mm subminiature

Bolsey 8
Bolsey Uniset 8

120 pseudo-TLR

Bolsey-Flex
Bolseyflex

External links

Documentary on Jacques Bogopolsky
Alpa Reflex Camera
Bolsey cameras camera-wiki.org
Web site: Bolsey Camera Corporation . movie-camera.it . 29 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230204063825/http://movie-camera.it/bolseyi.html . 4 February 2023 . it.

Notes and References

Web site: Liedtke . Gerry . History of the Bolex Camera . Alpa Reflex .com . 29 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160310132935/http://www.alpareflex.com/History.htm . 10 March 2016 . from 'Australian Cinematographer'.
Book: Sanford . Richard . Bolsey, the Man Behind the Camera . October 2003 . Neat Old Things . 978-0-9828861-0-6 . en.
Web site: Gandy . Stephen . US Military 35mm cameras . cameraquest.com . 29 May 2023 . 2013.
Web site: Murray . Kevin . Bolsey . web4homes . 29 May 2023.