Sir Kenneth Corfield, Engineer who left the legacy of Periflex cameras dies aged 91
Sir Kenneth Corfield, the man behind successful British cameras dies aged 91 on 11th January 2016. For many of us his legacy will be the Periflex camera.
Kenneth Corfield, an engineer with an agile eye for technology and his company KG Corfield Ltd which debuted in 1953, an innovative interchangeable-lens 35mm camera with an unusual through-the-lens periscope reflex range finder and lens manufacturing unit based in Wolverhampton. The company produced high quality cameras, Lumimeter (exposure meter) and lenses basing many designs on the Leica range of 35mm cameras. One of its cameras the Periflex series used a novel periscope viewing system to achieve fine accurate focus. The Miniature periscope descended into the optical path of the lens when the film was advanced and provided a much enlarged view of the central area of the film. The Lumimeter especially used in the darkroom to compare reflected light from the enlarger and a variable transmitted light from the meter observed in split screen, When both sides were equally lit, the dial controlling the variable light showed the correct exposure. The company eventually ceased trading in 1971 and technology took over the still camera industry, which went on to build the Architect camera the Corefiled WA67 in 1980s and to become involved in the production of Gandolfi cameras.
Kenneth will also be remembered for a distinguished career which led to his chairmanship of Standard Telephones & Cables. He was Knighted for services to export in 1980.