Putting a Roll Through: Imperial Debonair toy camera

Imperial Debonair photos 1
The west-side sidewalk on Pearl Street looking north toward 14th Avenue in Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. (Daniel J. Schneider)

I found the Imperial Debonair bakelite box toy camera in a small antique mall in Fort Collins, Colorado. As per usual, I put a roll of film (Ilford Delta 100 120 film rerolled onto a 620 spool) through it to test it out. It’s a nice step up from the Imperial Herco. I wrote a more complete review of the Imperial Debonair after testing it.

Just before testing the Debonair, though, I had shot 5 or 6 rolls of Fuji Provia in my Yashica D, which has a brilliant automatic mechanical film counter that stops advancing when a new frame is revealed. As a result, I rolled right past a couple frames on this test roll before remembering I needed to look at the little red window and only got 8 frames from the roll in the end.

Imperial Debonair photos 2
An Xcel Energy electric substation entrance off of Pearl Street near 13th Avenue on a damp Denver day in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. (Daniel J. Schneider)
Imperial Debonair photos 3
One of the two towers at the front of St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral on 14th Avenue in Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, seen from the west side through trees. (Daniel J. Schneider)
Imperial Debonair photos 4
Looking south from 14th Avenue down the alley between Pearl Street and Washington Street in Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, (Daniel J. Schneider)
Imperial Debonair photos 5
Fire escapes on a condominium building on 14th Avenue near Pearl Street in Denver’s Capitol Hill. (Daniel J. Schneider)
Imperial Debonair photos 6
An apartment building off of Washington Street south of 13th Avenue in Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. (Daniel J. Schneider)
Imperial Debonair photos 7
Looking south along Washington street rom 14th Avenue n Denver’s Capiitol Hill neighborhood. (Daniel J. Schneider)
Imperial Debonair photos 8
A gate leading to a mysterious sideyard behind an aged duplex on Washington Street south of 14th Avenue in Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. (Daniel J. Schneider)

I made these frames with Ilford Delta 100 film that I respooled from 120 spools onto a spare 620 spool. They were developed in Kodak HC-110E (1+47) for 9 minutes at 68°F. I typically agitate for the full first 30 seconds, and then for 5 seconds (or 4 inversions) every 30 seconds thereafter.