Mast Identification Camera

Kentop · Nov 7, 2015

Hi, I'm brand new to this forum and I thought you would like to look at my estate sale discovery.
I have scoured the net for information or even a single picture of this camera and came up with nothing. Rather than reinvent the wheel, I am posting the content I wrote at collectors weekly. If you know anything about this camera, please share any info you have:

Gifford M Mast was born in 1915 and died in 1972. He held many interesting patents for just about anything. A lot of his patents can be found in this unique camera. This Polaroid back ID camera was probably made in 1970, judging from the 100 series pack film back. There are no viewfinders or rangefinders on this camera. You aim it by turning on a light (6.3 volt .9 watt bulb that illuminates the lower convex lens) and placing the spot on the subject 4 feet away. The shutters are cocked by rotating the polaroid back 180 degrees. You have two shutter releases. One releases only the left lens shutter and the other releases either the right lens shutter (if the left lens shutter release has already been pressed) or it releases both shutters simultaneously. Rotating the camera back again brings the other half of the polaroid film into position and after releasing the shutters, the film can be pulled out of the camera for the traditional 60 second development. On top of the camera you will find an electrical outlet, a flash sync cable connector and a hot shoe slot (without the mating plate!). ASA film speed ranges from 75 to 300. Polaroid film came in two speeds, 75 for color and 3000 for black and white. In order to take black and white, the camera instructs you to set the film speed to 150 and use the filter that is found in the polaroid back where the 3.5 battery is usually housed. The filter, which looks like a half silvered microscope slide, slides across the two lenses (See photo above) Instructions on the back tell you how to use the camera and each button on the side has instructions printed next to them. This camera was sold by the Mast Development Company to Fed, State, and local governments for everything from mug shots for prisons, security badges, drivers licenses, ID cards and passports. It is unique in that I have never seen a picture, or even a description of this camera online before I stumbled across it. It came from an estate sale along with a bunch of other cameras and darkroom equipment all dating to the early 70's to 80's. I have a video showing the operation of this camera on you tube: