Houghton-Butcher Mfg.Co.Ltd Ensign All-distance Twenty

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Going back to the box camera, this post will be looking at another beautifully designed camera. This is the Ensign All-distance Twenty.

But like all posts that look at a new camera brand, I will be going over the camera company’s history.

Founded in 1834 by George Houghton and Antoine Claudet, the company’s name was Houghton-Claudet (Bayliss 2012). They started out making “…optical glass as well as photographic materials…” (Richmond 1998). According to Bayliss (2012), one of their photographic materials was producing and developing Daguerreotype film plates, which Claudet acquired the license to do so in 1840.

Then by 1852, Houghton’s son joined the business, which lead to it being renamed Claudet, Houghton and son’s (Bayliss 2012). But then Claudet passed away in 1867, leading to a new renaming of George Houghton & Son (Richmond 1997) and sold “…a full range of photographic products…” (Bayliss 2012).

Then by 1904, the company became Houghton Limited (Richmond 1997), when it absorbed Holmes Brothers, AC Jackson, Spratt Brothers and Joseph Levi and Co. and in 1908 became the biggest camera manufacturer in the British empire (Bayliss 2012).

1904 was also the first time Ensign name was born with the first logo being a pub sign with a N in it. This was their logo for seven years until it was replaced with the navy style flag (Noir 2013).

Ensign logos. Image Source:
http://www.ensignphotographic.com/ensigncamerapage.htm

Then in 1905 they built a factory for camera manufacturing and created the Triple Victo camera (Richmond 1997).

Triple Victo camera. Image Source:
https://coimages.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/643/928/medium_smg00250378__0004_.jpg

By 1915, the company went under another name change when it started a partnership with “…W. Butcher and Sons Ltd. to form the Houghton-Butcher Manufacturing Company. Although their cameras were still sold under their separate company names, the new joint company provided a common manufacturing base…” (Richmond 1997).

Then in 1926, the two companies completely merged to become Houghton-Butcher Ltd. (Bayliss 2012). It wasn’t until 1930, that the name Ensign Ltd. “…floated and the company finally take the name of the cameras it produced…” and released the Ensign Multex (Richmond 1997), but according to Bayliss (2012), this name was the “selling arm” and the company still kept the name of Houghton-Butcher Manufacturing Co. Ltd. until 1945. Which also happens to be around the time that their factories were bombed in 1940 and in that same year “…the sales wing of Houghton-Butcher, was wound up and the sale of the remaining stock of enlargers, epidiascopes and cine-cameras was taken over by Johnson & Sons of Hendon…” (Science Museum Group).

Ensign Multex. Image Source:
http://www.ensignphotographic.com/jpg/Multex.jpg

But Houghton-Butcher Manufacturing Co. Ltd. still made and sold cameras, such as the Ful-vue camera up until 1942, when they owned the sole right to the Ensign name and branding. But with the war and the loss of their sales wing, the company had to help in the war effort, halting the production of civilian photographic products (Richmond 1997).

Ensign Ful-vue. Image Source:
https://www.photothinking.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/pt-EnsignFulVue-01.jpg

But this lead to some financial problems, leading to another merger (Noir 2013). By 1945 they associated with Elliott and Sons to from Barnet-Ensign. Then they partnered with Ross Ltd., a lens manufacturer, changing its name once again to Barnet Ensign Ross in 1948 (Bayliss 2012). They idea behind this was because “…it was hoped that with the addition of Ross's quality lenses to their existing range of cameras B.E.R. would become a force to be reckoned with. Stating in their own publicity handout; ‘It seems, in fact, beyond doubt that as a result of, the Barnet Ensign Ross alliance the focus of photographic progress has shifted from the continent to Britain’…" (Richmond 1997). 

B.E.R. Selfix 820 camera. Image Source:
https://www.35mmc.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2025-03-29-_A7R6246.jpg

But then changed again to Ross Ensign Ltd. in 1954 (Bayliss 2012). And “…By 1955 Ross-Ensign had moved production from Walthamstow to Ross's Clapham Common factory, where they continued to produce cameras along with lenses and binoculars…” (Richmond 2012).

But unfortunately by 1961 the company stopped (Bayliss 2012), why? Well according to Richmond (1997):

“Ensign was constantly battling against the public belief that foreign cameras particularly those made in Germany were of better quality than British made cameras. By single mindedly attempting to develop high quality folding roll film cameras which would compete with these German companies they exhausted their research and development budget. The company completely ignored the public’s growing interest in 35mm cameras never producing even a prototype 35mm camera, believing so strongly that the larger format of 120 roll film was superior and would never be surpassed…” and “Ensign cameras were expensive and beginning to look old fashioned. Sales dropped too low to fund the research needed for new designs and Ross-Ensign found it could no longer compete with the new 35mm cameras being imported from Germany and the then expanding camera manufacturers of Japan.”

According to Bayliss (2012), Ensign’s factories was taken over by the company Fullers.

Anyway… let’s have a look at the camera at hand, the All-distance Twenty. I must confess, when I first saw this camera, I got it confused with the Isign Pucky I, because the name and their fonts are very similar.

Now for a quick mention of the name, All-distance. There are several cameras that have this name and from what I can find it appears to be only two types of cameras, folding cameras and box cameras.

The folding cameras went by the name All-distance pocket cameras or also known as the All-distance Pocket Ensign 1, which is the same series of cameras that just had a few changes made over the years. The first All-distance pocket came out in 1928 (Early Photography 2020).

Ensign All-distance pocket camera. Image Source:
http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/Images/C966.JPG

This was a year after the first of the two All-distance box cameras (Early Photography 2025). Or at least from what I can find there were possibly only two, but more could exist. The first All-distance camera is the All-distance Ensign box camera released in 1927 (Early Photography 2025).

Ensign All-distance box camera. Image Source:
https://www.collection-appareils.fr/houghton/images/Ensign_All_Distance_Rouge.jpg

This camera looks similar to the All-distance twenty and has similar functions. There are differences between them. Some of these are cosmetic, such as the All-distance Ensign has a hinged back film compartment cover (Warren 2023).

Ensign All-distance box hinged back. Image Source:
https://www.35mmc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/06_hingedback-1024x732.jpg

The other differences are functionality, which I will go through as I closely examine the All-distance Twenty. These differences will also show that the All-distance Twenty is actually a bit of a downgrade to the All-distance Ensign!

Now let’s get into it. The All-distance Twenty was released in 1931 (Early Photography 2025). The name of All-distance refers “…to the lens having two positions…”  (Early Photography 2020). The body is metal and has a “crackle finish” (Warren 2023) or a “crystalline enamel” (Brown). It also has a leatherette covering, which the All-distance Ensign doesn’t have.

The All-distance Twenty has a weight of 500-600g (Art Deco Cameras 2020), although MWClassic believes it to be 1kg. The size of the camera is about 4 x 2.9 x 4.7 inches. But the All-distance Twenty also came in a different version in 1936, which is referred to as “…an Art Deco version was produced which took its design from the prevailing style. It is of metal construction and partially covered in leather-cloth with a chevron design embossed in it. It used an attractive cracked paint on other parts. 'MADE IN ENGLAND BY THE HOUGHTON-BUTCHER MFG.Co.LTD LONDON' is imprinted on the back of the camera...” (Art Deco Cameras 2020).

Ensign All-distance Twenty Art Deco version, 1936. Image Source:
http://www.artdecocameras.com/images/ensign/all-distance-twenty/all-distance-twenty.jpg

Now time for a closer look. Starting with the front.

The lens-

This is a Meniscus lens 1931 (Early Photography 2025), with a possible focal length of 105mm (Art Deco Cameras 2020). Also please see my Pocket Instamatic 10 post for more info on the Meniscus lens.

As mentioned the lens has two positions, which are 10 feet and over when in normal position, but when pulled out it is set to 10 feet and under (Early Photography 2025) or in other words “6 to 10ft and 10ft to inf.” (Art Deco Cameras 2020).

Then above the lens in the left corner are the two brilliant viewfinders (see the Model 1 post). And like all the other box cameras (the Brownie Model 1, No.2, Beau Brownie and the Agfa Box 54) there are two brilliant finders: one for landscape pictures (left) and portrait pictures (right).

This is also another difference between the All-distance Ensign box and the Twenty. The All-distance Ensign box has two tripod sockets for each brilliant finder. The Twenty has no tripod sockets.

Now for the side-

Here is the winding key or film advance knob, which like the Agfa Box 54, is near the top, meaning the film is loaded at the bottom.

Then there is the hook, which is on both sides of the camera. These hooks hold the camera film cover and the camera together. Similar to the Beau Brownie.

Then in a row from top to bottom where the landscape brilliant finder is.

Under that is the shutter speed settings. There are two one is Time (T), meaning the shutter is open for as long as the shutter release is held down and Instant (I), which it the normal setting. The I setting has a speed setting between approximately 1/30 second (AlexSavin 2018) and 1/40 second (Art Deco Cameras 2020).

Then under that is the exposure and f/stop setting. These setting are labelled as Ordinary Light (f/stop of 11 or 16) and Bright Light (f/stop of 16 or 22). It is hard to find the exact f/stop settings. But the f/stop settings is one of the indicators that the All-distance Twenty is a downgrade to the All-distance Ensign box, because the All-distance Ensign box has three aperture settings (Warren 2023). This camera also has a multi-hole aperture.

Then lastly it is the shutter or exposure lever. This one is similar to the Beau Brownie, in that the lever is spring loaded and jumps back to its original position once pressed down and let go. The shutter release also has a shield or rail (like the Box 54) that protects against injuries and accidental double exposure.

The shutter is a rotary shutter. 

Then there is the more unique feature that sets this box camera apart from the others on this blog and that is the wire frame finder (Science Museum Group).

This is also known as a sport finder and is usually in front of the camera, but the All-distance Twenty is on the side. This viewfinder is composed of two parts: the wire frame, which is pulled out and is in the front. Then there is the eye piece, in the back, that is also pulled out, which is “…meant only to locate your eye in the proper place, with the right perspective on the wire rectangle…” (Johnston 2022). 

On top-

Is the portrait brilliant finder and the two studs that the handle/strap (that is missing) is attached to.

Ensign All-distance Twenty with handle/strap. Image Source:
http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/Images/X57.JPG

The on the back-

Is the Houghton-Butcher Mfg.Co.Ltd name and the red film counter window.

 

Now for the film compartment-

This is opened by unhooking the hooks and pulling the winding key out.

Just like the Beau Brownie, the camera splits in two and the film carried/holder is attached to the front/lens of the camera, similar to the Pucky I.

Loading the film is the same as other box cameras. The camera advises the user use Ensign E20 film, which was film made for the E20 box camera and is a 120 film cartage that has 8 to 16 exposures (Art Deco Cameras 2020).

Ensign 120 film advertisement. Image Source:
https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5190/5673162395_c8515fc3d6.jpg

Ensign E20 box camera. Image Source:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/iHQ86r8IYUdBD7vWVRLJ__jUP3zPhYOWRm6glJqx_CE94kw_uUyQXIZdvTmsszXd1_raWBGliGJYw0iiRtw-HANPwSZiETpei4k

The All-distance Twenty takes 2¼x3¼ inch negatives (camerasofyeteryear 2019) and according to Art Deco Cameras (2020) this means that this camera takes 8 exposures with the 120 film. For more info on 120 film please see my Agfa Clack post and to learn how film works please see my 200 Colorplus post.

And there it is. In my opinion this box camera is in the running for one of the most beautiful box camera alongside the Beau Brownie. I even think that this All-distance Twenty camera is better looking than its 1936 Art Deco version.

I like this camera’s steampunk gold and black colour style and the wire finder just makes it even more attractive. Although it is a downgrade from its predecessor, it is still an impressive piece of machinery and worthy of the Ensign name.

What do you think? Do you think the other cameras like the Falcon F or the Billy Record did a better steampunk look? Or do you prefer the Art Deco All-distance Twenty? Do you think it looks better than the Beau Brownie? Let me know in the comments.

And as always I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did researching it. Thank you for making it to the end. 

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List of sources:      

AlexSavin. 2018. Ensign - camera made in East London Walthamstow. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSvqrxaDzXI&t=269s

Art Deco Cameras. Ensign All Distance "Twenty". http://www.artdecocameras.com/cameras/ensign/all-distance-twenty/

Art Deco Cameras. Ensign E20 Box. http://www.artdecocameras.com/cameras/ensign/e20/#:~:text=The%20Ensign%20E20%20Box%20camera%20uses%20rollfilm,can%20produce%20two%20different%20sizes%20of%20exposures

Bayliss, B. 2012. Made In Walthamstow Ensign. https://www.walthamstowmemories.net/pdfs/BillBayliss-EnsignCameras.pdf

Brown, C. Ensign All-Distance 'Twenty' camera. https://collection.guyjbrown.com/blog/ensign-all-distance-twenty-camera/

Camerasofyesteryear. 2019. Houghton: Ensign All Distance Twenty (box, 1936). https://collectiblend.com/Cameras/Houghton/Ensign-All-Distance-Twenty-(box,-1936).html

Early Photography. 2020. All-Distance Pocket Ensign. http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/entry_C966.html

Early Photography. 2025. All-Distance Ensign. http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/entry_X22.html

Johnston, M. 2022. A Short History of Viewfinders. https://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2022/10/finding-the-view.html

MW Classic. Ensign All-Distance Twenty 6×9 Box Camera, black patterned front, with handle. https://mwclassic.com/product/ensign-all-distance-twenty-6x9-box-camera-black-patterned-front-with-handle/

Noir, J. 2013. Ensign. https://www.jnoir.eu/en/cameras/ensign/

Richmond, A. 1997. Houghton-Ensign A Short History. http://www.ensignphotographic.com/ensigncamerapage.htm

Science Museum Group. Ensign Ltd 1930 – 1942. https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/people/cp17673/ensign-ltd

Science Museum Group. 2020. Ensign 'All Distance Twenty' Box Camera, c 1920. https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co16417/ensign-all-distance-twenty-box-camera-c-1920

Warren, T. 2023. Ensign All Distance – A Box Camera from 1927 – By Tony Warren. https://www.35mmc.com/03/03/2023/ensign-all-distance/