Bell & Howell Foton

camera

The Bell & Howell Foton typically sells for £480 (median of 15 recorded sales, 1998–2024; fair evidence).

Typical sale price
£480

median of 15 sales, 1998–2024

Fair
£500£1k£2k

Middle half of sales: £378–£583

Hammer prices, buyer’s premium removed; eBay as soldHow ↗

Not in the typical price

Listed apart, never blended in.

Over time

£500£1k£2k200020102020

Every sale since 1998; no trend line.

Latest sales All 16 →

What it is

{"overview":"The Bell & Howell Foton is a 35mm rangefinder camera produced in the United States in the late 1940s. The Foton is scarce and condition-sensitive, so what a given example sells for depends heavily on cosmetic state, mechanical function and completeness; exceptional examples have driven the upper end of the value range.","buying_guide":"Because production numbers were low, parts and qualified service are difficult to source, so inspect the spring-driven rapid-wind mechanism, shutter speeds and rangefinder alignment carefully before buying.

Generated summary, 24 Apr 2026 — not checked by hand; prices on this page come from the sales, not from this text.

Questions

What is a Bell & Howell Foton worth today?

In 2026 the market value at auction is typically a few hundred to around two thousand pounds, with clean, fully functional examples commanding the top of that range.

Why is the Foton priced higher than many 1940s 35mm cameras?

It was a low-production, high-specification American 35mm rangefinder with a spring-motor wind, so surviving examples are scarce and collector demand supports the price.

Facts

Maker
Bell & Howell
Type
camera
Sales in the typical price
15
First sale
9 Jul 1998
Latest sale
1 Jan 2024
Median
£480
Middle half
£378–£583
Evidence
Fair
Method
v1

Cite this page

“Bell & Howell Foton: typical sale price £480, the median of 15 recorded sales, 1998–2024, middle half £378–£583 (Fair, method v1).” cameraworth.com, retrieved 8 October 2026. https://www.cameraworth.com/b/bell-howell/foton/

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