C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
View profile →compact-35mm
The Robot Junior (1955) is a simplified, budget-oriented version of the Robot Star spring-motor camera, built by Otto Berning & Co. of Düsseldorf, West Germany. It produces 24×24mm square frames on standard 35mm film and uses the same spring-motor rapid-sequence mechanism as the Star and Royal models, but with a reduced specification to lower the purchase price.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
View profile →C41
Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
View profile →C41
Kodak UltraMax 400 is a versatile consumer-grade ISO 400 daylight-balanced color negative film with T-grain emulsion, delivering warm Kodak colors, fine-for-speed grain (PGI 46), and wide exposure latitude. Currently in production and available globally as a single-roll and multi-pack.
Develop 35mm film
Labs in our directory that process 35mm film.
Before you buy used
About this camera
The Robot Junior was Berning's entry-level spring-motor camera — all the rapid-sequence charm of the Robot at a reduced price, with a simpler lens and no viewfinder brightener.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm, 24×24mm square (50 exp per 36-exp roll) |
| Mount | Robot bayonet |
| Years | 1955–1960 |
| Standard lens | Schneider Radionar 38mm f/2.8 (or Xenar on some) |
| Shutter | Focal-plane: 1/25s – 1/500s + B |
| Flash sync | 1/25s |
| Film advance | Spring motor (approx. 8 frames per wind) |
| Meter | None |
| Viewfinder | Optical direct, simple |
| Battery | None |
The Robot Junior was introduced in 1955 to provide a lower-cost entry into the Robot ecosystem at a time when the Robot Star and Royal models were selling well to professional, institutional, and serious amateur buyers. The Junior targeted the price-conscious amateur who wanted the spring-motor convenience and square format of the Robot system without the full cost of a Star.
Production ran until approximately 1960. The Junior was never as commercially significant as the Star or Royal models and was discontinued as the product line consolidated around the more capable cameras. It is correspondingly rarer on the used market today.
The Robot Junior occupies an interesting position: it is the most accessible entry point into the Robot spring-motor system. Prices are generally lower than equivalent Star or Royal examples, and the Robot bayonet mount means that better lenses can be fitted from the wider Robot lens pool. The Radionar 38/2.8 standard lens is a capable triplet — somewhat less resolving than the Xenar at wide apertures but sharp enough stopped down to f/8.
For photographers attracted to the Robot's compact square-format rapid-sequence capabilities, the Junior is a sensible starting point if a Star or Royal in good condition is not available within budget.
The Robot bayonet mount accepts all Robot-bayonet lenses:
C41
Kodak ColorPlus 200 is an affordable, consumer-oriented daylight-balanced color negative film at ISO 200. Known for warm, slightly muted color rendition, fine grain, and wide exposure latitude, it is currently in production and widely available in Asia and select global markets.
View profile →BW
Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
View profile →Robot Junior
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