Identify this camera

[Lou Baleur]

What is this?

[BradS]

It is a Halsman twin lens reflex...a camera of the photographer's own design. He mentions it in his autobiographical statement here

[lenser]

In the book "Halsman a Retrospective" there are two images of it which show the name Fairchild in front of his name on the label.

[Photochucker]

Chronology link has this tidbit:

1947

Photographs Albert Einstein in Princeton.

Designs an improved version of his twin-lens reflex camera in 4×5 format. Three prototypes, known as the Halsman-Fairchild, are manufactured. PH continues to use this camera for portraits throughout his career.

PC

[Tin Can]

Did anybody use a Saltzman tripod head like that? I assumed you would always use the worm drive gear to tilt the camera fore and aft.

But it does make a pretty picture for Life Magazine.

[Lou Baleur]

I see in that picture there is what looks like an earlier version held by his wife. Too bad these were one-off customs, but it explains why you don't see one of those every day.

[Bill_1856]

It is a Halsman twin lens reflex...a camera of the photographer's own design. He mentions it in his autobiographical statement here

Thank you, Brad.
What a shame that one of the world's greatest photographers is now virtually forgotten, except the he "had the greatest number of LIFE covers."
I never knew Halsman, but was the physician of one of his best friends, who claimed that Yuvanne (sp) was a better photographer, and it was her lighting and posing that made him so successful. Unlike many of the famous photographers of the day who were real bastards, apparently everyone liked and respected Halsman.

[lenser]

I'm curious if anyone would know if this Fairchild would be the same camera manufacturer that built the WWII era aerial cameras?

In complete agreement with others who have commented on what a great photographer he was. His image of Louis Armstrong taken from overhead with a Hasselblad and 40mm Distagon lens has long been my favorite "Life" cover image.