Merten Merit Box Camera

My Merten Merit Box camera.

We're three weeks into February, which I've deemed Box Camera Month for my blog posts. I purchased this camera about five years ago at a camera show I attended in Kent, WA, a suburb of Seattle. This show, which is a gathering of camera enthusiasts and collectors, is coming up again in early April. It's a great opportunity to see a wide variety of vintage cameras and photography equipment. If you're in the Seattle or Portland area, please stop in. I plan on having another few tables to sell off some of my collection.

 Getting back to the camera of the week, I had previously owned the Merten Merit Box camera many years ago. Still, it wasn't nearly as good of condition as this one. It was missing one of the outer viewfinders, and there were many chips in the Bakelite, so I was pleased to see this example at the Kent camera show, and it was at a very reasonable price. One of the things that initially drew me to the camera was the color of the camera. It has a dark brown color with a smooth texture throughout the camera, with the exception of the faceplate, which has a pebble finish to the Bakelite.

 The other nice thing about this camera is that Merten made two different models. The one I had previously was a 6x4.5cm format camera on 127 film. This camera is a rare version as it takes 120 films and produces a 6x9cm format image, so the negative is larger, and the film type is a lot easier to purchase. The other nice thing about this camera was the handle was intact. Due to how the camera is built, I have seen many examples where the strap is broken or missing. This camera has very few chips in the Bakelite, and the strap is intact and in overall great condition. The shutter also works.

 Since all the stars are aligned with a 6x9cm format camera and a working shutter, the camera takes 120 film. I figured it was time for me to take the camera off the shelf, load film into the camera, dust off and clean the lens, and take a walk around the neighborhood to take photos with this wonderful photo-making machine.

The Company:

French ad for Merit Box

In 1906, the Merten brothers Ernst, August, and Emil founded the Gebrüder Merten Gummersbach (GMG) company in Windhagen-Gummersbach, Germany. They started manufacturing electronic installation components. In 1926, they focused their attention on manufacturing plugs and sockets, which is where their business grew.

 In the early 1930s, Mertens used their Bakelite presses for various purposes, such as producing equipment for laboratories and, yes, in 1933, even producing a series of cameras for the rapidly growing photographic market. These were the only cameras produced by Mertens, and they turned their focus back to the electronic field.

 By 1985, Mertens had grown to the point where they were producing electronic accessories items for the commercial trade, and by the year 2000, intelligent devices were added to their portfolio of electronic products. Merten's products for smart buildings are available in more than 130 countries, where they produce electronic products for residential buildings, offices, public buildings, hotels, schools, hospitals, and businesses. 100 years after they started their business, Schneider Electronics purchased Mertens in 2006.

My Camera:

My Merten Merit Box Camera is 4.5" tall, including the leather strap, 3.5" wide with the winding knob 5.5" deep from the front of the lens to the back of the camera. The camera weighs 1 lb, 1.6 oz without film loaded into the camera. The camera is a typical box camera with two different viewfinders, one for vertical images on top of the camera and one for horizontal images on the right side. 

The Merit Box camera has a Rodenstock lens, around 80mm, and the aperture is F11. There are two positions for the shutter, which is set by a toggle arm below the lens, either a line for instant photos or a round circle setting for timed exposures. There is an option to screw in either a self-timer or cable release just above the shutter release button, which is located just to the right of the lens as you're preparing to take a photo. There is also a sliding bar on top of the camera, which allows for three different aperture settings. When the sliding bar is in the lowest position, the aperture is F11. Then, slide the bar up to the following setting, F16, and all the way to the top would be F22.

On the back of the camera is the name of the camera embossed into the Bakelite, the red window to tell the photographer which frame they are on, Germany, Film B-2, which is an Agfa reference to 120-size film, and finally, the film format 6:9.

 One of the very unique features of the camera other than the beautiful dark brown color is the interwoven strap on top of the camera. The strap or top handle doesn't come off. Instead, it has two interlooped sections that allow the strap to lengthen as you take the front off the back of the camera to load film. This makes it more difficult to load the film as you need to deal with both the front of the camera and the rear when you load film into it. It's not difficult to deal with, but at the same time, it's more than most people are used to when loading a simple box camera, mainly used for the less professional photographer.

There are two locking mechanisms on each side of the camera to load the camera. Rotate the knobs counterclockwise to unlock the back from the front. Then, you'll need to slide the strap apart to allow the camera's front and back to be removed from each other. On my camera, the strap holds the two pieces together as the strap is somewhat tight and stiff. Once you slide the two strap pieces apart, the front and rear of the camera open easily; from there, you can load the film into the camera.

 Once I put a roll of film into the camera, I attached the front to the back of the camera. I turned the locking knobs clockwise to lock the two together and slid the strap back to the shorter position so it would hold the front and the back together a bit better. It could quickly be done if I needed to make the handle a bit longer to hold the strap as I used the camera.

The one thing I noticed when I went to load the film into the camera was the winding mechanism didn't engage with the film spool very well. I needed to press the winding knob, and I was turning the knob to advance the film. The flat end of the winding mechanism that fits into the spool didn't seem long or thick enough to fit tightly into the film spool. The whole winding mechanism seemed very wobbly. I did try t tighten the screw, but that didn't help. The camera is almost 100 years old (92 years), and I'm guessing that it's just worn a bit, but I doubt it's been used very much because the strap is in great condition and still intact.

 

My Results:

Now that I had wrestled with the strap and held both the front and rear of the camera in my lap to load the camera with a roll of 120 films, it was time to take a walk through the neighborhood to see the results from this beautiful brown bakelite camera from the early 1930s. Here are some of the results from my walk.

Conclusion:

The one thing that I struggle with when using these simple box cameras is the close distance required to get a somewhat sharp image. Since it was somewhat sunny outside, I figured that using the sunny 16 rule would be my rule of thumb for exposures. 

 For those unfamiliar with the Sunny 16 rule, you use the shutter speed closest to the ASA, or as it's known now, ISO in your camera. (Yes, I'm old school.) If it's sunny outside, you use f16. I had ASA 125 film in the camera and figured the shutter speed was close to that, so I put the aperture setting in the middle setting for my exposures outside.

 I photographed my daughter and her dog, Bean, initially about 4 to 5 feet away. Then I took a step back, and the photo still was out of focus, as were many of the images I took between 4-6 feet from the subject. The one image that is nice and sharp is the more scenic photo of one of the neighbors' houses, which turned out very well. My guess is the best minimum distance is 8-10 feet away, looking at some of the results I achieved.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes from your day to look over this unique and simple camera from about a century ago. It was fun to take it off the shelf and use it as it was intended. The results are the best, and my guess is that due to several different reasons, the Merten Merit Box camera wasn't a huge seller during its time.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Gomag Holly Camera

My Gomag Holly Camera

As I declared February as 'Box Camera' month, I found myself gazing at the camera collection on the shelf above my desk. Tucked away in the back corner was a hidden gem, the Gomag Holly camera, a treasure I had forgotten about until I reached my hand back there. The joy of rediscovering this unique piece of history was overwhelming, and it brought back a flood of memories.

 Looking back at my records, I purchased this camera in late 2010 or early 2011 from an online auction with a few other box-style cameras. What intrigued me about this camera was its unique design, with two viewfinders built into one camera, and its ability to set both shutter speeds and aperture, which was unusual for a simple box-style camera. The rarity of the Gomag Holly camera added to its allure, making it a prized possession in my collection. 

 Another thing I liked about the Gomag Holly camera was the rounded corners, which gave it a less industrial look and a more refined appearance—something you'll want to pick up and use. When I picked up the camera to start writing about it, I heard something rattling around in it. My initial thought was that the camera wouldn't be usable. Still, I opened the camera and found one of the film transport rollers lying in the back of the camera.

 When I initially purchased the camera, I can't remember if I noticed that three of the sockets that hold the two rollers on the back of the camera, which prevent the film from scraping across the film plane, were missing. If I remember correctly, I didn't think much of it then because I thought, "I'd never really put the camera to use," as it was mainly for the show in my collection. That was until recently when I viewed the camera and wanted to write about it for my weekly blog post.

The Company:

I've done exhausting searches on the web. I cannot find anything about this camera or its manufacturer. I did come across an article from the Photographic History Society of Canada named The Holly and the Ivy that did a very short article about this camera, and in the article, they state the camera was made by Allgäuer Kamerwerkstatte Gomag, which roughly translates to (Allgäuer) a region in southern Germany, (Kamerwerkstatte) Camera Workshop, (Gomag), which is my guess of the company that produced the camera. They were located in Pfonten, Germany.

Holly camera logo

The only other information I can find about this camera comes from McKeown's Camera Guide from 2005-2006 on Pg. 361, which states there were actually two versions of the camera. The first version was from Gomag and had "HOLLY" embossed above the lens in 1950. Then, the company was purchased by Dr. Riemerschmid & Co., and the later version without the embossed name and with different lenses and shutters was shown at Photokina the same year but was not released until 1952. According to the McKeowns' Guide, the earlier Gomag version has Emylar or Gomar lenses, and the later Riemerschmid has the Rictar lens. They also state that the last version has "Riemerschmid & Co. Munchen" around the shutter face. Still, my camera doesn't have that, so there must be different versions, or I didn't bother with this camera.

 I've looked at several websites about camera manufacturers but cannot find any information about them. If you're reading this and do have information, please write to me and let me know. I'd love to add that information as an update when I have it.

 The one thing that I enjoyed reading the article on the camera was that the camera they were writing about was red. Now, that excited me, as I'd love to have a red version of the camera. The thought of owning a rare and unique red Gomag Holly camera keeps me hunting for the odd and unusual cameras. There may be a red version somewhere that they won't appreciate and will let me purchase for a reasonable price. My fingers are crossed.

My Camera:

My Gomag Holly camera is a bakelite camera that measures 4.25" tall, including the viewfinder in the collapsed position, by 3.5" wide, including the winding knob, by 4" deep, and it weighs 11.3 oz. The Gomag Holly camera has an 80mm f3.5 Rictar lens; mine has serial number 1886T. The camera has three different shutter speeds: 1/200, 1/50, 1/25, and "B" for timed exposures. The shutter speeds are set by sliding a ring around until you get the black pointer pointing to the desired speed. There is a small knob on the shutter speed ring that makes moving the shutter speed dial easier. You'll need to cock the shutter t, which is above the shutter speed setting ring and is pulled in the counterclockwise motion to cock the shutter. The shutter release is in the upper right-hand corner as you hold the camera to fire. There is a flash PC outlet on the other side of the shutter release, which I find somewhat odd, especially for a box-style camera.

 When  I first picked up the camera for this blog post and started to fire the shutter, I noticed that the shutter was lagging. It would fire, but the speeds seemed very slow. One thing I learned early on was to "exercise" shutters, so I spent the next ten minutes cocking and firing the shutter, which seemed to work well. After just a few minutes, the 1/200 was working as it should, and all the shutter speeds seemed to spring back to life and were firing at what sounded like the correct speed.

 The aperture setting ranges from F3.5 to F16. It is set under the lens, indicated by a silver pointer indicating which aperture is being set. The focus on the lens ranges from 1 meter to Infinity. It is stated on the top of the camera by a black triangle, along with the depth of field scale on either side of the focus mark.

A dial on the side of the camera is turned counterclockwise to open the back to open the camera. A small red dot on the dial points forward when the camera is locked and to the rear of the camera when it is unlocked, and the camera body can pull away from the lens to load the film.

Since my camera was missing the two rollers that the film rolls across during transport, I didn't want the roll of film to drag across the shutter, causing scuffs and possible static on the film during transport from frame to frame. I wanted to add felt to the sides of the film opening to decrease the possibility of scratches. I didn't have felt in my bag of tools, etc., but I did have some very old and expired rolls of 35mm film, which I use as test rolls. I thought these canisters were made of felt material, so I took the canisters apart and peeled the felt from them. Unfortunately, the felt on the 35mm canisters is too short, so I needed a couple to cobble together.

Once I took the back off the camera and pulled the felt off the 35mm canisters, I did have some excellent double-sided tape, which I cut into strips and placed on the top and side of the film opening. After that, I cut the felt from the film canisters into lengths that would fit onto the back of the film area, and since I needed two to cover the area, I staggered them on different sides of the film chamber. I probably didn't need to stagger them, but in my mind, it was the right thing to do.

 Once the film was in place, I let them adhere for a few minutes. I took an Exakto knife and trimmed any excess from the film area so I didn't have straggler hairs from the felt hanging over the film chamber. I wanted a clean edge between frames. Once I had that done, I loaded the camera with a roll of 100 ISO/ASA film into the camera. I proceeded to advance the film until I saw the "start" on the film backing. I put the film back onto the camera body and locked the back in place, then proceeded to wind to my first frame, looking through the closable window on the back of the camera.

On top of the camera are the viewfinders. There are actually two on this camera. In the back of the collapsed viewfinder is a small ridge. You pull back, and the "sport" finder pops up. You can pull up a smaller glass finder within the more extensive sports finder. A round glass lens is on the bottom of the rear portion of the sports finder. When the glass finder is pulled up, you can view your subject through the rear glass lens, which looks clever for a simple box-style camera and does a fantastic job when viewing through. To collapse the glass finder, push it down, and a clip will hold it into place. Then, you can close the "sport" finder's back portion and the larger front folds to keep them in place. It is a straightforward but valuable addition to the camera.

My Results:

Now that I have the camera loaded with film, it's time to walk through the neighborhood and see what results I can get from it. Since the camera has a "B" setting, I wanted to see how it would do on some longer exposures, especially since, living in the Northwest, we don't get much sun between November and March.

 Here are some of the results I achieved with the Gomag Holly Camera.

Conclusion:

The camera did an outstanding job. The images were sharp, well-exposed, and very good for a relatively simple box-style camera. The camera was very fun to use, and I had a fun time getting the camera in the proper shooting condition. The felt on the back of the film chamber worked well, especially since the two film rollers were missing. I'll need to get a small swatch of felt to keep in my bag of tricks in case I need to do the same to another camera I come across. If I go to sell the camera, I can always take the tape off along with the felt and have the camera back in the condition in which I purchased it.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes from your busy schedule to read about a very unknown but fantastic camera.

 Until next week, please be safe.

 

Finetta 88 Camera

My Finetta 88 camera

The Finetta 88 camera caught my eye on a visit to London a year or so ago when I had about an hour during a walk down Portabello Road. I met with Juliano, the owner of Cameras London, who was still in the process of setting up. As I was looking over his extensive items on the multiple tables he has, I saw the grey body of the Finetta 88 camera. 

 If you are a camera enthusiast and can go to Portabello Road during the weekends, I highly recommend seeing Juliano. He has an incredible selection of older wood cameras with brass lenses and many of the more common 35mm point-and-shoot cameras that seem to be all the rage now.

 As I've mentioned a few times, I'm always drawn to the camera with either a different color or if there is something odd or unusual about the item. Not only is the Finetta that I saw covered in a gray covering on the camera, but the lens is somewhat off-center, giving the camera an "out of the ordinary" look. I put the Finetta 88 camera aside and looked over many other cameras I wanted to purchase. As we discussed the price, I picked up the Finetta again and added it to the few items I purchased that day, and I'm glad I did.

The Company

Finetta-Werk was a German camera manufacturer with roots tracing back to Kamerawerk Peter Saraber, a company founded by Peter Saraber in 1945 in Goslar, Germany. Saraber, a Dutch engineer, initially focused on producing precision optical equipment in the post-war era during heightened demand for affordable and efficient photographic devices. Saraber teamed up with a Voigtlander engineer, Helmet Finke, around 1947 to design and develop a new camera.

 "Finetta" was introduced in the late 1940s, marking the company's transition toward a more consumer-friendly image. The Finetta cameras, characterized by their simplicity, durability, and relatively low cost, appealed to post-war Europe's growing middle class. Early models, such as the Finetta 88, showcased Saraber's dedication to compactness and practicality, featuring a straightforward mechanism for capturing 35mm images, including a new two-leaf shutter system, which they applied for a patent. They also invented a new film advance system with double exposure prevention.

Ad for Finetta 88 camera taken from Mike Eckman website.

 By the 1950s, the company rebranded as Finetta-Werk and expanded its product lineup. The Finetta 99 was notable for its interchangeable lenses, which had a new three-prong lens mount and included a series of four different lenses. The lenses included a Colorfinar 70mm f/5.3, a Telec 90mm f/4.5, a wide-angle 35mm Berthiot lens, and the normal Finetar 45mm f2.8 lens. Along with the lenses, Finetta improved design quality, reflecting a shift toward competing with established brands like Kodak and Agfa. 

 Another interesting fact is that in 1954, Finetta started working with Jacques Bolesy of the Bolsey camera company to help with the design and production of their small, compact Bolsey 8 subminiature still and movie camera. Unfortunately, Finetta went out of business soon after and closed their factory in 1957.

 Finetta cameras were often praised for their ergonomic designs and mechanical reliability, offering a stepping stone for amateur photographers transitioning into more serious photographic endeavors.

My Camera:

My Finetta 88 camera is covered in an odd fabric. It has a herringbone-style pattern and is not the normal leather or leatherette covered in most cameras. It is more of a fabric material, but it does have a great feel to it, and I like the greyish color, which gives the camera an elegant appearance. 

 

The Finetta is 3" tall by 5 1/8" wide by 2.5" deep from the front of the lens to the back of the camera, and weighs 1lb, and .7 ozs, and comes with a Finetar 45mm f2.8 lens which has a three-prong bayonet. There is no locking mechanism on the lens mount, so you must be careful when focusing on the camera. If you turn the lens too far, the mount will start to move, and the lens will pop off, which is pretty small. The lens does "click" into place, but it can somewhat easily come off without the locking pin.

My lens focuses from 2.8 feet to infinity. It may focus closer as the lens rotates past the 2.8-foot mark on the lens. The aperture settings are on the inside of the focus ring. The camera doesn't have an internal focus system, so all the focus is guesswork, judging the distance, and setting focus. The aperture range is from f2.8 to f16 and is indicated by a small notch on the setting ring.

 With the lens removed, you can easily see the two-leaf shutter system. The camera only has a few different shutter speeds, ranging from 1/250, 1/100, 1/50, 1/25, and "B" for timed exposures. The shutter speeds are set on a very small and challenging knob next to the lens. 

One thing I noticed about the camera when I first picked it up and started to play with it was that things seemed backward from what I am used to. I'm used to filming advanced turning in a clockwise movement, but this camera goes counterclockwise. It's the same as taking the back off the camera to load the film. To open the back, you turn the knob on the bottom in a clockwise motion. The back is held onto the camera with none other than a bolt-style fastener which is held onto the camera with a larger circular nut that screws on to keep the back onto the camera body. To me, that is the motion to tighten, but on this camera, it's the motion to untighten and remove the back to load the film.

 When I removed the back from the camera, I noticed a couple of things right away. My Finetta 88 had a film cassette in the camera. I'm not 100% sure who makes this cassette. Still, it's very similar to the Leica cassettes in design, with two outer compartments and an inner spool. The cassette is also held into the camera with a locking lever that slides over the end of the cassette to keep it in place. The second item I noticed was a bright and shiny pressure plate over the shutter area to keep the film flat as it's transported across the chamber. The pressure plate needs to be lifted when loading the 35mm film. The third item noticed was a larger, thicker take-up spool on the camera's right side. This one is similar to what I wrote about with the Corfield Periflex camera. There is a slot to put the 35mm leader into, which is needed to load the camera.

A built-in, double exposure prevention system is within the camera's transport. Once you trip the shutter, under the take-up spool is a small piece of metal that pushes out and stays out until you wind the camera, which cocks the shutter and flattens that piece of metal, allowing you to take the next photo. I guess there's a pin that pushes out the metal piece, and when the film is advanced, it will enable the pin to fall back into place for the next photo.

On top of the camera is nothing more than the film advance knob on the right side, which turns counterclockwise to advance to the next frame. The frame counter, accessory/flash shoe, and rewind knob are on the far left.

 

My Results:

The camera is very straightforward and somewhat basic in its operations. I didn't use the 35mm cassette that came with the camera; I just used a regular 35mm roll of film. I put in a roll of T-Max 125 film and walked through the neighborhood to see what kind of results the camera could produce. After I got back from my walk through the neighborhood, I processed the film, and here are a few of the shots I took.

My Conclusion:

The Finetta 88 camera took a bit to get used to. I kept on trying to turn the advance knob in the wrong direction; the shutter speed dial was small and difficult to turn. That may be more of a camera cleaning issue, but I changed to other speeds. The lens did start to unmount a couple of times, but nothing disastrous to the point where the lens fell off the camera. The focus is smooth on my camera; it was more operator malfunction than anything, but overall, the camera was enjoyable to shoot with, and I think the lens I have on this camera is sharp.

 I'll definitely want to shoot with this camera in the future. It was fun and a pleasant experience overall.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes from your day to learn about this interesting mid-century camera I have in my collection.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Art Deco Rolleicord 1

My Rolleicord 1

Some cameras look so amazing that you consider them more of a work of art than a mechanical piece of metal and glass that takes photos. That was my thought the first time I saw the Rolleicord 1. While the Rolleicord 1 is a fairly plain camera, it's the "skin" that gives it a "wow" factor.

 It's the same feeling I had when I saw cameras like the cameras designed by Walter Teague, like the Kodak Beau Brownies, The Petite Coquette, and the Gift Kodak. They are more of something you'd see in a museum rather than take out and take photos with.

 It has more to do with the Art Deco era; these items were manufactured in, and along with the pride in artistry, the companies had to present something to their audience than we currently have. The fact that a camera company in the 1930s would introduce a new line of cameras with such a striking appearance is a bold statement and a testament to the Rollei name.

The History:

Rollei holds a significant place in photographic history. Founded in 1920 in Braunschweig, Germany, by Paul Franke and Reinhold Heidecke, the company originally bore the name "Franke & Heidecke." Initially, it focused on precision mechanical devices, but by the mid-1920s, Rollei began producing cameras that would revolutionize photography.

 Rollei gained international recognition in 1929 with the launch of the Rolleiflex, the first twin-lens reflex (TLR) camera. The Rolleiflex was compact, robust, and designed for medium-format photography. Its unique twin-lens system featured one lens for viewing and focusing and another for capturing the image on film. This innovative design allowed photographers to frame shots at waist level, making candid photography more discreet and practical. The Rolleiflex quickly became a favorite among professionals and enthusiasts, particularly for portrait and documentary work.

The success of the Rolleiflex led to the introduction of the Rolleicord, a more affordable version aimed at amateur photographers. Both models showcased Rollei's commitment to precision engineering and optical excellence, which became hallmarks of the brand.

 During the 1930s and 1940s, Rollei continued to innovate, refining the Rolleiflex and Rolleicord lines with features such as automatic film winding and improved optics. Despite the challenges of World War II, the company maintained its reputation for high-quality cameras. In the post-war era, Rollei played a significant role in the resurgence of the German camera industry.

French ad for Rolleicord 1

The 1950s and 1960s marked a golden age for Rollei. The Rolleiflex TLR became synonymous with professional photography and was used by renowned photographers such as Richard Avedon, Diane Arbus, and Vivian Maier. Rollei also ventured into other formats and technologies. The Rolleiflex 35mm SLR, introduced in the late 1950s, showcased the company's adaptability to the changing market demands.

By the 1970s, the rise of Japanese camera manufacturers like Nikon, Canon, and Minolta introduced intense competition. These companies offered high-quality single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras at more affordable prices, challenging Rollei's dominance in medium-format and professional photography.

In response, Rollei diversified its product line, introducing the Rolleiflex SL66, a medium-format SLR, and the compact Rollei 35, which became one of its most miniature 35mm cameras. Despite these innovations, Rollei struggled to maintain its market share due to its higher production costs and its competitors' rapidly advancing technology.

 In the 1980s and 1990s, Rollei faced financial difficulties, leading to changes in ownership and restructuring. The company shifted focus to digital imaging and niche markets, including high-end studio cameras and digital backs for medium-format systems.

The Rollei legacy endures as a symbol of German engineering and innovation, reflecting a century of dedication to the art and science of photography.

My Camera:

The Rolleicord 1 was made between 1933 and early 1936, with 32,508 units sold. The camera is nickel-plated and decorated with a trompe-l'oeil grid on all sides except the bottom, giving it its unique look. In 1934, Franke & Heideke produced a version of the camera without the beautiful pattern finish and covered the body in drab black leather, which was the Rolleicord 1, model 2.

 My Rolleicord 1 is 5.25" tall with the chimney closed and 8" tall with the chimney up, by 4" deep, by 3.5" wide, including the focus knob. It weighs 1 lb, 15.4 oz, so just under 2 lbs. The serial number on the camera is 029789, which is stamped into the body with the back door opened. The camera has a Carl Zeiss Jena Triotar 7.5cm f4.5 lens in a Compur shutter. 

The shutter speeds range from 1/300 to 1 sec., along with "B" and "T" settings. For transparency purposes, my shutter isn't in the best condition and only works on the top three speeds (1/300, 1/100, 1/50 sec.). It doesn't close if I use any of the slower speeds. The shutter speeds are set by turning the collar around the lens to the desired shutter speed, which is indicated by a triangle. 

 The camera's aperture setting ranges from f4.5 to F32. A pointing triangle and a separate collar on the other side of where you set the shutter speed determine the aperture setting.

 To cock the shutter, you slide the bar under the lens to the right as you're holding the camera to take a photo. With the same lever, you slide the lever to the left to take the photo. There aren't separate levers for cocking the shutter and tripping the shutter. It's all done with the same bar. Me, I like that, so you're not looking to cock the shutter in one area and take the photo in a different area. Very smooth and easy. There is also a socket for a cable release on the bottom of the shutter at approximately the 7 o'clock position.

To load the camera with film, simply pull the back release on the bottom of the camera, and the back will swing open. To take the empty spool of 120 film from the bottom chamber, you'll need to pull out the film knob on the right, which will allow you to take the empty spool out of the camera. 

 Pulling out the winding knob will allow you to put the empty spool in the top portion of the camera to advance the film to the next frame. Press the winding knob to keep the empty film spool in place. Put the new roll of film into the bottom chamber and press back in the film knob to keep the roll in place.

 Once you have the empty spool on the top and the new roll of film on the bottom, remove the tape that keeps the roll closed, pull the leader over the bottom and top roller, and slide the film's end into the take-up spool slot. Wind the film onto the take-up spool with the advance knob until you see an arrow pointing to the ends of the film. At this point, you can close the back door and wind the film to your first frame.

The frame counter on the left side of my camera body isn't working. Luckily, on the bottom of the camera, there is a red window you can use to see when you're in the first frame. Unfortunately, this numbering system on the film rolls is used for 6x9 format, so using this method, I only got eight images on a roll of 120 film instead of the standard twelve for 6x6 format cameras.

 To focus on your subject, pull up the chimney by slightly pulling back the release on the back of the chimney, and pull up, which will expose the large focusing screen. On the right side of the camera is the focusing knob. The focusing distance is from 0.8 meters to infinity. Turn the focusing knob to bring your subject into focus on the screen.

A fine focus magnifier on a spring rests on the back of the chimney. Bring the magnifier around to the top of the viewfinder. Mine stays in place, allowing the photographer to bring their eye closer to the magnifying glass for fine focus. When not using the fine focus magnifier, it can be swung back to the back of the finder so you can see the full image on the focusing screen. You can also slide the front portion of the chimney back and use the chimney as a sport finder if needed.

Exposure index and depth of field scale on back of the Rolleicord 1 camera.

On the back of the camera is an exposure guide and depth of field scale. This scale was produced in German, French, and English for the different markets. My guide on the back is in German. According to the Rolleicord 1 manual, the exposure guide is rated for DIN 26, which would be ASA/ISO 320

 

My Results:

It's in the northwest United States in early January, which means very little sunshine. So I loaded up the camera with some 400 ISO film and walked around the neighborhood to see what I could get from this Rolleicord 1 camera. Knowing I only had the top three speeds to work with, this wasn't too much of an issue as the sun was generally behind clouds most of the day; it wasn't that dark out, and it typically shows between 1/300 and 1/100 shutter speed.

 Here are some of the results from my Rolleicord 1 camera.

Conclusion:

WOW!!! What a fun camera to shoot with. I forget how much I enjoy shooting with a TLR camera. It reminds me of my wedding shooting days many years ago. Looking down at your subjects and seeing such a nice big image brings back many good memories.

Even though the Rolleicord was made for amateur photographers, the lens is fantastic, easy to use, and excellent Rollei camera quality. I only had to keep reminding myself that when you see something going right in the finder, you need to turn left. If something comes into the frame on the right, it is really on the left in real life. I like the ability to keep things square, and while I prefer a panoramic format, having a square image is interesting and gives a new perspective.

 Thank you for taking some time from your day to read about this fantastic camera.

 Until next week, please be safe.

VP Exakta Model B

Knowing me, the more odd and unusual the item is, the more I enjoy it. The VP Exakta, also known as the "standard" Exakta, is just one of these cameras. The VP Exakta camera has such a classic design. They are sleek, angular, somewhat small but fits well into your hands when holding them. The VP stands for Vest Pocket, which refers to the 127 size film used in this camera and was introduced to fit into the folding Vest Pocket cameras from Kodak started in 1912. This camera isn't small by any stretch of the imagination, but interesting. They call this the VP model due to the size of the film used.

My VP Exakta Model B camera

My VP Exakta Model B camera

The VP Exakta started being produced in 1933 and is an SLR or Single Lens Reflex camera utilizing the 127 size film made by Ihagee in Dresden, Germany. The Ihagee company has a very long history and well known in the photographic community for its cameras and accessories. Here is one of the best websites about the company and cameras. Let me tell you a little about the company before I get more into the camera.

The Company

The company started as Industrie- und Handelsgesellschaft in Dresden, Germany. Johan Steenbergen, a Dutchman, started it in 1912. The name changed to Ihagee due to the German pronunciation of IHG or "ee-hah-get." In the early years, the company was making wooden plate style cameras. You can see their 1914 German language catalog here. In 1918 they changed their name to Ihagee Kamerawerk Steenbergen & Co and six woodworking employees producing products.

After WWI, they had some horrible financial problems, much as other German companies did. After the war, the company dissolves but reappears in the early 1920s, whereby in 1925, they are producing 1000 roll film cameras a day. In 1933 they introduced the first in this line of cameras known as the Exakta A. The camera has a cloth focal-plane shutter that had shutter speeds up to 1/1000 sec, which was extremely fast for its time. Even the Leica's of the same era only had shutter speeds to 1/500 sec.

During WWII, production ceased, and Steenbergen, a Dutch national, transferred ownership of the company to an excellent friend and the company employees due to the tensions between the Netherlands and Nazi Germany. After WWII, Dresden was part of the Soviet-occupied part of Germany. Because Ihagee was Dutch-owned, the East Germans didn't want to damage international relationships, so they produced their popular 35mm Kine Exakta. These were the first 35mm SLR cameras made, and the VP Exaktas paved the way for this prevalent model. It's the camera most people are familiar with or associate what Exakas are today.

 In 1950, Pentacon took over Ihagee and was producing cameras under their name. In 1959, Steenbergen returned to Frankfurt, Germany, and started Ihagee West, making some unsuccessful camera. Steenbergen died in 1967, and the company dissolved in 1976.

The Camera.

The VP Exakta or Standard Exakta took eight 6x4.5cm exposures on 127 size film. They have shutter speeds from 1/25, 1/50, 1/100, 1/200, 1/300, 1/600, and 1/1000 plus "B." The newer "B" model came out later the same year. They started calling the original model "A." The more recent "B" model incorporated extended shutter speeds and a self-timer. The extended shutter speeds were 1/10, 1/2, and seconds of exposure up to 12 seconds, giving the "B" model a shutter speed range from 12 sec. to 1/1000. There are also settings for B and Z. The Z setting is for "time" exposures on the shutter speed dial. I own this model of Exaktas. The later model "C" incorporated interchangeable backs for ground glass focus and film plates. It also had a film advance lever, and they also made the camera with a chrome finish.

The camera's size is 6" wide by 2" tall by 2.5" deep, including the lens, and it weighs 28 oz. I enjoy the camera's trapezoid shape, which, to me, is one of the finer points. The cameras came with several different lenses. The camera I have has the more expensive Tessar f2,8 lens, similar in price to the Zeiss Xenar 2.9 lens. You can look through the 1933 German catalog here. The aperture range on my camera goes from f2.8-22 and is set by the knurled ring outside the lens. I also enjoy seeing the exposed helicoid when you focus the lens. It gives the camera a more industrial look. The helicoid on my camera freezes up and is next to impossible to move unless I put some lighter fluid on the helicoid to loosen it up, but that only lasts a few hours, then it freezes up again.

The focal plane shutter on my camera sometimes works, but it is mainly in the closed position. I can get it to fire at times, but winding the camera to advance the shutters is exceptionally challenging, so I mostly use the camera for display purposes. The film fits into a holder, which then fits into the camera body. To put the film spool on the holders, you unscrew the film holder's bottom and slide the film reel over the holder's center and screw the base back onto the holder before putting it back into the camera.

Conclusion:

I enjoy this camera and am looking into getting the camera repaired to shoot film through it. If any of you out there have had one repaired or know of a reputable repair facility in the US that can handle the repair, please let me know. I'd enjoy running through some 127 films through it to see how it operates, especially if I can get it to shoot for 12 seconds.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes from your schedule to read my post. If you have questions or concerns regarding this post or any of the others I've written, please email me. I'd love to hear from you.

 Until next week, please be safe and hope you have a joyous holiday.