Dany
No longer a newbie, moving up!
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2011
- Messages
- 292
- Reaction score
- 576
- Location
- Paris
- Can others edit my Photos
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This folding camera is a model Visor-Fex from Fotofex
It was released circa 1931. Fotofex was a german company managed by Fritz Kaftanski, a brilliant engineer who designed some other cameras of my collection.
When I saw it first in a yard sale, I did not know anything about it and bargained it for 15 euros.
![Fotofex - Visor Fex [249] small 014.jpg](https://www.thephotoforum.com/attachments/fotofex-visor-fex-249-small-014-jpg.156645/ "Fotofex - Visor Fex [249] small 014.jpg")
Well, you may think that this commonplace 6x9 cm folding camera does not deserve a thread in this forum but you'll see this camera has something special
Back home I opened my dear McKeowns guide and I could read about this camera "Only a handful known in collection" as well as "typically more buyers than sellers" followed by estimated prices that caused me a sudden blood pressure.
And then I was amazed to discover that the small lock at the upper side of the body could be used to open it and then to be able to switch the camera use from rollfilm to plate and the reverse !
This is possible even is the rollfilm is not exposed completely by means of a darkslide inserted on the back.
Accessories like ground glass holders and plate holders were provided with the camera
A smart configuration, I suppose figurative of a period of time when fans of plate and film used to have heavy discussions about the pros and cons of each system.
The camera is fitted with a Jos Scneider & Co Kreuznach Xenar 1:4.5 f 105 lens on a Compur shutter
This recent time, I made search that allowed me to grab two other lens/shutter variations of this model:
- One discovered through classifieds
( Topaz Boyer 1:4.5 f 105 lens on Compur shutter)
The seller told me that the it was discovered at the end of WWII, left by German soldiers in a French house subject to requisition during the occupation by the German army.
- An other one discovered in a trade fair specialized in vintage cameras
(Meyer Görlitz Trioplan 1:4.5 f 105 lens on dial type Pronto shutter)
A catalog of the time...
It was released circa 1931. Fotofex was a german company managed by Fritz Kaftanski, a brilliant engineer who designed some other cameras of my collection.
When I saw it first in a yard sale, I did not know anything about it and bargained it for 15 euros.
Well, you may think that this commonplace 6x9 cm folding camera does not deserve a thread in this forum but you'll see this camera has something special
Back home I opened my dear McKeowns guide and I could read about this camera "Only a handful known in collection" as well as "typically more buyers than sellers" followed by estimated prices that caused me a sudden blood pressure.
And then I was amazed to discover that the small lock at the upper side of the body could be used to open it and then to be able to switch the camera use from rollfilm to plate and the reverse !
This is possible even is the rollfilm is not exposed completely by means of a darkslide inserted on the back.
Accessories like ground glass holders and plate holders were provided with the camera
A smart configuration, I suppose figurative of a period of time when fans of plate and film used to have heavy discussions about the pros and cons of each system.
The camera is fitted with a Jos Scneider & Co Kreuznach Xenar 1:4.5 f 105 lens on a Compur shutter
This recent time, I made search that allowed me to grab two other lens/shutter variations of this model:
- One discovered through classifieds
( Topaz Boyer 1:4.5 f 105 lens on Compur shutter)
The seller told me that the it was discovered at the end of WWII, left by German soldiers in a French house subject to requisition during the occupation by the German army.
- An other one discovered in a trade fair specialized in vintage cameras
(Meyer Görlitz Trioplan 1:4.5 f 105 lens on dial type Pronto shutter)
A catalog of the time...
