KW "Etui" 6x9 Plate Camera Smallest 6x9 ?

[luisalegria]

This is not really a rare camera, nor a particularly good one as this type goes. But it may be unique.







Here beside the 4.5x6 Nettar 515

Looks like your normal German 1920's-30's mini plate camera, right ? Something a bit odd though ?

Odd indeed -





Folded up its even more pocketable than the Nettar 515 ! Its even designed to go in a pocket, everything is smooth and has no snags. And this goes with a 6x9 negative !

Well, that does come with a compromise - it stays this small only if you use glass plates or cut film. The 6x9 roll backs are bigger than the camera -



Well this thing really does have just one trick, and that is the ingenious mechanics that permit it to fold more compactly than other plate cameras and still stay rigid when unfolded. Otherwise its a very typical mid-range plate camera of the time - double extension bellows, rise (but no shift, a major compromise of the design), Compur shutter and a range of good quality lenses - this one has a Meyer Trioplan 10.5cm. Others had Tessars or Xenars. I also have a set of 12cm Tessar lens cells that go right in this shutter and seem to work perfectly.

The compact mechanics do lead to some problems. One must be careful to remember to lower the lens all the way before folding it, and to set the rails all the way back, as otherwise it can either get stuck when opening or get the front standard off the rails. Its also more lightly built than most of these, so one must be wary of using this, it really won't take much abuse.

The other quirk is that its one of those plate cameras that wants its plate, film and roll holders to have narrow rails - many of these that work just fine on a Zeiss Maximar or Voigtlander Avus just will not fit. For instance I have a Rada roll back that won't fix and a Rollex that will; both work fine on my other cameras.

As for "KW" - well, it is indeed that KW -Kamera Werkstatten, aka Praktica, Praktiflex, Praktina, Pentacon .... This is a very early product from that maker.

Mine is in mixed condition - the lens and shutter are great, but the bellows have a lot of pinholes, and my film did suffer a lot from leaks. So its not really a user. Some shots came out though - the Meyer lens seems to be rather decent as far as I can tell.

[Attila]

Incredible size indeed!

[Farside]

A little gem.