Other German TLRsThis is the page for pre- and postwar TLRs which aren't covered by a specific page in their own right. Germany produced a lot of these cameras over the years.
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Bolta-PhotavitBolta-Werk made a range of rollfilm rangefinders in the 1930s under the Photavit brand, and adopted this as its business name after the war. Its Photina range of basic TLRs were also all sold as Sears Tower Reflex models in the US. |
 Photavit PhotinaVery simple TLR with brilliant finder and simple shutter. Also sold as rebadged Sears Tower reflex in the US
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 Photavit Photina Reflex IIIBasic TLR with externally-coupled lenses. Apparently also sold as rebadged Sears Tower reflex in the US
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 Photavit OGA-ReflexThis is a rebadged Photina Reflex II, identical for all practical puposes to that model (although missing the Photavit badge on the lid). It was made for Obergassner of Munich, a wholesale dealer which never made cameras and seems to have been in business between about 1955 and 1970, using the OGA trade name. These seem to be rare items, and this is the only one I've ever seen; it came from Switzerland in near-mint condition.
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_________________________________________________________________________Eho-AltissaThe main TLR products of Eho-Altissa were the Altiflex series, along with a number of rebadged variants for other companies. They also produced a more upmarket, and very rare, model called the Gehaflex around 1937 - I've never seen one, but it is in McKeown's Guide. The name of the company was originally Eho from the late 'twenties, then Amca in 1940, and finally VEB Altissa after WW2. The Altiflexes were in production with a wide range of lenses and shutters from 1937 to around 1950.
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 Eho-Altissa Altiflex IHThe eighth and last variant of the series I Altiflex model, this one in quite nice condition. It has an unusual focusing arrangement by a lever on the side which rotates both lenses simultaneously. This is oOne of those rather tricky TLRs where the whole mechanism slides out of the body in order to change the film (from the front in this case).
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 Eho-Altissa Altiflex 1E MeterA slightly earlier version, but arguably the best of the series, with a rather good lens/shutter set. It is fitted with the optional extra extinction lightmeter in front of the nameplate. This model has an unusual "tacked-on" structure on the right side, designed to provide double exposure prevention. The explanation I have of how it works I have is in German and difficult to follow, but appears to involve a linkage to the red film-position window. If you know more, please email me!
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 Eho-Altissa Altiflex IIThis is a bit of an oddball. According to McKeown, the Altiflex II was not made with the Victar lens found on this one. However, it looks clearly to be a model II (it's identical to the one on Dr Spehr's website) and it certainly does have a Victar objective lens. I suspect that Eho-Altissa carried on with the model II as they always had - using whatever parts they could get at a good price, and which the buyers wanted.
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_________________________________________________________________________Foth TLRsC F Foth & Co. made two main camera ranges in the 1930s in Berlin. The first was the common Derby medium format plate and rollfilm cameras, the second the two Foth-Flex models. A couple of other less common folders were also produced. |
 Foth Foth-Flex IThe Foth-Flexes have an unusual focal-plane shutter of complex design. This one is the standard model I from around 1934. The model 1 used a knob on the left side to focus using a concealed helical gear system. This one is in full working condition, but needs a little tidying to make it perfect.
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 Foth Foth-Flex I f2.5I believe this is a pretty rare camera. The standard Foth-Flex lens is the f4.5 anastigmat as on the other two here. This one, however, is fitted with a heavyweight f2.5 lens, which I think is probably the lowest rated on any camera in my collection - even Rollei never went below f2.8, and the giant folders from Welta and Zeca are f3.5. This particular one has been well-used, and will benefit from a little careful restoration work at some point.
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 Foth Foth-Flex IIMade from 1935; a focusing lever replaced the knob on the series 1. Interestingly, Foth's eccentricity extended to making these model II cameras in different left- and right-handed versions, this one being a relatively scarce leftie.
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Ising Pucky ISolid pseudo-TLR, one of several reflex box models made with unshielded brilliant finders by Ising around 1950. In a variant form, it was sold by Bolsey in the US as the Bolseyflex (click on the picture here to see both) |
 Ising Pucky I |
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Mentor MentorettVery rare 1936 focal-plane shutter TLR; auto-film counter. Well made and solid. Nice popout viewfinder on left side, leather waist-level finder shield. |
 Mentor Mentorett |
_________________________________________________________________________WirginAnother venerable German camera producer whose history is covered in detail elsewhere. The mainstay of Wirgin, both before and after the war, was its various Edixa series, but it dabbled in TLRs, all bought in from other makers. One of these - a very rare rebadged Montanus Rocca - even used the Edixa name. Most, however, are Wirgin Reflex, made by Eho and Richter (see above) and even by Craftex (USA). The latter dates from the period when the eponymous owner of Wirgin was trying to rebuild his business in 1946-7 after Nazi forced takeover in 1938-45. |
.JPG) Wirgin Reflex (Eho Altiflex)Wirgin never seems to have made TLRs, but rebadged at least three other makers'. This is an Eho-Altissa Altiflex (c1940), with extinction meter over the nameplate.
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.JPG) Wirgin Reflex (Richter Reflecta)Another rebadged TLR sold as a Wirgin (c 1940). This time it's actually another variant of the Richter Reflecta (above). A basic, but functional, item.
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