Period German Camera

[Walkwolf]

Possibly uses 620 roll film, if it's still available these days. It might say what type
to use on the inside. I have an old Kodak from the 1920's or 30's with a lens
made by 'Schneider Kreuznach' - they are still in business.

Ben, on the front of the lens cover there is a rectangular metal 'foot' which
pulls out. You can then display the camera in an upright position.........

[meyle77]

Not really period but close ... 1951 East German Beltica.

[drmessimer]

Ben: The full name for the company is Kamera-Fabrik Beier, which was located in Freital, Sachsen. During WWII, the company was contracted for production to U-boats and the Luftwaffe, but I don't know exactly what they supplied, but maybe they provided specialty cameras. In 1945 the Soviets dismanteld the entire factory ansd shipped it to Russia. The company subsequently became part of the East German camera producing industry under Pentacon. The camera you have uses 120 paper-back roll film, which is hard to find and expensive. I found similar 620 film rolls available in the US for about $40 a roll, but I found no 120 rolls at all. Current prices for your camera range from $20 to $60 in the US depending on condition. The Bierax I was a very popular mid-price camera after it was introduced in 1935. Dwight

[Ben Evans]

Again guys many thanks for your time, I think I will leave the film and have the camera on my shelf as a collectors piece lol mind you it would be worth it to get a roll of film just to try it

[groundgunner]

Hi Ben - drmessimer is correct.

This is a Beier Beirax rollfilm camera. It uses 120 film and takes 6x9cm negatives. By the look of it, however, I think it is probably post-war. The first model (from about 1936) had a rounded body rather than the more hexagonal shape, with the pop up sports finder on the opposite side to the wind on knob (the big, black knurled thing). Late model Is (1938-ish onwards) had the hexagonal shape, usually with the sports finder on the side opposite the wind on knob but some had it on the same side (I have one and that's where my finder is). There was an interruption in production during the war as you can imagine but the post-war models (from about 1950 onwards) had the finder on the same side as the wind on but also had the shutter release on the body on the same side as the finder and the wind on. The pre-war cameras either had the release on the shutter itself or had a lever mounted in the lens board (the door that opens and on which the lens and bellows are mounted) but as far as I know they didn't have the shutter release on the body. See this website - Rollfilmkameras 6 x 9

Having said all that, however, the post-war cameras were dual format (6x9 and 6x4.5) and had two red windows on the back. So this might just be a very late pre-war camera!

Cheers, Ian