Posted 8 years ago
SpiritBear
(813 items)
I picked this up because I thought it was really cool looking. When I got it home and tried looking through the view finder, I was confused as it was all so blurry. I decided to take a picture of that, and I pushed the 'focus' button of mine which momentarily focused it (before going back to blur). Somehow that inspired me to put the camera down near my belly and then look at it.
I was incredibly amazed-- in awe: The image was so clear through the view-finder. I couldn't believe it. It was like looking back through time. I cannot really explain it, why that did more than a photo from some time back in the past. It just was.
I think this is a mid-1920s German-made folding Ihagee with a Triplex Anastigmat lens. It was incredibly dusty, but I cleaned it up.
Everything seems to work properly, and there are no holes or anything. But I do not know how to access the film compartment. Help on that, and any information that can be provided for the camera like exact age, commonality, etc? Could it be possible to find film for it, so I can use it again?
Also, why does one part say Ihagee and another say Jhagee?
Thank you.
The camera is definitely German and is more than likely an Ultrix-Simplex by Ihagee Kamerawerk (Dresden, Germany). It is probably the 6x9 cm model (can be confirmed by measuring the format at the film plane) which would be catalogue Nr. 1360. It was available from c.1927 - 1933.
The body looks like it is leather covered (as opposed to leatherette), which means it dates from c.1927 to about 1929. In addition, the version you posted was available with the lens / Zenith shutter combination and is correct for the camera.
These are waist level cameras (as you discovered) equipped with what is known as a 'brilliant finder' (has a lens instead of a ground glass for viewing / composing). I cannot explain why the lens inscription is different than Ihagee. In regards to commonality, the camera is commonly found in Germany. You should also be able to rotate the viewfinder 90 degrees to shoot landscape orientation images.
Backs are usually opened by a variety of methods. Try looking for button(s) hidden under the leather or try gently pulling out the film winding knob.
As background, Ihagee’s Ultrix is a family of different types such as the standard Ultrix (with radial focusing), Ultrix-Automat (self-erecting design), Auto-Ultrix (self-erecting + radial focusing), Ultra-Dublex (double extension bellows) and Ultrix-Simplix (the most basic and inexpensive form which is posted here).
Correction ... one model variation is the Ultrix-Duplex (I typed it incorrectly above).
rniederman, thank you so much!
I used to have one, either packed or gone now. I loved it for a while as a display camera, but one I never tried finding film for it in the 80's when I picked it up.
Very Nice...
PhilDMorris, it is a neat display, but I think film will be hard to come by here. We have only one camera shop left, then a few developers.
Windwalker, thank you. :)
Hi,
Decades ago I bought ORWO film (East Germany at the time) for this type of camera ans was surprised with excellent quality of B and W prints. I think there are still film rolls to be found, but cannot tell what dimension it was. I suppose it`s not difficult to find out if you open the back and measure the dimension of the cylinder in millimeters. ORWO is still in business.
Thanks so much, Ivan!