Rothlar
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German, French & Italian Cameras using 127 film | |||||
G e r m a n y |
3×4 | rigid | Dreivier | Futuro | Gewirette | Kolibri Parvola | Pupille | Ranca | Reporter | Puck | ||
folding | Baby Ikonta | Baldi | Dolly | Goldi Gucki | Ingo | Korelle | Makinette Metharette | Perkeo | Vollenda | ||||
4x4 | Navax | Paxina Electromatic | Rothlar | ||||
4x6.5 | Bella | Billy | Bob | Dolly | Goldi Gucki | Korelle | Panta | Parvola Piccolette | Rio | Ultrix | ||||
TLR | see German TLRs | ||||
F r a n c e |
3×4 | rigid | Fotobaby | Lynx | Super-Boy | ||
folding | Derby-Lux | Elax | ||||
pseudo TLR | Auteuil | Longchamp | ||||
4×4 | rigid | Impera | Marly | Pari-Fex | Rubi-Fex | Top | |||
4×6.5 | rigid | Photo-Magic | |||
I t a l y |
3x4 | Comet | Comet III | Cometa | Euralux Ibis | Maxima | Piccolo | Tanit | |||
4x4 | Comet | Euralux | Ibis | ||||
4x6.5 & other | Alfa | Delta | Relex | Rolet | Rondine |
Rothlar-Optik Walter Roth was a small company in Weigendorf, near Nuremberg, Germany, which sold a few simple cameras in the 1950s.
Walter Roth already owned the Optolyth optical company, which made telescopes and binoculars (originally at the low, toy end of the market[1], although Optolyth later concentrated on high-quality products). Optolyth was set up in the 19th century, when Walter Roth married into the Sill family (Sill Optics bought Optolyth in 2004,[2] but the Optolyth brand is still used).
In about 1953,[3] Rothlar made the achromat lenses for a bakelite camera for 4×4 cm pictures on 127 film, made and sold by Erka-Kamerawerk. Erka stopped selling the cameras in 1955, and they became Rothlar's own product. There are three versions; none is identified on the camera. All have a 6 cm f/9 achromat lens (labelled as such on the front ring), with focusing, and a simple shutter for 'I' and 'B' exposure.
The first model (McKeown calls this the Rothlar I[3]) has only a reverse-Galilean viewfinder under the metal top housing. The shutter is synchronised for flash, with a PC socket and cold shoe,
The second model (Rothlar II[3]) also has a reflex finder.
The third model (the Rothlar S[3]) has only the eye-level finder, and no accessory shoe or PC socket.
Rothlar later sold a rebadged Gloriette 35 mm viewfinder camera, made by Braun, also in Nuremberg, as the Gazelle.[4][5]
Notes
- ↑ Optolyth history at Optolyth Company website (archived).
- ↑ Sill company history (archived) at the Sill Company website.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 McKeown, James M. and Joan C. McKeown's Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras, 12th Edition, 2005-2006. USA, Centennial Photo Service, 2004. ISBN 0-931838-40-1 (hardcover). ISBN 0-931838-41-X (softcover). p862.
- ↑ Rothlar Gazelle with an f/2.8 Enna Stellar lens and Vero shutter (with several pictures), among past stock of English camera seller F. & S. Marriott (archived).
- ↑ Gazelle with the same lens and shutter, at Kurt Tauber's Collection.