Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/03/03
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Jack Campin wrote: > > Spotted on rec.photo.equipment.large-format... > > "Randy Moore" <Randy_RN@msn.com> wrote: > > Has anyone ever heard of a 5 X 7 flatbed made by Wetzlar? I recently > > purchased one at a flea market with several backs and a ground glass > > insert for a very reasonable price. > > The bellows and wood are all in fantastic condition. I have an old clean > > 162 mm lens I plan on installing, but have to have a bed made for it. > > I would appreciate any info you might have on this camera. > > Several people have told me Wetzlar never made LF cameras.... > > This has a brass plate that says "made in Germany" and Leitz Wetzlar is > > engraved in the rear bellows holder. > > News to me, too. If anybody knows about this maybe they could post to > r.p.e.l-f, tell Randy, write about it here or all three? > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > jack@purr.demon.co.uk - Jack Campin, 2 Haddington Place, Edinburgh EH7 4AE Jack, It sounds like quite a find. According to Van Hasbroeck, Leitz did market large format cameras of two types, Klapp and Moment. Both are very scarce today. Leitz didn't manufacture the cameras, but did make the lenses for them. They made about eight or nine different lenses for them between 120 and 180mm, mostly Summars. There were three sizes available 9x12, 13x18 and 9x18. The Moment had a focal plane shutter, the Klapp did not. It was manufactured by Huttig, and ICA. The Klapp was probably made by Ernemann or Bulter and Stammer. These were sold between 1905 and WWI. Too bad you didn't get a lens with it. I wouldn't recommend any modifications to it, as it is a very rare camera. Congratulations, Colin P.S. They have almost always made large format microscope cameras, which are much less rare. I have some 9x12 glass plate holders for those.