glenn mccreery
5-Apr-2007, 12:49
The camera that I just acquired is similar to an early pre-war Linhof in that it has a die-cast and machined aluminum body with leather panels, a dovetail extension bed, geared rise, and exquisitly precise machining by (probably) German elves. It has a Steinheil Orthostigmat lens in a dial-set Compur shutter (mfg. 1912 to 1929). It differs from a Linhof in that the front lens tilts using a lovely cylindrical rotating slide mechanism (kinda like a Sinar P), has a drop bed, but uses dovetail slides on the bed rather than indexed hinges, and has an (American) Kalart rangefinder. The format is about 8cm by 11.5 cm and uses thin film holders, perhaps similar to the old Linhof single-sheet holders (I don't have a holder). There are no identifying marks on the camera except the name Dr. Eug. Weiss engraved on the bed. It looks like there is a piece missing that was mounted above the tripod screw in the bed that may have contained a small circular name plate. Any ideas of what it is? It's not an MPP or Meridian. A photo is at http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=296768