identify my 2 new folders?

[simonSE15]

Could anyone tell me the exact models of these? and any idea what they are worth?

Balda: Prontor II, 4.5 lens

Korelle: Radionar 3.5 lens. Compur shutter

 

[chippy]

more detailed pictures from all angles help and narrow down the little things to accurately tell what version they, the korell particularly, with the back open

but it is a very safe bet the first is a Balda Fixfocus could be 1938 but probably a 1939 model going by the finder, with optional body release button (i cant read the lens serial number either), very common camera, if you have a VW beatle this might go well with it because Balda used to advertise this a the peoples camera, "Volkskamera" . it was low down in Balda's range, the juwella is the same camera but lower specked again, this basic camera was sold under lots of different names, it also went on to be produced after the war.

this one just has the trioplan and prontor II, second or third from top of its range in the Fixfocus offerings, it cost 42RM, with a rim set compur 47RM, compur rapid cost an extra 10 and the faster 3,8 trioplan or trinar lens option cost another 10RM on top. it wasnt generaly available with a 4 element lens, just the triplets. probably worth $25 and up, its a matter of luck finding the right buyer for higher prices

the korell is a bit harder to confirm for certain without some more pictures (and measurement of the film mask area) but it looks to be a Korell 4x6.5 (could possibly just be a 4.5x6 though), 1931 but no fancy model name, it was available with many different lenses, some of them the prefered Tessar types, yours has the lower priced Radionar.

quite an interesting camera if it is the 4x6.5 and extremely interesting to me if you had the assessories that went with it, it took 127 film but it could take adaptors for cut film, plate film and film pack...the 4.5x6 is only 127 film and is more popular camera but i think the the former is the better and more interesting camera...it is probably worth about $50 on a good day up to $100 or so if you are very lucky

 

[agueco]

I would just like to add that the second folder has what appears to be a black Leica bubble level or "FIBLA" in its accessory shoe. These bubble levels are from the late 1920's thru 1930's when Leica was just venturing into 35mm compact film cameras and fetch $$ depending on condition. Your Korelle would then be worth more than $100 to the right buyer. 😀

I have attached a sample photo of the accessory for you to examine to determine if it is indeed a black Leitz bubble level.

 

[sevo]

but it is a very safe bet the first is a Balda Fixfocus ... it was low down in Balda's range, the juwella is the same camera but lower specked again, this basic camera was sold under lots of different names, it also went on to be produced after the war.

It can't be the Fixfocus, as it has front focusing (true to its name, the Fixfocus is focus free) - the Jubella/Juwella does focus, but the ones I have handled had simple five-speed Pronto (or worse) shutters, while this one has a mid range Prontor (and a brand f/4.5 triplet where the Juwella usually made do with f/6.3 no-names). But by the body this one positively is within the Juwella/Jubella/Fixfocus range.

 

[simonSE15]

Thanks everyone for the great info. my preference is the Korelle as the shutter seems much better. timing seems pretty good for its age. and the release mechanism is better than the Balda.

the Korelle appears to be 6x4 and it does have a bubble leveller (shown here).

here are a couple of extra photos:

 

[chippy]

It can't be the Fixfocus, as it has front focusing (true to its name, the Fixfocus is focus free) - the Jubella/Juwella does focus, but the ones I have handled had simple five-speed Pronto (or worse) shutters, while this one has a mid range Prontor (and a brand f/4.5 triplet where the Juwella usually made do with f/6.3 no-names). But by the body this one positively is within the Juwella/Jubella/Fixfocus range.

Sevo, when it comes to Balda (or some of the others) i think the moto must be 'er, so whats in a name!' particularly with the Fixfoucs, there are just heaps of names for it or even no name variants.

in my catalogue from Balda the lens is front cell focusing on the 'Fixfocus' .

the Jubella model name was changed fairly quick after it was first introduced to Juwella in 33, so in-effect they are the same camera. i'm pretty sure the Fixfocus started out being called a number, 60 or something like that, i would have to look it up

 

[chippy]

Yeah, Simon, indeed it looks like the 6.5x4 Korell, what a little gem! did you buy them off the auction site, somewhere else? just curious what they might be worth or were you going to sell them?

that level is sweet too

 

[simonSE15]

agueco thanks for identifying the "fibla" for me. 🙂

 

[simonSE15]

Andrew I got these it in a job lot of cameras at a (non-internet) auction. I bought the lot for a TLR that I wanted so am looking to sell it really. It had a roll of film in it already and I am tempted to get hold of a roll of 127 just for the experience if I have time. If you were interested in buying I would be open to an offer that would suit us both?

Thanks so much for your help and PM me if you are interested in the camera.

 

[sevo]

Sevo, when it comes to Balda (or some of the others) i think the moto must be 'er, so whats in name!' particularly with the Fixfoucs, there are just heaps of names for it or even no name variants.

in my catalogue from Balda the lens is front cell focusing on the 'Fixfocus' .

Initially it was advertised as focus free (and successful to the point that fixfocus made it into the German word for focus free). They may have upgraded when the competition introduced focusing folders in the same price range or undercut them on focus-free cameras, and stuck to the introduced name.

Besides, Balda branding is chaotic. Branding and outfit of the cameras were at the discretion of the store chains they sold through. Being OEM pioneers, much of their production was not even sold under the Balda brand - but even if it was, they delivered whatever the shop wanted. Some resultant combinations are ridiculous - I own a Jubilette with most expensive Xenar variant at that time in the most basic Prontor shutter and their cheapest (frame) finder - their catalog version had a Compur shutter and telescope finder, but obviously some department store manager went cost-cutting without touching parts that made for good advertising, like the fast lens. (And no, that thing is no Frankencamera created by a repair man, the original receipt was still with it).

 

[Seele]

Franz Kochmann used the Korelle name on a wide variety of cameras, including those using 120 films, but it is more likely these days to find them as 127 cameras, and among them, 16-on-127 (3cm X 4cm) seem to be more common than 8-on-127 (4cm X 6.5cm). The folding Korelles seem to favour corner struts mechanism rather than the conventional folding baseboard type.

I have a small "sideline" collection of 127 folding cameras, both Korelles are 16-on models, one with Ludwig Vidar lens in Compur (that's a bit of a funky combination) with front cell focussing, the other is almost identical, with Friedrich Coronar in Compur but with helicoid unit focussing. When I show them to non-photographer friends they get them to go ooos and ahhs... "how cute!" Good conversation starters indeed.

If you are to get a roll of Efke 127 to try it out, make sure the film is not too old; I have had bad experience using Jessop-branded Efke, the ink used for printing numbers on the backing paper got offset onto the emulsion, not good at all!