Wittnauer Professional 35mm RF?

[calanan]

I am the proud owner of a gifted Wittnauer Professional 35mm RF and am trying to find whatever info I can about it but especially with it's foreign-to-me aperture/shutter ring usage. Briefly, at a given aperture I can not move the shutter through it's whole range, only in increments. One of the rings is spring-loaded and pulls away from the body, which disengages the aperture ring from the shutter ring. By fiddling with the with two I can then access all shutter/aperture combinations.

The body appears to be aluminum with black leather-like covering, it has a Synchro-Compur shutter (B to 1/500), a Wittnauer Chronostar (coated) 50mm f/2.8 lens and a selenium meter (that appears to be dead).

I have read references to this model being called the Wittnauer Commander and that it was made by Braun for Wittnauer. This body is serial # 015322, which is stamped inside near the take-up spool.

Here are some snapshots of the front and top (images link to large sizes):

Front


Top


I can find very little about this camera via Google searches, in fact the only references were a couple of eBay pages and forum entries on this site, which led me to join. I appreciate anything anyone can share - I'm hoping to push a roll of film through it today, wish me luck.

Thanks, RFers!

- mike

 

[jlw]

Interesting little camera ya got there! I'm pretty sure it wasn't made by the Wittnauer watch company -- back in the '50s they were trying to leverage their brand name into the camera industry, but the only product I remember was the interesting Wittnauer Cine-Twin submini. The fact that yours has a Synchro-Compur shutter suggests that they were willing to spend for a high-quality product, and it also suggests a German OEM -- maybe Wirgin or Balda? There were several who did a lot of contract manufacturing, much as Cosina does today.

The trapezoidal front plate and the knurling on the controls look similar to those on the Argus V-100, also sourced from a German contract manufacturer, although at the moment I can't remember which!

Incidentally, that annoying feature of the limited range shutter speed ring is part of the accursed LVS system that German shutter makers tried to foist on the world in the '50s. The basic idea is clever and simple: The shutter speed and aperture rings are interlocked, so that once you set the camera for a given Light Value (f/stop and shutter speed combination) as indicated on the meter, you can easily switch to different equivalent combinations just by twisting either ring. This makes it easy to change from a small stop/slow speed when you want maximum DOF, to a large stop/fast speed when you want action-stopping.

The problem, as you've discovered, is that UNcoupling the rings usually is very difficult and irritating! There's probably a catch or tab you've got to depress to get the rings to move freely; you'll need to experiment a bit to find where it is.

If you find out any more about your camera, let us know! I'll do some looking around and see if I can find out anything.

 

[dazedgonebye]

I have several cameras with the LVS system. Overall, I like it.
Implimentation is key though. The rings must be easy to shift but not so easy that you shift the relationship accidentaly. Once you get a feel for the particular camera, it's quite handy.

Interesting camera, though not one I've ever seen.

 

[dazedgonebye]

It occurs to me that it has at least a passing resemblence to a Balda Baldina. Perhaps from the same family tree?

http://static.flickr.com/103/256564959_5d8ba28c74.jpg

 

[3js]

That seems to be a Braun Super Colorette II, made in Germany 1956-59.

 

[calanan]

Wow, thank you all for your quick and informative responses!

Regarding the camera's origin, I failed to mention that the back of the camera is stamped "MADE IN WEST GERMANY" (yes, all caps).

 

[dazedgonebye]

Wow...see. Someone here always knows.

 

[jlw]

The Braun looks like a pretty good match. Here's a photo from the camera-collection website of Silvain Halgand:

Note that the model pictured appears to have a projected-frame range/viewfinder, which would be more advanced than the plain unframed finder that seems to be on the Wittnauer. I have no idea whether the Braun was a later, more advanced model, or simply slightly more costly and elaborate version of the same camera.

According to another article on the same site, apparently there also was a simplified model (no meter or RF) sold as the Braun Gloriette or Wittnaur Scout:

 

[dazedgonebye]

If they didn't have the same desinger, someone was looking over someone's shoulder....
Balda Super Baldina.

 

[3js]

Wow...see. Someone here always knows.

Yes, check out this:http://cgi.ebay.de/Braun-Nuernberg-...ryZ12889QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[calanan]

Oh yes, we have a match! Based on those eBay photos I am certain that the Wittnauer is a rebadged Braun Super Colorette IIB, thanks everyone!

 

[dazedgonebye]

Yes, check out this:http://cgi.ebay.de/Braun-Nuernberg-...ryZ12889QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Yea, I'd say that settles it.

 

[calanan]

You folks are the best, thank you so much. I'm looking forward to sharing the samples from its first roll. (I have another roll waiting to be processed, this one from another recent RF find, an Argus C3.)

 

[calanan]

First scans from my Wittnauer Professional RF

First scans from my Wittnauer Professional RF

Thanks again to those who helped identify this old RF. It's a beauty, a joy to use and I'm happy to report it produces nice images. Here's one of my shots from my first test roll:



I'm really digging the rounded corners.

And here's the rest of the gallery.

There is a slight problem with its door latch, which is causing the door to pop open under certain conditions. For now I am resorting to the ugly hack of using rubber bands to hold the door closed but am searching for a local repair shop that might be able to help.

- mike

 

[Invar]

wittnauer professional 35 mm

wittnauer professional 35 mm

The canera you have is a Wittnauer made bt Braun in the 50's. I have the same camera and it came with 3 lenses and a telephoto view finder attachment. Also an inexpensive flash. all in an attache case.

I worked for Wittnauer who owned Obex, which was a NY company that made a combination camera/projector with too many parts but it worked.

We got a very special deal on the 35 mm and I used it often. The photo-light meter on mine is also not working. I used a separate light meter a while back. The setting are simple, it's not rocket science and it takes good pix. As you see, the arrow on the range finder ring must line up with the floating pointer, then you set that index number on the lense ring contraption.

Enjoy it and if you find out how to get the sensor back to life please let me know.

Invar