willeica Posted November 23, 2021 Share #1 Posted November 23, 2021 Advertisement (gone after registration) Seen (not by me) recently at the Brooklands military commemoration, which is usually held around Armistice Day. This is obviously not a Leica 250 Reporter, but it has some similar features. The exhibition stand which featured it was said to contain East German military bric-a-brac. The camera seems to have been designed to do copying work of some kind. I think that it may have been produced in the USSR or elsewhere in Eastern Europe for military or administrative copying applications. Can anyone identify this camera or say what it was for? Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! William 1 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! William ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/326875-not-a-250-reporter-but-what-is-it/?do=findComment&comment=4318973'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted November 23, 2021 Posted November 23, 2021 Hi willeica, Take a look here Not a 250 Reporter, but what is it?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Chuck Albertson Posted November 23, 2021 Share #2 Posted November 23, 2021 (edited) Early version of a Stasi spy camera. It was a failure, as their spies were routinely arrested trying to cart the thing through security at NATO installations. Abandoned in favor of Minox cameras purchased in the West. Edited November 23, 2021 by Chuck Albertson 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted November 23, 2021 Share #3 Posted November 23, 2021 (edited) I think that "spy camera" , in our photographic language, stands for "a camera to take photos without the photographer is noticed to do"... this can be indeed an item use by spies... but to take copies of documents : Leitz made a lot of such equipments... in the '60s, which can be the times of this item, Reprovit is the most known example. Would be interesting to see what is the lens fit onto... it looks to have a standard diaphragm (aperture 5,6).... maybe even a focusing helicoid.... the frame counter goes to very high numbers, which makes to think to small/vertical format (18x24 ?) - logical choice indeed for document pages. Not so ckear how is performed the shutter operation... maybe there is a leaf shutter into the lens (is there a "30" engraved onto ?) to keep opened for focusing through the upper hole before starting the reproduction process. Very interesting gear, anyway: was it simply displayed, or offered for sale ? (the calculator / adding machine at right is Brunsviga-style... : https://www.ebay.it/itm/284126359595?hash=item422740302b:g:-3IAAOSwh-Rf57Hj One of my old uncles was incredibly quick to operate his one... as a surveyor, used it + a ruler till the '80s...) Edited November 23, 2021 by luigi bertolotti 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frame-it Posted November 23, 2021 Share #4 Posted November 23, 2021 4 hours ago, willeica said: Seen (not by me) recently at the Brooklands military commemoration, which is usually held around Armistice Day. This is obviously not a Leica 250 Reporter, but it has some similar features. The exhibition stand which featured it was said to contain East German military bric-a-brac. The camera seems to have been designed to do copying work of some kind. I think that it may have been produced in the USSR or elsewhere in Eastern Europe for military or administrative copying applications. Can anyone identify this camera or say what it was for? https://egorfine.livejournal.com/464589.html "For instance, this Pentacon camera with noise reduction had an extended film roll for autonomous work. These were permanently installed in public places like post offices:" Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 1 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/326875-not-a-250-reporter-but-what-is-it/?do=findComment&comment=4319176'>More sharing options...
Connie7 Posted November 23, 2021 Share #5 Posted November 23, 2021 Might it be this? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304135690173?hash=item46cfe657bd:g:QlcAAOSw6oZhNk7i 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
willeica Posted November 23, 2021 Author Share #6 Posted November 23, 2021 12 minutes ago, Connie7 said: Might it be this? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304135690173?hash=item46cfe657bd:g:QlcAAOSw6oZhNk7i The very thing, as we might say in Dublin. That is the exact same item and the description, document camera, fits with the base and two lights. I will report this to the various people who have been asking about the item. Let me know when you are next in Dublin. I am meeting up with a friend from Belfast (also a forum member ) in town tomorrow. Noel Young (also a forum member) has done a nice job on his IIIc. William Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted November 24, 2021 Share #7 Posted November 24, 2021 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) 9 hours ago, Connie7 said: Might it be this? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304135690173?hash=item46cfe657bd:g:QlcAAOSw6oZhNk7i It's it ! My hipotesis about DDR, do collapse...😁 (but was right about format... 😉, and maybe also about leaf shutter... see "20 - 40"...) : the lens is surely based on the usual russian 50/3,5 (Cyrillic lettering sounds "Industar" - well known brand name) Edited November 24, 2021 by luigi bertolotti Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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