Franka-Werk Solida III

Help: again [VBG] the Franka-werk Solida III has three models as near as I can

figure but have not been able to infomation as to how to tell them apart

So you have the Solidar III and then you have the Solidar IIIe and then you

have the Solidar IIIr so ! now I have googled and I have yahoo'ed feel as tho

I am running in a circle? I also know that a few of you may have one or two

would appreciate any info to help me identify the differences:

Also have gone the thru the search photo,net to see if anything was here:

As always I thak you all.\\\\Lauren

Just III: Simple folder with zone-focusing.

IIIe: Has an uncoupled rangefinder (pretty rare camera).

III L: Again only zone-focusing, but it features a simple (uncoupled) selenium light meter.

I have never heard of a Solida IIIr.

Its even more confusing. I have seen different Franka cameras with the IIIe name on them, both with and without the rangefinder, very confusing.

I have three of the IIIe cameras. I do not think they are rare at all.

My favorite is the Franka Solida II with the 1:3.5/80 Xenar. A four element tessar lens compared to the (very capable) three element Radionar lens. But the best part is the folder door folds down instead of sideways. The camera sits naturally in my hand like holding the lens of an SLR.

I got some of this Info from [www.certo6.com] Frauka-werk Solida III

came in today! there is a Frauka-werk solida IIIe both different and I am told the IIIe is the one to get? there is also a Solida IIL not IIIL

Frauka-werk Solida I

Now the frauka -werk solida IIIe has three glass opening in the front two are round and one is square ! The Solida III has two square windows out front and a range finder also [on mine it works]

thats about all I could find

My latest McKeown says Solida III R is a 1954 camera with either Prontor SVS or Synchro Compur shutters, Schneider Radionar f2.9 lens and was also sold as a Sear Roebuck Tower 60. Uncoupled rangefinder, view finder for either 6x6 or 4x4?, current value $60 to $90. Cute camera.

Lynn

Just as Lauren described, my Solida III has two round openings and one square one. This implies that I have a Solida IIIe. I paid about $125 for mine. Juergen Kreckel singles this camera out as being the "best" folder, along with his beloved Agfa.

Raid

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Lauren said:

"I got some of this Info from [www.certo6.com] Frauka-werk Solida III came in today! there is a Frauka-werk solida IIIe both different and I am told the IIIe is the one to get? there is also a Solida IIL not IIIL Frauka-werk Solida I Now the frauka -werk solida IIIe has three glass opening in the front two are round and one is square ! The Solida III has two square windows out front and a range finder also [on mine it works] thats about all I could find."

The Solida III is the simple version without rangefinder or lightmeter. There are a lot of

different versions. First solida III version got Rodenstock Trinars or Schneider Radionars

mostly in compur-rapid shutter. There is an depth-of-field-index on the topcase and a

Solida III-scriptnameplate in the leather. Later models of the solida III got Radionar-lens

(know with larger cross section dimension) in Prontor-SVS or Synchro-Compur and a new

release-construction. On the topcase is now the Solida III-Logo. The Franka-Logo is

printed in white on the leather. Some later models got a higher tophousing.

The Solida IIIe got an uncoupled rangefinder. First versions got 3 windows - one quadratic

for the viewfinder and two small round windows for the rangefinder. IIIe got mostly

radionar lens - i got on with westar. Later models got only 2 quadratic windows - larger

for viewfinder, smaller for rangefinder. this version also got later a higher tophousing.

The export-version of the solida IIIe ("e" for german word Entfernung) named IIIr

(r=rangefinder).

The solida IIIL (L for german word "Lichtmesser" or english "lightmeter"). This version got

uncoupeld lightmeter (gossen).

Also there are some predecessors of the Solida III only named Solida. With radionar or

frankar optics mostly in compur rapid.

You can see some version of the solida III on http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/Franka

Jens