Nagel "Librette 74 Luxus" - Dr August Nagel's Meisterstuck

<p>What a day!<br />I am working at an Antique Shop and every now and then people bring cameras and other antiques for sale/appraisal...<br />When I opened the case I was quite excited by the look of that camera, nice light brown leatherette and even lighter bellows... Everything nice and clean...<br /><em>"Wow, this is one Classy looking camera..."</em><br />During a research I discovered how Rare and Special camera I got in my hands...<br />Few facts:<br /><strong>Dr August Nagel</strong> was a German engineer and a founder of Contessa and co-founder of legendary Zeiss Ikon...<br />After leaving Zeiss Ikon in 1928 Dr Nagel concentrated on his own designs and start producing his own cameras called <strong>"Nagel"</strong>...<br />Probably the best and most luxurious was folding 6x9 camera called <strong>"Librette"<br /></strong>This camera isnt't just black Librette model, it's called:<strong> Librette 74 "Luxus"<br /></strong>...actually I'm not sure about the model, because all 74/1 camera images found on the internet are showing different (more modern) shutter design with the shutter ring around the lens...<br /> <br /> <strong>Camera is very beautifully designed with attention to all the details and very high quality materials were used.... Everything says Quality. <br />Lens is</strong> <em><strong>Nagel-Anastigmat f:4,5 F=4,5cm. </strong></em><br />The most interesting is probably the way you open the camera... after unlocking on the bottom, back just slides down (like on Minox 35 cameras)... Very interesting... <br />I was surprised to see there's no Pressure plate, just the flat surface... <br />Everything was working well, just 1/2s and 1s shutter speed was slow...<br />After checking the camera and cleaning the lens I loaded roll of <strong>Ilford XP2</strong> to see what this beauty can do...<br />Old trusty <strong>Minolta Flash Meter IV</strong> lightmeter was used to measure the light...<br /> <br />Photographing with this type of camera (with lever by the lens) is tricky - It causing the camera shake and sometimes tilt the camera... Unfortunately I discover it later... <br />Also camera is scratching the film... <br /> <strong>Pictures.</strong><br /> Lens delivered very good sharpness wide open (center). I set the closest distance (1.2m) and measured the distance with the measuring tape. Focus is almost spot on, just few centimeters closer. <br />Contrast is quite low since it's non-coated lens.<br /> <br /> <strong> I'm very impressed with the camera, especially it's look with gorgeous leatherette and it's strange red level bulb... Great looking camera made to the highest standards... </strong><br /><strong>Please see the pictures of the camera and some B&W photographs...</strong><br /><strong> Thanks,</strong><br /><em> M.S.</em><br /><br /> <br /><br /></p><div></div>

<p>Larger image..</p><div></div>

<p>Front...</p><div></div>

<p>Top...</p><div></div>

<p>Bottom...</p><div></div>

<p>Back</p><div></div>

<p>Lens...</p><div></div>

<p>Lens (large image)</p><div></div>

<p>Camera opened...</p><div></div>

<p>Inside (larger image)</p><div></div>

<p>#1</p><div></div>

<p>Focus test (Largr image)</p><div></div>

<p>#2</p><div></div>

<p>Street scene (tilted) larger image</p><div></div>

<p>#3</p><div></div>

<p>Antique shop (larger image)</p><div></div>

<p>OK, That's all :)</p>

<p>Wow, what a great find, that camera is quite beautiful...love the tan leather and gold bellows. Dr. Nagel works made some excellent cameras, and I reckon some of the best looking to come out of Germany from that period.<br>

Of course the factory went on to produce those lovely Kodak cameras from the thirties until the sixties.<br>

The lens looks like it does the business too, I wonder what style of lens it is? I didn't know that Nagel produced their own lenses.</p>

 

Fantastic. A very pretty camera.

<p>Now <em>that's</em> what I call a camera...Beautiful example of a very glamorous camera,<strong> Maciek</strong>. As Tony observed, it looks like a high-quality lens, as well. Thanks for the great photographs, and for sharing.</p>

<p>A wonderful camera and write-up, Maciek. It's a real beauty. Nice of you to include some larger pics. Thank You for a great post.</p>

<p>Beautiful!</p>

<p>Simply gorgeous.</p>

<p>Thanks very much for sharing it with us.</p>

<p>That leather is gorgeous, including the bellows. Nice calf skin. Kodak had a tendency towards using seal skin for their high-end cameras, finished in boring black. While the seal skin leather is durable, I don't find it particularly luxurious.</p>

<p>That's what I call some good work. Excellent sample photos, and the camera itself is so pretty I would be hesitant to take it out in the rain or anything. What a beauty. I love 6x9 (isn't it the same ratio as 35mm?), but would have to get a much bigger and more expensive enlarger/lens/negative carrier, etc to shoot that format.</p>