The Ultimate Werra

[User_5050610]

<p>Rick--I always love your articles! Interesting cameras and lens, and outstanding pix! Thanks again.<br>

And the Werra is a beautiful little machine.<br>

Paul</p>

[john_bear]

<p>Excellent post Rick. I enjoyed reading it. Thanks.</p>

[ivo_ivo]

<p>Congratulations for the acquisition! Looks like a clever nifty machine from an era when companies and engineers weren't afraid to lunch an innovative camera line. Today camera industry look staid in comparison - everything is dressed in faux SLR- or rangefinder-uniform; I call this the "911-syndrome" where company vision becomes hostage of their past.</p>

[BelaMolnar]

<p>It wads one of my first serious camera at the time, 1960s with three lenses as yours here. But, I had the simples version, olive green, no rangefinder. I liked the camera very much, images was sharp and nice, the camera was manageable and small to carry all the day. Recently I acquired one in black with the Tessar, but still hunting for a good working and looking olive green. Lucky you, you get a complete set with a case. I never know the case is existed.<br>

Thank you for posting.</p>

[Mike Gammill]

<p>Nice kit and great images. I've been curious about the Werra ever since I saw a brief mention of it in one of my dad's old Popular Photography magazines. Thanks for an informative post.</p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Thanks for the responses; I'm pleased that such a little-known camera created a good deal of interest. Even the interior is a little unusual as you remarked, <strong>Arthur</strong>, with the film running right to left across the textured rails and the pimpled pressure plate. Those clever technicians must have had some reason for the design. Perceptive comments, <strong>Ivo</strong>; I guess eventually all cameras will look like cellphones... Good luck with your hunt for the green Werra,<strong> Bela</strong>.<em><br /></em><br>

My pleasure, <strong>John</strong> and <strong>Paul,</strong> and thank you <strong>Tony</strong>, <strong>Louis</strong>, <strong>Mike</strong>, <strong>Wouter</strong>, <strong>Donald</strong>, <strong>Greg</strong> and <strong>Cory</strong> for your kind comments.</p>

[winfried_buechsenschuetz1]

<p>Most, if not all, rollfilm folders have textured rails to let in and let out some air when the bellows unfolds and folds again to avoid a '"Vacuum" which would suck the film forward and out of the focal plane. Maybe the Zeiss engineers thought of something similar.<br>

Also, there were various attempts to improve film flatness on 35mm cameras (since the film is always somewhat warped when it is pulled out of the cartridge). Maybe the pimpled pressure plate is designed for that. <br>

Anyhow, sometimes it is amazing that some people try to find solutions and designs for things that usually are not taken care of. </p>

[subbarayan_prasanna]

<p>Lovely camera set and lovelier pictures. Zeiss and Drawbridge qualities mingle so well. sp.</p>

[winfried_buechsenschuetz1]

<p>Also, in an east german book about their cameras I found a sketch of the viewfinder/bright frame/rangefinder arrangement. It is probably one of the most complicated and advanced ever built. For exampe. did you ever notice that the borders of the "yellow spot" on usual rangefinder cameras are out of focus? The Zeiss engineers really made some efforts to bring the edges of the rangefinder spot right into the same focus as the rangefinder image itself (and this is not easy since the distance between the eyepiece and the rectangular aperture of the rangefinder image is quite different from the distance of the objects seen in the rangefinder spot). </p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Thank you<strong> SP</strong>, a true compliment, indeed. Thanks for fleshing out the post, <strong>Winfried</strong>. I have that diagram, but there's a limit to just how exhaustive (and exhausting) I make these posts. The rangefinder (and indeed the whole viewfinder) is really a work of art, and quite unique. The Prestor shutter is also special, and unique to the Werra. They really are quite an amazing camera, that "came out of nowhere". Here's a pic of a really early Werra 1 from my collection, not the earliest but close to it. To me, it's a lovely exercise in minimalism.</p><div></div>

[User_5050610]

<p>Rick--if you get a chance--I'd love to see the interior of the case.<br>

Thank you!<br>

Paul</p>

[ivo_ivo]

<p><em><a href="/photodb/user?user_id=2071652">Rick Drawbridge</a> <a href="/member-status-icons"><img title="Frequent poster" src="/v3graphics/member-status-icons/2rolls.gif" alt="" /></a>, May 03, 2015; 03:27 a.m.</em></p>

 

<p><em>"....They really are quite an amazing camera, that "came out of nowhere". Here's a pic of a really early Werra 1 from my collection, not the earliest but close to it. To me, it's a lovely exercise in minimalism. "</em><br>

<em> </em><br>

Well, not exactly "out of nowhere" since Germany had had an illustrious tradition of quality mass education (bar the Scandinavian countries the highest level in Europe!), applied science and industrial production from mid 19th century; by the 20th it was aiming to take over the ailing British empire as the global hegemon, and that is quite telling. Therefore little jewels like the Zeiss products are not accidental, "out of nowhere", but the logical end result of advanced and sophisticated society.</p>

<p>As for the minimalist design it is the bear fruit of the German artistic avant-garde in education and design from before the WW2. After it the East and West Germany disputed who is the true bearer of that progressive tradition.</p>

 

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Certainly,<strong> Paul</strong>. Here's a hasty snapshot of the interior. I think the camera originally lay on it's back, but it seems to be a firmer fit standing up, as I have it.<br>

You're quite right, <strong>Ivo: "</strong>out of nowhere " <em>was</em> a bit sloppy; I meant "a camera without obvious precedent". I've always seen a strong Bauhaus influence in the original Werra.</p><div></div>

[glen_h]

<p>The story reminds me of the "second system effect" in Brooks' "Mythical Man Month".</p>

<p>That is for software engineering, where in the first system, for a variety of reasons the designers are conservative, not putting in so many extra features. Then, on the second system, all the features, useful or not, left off the first system are implemented. The result is the excessive features we see on much software today.</p>

<p>But the minimalist, useful but not excessive features, style of the Werra seems not to be an example of the second system effect. But I do wonder if there are examples in camera design.</p>

[User_5050610]

<p>Thanks, Rick! Nice case--very interesting design. Not what you'd normally expect. Congrats on getting and preserving a very nice system...<br>

Paul</p>

[ivo_ivo]

<p>Ah, in the case the kit looks splendid! I am not acquisitive, but this is really tickling... :-)</p>

[aplumpton]

<p>Ivo and Rick,</p>

<p>You make important points about Bauhaus and perhaps other influences of art and architecture from Germany having conditioned the design approach of the Werra engineers. Rick's photo of the early Werra shows a profile that may well have been studied and to some extent copied by the Rollei 35 deign people in the middle to late 60s, who also placed the VF window in the same spot and some of the controls on the base plate. Thanks to Rick for a great OP.</p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Ah <strong>Les</strong>, I'm afraid a couple of humans did slip into that image...Thanks for the comments. You're right about the incremental increases in features, <strong>Glenn</strong>; digital cameras are a good example, though there seems to be a burgeoning demand for simplicity on the part of users. Did I see an ad somewhere for a digital camera that resembles an old rangefinder camera and (gasp!) doesn't do video? Thanks,<strong> Arthur</strong>, that whole era of design fascinates me, and <strong>Ivo</strong>, if it itches I'd scratch it...</p>

[randy_cooprider1]

<p>Rick, great post. Pictures are clear, sharp and colorful. Problem is now I wanta Werra. {:-)</p>

[starvy]

<p>The Tessar anf Flektagon's are outstanding as can be seen in the pictures and the other lens is not bad either! What a lovely looking outfit and story.</p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Thanks,<strong> Randy</strong>,<strong> Les</strong> and <strong>Starvy</strong>. Wish I did get a kickback...But then, I'd probably only go out and waste it on silly old cameras.</p>

[Two23]

<p>I've come close to buying a three lens set and probably would have if the 35mm was a 28mm. All in all, this is a very unique camera and I'm surprised they don't sell for a lot more than they do.</p>

<p>Kent in SD</p>