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Butcher Klimax Model III |
 Version française |
Manufactured or assembled in Germany from (Before) 1914 to (Circa) 1914.
Index of rarity in France: Rare (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 13167
See the complete technical specifications
Chronology of cameras Butcher
The Klimax camera series surpasses the Cameo camera series as all cameras in this series feature double shift and rear vertical tilt. The shutter/lens block is easily detachable to be replaced by another.
For the series, there is a single extension model (Model I), a double extension model (Model II), a double extension model with a bright lens (Model III, top of the line), and a pocket model (The Watch-Pocket Klimax). Depending on the models, various formats or lenses are offered.
The Model I exists in a quarter plate size (4¼ x 3¼), and in this case, it is made of aluminum. The other formats of the Model I (5 x 4, 5½ x 3½, 6½ x 4¾) are made of wood. It can come with a Lukos III shutter (except for the 1/2 plate) or Compound shutter.
The lenses for the Model I are:
| 41/4 x 31/4 (quarter plate) |
5 x 4 | 51/2 x 31/2 | 61/2 x 43/4 (half plate) |
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| Aldis Uno Anastigmat, f/7,7 | yes | yes | yes | x |
| Beck Mutar Anastigmat f/6 | yes | yes | yes | Compound only |
| Zeiss Triotar Anastigmat f/6,3 | yes | yes | yes | No |
| Aldis Anastigmat, II, f/6 | yes | yes | yes | Compound only |
| Cooke, III, f/6,5 | 5 inch | 63/8 inch | 63/8 inch | 71/2 inch with Compound only |
| Ross Homocentric, III, | f/6,5 | f/6,3 | f/6,3 | f/6,3 with Compound only |
| Dallmeyer Stigmatic, II, f/6 | yes | yes | yes | Compound only |
| Goerz Dagor, III, f/6,8 | yes | yes | yes | Compound only |
| Zeiss Tessar, II.b, f/6,3 | yes | yes | yes | Compound only |
The Model II exists in a quarter plate size (4¼ x 3¼), and in this case, it is made of aluminum. The other formats of the Model I (5 x 4, 5½ x 3½, 6½ x 4¾) are made of wood. It can come with a Lukos III shutter (except for the 1/2 plate) or Compound shutter.
The lenses for the Model II are:
| 41/4 x 31/4 (quarter plate) |
5 x 4 | 51/2 x 31/2 | 61/2 x 43/4 (half plate) |
|
|
|
||||
| Aldis Uno Anastigmat, f/7,7 | yes | yes | yes | x |
| Beck Mutar Anastigmat f/6 | yes | yes | yes | Compound only |
| Zeiss Triotar Anastigmat f/6,3 | yes | yes | yes | No |
| Aldis Anastigmat, II, f/6 | yes | yes | yes | Compound only |
| Cooke, III, f/6,5 | 5 inch | 63/8 inch | 63/8 inch | 71/2 inch with Compound only |
| Ross Homocentric, III, f/6,3 | yes | yes | yes | Compound only |
| Dallmeyer Stigmatic, II, f/6 | yes | yes | yes | Compound only |
| Goerz Dagor, III, f/6,8 | yes | yes | yes | Compound only |
| Zeiss Amatar, II.b, f/6,8 | yes | yes | yes | Compound only |
The arm that holds the folded bellows is reminiscent of those on certain Wünsche cameras.
Model III
The Klimax f/4.5 (Model III) is the third model in the series. It distinguishes itself from the first two models with its technical features. There is a more limited choice of lenses, but all of them have a maximum aperture of f/4.5. Only the Compound shutter from Deckel is available, offering high shutter speeds (1/150).
The finishing is elegant, combining mahogany and coarse-grain leather. The front standard has the rear vertical tilt and the two lateral shifts, just like the first two models in the series. The catalog mentions two formats: 3¼ x 4¼ inches and 9 x 12 cm, without specifying whether these are distinct models or a dual-format model. The price list does not provide any clarification. It lists plate holders as accessories without specifying dimensions. Considering the proximity of the formats 3¼ x 4¼ inches and 9 x 12 cm, it is possible that the catalog refers to a single format, somewhat rounded in centimeters.
The available lenses were Aldis-Butcher Anastigmat, Cooke Anastigmat II, Zeiss Tessar Ic, Ross Homocentric, all at f/4.5. The catalog mentions a Goerz Celor with an aperture of f/4.8, but this might be a typo.
Its price was high, ranging from 9 to 13 British pounds in 1914. The camera body was manufactured in Germany, likely an Ica Ideal. The final assembly took place in England.
Watch-Pocket
"Watch-Pocket" give an idea of the size of this model. It is the Lilliputian of the family. It is somewhat surprising that Butcher classified it in this series because it lacks any of its specific features.
The construction is entirely metallic, and it is covered with fine-grain leather. The distance adjustment is done with a radial slider located at the end of the front standard. The part supporting the shutter and the lens (Aldis Uno or Zeiss Triotar) is completely different from those of other Klimax models. The camera can be worn over the shoulder using a long strap, which was uncommon at that time.
The origin of this camera is German. It is an Ica Victrix (1st version). It's challenging to determine from the engraving whether this camera retained the horizontal shift of the original version.
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