Franka Rolfix |
Version française |
Manufactured or assembled in Germany from (Circa) 1937 to (After) 1937.
Index of rarity in France: Infrequent (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 13883
See the complete technical specifications
Chronology of cameras Franka
The Rolfix cameras are simple 6 x 9 folding cameras, with numerous versions (mostly combinations of lenses and shutters) marketed from around 1931 until the mid-1950s.
Some Rolfix cameras were equipped with French lenses, sometimes with Gitzo shutters, specifically for sale in France. Some were rebranded to fit into distributors' catalogs.
Rolfix cameras are vertical folding cameras with automatic opening. The standard format is 6 x 9, but depending on the version, they can also produce negatives of 4.5 x 6 or 6 x 6. They are recognizable by the shape of the scissor struts, especially the supporting legs that hold the lens/shutter assembly.
World War II interrupted their production, which resumed in the late 1940s, utilizing pre-war parts. From the early 1950s, the quality improved, with assembly using high-quality lenses and efficient shutters. The design modernized, including the addition of a cover spanning one side of the camera and incorporating the viewfinder, possibly a rangefinder. Manufactured in the US occupation zone, some cameras were exported to the USA, indicating "Made in Germany US Zone."
Throughout the model's existence, it was marketed under various brands.
List (non-exhaustive):
Model | Revêtement | Viewfinder | Size | Lens | Shutter | |||
Rolfix | Before WWII | Herringbone | Right | Extra Rapide Paris |
Gitzo | French version | ||
Rolfix | Striures |
Left |
multiple | Boyer Topaz 4.5 |
Prontor | |||
Rolfix | Herringbone |
Left |
multiple | Boyer Topaz 6.3 |
Stein und Binneweg | |||
Rolfix | c. 1948 | Stripes |
Right |
multiple | Boyer Topaz 4.5 |
Prontor II | ||
Rolfix | c. 1948 | Herringbone |
Right |
multiple | Radionar 4.5 | Prontor II | ||
Rolfix | 1951-52 | Herringbone |
Right optical |
6 x 9 6 x 6 |
Radionar 4.5 | Prontor-S | ||
Rolfix II | 1951-52 | Right optical |
Trinar 3,5 |
Prontor-S | Made in Germany US Zone |
|||
Rolfix II | 1951-52 | Right optique |
Trinar 3,5 |
Compur-Rapid | ||||
Rolfix I De Luxe1 | 1953-57 | Herringbone |
Full cover |
Radionar 4.5 | Prontor-SV | |||
Rolfix II De Luxe1 | 1953-57 | Full cover |
Trinar 3,5 | Synchro-Compur MX | ||||
Rolfix Junior1 | 1951-52 | Herringbone |
Right |
Radionar 4.5 | Vario | |||
Rolfix Junior De Luxe1 | 1953-57 | Herringbone |
Half cover | Frankar 4.5 | Vario | It is a Bonafix |
||
Bazar Hotel de Ville | c. 1939 | Right | Armor | Stein und Binneweg | ||||
Inconnu | c.1934-36 | Stripes |
Left | Boyer Topaz |
Prontor II | French version | ||
Porst Hapo 5 | c. 1939 | Right | 6 x 9 4.5 x 6 |
Trinar |
Pronto |
__________
This Franka Rolfix model is equipped with a Gitzo shutter, clearly identified and easily recognizable by its prominent red dot. The lens, arguably one of the most basic, bears no brand markings. Only the inscription "Extra Rapide Paris" sets it apart. The French localization for sale through a distributor is undeniable. The task now is to find out who this distributor was.
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