Welta
SUPERB 1935 6x4.5 Welta Perle, Freshly Serviced!
Cleaned, Lubricated & Adjusted. Ready for immediate use
This is a lovely vintage camera that easily slips into a jacket pocket and yet folds out to take 16 beautiful 6x4.5 exposures on a 120 roll film. Each exposure alive with all the details, the rich tonal gradations, the lovely colors, that only medium format can provide. When it comes to photography bigger is better and this camera will produce a negative that’s more than three times larger than the average 35mm snapshot. So whether you’re interested in large prints, fine grain, rich tonal gradations or lovely colors, this camera will do all of that and may just become your favorite photographic companion.
This camera was produced by Welta in prewar Germany in circa 1935. Prior to WWII Welta was a major German camera producer and the quality of its products placed it on equal footing with Zeiss Ikon and Voigtlander. The quality of this camera is excellent and it’s finished in real leather and chrome. The chrome and leather clearly indicates that it was a very expensive item for the era. In 1935 the Great Depression hit Germany hard and most people could barely afford to eat, let alone purchase a camera of this quality.
This camera has been carefully cleaned, lubricated and adjusted. The shutter is missing the self-timer button but other than that everything works as it should. The quality Compur shutter works smoothly and all speeds (T,B & 1 sec - 1/250th) are appropriate. The slow speeds buzz along smoothly and the fast speeds are clean and snappy. The bellows are supple and light tight. The viewfinder is clean and clear.
The fast f2.9/7.5cm (75mm) Steinheil Cassar lens is very clean. There is no haze, no separated elements, no fungus or other problems. There are no scratches, just some light cleaning polishing marks (but you’ll need a magnifier to see them) and it’s capable of producing lovely photos. The design of the lens is based on a classic Cooke design (three elements in three groups). What collectors and photographers love about this lens is the beautiful rendition in the fore and back ground. It’s something the Japanese refer to as bokeh. Simply said this lens has a very lovely bokeh. Open up the lens or narrow the depth of field by getting closer and the focus rolls on and off quite smoothly.
All in all, a lovely little classic camera. Load it with your favorite film and keep it handy for that perfect shot you’ve been looking for. You know the one... the one with the perfect Ansel Adams light breaking through the dark storm clouds that leaves you wishing you had a classic medium format camera with you.