Welta Weltini II 35mm folding camera with Leitz Elmar 5 cm F3.5 lens

Welta Weltini II 35mm folding camera with Leitz Elmar 5 cm F3.5 lens. The Weltini is a35mm folding camera made by Welta from 1937 to 1941. It has a coupled rangefinder combined with the viewfinder, and was based on the body of the viewfinder Weli model.

One interesting feature is that the focusing lever atomically. So that the lens and lever fit smoothly under the characteristic vaulted front-door when its closed.

Sometimes small variations to the back closing mechanism. Both types bear a depth of field table on the top. The Weltini was not offered with an accessory shoe. The advance knob , rewind knob and frame counter are located on the cameras bottom plate, and the lens cover is hinged on the left, whereas all other Welta 35mm folders are hinged on the right. The reason for this is quite simple, the Weltini is literally an upside down Welti with an rangefinder grafted onto what would have been a Weltis bottom plate.

This also explains why the shutter release is on the left , and the film feeds backwards , all the opposite as compared to the Weltis and in fact most other 35mm cameras. While admittedly a clever piece of engineering that greatly reduced the development and production cost, it resulted in a camera that , for most people , is awkward to use. Nonetheless the camera , like other pre-war Weltas is well made , reliable and capable of producing excellent images. The camera is clean, the leather is complete, there is a small dent on the tophousing. Works well on all speeds.

As far as we can test it OK. Front elements are clean, back element needs some cleaning.

The item "Welta Weltini II 35mm folding camera with Leitz Elmar 5 cm F3.5 lens" is in sale since Saturday, December 29, 2018. This item is in the category "Foto & Camcorder\Photographica\Alte Kameras\Klappkameras". The seller is "jlkwide" and is located in Rotterdam. This item can be shipped worldwide.

Marke: Welta
Produktgröße: 122x90x42mm
Format: 24x36mm
Herstellergarantie: 3 Monate
Serie: Weltini
Modifizierter Artikel: Nein
Herstellungsland und -region: Deutschland
Produktgewicht: 550gram
Farbe: Schwarz