Beier
Camera industry in Dresden |
Balda | Certo | Eho-Altissa | Eichapfel | Ernemann | Feinmess | Heyde | Hamaphot | Huth | Hüttig | ICA | Ihagee | Kochmann | Kerman | KW | Eugen Loeber | Ludwig | Mentor | Merkel | Meyer | Mimosa | Pentacon | Richter | Sommer | Stübiger | Unger & Hoffmann | Werner | Wünsche | Zeiss Ikon | Zeh |
Camera distributors in Dresden |
Stöckig |
Camera industry in Freital |
Beier | Pouva | Stein & Binnewerg | Thowe | Welta |
Kamera-Fabrik Woldemar Beier was a German camera factory in Freital near Dresden. It was founded by Woldemar Beier in 1923 and began producing wooden plate cameras. In 1932 Beier introduced its first 35mm camera model. After WWII Beier stayed independent until the East German state took over a big share of the company in 1959. Then the company produced its first "Beier-Matic" half-automatic cameras. After its complete takeover by the state in 1972 Beier was renamed to VEB (citizens' own company) Kamerafabrik Freital, and later the Karl Pouva Kamerafabrik, the Tharand-Werke and the Optisches Werk Ernst Ludwig (Weixdorf) were taken over by the company.
Cameras
Beier Precisa 6x6 image by Geoff Harrisson (Image rights) |
- 1923: Edith, Erika
- 1925: Lotte
- 1929: Gloria (Beier's first roll film camera)
- 1930: Beier-Box, Box I
- 1931: Box II, Beika (later Beira)
- 1935: Box IIA, Beira-Okula
- 1936: Beirax, Precisa, Rifax, Voran
- 1938: Beier-Flex
- 1939: Beier-Flex II, Beirette
- 1941: Beirette II
- 1951: Precisa 6x6
- 1955: Beirax II
- 1956: Precisa IIa
- 1958: Beirette
- 1961: Beier-Matic
- 1958-1990: several Beirette models
- 1973: Beirette SL 100
- 1987: Beirette SL 100N
- Made and exported the Boots Beirette BL
Links
In German:
- Beier at Frank Petermann's camera site
- Company history at dresdner-kameras.de
- History of Beier cameras by Thomas Knorre.
In French: