Welta
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 |
Welta was a German camera maker based in Freital near Dresden. It was founded in 1914 as Weeka-Kamera-Werk and became Welta-Kamera-Werk in 1919.[1] It made a number of medium-priced folders before World War II, and its camera production was quite comparable to Balda and Certo. It also introduced two folding TLRs, the 6×6 Perfekta and the 6×9 Superfekta, which did not sell too well.
After the war, Welta continued production as a state company (VEB Welta-Kamera-Werk), with a range evolved from the prewar models. It absorbed Kamera-Werk Tharandt (the former Richter) in 1950. It became a part of the large VEB Kamera- und Kinowerk Dresden in 1959, a state owned conglomerate of East-German cameramakers that was to become VEB Pentacon in 1964.[2]
Contents
35mm film
Folding
- Welti
- Weltini, square and rounded top
Rigid
- Belmira
Half frame
- Penti
120 film
Folding
Viewfinder
- Garant (6×9)
- Weltax
- Perle 6×9
Rangefinder
Folding TLR
- Perfekta (6×6)
- Superfekta (6×9)
Normal TLR
- Reflecta, actually made by Richter, later incorporated into Welta.
- Reflekta II
- Reflekta III
- Weltaflex
127 film
Plate models
Notes
Links
- Welta at Frank Petermann's site
- Company history at dresdner-kameras.de
- Welta page at Collection G. Even's site
- Welta cameras at www.collection-appareils.com