AkArette

AkArette II image by Alf Sigaro

The AkArette is a 35mm viewfinder camera with interchangeable lenses, made by Apparate & Kamerabau in Germany. The viewfinder was switchable betwee 50 and 75mm focal lengths.

• The Akarette made 24x32mm images and was made in 1947.
• The Akarette 0 was produced in 1949.
• The Akarette I, 1948-1950, takes standard 24x36mm frames.
• The Akarette II dates from 1950; possibly until 1954.
• Prontor-S leaf shutter B, 1-1/300s. Interesting detail: the shutter is part of the camera, set just behind the bayonet mount. Most leaf shutters are part of the objective, set between the lenses.

Lenses

Available lenses include: Schneider Kreuznach Xenagon 35/3,5,a Xenar 45/2,8, a Xenar 45/3,5, Xenar 50/3,5, An ISCO Göttingen color Isconar 50/2,8 and a Tele-Xenar 75/3,8. Lenses can be used on both the AKArette and on the AKArette II. There's a switchable viewfinder for 50mm and 75mm lenses on the AKArette II, operated by a lever or a knob (depending on the version). Using one viewfinder automatically obscures the other one. Note: there's no viewfinder for the 35mm lens.

Links

• Akarette II at Sylvain Halgand's www.collection-appareils.fr
• Akarette at Retrography.com by Simon Simonsen