Bobette II
The Bobette II was one of the Ernemann cameras that was continued in production after the merger that created Zeiss Ikon in 1926. It is Zeiss Ikon's model 548. It is a small folding camera, making 24 images 22 x 32 mm on roll film, approximately 35 mm wide (i.e. unperforated film with a backing paper). Whereas the Ernemann Bobette I (also continued as Zeiss Ikon's model 549) was a strut-folding model, the II is a conventional folder, the front opening to form a bed with focus rails on which the lens standard slides out. Focusing is by means of a radial lever on the right hand side of the focusing rails, with a scale. The camera is not self-erecting. It has both a brilliant finder and a wire frame finder. The front, wire part of this hinges on the lens standard. The rear part is a plate mounted by a swivel pin on the camera back, and also serves to cover the red window when swivelled down. The table stand operates the catch to open the front. It must also be unfolded, and the focus set to infinity, to close the camera.
In the example pictured, two brass loops have been fastened to the focus rails by a previous owner. Their purpose is not clear. Also, the aperture scale was missing; the pictures show a paper one.
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| Zeiss Ikon Bobette II image by Dustin McAmera (Image rights) |
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Specifications
- Type: Folding roll-film camera
- Format: 22x32mm (on un-perforated roll film, approx. 35 mm wide)
- Manufacturer: Ernemann and later Zeiss Ikon
- Years of production: 1926 by Ernemann; 1926-1929 by Zeiss Ikon [1]
- Lenses:
- Ernemann Ernoplast 1:4.5 F=5 cm (listed in McKeown's only for Ernemann, not Zeiss Ikon)
- Ernemann Ernon anastigmat 1:3.5 F=5 cm
- Ernemann Ernostar 1:2 F=4.2 cm
- Shutter: Cronos everset shutter. 1/5 - 1/100 sec plus B and T. Cable release socket. No delayed action.
- Viewfinder: Folding frame finder
- Focusing: Sliding rails on bed, with radial lever. Scale in metres, from 1.1 m to infinity.
- Dimensions: 112 x 62 x 36 mm (folded); depth when erected approx. 90 mm
- Weight: 375 g
