DeJur D-1 and D-3

image by Geoff Harrisson (Image rights)

DeJur D-1

In 1955 the DeJur-Amsco company marketed the DeJur D-1 a solid cast-metal bodied camera made by Neidig Kamerawerk. The D-1 is basically the 1952 Perlux II camera with the DeJur name and updated with a double-stroke lever wind instead of a knob wind. It is a viewfinder 35mm with interchangeable lenses. The standard lens is a 45mm f2.8 Staeble-Kata in a (unbranded) Prontor shutter with speeds of 1/25 to 1/200. There were two accessory lenses available; a 38mm f3.5 Staeble-Choro and a 85mm f5.6 Staeble-Telon. As a set they were supplied in a nice leather case together with an accessory viewfinder. They are the same M39 thread mount Staeble lenses that were offered to fit the Braun Paxette II. The accessory finder shows the wide-angle view; a slip-on mask is used with the tele lens.

D-1 image by Geoff Harrisson (Image rights)

image by Geoff Harrisson (Image rights)

DeJur D-3

In 1953 the Perlux II had an uncoupled rangefinder built into the top housing and was named the Perlux IIa. A rotating wheel on the top rear panel operated the rangefinder. Later that year the rangefinder was coupled and a wind lever replaced the wind knob. This camera was then imported by DeJur in 1957 and sold as the DeJur D-3. It has the same standard lens as the D-1 but in a less compact mount. The same tele and wide-angle lenses were offered, now rangefinder-coupled. The (still unbranded) shutter is a Prontor but with speeds 1sec to 1/300. On the rear of the D-3 you can see a cover where the uncoupled rangefinder wheel was located. “Made in Western Germany” is boldly stamped on the bases of both models.

Photo of lens mounts shows the coupled mount on the left, uncoupled mount on the right. images by Geoff Harrisson (Image rights)

D-1 (bottom) D-3 (top) image by Geoff Harrisson