Donata

Contessa-Nettel Donata, model c.1920 image by Süleyman Demir {{ (Image rights)}}

Contessa-Nettel Donata was manufactured by Contessa-Nettel AG, Stuttgart, Germany and produced between 1919-26. It is a folder bed plate film camera and its format is 6.5x9cm. It can be easily identified the engraving on the hand grip "Donata" .

The lens is Contessa-Nettel Nettar-Anastigmat 105mm, f/4.5, filter slip-on, with apertures f/4.5-f/38. Bellows focusing by a thumb wheel using distance index and scale. You can view and adjust the exact focus via the ground glass screen on the back of the camera, w/ a cloth hood.

The shutter is Ibsor leaf shutter, speeds: 1-1/100 +T & B.

Cocking and shutter releasing can be made by the same lever, for the speed settings, by pressing once the lever the diaphragm opens and closes.

The view finder is a Waist level brilliant finder on top of the lens standard, turning 90 degrees left on its own axis for landscape pictures.

The Bellows can slide vertically by a milled micrometer screw knob on the lens standard for parallax correction, also double-extension is possible for macro works. Body is metal and weighs 498g.

Dr August Nagel began his camera design business in 1908 as Drexler & Nagel, quickly to become the Contessa Camerawerke a year later. In 1919, he bought the Nettel Kamera-werke and renamed the combined operation Contessa-Nettel AG. Stuttgart, Germany. It operated under the Contessa-Nettel name from 1919 until 1926.

In 1926 Contessa-Nettel merged with Ica, Ernemann and Goerz forming the photographic giant Zeiss-Ikon.

Zeiss Ikon continued to produce camera series of Contessa-Nettel's and others before merging. Donata was also produced between 1926-32 by Zeiss Ikon with some differences. Contessa name used by Zeiss Ikon until 1960's.

--Dr.Süleyman Demir 07:38, 11 February 2011 (PST)

Ibsor shutter and Nettar lens image by Süleyman Demir {{ (Image rights)}}

Double-extension bellows image by Süleyman Demir {{ (Image rights)}}