Donata

From Camera-wiki.org
Jump to: navigation, search

Contessa-Nettel Donata was manufactured by Contessa-Nettel AG, Stuttgart, Germany.It is a folder bed plate film camera. It can be easily identified by the engraving on the hand grip "Donata" .

Specifications

  • Production: 1919-26.
  • Format: 6.5x9cm and 9x12cm
  • Lens: 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.
  • Shutter: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.
  • View finder: Waist level brilliant finder on top of the lens standard,

turning 90 degrees left on its own axis for landscape pictures.

  • 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:metal; Weight 498g.

History

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 firm 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

Like other products from companies that merged into Zeiss Ikon, the Donata was continued for a while; it was discontinued in 1932 in favor of the quite similar Maximar.

Links