Foitzik

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History

The Foitzik-Kamerawerke were founded in 1945 in Lübeck by machine construction engineer Karl Foitzik (born 1909 in Schomberg, died in car accident 1955). There the company could make 600 units of its early camera types Foica, Foizica and Unca. It had troubles with the quality of the Steinheil lenses. In 1950 the factory reopened in Trier with 20 employees. It was one of the many post-war German camera manufacturers. According to various sources, the production in Trier began in 1951 and ended in 1958. Karl Foitzik himself took part in the development of cameras. The Foinix I was his construction.[1]

It has produced several camera models and some accessories, a self-timer, two rangefinders and a universal viewfinder. In 1953 the takeover of Optische Werkstätte Janetzki enabled Foitzik to produce its own lenses. In its heyday the company employed 150 people. Warehouses Kaufhof and Quelle sold Foitzik's camera, exports went to 60 countries. The decline began with Karl Foitzik's sudden death in an car accident. His wife Margarethe led the company until it was closed in 1958.

120 film

Foinix (6x6)

  • Format: 120 6x6
  • Lens: Foinar 1:4.5/ 75mm
  • Aperture: 4.5 - 22
  • Shutter: Vario 1/25 - 1/200 with double exposure lock
  • Viewfinder: optical direct vision viewfinder in top cover
  • Flash: PC terminal
  • Film Memo Knob

Model Variations

First model cameras have a straigth topcover, second model cameras, starting from c1954 have a hump at the viewfinders location.

Other observed Lens/Shutter combinations :

  • Foicar 1:3.5 / 75mm in a Vario shutter
  • Foinar 1:3.5 / 75mm in a Pronto shutter


Name Variations

A name variant of The Foinix (6x6) is the Atlantic 6x6. According to McKeowns[2] the Atlantic is a name variant of the Mess-Foinix (with rangefinder) and produced for a Swedish Mail-Order house. However there are also Atlantic folders observed with only a viewfinder[3]. That Atlantic 6x6 has a part of its Film Memo scale colored.


Performance

The optics are a little primitive; however, the camera is simple and easy to use if you don't mind having to either use a separate rangefinder for perfect accuracy or accept that focus may be a little rough. The flash mount often will not synchronise properly.


Foinix Ori

  • Format: 120 6x6
  • Lens: Foinar 1:5.6 / 75mm Trier AR
  • Aperture: sunny (1:11) and clouded (1:5.6)
  • Shutter: everset flash synchronized, 1/25 sec. , 1/75 sec. plus B
  • Viewfinder: optical



Foinix Orito/Foitzik Reporter



Foinix OS



Mess-Foinix (rangefinder)



Unca (6x6)



35mm film

Foica

  • Production 1948[7] (early product made in Lübeck)
  • Format: 35mm film

Foinix (35mm)

  • Production 1955[8]
  • Format: 35mm film
  • Lens: Foinar 1:2.8/45mm
  • Aperture: 2.8 - 16



Foizica

  • Production c1948-49[9] (early product made in Lübeck)
  • Format: 35mm film

Unca (35mm)

  • Production 1949[10] (early product made in Lübeck)
  • Format: 35mm film


References

  1. The history of the company and its founder are described in an article (in German) from Geschichte,14.11.2006.
  2. McKeowns Cameras 2005/2006 Edition, page 298
  3. Actual camera owned by Hans Kerensky
  4. McKeowns Cameras 2005/2006 Edition, page 297
  5. McKeowns Cameras 2005/2006 Edition, page 298
  6. McKeowns Cameras 2005/2006 Edition, page 298
  7. McKeowns Cameras 2005/2006 Edition, page 297
  8. McKeowns Cameras 2005/2006 Edition, page 298
  9. McKeowns Cameras 2005/2006 Edition, page 298
  10. McKeowns Cameras 2005/2006 Edition, page 298


Links


Notes