KW

KW was a German manufacturer, founded in 1919. KW stands for Kamera Werkstätten, then later for Kamera Werke.

It is mostly known for the Praktiflex 35mm SLR launched in 1939, that will become the Praktica after the war. KW was situated in the Eastern part of Germany, and was nationalised. It launched the innovative Praktina in 1952, and the Praktisix 6x6 SLR in 1956. In the mid-fifties it absorbed VEB Zeiss Ikon, what was left of Zeiss Ikon in East Germany, and took over the production of the Contax F, a development of the Contax S. In 1964 it became VEB Pentacon, while continuing the production of Praktica models.

35mm SLR

Praktiflex

• Praktiflex
• Praktiflex FX

Praktica

See Pentacon.

Praktina

• Praktina FX
• Praktina IIA

Contax F

See Contax S.

120 SLR

• Pilot 6
• Pilot 6 super

Praktisix

See Pentacon.

127 film

• Pilot Reflex TLR

Links

• Site on the Praktina, with a history of KW
• Company history at dresdner-kameras.de
• KW page at Collection G. Even's site