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.
Contents
35mm film cameras
Viewfinder
SLR
Praktiflex
Praktica
See Pentacon.
Praktina
Contax F
See Contax S.
120 film cameras
Praktisix
See Pentacon.
Other SLR
- Pilot 6
- Pilot 6 super
127 film cameras
- Pilot Reflex TLR
Plate cameras
Links
| Camera industry in Dresden |
| Balda | Certo | Eho-Altissa | Eichapfel | Ernemann | Feinmess | Heyde | Hamaphot | Huth | Hüttig | ICA | Ihagee | Kochmann | Kerman | KW | Eugen Loeber | Ludwig | Mentor | Merkel | Meyer | Mimosa | Pentacon | Richter | Sommer | Stübiger | Unger & Hoffmann | Werner | Wünsche | Zeiss Ikon | Zeh |
| Camera distributors in Dresden |
| Stöckig |
| Camera industry in Freital |
| Beier | Pouva | Thowe | Welta |
- Site on the Praktina, with a history of KW
- Company history at dresdner-kameras.de
- KW page at Collection G. Even's site
In English:
- KW and KW Pilot section at Retrography.com by Simon Simonsen, Denmark
