View source for Plaubel Aerial camera AK 1/03

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The '''AK 1/03'''<ref>'AK 1/03' is engraved in the plate on the side (the strap-attachment) of the camera. 'AK' obviously stands for 'Aerial-Kamera'.</ref> is an aerial camera made in about 1955 by [[Plaubel]] of Frankfurt. Just sixty of the cameras were made, for the Swedish air force.<ref>Auctioneer's notes for some of the examples cited include the statement that sixty cameras were made, for the Swedish air force.</ref> It makes 6x9cm exposures on 120 roll film in a detachable filmholder. It has a [[focal-plane shutter]] with speeds 1/20 - 1/1000 second, plus 'T' (marked as such on the speed dial; but perhaps 'B' shutter). The examples seen have a 100mm f/3.5 Anticomar lens. The camera has a frame finder; the rear part folding, the front a simple wire 'set of goalposts' that pulls up. There is also a big shoe on the top left for mounting a zoom Galilean viewfinder, adjustable from 100-600mm (apparently just an adjustable ''mask'', not zoom optics), as in several of the examples linked below. The camera and film-holder are painted with pale green crackle-finish paint. The camera has leather hand-straps on each side, and there are some folded brackets either side of the lens which might serve to fasten the camera to a frame in an aircraft. There is a bipost [[flash synchronisation]] terminal on the left side.

==Examples==
* [https://www.leitz-auction.com/en/Plaubel-Aerial-Camera-AK-1-03/AI-34-37077 Serial number 103], with film back and lens-hood, sold at the [https://www.leitz-auction.com/en/Cameras/Past-Auctions/Auction-34/ 34th Leitz Photographica Auction], in June 2019: several excellent photos of the camera.
* [https://auction-team.de/wp-content/uploads/eCatalogue/PH_II_2020/mobile/index.html#p=72 Serial number 104] with two film backs, hood and optical finder, sold by [https://auction-team.de/ Auction Team Breker] in October 2020.
* [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-4141509 Serial number 105], with film-back and hood, optical viewfinder mounted, and with yellow and orange filters, sold by [https://www.christies.com Christie's] in 2003.
* [https://www.christies.com/lot/ak-1-aerial-camera-no-106-814528/ Serial number 106], sold by Christie's in October 1997 (no picture).
* [https://www.lpfoto.se/auk/w.object?inC=LP&inA=20180327_1159&inO=101&inSiteLang=ENGLISH Serial number 114], with two film-backs, hood, optical finder, yellow and orange filters, a swivel-mount (?) and leather outfit case, sold by [http://www.lpfoto.se/ LP Foto Auktion] in December 2018. The auctioneer's notes state that ''sixty'' units of the camera were made, for the Swedish air force: several excellent photos.
* [https://auctionet.com/en/1198626-film-camera-plaubel-aerial-camera-ak-1-03-no-137 Serial number 137], with two film-backs in leather outfit case, sold by Auktionshuset Kolonn in November 219 (listing is at auctionet.com).

==Notes==
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[[Category:A|AK 1]]
[[Category:Plaubel]]
[[Category:Aerial cameras]]
[[Category:German 6x9 viewfinder]]
[[Category:1955]]