Werra
Contents
Werra, a twist apart
Werra I
The Werra is a series of 35mm viewfinder or rangefinder cameras manufactured by the Carl Zeiss Jena factory which was primarily a lens-making plant. The Werra is named after a small German river.
The cameras offer a high degree of control with a minimum number of levers, knobs or rings. In their simplest incarnations, the Werras featured only a shutter release button on the top plate. With it's streamlined styling, one could call the Werras a design camera. Nearly all other controls were incorporated into the lens barrel.
Werra I with lens cap
Twist that lens !
The most unique feature of the Werra is the covered ring around the lens barrel. Twisting the ring cocks the shutter and advanced the film in one motion. In addition, the lens cap doubles as a shade (compare the second and third picture).
Bottom of the Werra1 with controls. Note the lens cap doubles as a shade.
The Werra uses a central shutter. It has flash sync at all speeds (B, 1 to 1/750s). It has an X and M setting and a self-timer V.
Markings on this camera
The lens, a 50/2.8 Tessar, is often marked T instead of Tessar and Jena instead of Carl Zeiss Jena because of a conflict between the East- and West-German division of the firm -- though examples of export Werras with both disputed marks do exist.
On the lower left part of the barrel or shutter speed dial, there is a logo, "Q1," meaning "Erste Qualität" or first quality. This was a designation for East-German exports to the West. Models meant for the home market lacked this logo.
The lower right side featured the Ernemann tower logo derived from a tower found at Ernemann's camera factory in Dresden.
Variations and later models
Werra lenses
Several variations were made. There is an olive green version of the Werra 1. The Werra 2 and Werra matic models have selenium cell lightmeters. The models Werra III, Werra IV, Werra V and Werra matic have a coupled rangefinder together with interchangeable lenses, allowing tele- and wide-angle lenses.
|
|
| variant with alu film advance ring | Compur variant |
|
|
| matic variant with Flektogon lens | olive green variant |
Links
- Werra page in French at KRG's website
- Werra page at Dirapon website
- Werra I, Werra Ic, Werra Ie on www.collection-appareils.fr by Sylvain Halgand
In English:
- Werra section at Retrography.com by Simon Simonsen, Denmark
- WERRA the design that came from the east at Classic Cameras by RaúlM.
