Pilot 6
There is also the Pilot Six, a 6×6 folding camera made in the '40s by Tachibana Shōkai in Japan.
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| 1936-type Pilot 6 with aperture knob image by robertlhinson (Image rights) |
The Pilot 6 is a medium format SLR made by KW in Dresden, Germany, introduced in 1936. It takes twelve 6×6cm exposures on 120 film.[1]
General description
The body is roughly cubic, with a bulge on the top rear edge accommodating one of the film spools. There is a folding viewfinder hood on top (with a plate listing patents on the back) and a wire-frame sports finder on the left side. The knob wind, shutter speed and release are all on the users right side.
1936 model
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| image by Rick Oleson (Image rights) |
The 1936 model has a fixed lens. The front has a name plate above, and a curved maker's name around the underside of the lens. The shutter on the original model runs from 1/25–1/100, later upgraded to 1/20–1/150.[2] The less expensive model has a KW Anastigmat 7.5cm f/6.3 lens with an aperture disk controlled by a knob above the lens; normal models have KW Anastigmat 7.5cm f/4.5 or Laack Pololyt 7.5cm f/3.5 lenses with normal diaphragms.[2]
1938 model
The Pilot 6 was upgraded in 1938 with interchangeable lenses, a faster shutter (20–200) and improved controls.[2] The makers plate was removed and the (now straight) name plate moved to the top of the front.
The Pilot Super is a similar, later camera.
Notes
Bibliography
- McKeown, James M. and Joan C. McKeown's Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras, 12th Edition, 2005-2006. USA, Centennial Photo Service, 2004. ISBN 0-931838-40-1 (hardcover). ISBN 0-931838-41-X (softcover). P.584.
Links
In English:
- KW Pilot 6 user manual at Philcameras.be
- KW history shows the KW SLRs, by Klaus-Eckard Riess
