Prinzess

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The Prinzess is a strut-folding camera for plates or film-packs, made in Germany, though its maker seems uncertain. It is curiously made, with its shutter mounted back-to-front.

One example of the camera was offered for sale at a Leitz Auction. The auctioneer attributes it to Rodenstock (though it is not marked with that name) and they estimate its date as 1920s, though the shutter serial number of 142935 seems to be from before 1912. The camera carries a name-plate on the front for photographic dealers Kieser & Pfeufer of Munich ('Hoflieferanten'; suppliers to the Court), and a round plate with the name 'Prinzess'. It is described as for 6.5x9cm plates, and has a film-pack holder attached.

The camera has a shallow metal body with black leather covering, from which the front plate pulls forward on two pairs of struts. These work in the same way as the Ensignette; they are rigid, and slotted along their whole length, so that the locating pin at each point on the front plate slides in the slot. There are two slots along the long sides of the front plate through which the struts project while the camera is being folded (the Ensignette simply has a narrower front plate, with the struts at the edge).

A dial-set Compur shutter, with speeds to 1/250 second, is oddly mounted on the back of the plate, facing into the bellows. From the front, all that can be seen is a helical focusing arm, engraved with a scale: even the knurled knob of that focusing control faces to the rear. Setting the shutter-speed dial and in particular the aperture behind the front plate would be quite awkward, and it is hard to think Rodenstock would make something so clumsy. There is no name-ring on the lens of this example.

Collection Appareils shows a different example of the camera, with a Steinheil 11cm f/4.7 lens, with a name-ring, and with the knurl on the focusing arm facing forward. The notes attribute the camera to Kieser & Pfeufer themselves, describe it as for 6x9cm, and estimate its date between 1913-25, without explanation.

The Photographica World price-guide attributes the camera to Rodenstock, describing it as 'identical to the Illma'. Both are listed as having a 105mm f/4.5 Eurynar, a Rodenstock lens; perhaps this is the basis for the attribution.

There is a Newton finder with the front glass on the front plate, which can pivot to be against the long or short side. On the rear body there are pointers for horizontal and vertical use.