Pilot 6 by
berangberang, on Flickr
I've taken possession of a very charming little camera. A Pilot 6 SLR made by Kamera-Werkstätten in the 1930s. It makes 16 6x4.5 exposure on a roll of 120 - most of them overlapping slightly. It features an Ennatar 4.5/75 lens and shutter speeds from 1/20 to 1/150 as well as ground glass focusing.
Kamera-Werkstätten Pilot 6 by
berangberang, on Flickr
It is a very simple camera which cost roughly the same as a contemporary Argus C3 when new. KW would go on to make the Praktiflex and Praktica cameras, ultimately becoming VEB Pentacon in postwar east Germany.
Some previous owner took it upon themselves to brush black enamel all over this Pilot 6. I sort of like the look. It reminds me of preserved machines in museums...
Kamera-Werkstätten Pilot 6 by
berangberang, on Flickr
And now for some pictures:
cranes by
berangberang, on Flickr
lake by
berangberang, on Flickr
wall by
berangberang, on Flickr
volkswagen by
berangberang, on Flickr
Hero Alarm Clock by
berangberang, on Flickr
Hero Dog Clock by
berangberang, on Flickr
Like most early SLRs it is not particularly easy to use. The slow lens makes it difficult to compose and focus unless the magnifier is swung into place - it blocks light from entering the viewing hood but then it is impossible to see the corners of the screen! So I had no idea what these images would look like until I got them processed. The aperture is adjust manually, there isn't even a preset function so you have to set the f/stop visually by watching the numbers appear on a dial located in front of the view hood. Not a camera for candid photos. But I'm enthusiastic about the way the lens renders, and despite its slowness it is still a fun camera to operate.
