WZFO Start II |
Version française |
Manufactured or assembled in Pologne from 1960 to 1965.
Index of rarity in France: Rare (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 14749
See the complete technical specifications
Chronology of cameras WZFO
WZFO is an abbreviation for Warszawskie Zakłady Foto Optyczne (Warsaw Optical and Photographic Industry).
The company was established in 1951 under the auspices of the Polish government. From 1952, WZFO began mass production of photographic equipment. In 1968, the company was incorporated into PZO (Polskie Zakłady Optyczne). PZO still exists today but now focuses solely on the production of medical products and microscopy equipment.
WZFO and later PZO produced and marketed various camera models (Alfa, Ami, Druh, Start, Fenix, and the Start series, among others), enlargers (such as the famous Krokus), lenses, slide projectors, and more.
Model | Years | Taking Lens 1 | Viewing Lens1 | Shutter | Winding | Frame Counter | |
Start | c .1951 | Euktar |
Euktar 4/75 mm |
1/10 to 1/200, B | Knob | Red window | |
Start II | 1960 | Euktar 3.5/75 mm |
1/10 to 1/250, B |
Crank | Counter | ||
Start B2 | 1960 | Knob | Red window | ||||
Start 66 | 1967 | Emitar 3.5/75 mm |
Emitar 3.5/75 mm |
1/15 to 1/250, B | Knob | Red window | |
Start 66 S | 1970 | Counter |
2 The Start B was exported and sold in 1967 in the Netherlands under the name Noco-Flex by Noordhuis & Co (hence the name Noco). To be more specific, it was a camera created using the body of a Start B but equipped with lenses and a shutter either from the Start B (probably initially) or the Start 66.
It was also marketed in Germany under the name Universa Uniflex 66 by the company Universa.__________
The Start II was introduced to the market in 1960, simultaneously with the Start B.
It is the most advanced in the Start series and the only one equipped with a dedicated crank for film advance. It also provides protection against double exposures. Focusing is done using the dial on the right side of the camera.
Due to its high manufacturing cost, reduced reliability resulting from a more complex mechanism, and foreign competition, the Start II did not achieve the commercial success anticipated by WZFO. Its production was discontinued in 1965, preceding that of the Start B. However, the Start B enjoyed strong sales.
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