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Franka Rolfix I De Luxe |
 Version française |
Manufactured or assembled in Germany from 1953 to 1957.
Index of rarity in France: Infrequent (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 3511
See the complete technical specifications
Chronology of cameras Franka
The Rolfix cameras are simple 6 x 9 folding cameras, with numerous versions (mostly combinations of lenses and shutters) marketed from around 1931 until the mid-1950s.
Some Rolfix cameras were equipped with French lenses, sometimes with Gitzo shutters, specifically for sale in France. Some were rebranded to fit into distributors' catalogs.
Rolfix cameras are vertical folding cameras with automatic opening. The standard format is 6 x 9, but depending on the version, they can also produce negatives of 4.5 x 6 or 6 x 6. They are recognizable by the shape of the scissor struts, especially the supporting legs that hold the lens/shutter assembly.
World War II interrupted their production, which resumed in the late 1940s, utilizing pre-war parts. From the early 1950s, the quality improved, with assembly using high-quality lenses and efficient shutters. The design modernized, including the addition of a cover spanning one side of the camera and incorporating the viewfinder, possibly a rangefinder. Manufactured in the US occupation zone, some cameras were exported to the USA, indicating "Made in Germany US Zone."
Throughout the model's existence, it was marketed under various brands.
List (non-exhaustive):
| Model | Revêtement | Viewfinder | Size | Lens | Shutter | |||
| Rolfix |  |
Before WWII | Herringbone | Right | Extra Rapide Paris |
Gitzo | French version | |
| Rolfix |  |
Striures |
Left |
multiple | Boyer Topaz 4.5 |
Prontor | ||
| Rolfix |  |
Herringbone |
Left |
multiple | Boyer Topaz 6.3 |
Stein und Binneweg | ||
| Rolfix |  |
c. 1948 | Stripes |
Right |
multiple | Boyer Topaz 4.5 |
Prontor II | |
| Rolfix |  |
c. 1948 | Herringbone |
Right |
multiple | Radionar 4.5 | Prontor II | |
| Rolfix |  |
1951-52 | Herringbone |
Right optical |
6 x 9 6 x 6 |
Radionar 4.5 | Prontor-S | |
| Rolfix II |  |
1951-52 | Right optical |
Trinar 3,5 |
Prontor-S | Made in Germany US Zone |
||
| Rolfix II | 1951-52 | Right optique |
Trinar 3,5 |
Compur-Rapid | ||||
| Rolfix I De Luxe1 | 1953-57 | Herringbone |
Full cover |
Radionar 4.5 | Prontor-SV | |||
| Rolfix II De Luxe1 | 1953-57 | Full cover |
Trinar 3,5 | Synchro-Compur MX | ||||
| Rolfix Junior1 | 1951-52 | Herringbone |
Right |
Radionar 4.5 | Vario | |||
| Rolfix Junior De Luxe1 | 1953-57 | Herringbone |
Half cover | Frankar 4.5 | Vario | It is a Bonafix |
||
| Bazar Hotel de Ville |  |
c. 1939 | Right | Armor | Stein und Binneweg | |||
| Inconnu |  |
c.1934-36 | Stripes |
Left | Boyer Topaz |
Prontor II | French version | |
| Porst Hapo 5 | c. 1939 | Right | 6 x 9 4.5 x 6 |
Trinar |
Pronto | |||
__________
This is the camera identified by the letter E on the Ward's catalog page.
It was manufactured in Germany, in the American occupation zone, by Franka. The catalog specifies this to avoid any confusion with the German Democratic Republic (GDR), which could have been detrimental to sales during the height of the Cold War.
This model is covered with a durable synthetic coating that still ensures a good grip when one comes across a camera from this series today.
Montgomery Ward was a major distributor of Franka cameras in the United States, and some model names used by this retailer are specific to them. Indeed, this is the case with the Rolfix I De Luxe, which is a new-generation Rolfix I featuring a cover spanning one side and incorporating the viewfinder.
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 Appareil Photo 1950 FRANKA Bonafix 39,99 euros Finira le 27-04-2024 à 18:33:03 |  Superbe appareil photo Franka Solida III (3) / Radionar 2,9 / 80 (Schneider K.) 55,01 euros Finira le 27-04-2024 à 20:29:31 |