Amateur Photographer - UK (2020-05-09)

subscribe 0330 333 1113I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI 9 May 2020 59

TheContessa-Nettel

detective camera

Contessa-Nettel

Ergo

ONCEupona timetherewasa
smallGermancameracompany
calledContessa.In 1919it joined
forceswithanothersmallcamera
companycalledNettelto
becomeContessa-Nettel.Then,
in 1926Contessa-Nettel
becameoneof fourcamera
companiesthatmergedtoform
ZeissIkon.Thiscamerawasfirst
made by Contessa in 1912 when

BLAST FROM THE PAST

LAUNCHED 1924

PRICEATLAUNCH£15

GUIDE PRICE NOW £600-900

Tech Talk

itwascalledtheArgus.It

continuedtobemadeunderthat

namebyContessa-Nettelwhen

thetwocompaniesmerged.

Sometimein the1920s,probably

around1924,Contessa-Nettel

renamedit theErgo.From1927,

underitsnewname,it wasmade

byZeissIkon.Gotthat?Okay,

let’smoveon.

Thisis a detectivecamera,but

don’tconfusethatwitha spy

camera.Detectivecameraswere

madeforphotographerswhohad

nothingtodowithespionage,but

whowerefascinatedwith

equipmentthatcouldbeused

unobtrusively.Forthatpurpose,

theErgoshootspicturesat right

anglestothewaythe

photographeris facing.

It lookslikea smallmonocular

butwhatappearstobethelensat

thefrontendis false,eventhough

it is surroundedbyaperture

settingsmarkedf/4.5-36.The

eyepiece at the other end, which

appearstobelookingthroughthe

fakelens,actuallyusesa mirrorto

looksidewaysat thesubject

througha smallerhiddenopening.

Astheshutterbuttonis pressed,a

flapin thesideof thebody,at right

anglestothefakelens,opensto

revealthereallens.Theshutter

firesandtheflapclicksshut.

Focusingandshutterspeedsare

adjustedbytinyknobsontheside

of thebodyandit shootspictures

on4.5x6cmplatesorsheet fi lm in

fi l mp a c k s.

TheErgois of course

somewhatimpracticalforuse

today,butit’sa wonderful piece of

photographichistory.

What’sgoodStillusableasa

sheetfilmcameraforthe

ambitiousenthusiast.

What’sbadDespitebeingmadein

fairlylargenumbers,it’ssuper-

raretoday– and therefore very

expensive!

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Howthelensflapopensand
closes as the picture is taken

Whatappearstobethesideofthecamerais actuallytheback,holdinga

focusing screen under a hood, interchangeable with a film or plate holder

JohnWadefindsa

camerafromtheageof

clandestine photography