Photina TLR, picture by Wedste - Proud to be Italian.for what we have been |
In 1921 Johann Bolten founded the Bolta GmbH in Nuremberg. He emigrated to the USA where he founded a second factory. His German factory began making cameras in 1935. In 1937 he renamed it to Photavit-Werk GmbH. It made the Boltavit and Photavit models from 1936 to the late 1950s. The early models used unperforated paper-backed 35mm film on special spools, called Bolta film. A late version of the 1950s was named Photina. A typical 1950s camera was the rollfilm TLR Photina Reflex for type No. 120 film, marketed by Sears as Tower Reflex and by Obergassner as OGA Reflex. The company stopped its camera making in 1957.
Leaflet by the British distributor Seeing Camera. (Image rights) | Photavit miniature full frame 35mm camera in original box with film loader and film cartridges, 1938-46, images by rst90274. (Image rights) |
Links[]
In English:
- Photavit page showing Photina Reflex on www.retrography.com [1]
- Boltavit and Photavit cameras at Submin.com
- Photvit/Boltavit page at Classic Cameras
- Cameras at www.collection-appareils.fr