Changes: Pouva Start

Latest revision as of 16:37, 13 March 2012

Pouva Start second model, c.1956-59 image by Süleyman Demir (Image rights)

Pouva Start is a medium format film viewfinder like box camera made by Karl Pouva AG in Freital, near Dresden, Saxony, former East Germany, and produced beteween c.1952-73.

The Pouva Start was a great success for Karl Pouva's little camera factory in Freital near Dresden. With a moderate price of only 16.50 Deutsche Mark (east) it was affordable for the young people. Thus it became a typical beginner's camera in East Germany. Estimated 1.7 million Start were sold. The first model of 1951 (or 1952?) had just a sports finder, its other features were like those of contemporary smart Bakelite cameras: two apertures, modes time and instant (1/30 sec.), screw tube and simple lens (Duplar 1:8, 2 elements in 2 groups). It was licensed by Hungarian and Polish camera makers.

The second Pouva Start version of 1956 was a little smarter, with optical finder and weather symbols for the apertures. The West German Hama distributed a similar bakelite camera, made by Apparatebau und Kamerafabrik in Monheim. This copy, the Hamaphot P56L, had an Original-Tricomat-6.5cm lens, a flash synchronized shutter, and a flash shoe.

The second model was offered also with yellow lens front, viewfinder and rewind knob and there are some cosmetic variations (also called model 3 and 4) . The first model has only a sports frame finder.

Pouva Start, later model image by Alfred Sigaro (Image rights)

Models[]

First model[]

Second model[]

Specifications of the Second Model[]

Film: 120 roll, picture size: 6x6cm
Lens: Duplar f/8, (2 elements in 2 groups), plastic, collapsable screw tube, no name on the lens
Aperture: cloudy f/8 and sunny f/16; setting: by a lever on front of the lens
Focusing: fixed focus
Shutter: simple spring rotary shutter, one speed 1/30 +B ; setting: by a lever on front of the lens, B and M (instant)
Cocking and Shutter release: by the same knob, press and release; on the top plate
Cable release socket: beside the shutter release, w/ safety lock lever
Viewfinder: reverse telescopic finder
Winding knob: on the top plate
Flash PC socket: none
Self-timer: none
Back cover: remowable, w/red window; opens by a lever beside the winding knob
Tripod socket: ¼"
Strap lugs : none
Body: Bakelite; Weight: 221g
Serial no. none

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+{{Flickr_image
+|image_source= http://www.flickr.com/photos/s-demir/6833318950/in/photostream
+|image= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7200/6833318950_cacd44b26a.jpg
+|image_align= center
+|image_text= Pouva Start  second model, c.1956-59 <small>image by Süleyman Demir</small>
+|image_by=Süleyman Demir
+|image_rights= with permission
+}}
+'''Pouva Start''' is a [[medium format]] film [[viewfinder]] like [[box camera]] made by Karl [[Pouva]] AG in Freital, near Dresden, Saxony, former East Germany, and produced beteween c.1952-73.
 The '''Pouva Start''' was a great success for [[Karl Pouva]]'s little camera factory in Freital near Dresden. With a moderate price of only 16.50 Deutsche Mark (east) it was affordable for the young people. Thus it became a typical beginner's camera in East Germany. Estimated 1.7 million ''Start'' were sold. The first model of 1951 (or 1952?) had just a [[sports finder]], its other features were like those of contemporary smart [[Bakelite]] cameras: two apertures, modes time and instant (1/30 sec.), screw tube and simple lens (''Duplar'' 1:8, 2 elements in 2 groups). It was licensed by Hungarian and Polish camera makers.
 The second Pouva Start version of 1956 was a little smarter, with optical finder and weather symbols for the apertures. The West German [[Hama]] distributed a similar bakelite camera, made by [[Apparatebau und Kamerafabrik]] in Monheim. This copy, the '''Hamaphot P56L''', had an ''Original-Tricomat-6.5cm'' lens, a [[flash sync]]hronized shutter, and a flash shoe.
+The second model was offered also with yellow lens front, viewfinder and rewind knob and there are some cosmetic variations (also called model 3 and 4) . The first model has only a sports frame finder.
-{|
-||[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kratz/1876589078/in/pool-camerapedia/ http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2132/1876589078_4da0c5036a_m.jpg]
-||[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kratz/1876524656/in/pool-camerapedia/ http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2398/1876524656_7905cd57bd_m.jpg]
-||[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kratz/1844315571/in/pool-camerapedia/ http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2016/1844315571_503ccea04d_m.jpg]
-||[http://www.flickr.com/photos/alf_sigaro/351661172/in/pool-camerapedia/ http://farm1.static.flickr.com/159/351661172_c87d991041_m.jpg]
-|-
-||Pouva Start, 1951
-||Pouva Start, 1956
-||Hamaphot P56L, 1956
-||Pouva Start, later model
-|}
-==Links==
-*[http://candidcamera.free.fr/PHOTAX/modell_p56_BW.jpg P56] and [http://candidcamera.free.fr/PHOTAX/ph_reporter_max_germany.jpg REPORTER MAX] and other Pouva Start variations or copies of HAMA resp. Apparatebau und Kamerafabrik GmbH Monheim at Fotofex [http://candidcamera.free.fr/PHOTAX/mainpage%20photax.htm]
-*[http://www.optiksammlung.de/Diverse/PouvaStart.html Pouva Start] at Optiksammlung.de [http://www.optiksammlung.de]
-* [http://photo.even.free.fr/col_app.php?type=pouva&title=Pouva Pouva page] at [http://photo.even.free.fr/ Collection G. Even's site]
+{{Flickr_image
+|image_source= http://www.flickr.com/photos/alf_sigaro/351661172/in/pool-camerapedia/
+|image= http://farm1.staticflickr.com/159/351661172_c87d991041.jpg
+|image_align= center
+|image_text= Pouva Start, later model <small>image by Alfred Sigaro</small>
+|image_by=Alfred Sigaro
+|image_rights= with permission
+}}
+==Models==
+===First model===
+[[File:Pouva_first_model.jpg|frame|center|Pouva Start First model]]
+===Second model===
+====Specifications of the Second Model====
+[[File:Pouva_Start_03.jpg|thumb|300px]][[File:Pouva_Start_02.jpg|thumb|300px]][[File:Pouva_Start_05.jpg|thumb|300px]][[File:Pouva_Start_07.jpg|thumb|300px]]
+*Film: [[120]] roll, picture size: 6x6cm
+*Lens: Duplar f/8, (2 elements in 2 groups), plastic, collapsable screw tube, no name on the lens
+*Aperture: cloudy f/8 and sunny f/16; setting: by a lever on front of the lens
+*Focusing: fixed focus
+*Shutter: simple spring [[Shutter#rotary shutter|rotary shutter]], one speed 1/30 +B ; setting: by a lever on front of the lens, B and M (instant)
+*Cocking and Shutter release: by the same knob, press and release; on the top plate
+*Cable release socket: beside the shutter release, w/ safety lock lever
+*Viewfinder: reverse telescopic finder
+*Winding knob: on the top plate
+*Flash PC socket: none
+*Self-timer: none
+*Back cover: remowable, w/red window; opens by a lever beside the winding knob
+*Tripod socket: ¼"
+*Strap lugs : none
+*Body: Bakelite; Weight: 221g
+*Serial no. none
+==Links==
+*[http://www.lomography.com/magazine/reviews/2011/07/30/pouva-start-another-cult-camera in Lomography.com]
+*[http://photo.even.free.fr/col_app_pouva.php in Photo Even's website]
+*[http://www.pouva.net/ in Pouva net]
 [[Category:screw tube bakelite]]
 [[Category:East Germany]]