The next time you have a camera trivia cocktail party, ask this question.
What camera name has the most “t’s” in it ?
Wittnauer makes watches, but in 1957 they went into the camera business. They didn’t actually make cameras, they distributed them. Most of Wittnauer’s cameras were made by Braun in Germany. Wittnauer stuck their name on the cameras.
They marketed about fifteen cameras betwen 1957 and 1959. After that it was back to the watch business.
The Wittenette takes 620 film but I was able to fit a trimmed 120 into the feed side after I took a little grinder to the camera.
I’m not the worlds most accomplished photographer nor the most famous. But I bet I’ve used more camera models than anybody that ever lived.
The Wittenette has no “B” setting so I placed the camera on a counter top, leaned on it and tripped the shutter about ten times.
No need to worry about over exposure. I let reciprocity take over. I guess you could use that as sort of a “sunny sixteen” thing. Remember this rhyme, all the time.
Don’t worry ’bout over exposure.
And let reciprocity take over !
I took the camera outside for a while but all of the photos were motion blurred. Apparently the intricate shutter mechanism in the Wittenette doesn’t like cold weather. That’s the price you pay for quirky quality. You know, like owning a touchy British sports car.
From the days of cameras in drug stores, comes the Wittenette Deluxe in the presentation package. Distributed by Wittenauer Instruments, it’s complete with camera, case, flash and flashbulbs, film and instructions.
This particular “Deluxe” is an oddity it seems, as McKeown’s says that the camera has an electric exposure system. This one sure as hell doesn’t.
The Chrono lens was most likely a reference to Wittenauer’s main business – manufacturing time pieces.
The camera has three lens openings. Double exposure prevention. A big shutter lever button and a tripod mount hole. The viewfinder is bright and suitably distorted.
