My Favourite Camera #2

Berning
ROBOT STAR (1952)

with Schneider-Kreuznach Xenon 1.9/40mm

the 3rd generation ROBOT Camera, introduced in 1952
body size: slightly larger than a Rollei 35 or an Olympus XA
a rather heavy body: 670g with the Xenon,
i.e. 2 x the weight of Rollei 35 or 3 x that of Olympus XA,
almost as heavy as an EOS 350D with the kit lens
spring motor drive, up to 25 shots per winding (optimistic)
a rotary shutter: B, 1/2 s - 1/500 s, X sync at all speeds
no autoburst, i.e. single shot only, 3-5 manual shots/s,
at least my copy slows down near the end of winding
the shutter is quiet but film advance is rather noisy
the simple mechanism is very robust, tested 60,000 times,
withstands heavy vibration and works at extreme temperatures:
during WWII, Robot II was used as a gun camera by Luftwaffe.
frame size: 24 mm x 24 mm, 55 shots on a 36 exp film
uses the standard 35 mm cartridge, not the "Type K" of Robot I
the viewfinder can be switched to use a secondary ocular
at the top left edge of the body, allows for sideways shooting
lenses: proprietary, Robot 26 mm screw mount

Xenon 1.9/40mm for Robot

the standard lens, a Schneider-Kreuznach Xenon 1.9/40mm,
is a double-Gauss design (like the CZ Planars); single coated
the mechanical finish of this lens is just something unbelievable,
none of my Leitz, Zeiss or S-M-C Takumar lenses comes even near
scale-focusing, color coded DOF markings on the lens barrel
the FOV corresponds to a 95 mm lens on a 6x6 camera,
e.g. Rolleiflex, but with the DOF of a 61 mm lens

Some Hasty Shots

Fujicolor Superia 200, scanned with an Epson 4990:

Converted to B&W:

Ilford Delta 400 at ISO400, focus by guesstimate:

Tele-Xenar 3.8/75mm for Robot

a small but very heavy lens, weight about 200 g
scale-focusing, color coded DOF markings on the lens barrel
the FOV corresponds roughly to a 180 mm lens on a 6x6 camera
requires an external viewfinder

Some Test Shots

Ilford Delta 400 at ISO400, focus by guesstimate, exposure by "Sunny 16"
( NB. test shots, I didn't bother to remove the dust specks )

NB. some camera shake due to too slow a shutter speed

Fuji Provia 400X, focus by guesstimate, exposure by "Sunny 16"

My Two Most Favourite Cameras

A beauty from 1933 and another from 1952.
These two cameras just work.

Street Shooting from the Waist Level
Everything is preset: the speed, the aperture and the focus zone.
The right hand will cover the rest of the camera and trigger with the thumb.

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