Mentor Wonder Reflex
The Mentor Wonder Reflex Camera is an SLR camera for 6.5x9cm (3½x2½-inch) plates, made from about 1927 by Mentor, to be fitted with a 13.5cm f/1.9 Prolinear lens by Rietzschel, making a 'night reflex'. Rietzschel had already been taken over by Agfa at this time, as part of the large merger that formed IG Farben, but the Rietzschel brand continued to appear on products for some time. Agfa acted as distributor for some Mentor cameras in the UK.[1]
Examples have been seen at Westlicht/Leitz Photographica Auctions, with lenses engraved for Rietzschel and for Agfa.[2][3] In each case, the camera body is branded for Mentor in many places; only the lens is engraved for Agfa or Rietzschel.
The camera has only a focal-plane shutter. The speed is varied by both ten slit-width and six spring-tension settings, and a table-plate on the right side shows the shutter speed given by each combination: instantaneoous speeds between 1/8 and 1/1300 second, plus 'B'.
The camera has both a top, reflex focusing screen, and one at the rear, exchangeable with the dark-slide, allowing it to be used as a view camera. It has a reversing back (that is, the rear focusing screen and plates can be mounted in vertical or horizontal orientation).
Notes
- ↑ 1928 Agfa UK 'Photographic Supplies' catalogue at Pacific Rim. The Wonder Reflex is on page 9, and cost 57 UK Pounds, 10 shillings including three double dark-slides; about 4400 UK pounds as of 2024. PDF, 47 MB.
- ↑ Mentor Wonder Reflex with Rietzschel Prolinear no. 166940, sold at the 34th Leitz Photographica Auction, in June 2019.
- ↑ Agfa/Mentor Wonder Reflex, with Agfa Prolinear no. 190286, sold at the 42nd Leitz Auction, in September 2023.
