Lordox

[nikkortorokkor]

I'm hunting a bit of info on this one as my knowledge of German rangefindes could be written on a postage stamp. I've bid on this Lordox, despite the fact that I'm supposed to be divesting myself of cameras, not acquiring more. But this seems unusual/interesting.

It is a Leidolf Wetzlar Lordox, which may cause some of you to cry "post in the viewfinder page, not here". But this Lordox looks like a Lordomat Standard, with interchangeable lenses & a rangefinder. see the pics:


The Lordox I'm bidding on. Note the rangefinder window & buttress, just like a Lordomat Standard. Lordonar 2.8/50 lens.


The Lordox Junior. Same body, no rangefinder, fixed Triplon lens.


A Lordomat Standard with Lordon 2.8/50 (not Lordonar) lens. Apart from the chromed front plate, it looks the twin of the Lordox in the first pic. I've found no other pictures or news of the "Lordox Standard" as it might be. Has anybody else come across one?

Although I think that later, metered Lordomats are endearingly ugly, the original Standard and the Lordox Junior are elegant cameras, reminiscent of that other 35mm from Wetzlar in design clarity if not build quality!

[PeterW]

Michael,

There are a few pictures, and some text, about Leidolf cameras, including the Lordomat, on

www.retrography.com/leidolf.htm

Worth a look.

PeterW

[PeterW]

Michael,

PS to previous post. It's worth looking down the list of cameras on the left hand side of the Retrography site. Quite a useful bit on Welta.

PeterW

[nikkortorokkor]

Thanks, Peter.

Simon is, as always, an interesting source of insight on Leidolf & I agree with his statement: "People who don't find the Lordox (Junior) attractive just hasn't got any taste at all."
But still no mention of a "Lordox Standard". I'll be in Christchurch next week, so I'll check McKeown's in the city library.

[paulatukcamera]

Save you the trip!

"Lordox 1957 - Black or Chrome faceplate based on the rounded body of the Lordomat.
Fixed lens. Viewfinder or coupled rangefinder. Shutter release on lens barrel Triplon f2.8 in Pronto or Prontor SVS"

Obviously the stripped out brother of the Lordomat. inferior non-detachable lens.

Paul

Ah ... Just looked up the AP guide for 1958

Lordomat Standard £37 - 18 - 10d with 50mm f2.8 Lordonar in prontor SVS

Lordox £21 19 9d 50mm f2.8 Trioplan Prontor SVS

No other variations quoted, but obviosly there were even cheaper versions with the Pronto shutter

[nikkortorokkor]

Paul,
Thank you for the info -
I take it that the UKCamera pages of info on camera such as Paxette & Leidolf are you - if so, thanks, they are a great resource.

BUT - I'm still puzzled: "Lordox £21 19 9d 50mm f2.8 Trioplan Prontor SVS"
That is the middle camera on my line-up (image courtesy of Butkus)

"My" Lordox (I won the auction & am awaiting delivery) has a Lordonar - & if it ain't removable, why the inner knurled ring?

This Lordox looks for all the world like a Lordomat Standard not a Lordox 57
A Pronto shuttered version of the Standard maybe? I wait with bated breath (really - I do - this is the first time I've uncovered something that, if not valuable, is still rare & unusual). This may even cure my Diax envy.

[paulatukcamera]

Forget my first ramblings - Found it! (Well as near as I can get!)

Strange model - I knew I had seen it somewhere, but the question was where! A single appearance only - for one year!

Montgomery Ward's 1958 catalogue - identical camera on page 6. By 1959 it was gone as they were only listing the dearer Lordomats.

Listed as an Adams 352. (Their brand name) At first I thought I'd seen it in a Sears catalogue, but they tended to put their Tower badge on Ilocas, Olympus rangefinders and the early Pentaxes

So to put you out of your anticipation, the specs are:
Coupled rangefinder 4 element f2.8 Lordonar lens - Pronto Shutter with 4 speeds 1/25 - 1/200 + B all for $58.95

The best bit is you were right - Interchangeable lenses!
According to the catalogue these also fit the non rangefinder model 351 ($38.95) and the two "de luxe" models" The Lordomat with Rangefinder ($77.50) and the metered Lordomat C35 $127.50

However, the strange thing is that you seem to have a US special! None of the Amateur Photographer Camera Guides list it (Amplion the agent is busy advertising the Montanus range in all of them & ignores his duties to Lordomat!)

Stranger still neither do the German camera guides of the period - bar one, Quelle, they all ignore Lordomat as a maker completely - most odd. Why I wonder? Was Quelle the sole agent?

For reference, if you want to try and acquire further information, the onesnot listing Lordomats are:
Foto Kino Querschnitt von A bis Z
Deutscher Photo Katalog
Von Agfa bis Zeiss, Photowelt
Cameras aus gutem house.

All of these were general catalogues produced in the late 1950s & early 60s with most German makes listed. They were produced for individual German camera shops to put their own names to.

The only one that lists Lordomat is Quelle Foto Freund and I have a large gap between 1956 & 61 the critical years for dating your Lordox model. They seem to be the sole wholesaler/seller of Lordomat. (plus MW of course in the States)

Perhaps the poor distribution is what finished them off!

Paul

Can photocopy the page if you are interested.

[nikkortorokkor]

It seems my guess matched your real research. Thanks, Paul, for the digging, it adds a lot of interest to my impulse purchase.

I found an undated Paxette Booklet on Butkus's site, it must be 1960 or later, since it includes a picture of the Electromatic, but prices make for an interesting comparison.

The Super Paxette I L (fixed Staeble Kata f2.8/45mm, Prontor SVS 1 - 300 & B, rangefinder) was listed at $59.95. The Super Paxette II L (interchangeable lens, with a Staeble Kata and the same shutter) was $10 dearer. A Bewi lightmeter was an expensive addition - the Super Paxette II B L (uncoupled meter and SVS 1 - 500 & B shutter) went for $92.95 and the all singing and dancing Super Paxette III Automatic went for $125 with a 2.8 Color-Ennit or $150 with the f1.8 Color-Ennilyt

That means the 1958 Lordox stacks up pretty well in one sense. You get IC lens capability for a dollar less than a fixed lens rangefinder from Braun. On the other hand, for an amateur on a budget, the Braun's SVS shutter might have offered more practical benefits than the Lordox's IC lenses and basic shutter. Maybe it was a nice camera for a market that didn't quite exist. Ironically, its cheap shutter doesn't really impinge too much on the rangefinder's natural forte - candid photography.

The Lordomats are obviously dearer than the Super Paxettes. At $69.95 the II L seems to eat the $77.50 Lordomat Standard's lunch. Likewise with the II B L and the C35. Maybe it was knowledge that they faced stiff competition that caused the distributors' collective indifference to the marque?

Quite a few of the homely C35s turn up on auction here in NZ usually fetching better $ than I paid for the Lordox (NZ$55, including postage). I guess there must've been a local distributor. I have a friend who worked in the industry in the 50s. When I get the camera I'll pop around and see him.

The Lordox is the 3rd camera I have which may fall into the theme of "nice camera - basic shutter". The other 2 are Yashicas: a 44 and a J, both with the Copal 25 - 300 & B. I'd add the Flexaret to that list but I killed it. A new collecting theme, maybe?

[nikkortorokkor]

Finally, I put a film through the Lordox:


The Ashley - back to normal


Plum - the first blossom of spring


Dunedin's brand new Chinese Garden pulls plenty of visitors on a sunny Sunday morning




CD BD Goldfish!


I tried a new lab - big mistake. I now have to spend time in the Gimp getting rid of the dust, etc. Grrr.


Every window has a different pattern



Overall, I thought that the Lordonar lens performed OK, especially given the difficult, bright & sunny conditions at the Chinese Garden. The squinty viewfinder is a bit of a pain though. It's probably better than those found on folders and box cameras from which the average Lordox owner might have graduated, but does not compare well even to the modest competition provided by the Paxette.

The Lordox and Lordomat still look prettier on the shelf though!

[John Parry]

Well those worked Michael... Well done!

Regards - John