Certo Super Dollina II

[photax]

Hi !

Here is a flea market found from the last weekend: A East German Certo Super Dollina II from about 1954. A small but very fine camera for 35mm with coupled rangefinder and Zeiss Tessar 2,8/50 T. Does anyone know, what does the "T" stand for ? I do not know if this model even had been produced by Certo, there is the “Pentacon-Tower” on the lens surrounding. At the base plate the leather is marked with “S”, the “highest quality” sign of the early GDR. The seller told me that this camera had never been used and it looks like brand new, no signs of usage. The second is not working properly, but this is the only flaw. Paid 17.- Euro for the camera with case ;D.

MIK

[Doug T.]

That's a fine looking camera Mik!
There hasn't been a lot around here lately, but that should change once the outdoor flea markets re-open.
Could the T possibly be for Tessar ? The f2 was a Heligon, the f2.8 or f3.5 a Tessar . At least that's what my old McKeown's says.

Doug

[PeterW]

Very nice find, MIK.

I think Doug is correct that the T stands for Tessar. This lens may have been made during the time that Carl Zeiss in Jena and Zeiss in West Germany were engaged in legal battles about the use of registered names.

Quite a few years later Zeiss used a red T on lenses to indicate that they were multi-coated, but I think your Super Dollina was made before the red T was used.

PeterW

[mickeyobe]

MIK,

What a beauty!

Working the shutter repeatedly might induce the 1 second to come to life as might my favourite resuscitator, a drop or so of lighter fluid.

Mickey

[Deleted]

Zeiss did use the red T to denote multi-coating.

Camera does look brand new,

Nice find.

W