Certo Dollina I

c. 1935

Certo Camera Werk

Dresden

Germany

Lens:

f2.9, 5 cm Steineil Cassar, iris diaphragm to f16. Serial no. 361131 .

Shutter:

Compur, speeds 1 - 1/300, B, T. Serial no. 3938908.

Construction:

Metal body, leather covered, leather bellows.

Format:

36, 24 x 36 mm exposures on 35 mm film held in standard cassettes.

Focusing:

Scale to 0.9 metre.

Attributes:

Direct-vision (lens/lens) view-finder.
Self-erecting front.
Film advance by single sprocket wheel. Auto-stop on film advance, not coupled to shutter, a button on the camera front is pressed to free the film advance knob. Automatic frame counter. Film reminder dial. Shutter set by lever on shutter, released by button on camera. To re-wind the film the film advance knob is lifted up which allows the take-up spindle to rotate backwards.
Depth-of-field table.

Identification:

Chrome finish.

Serial Number:

35303 .

The Dollina, later called the Dollina I, was introduced around 1935, it was a very well-made camera using bellows, similar to the Kodak Retina, rather than having a rigid body. Focusing was by a large wheel on the camera's top plate which, via the scissor struts, moved the front standard and lens.

The following year a coupled rangefinder model, the Dollina II, was introduced with lens options ranging from an f2.9 Steineil Cassar to an f2 Xenon, a Compur or Compur Rapid shutter was fitted. The finish of the model I and II was either black or chrome.

A model III was brought out around 1937 this was similar to the model II except the rangefinder was built into the body rather than being in its own housing on the top plate, the body was also made deeper.

The Dollina 0 with front-cell focusing and no rangefinder was introduced in 1938 and sold alongside the model III as a cheaper option.

References & Notes:

BJA 1936, p. 509. BJA 1937, pp. 249, 607. BJA 1938, pp. 277, 615. BJA 1939, p. 612.

Early Photography