Kilfitt 16mm Subminiature Prototype

Unknown subminiature prototype by Heinz Kilfitt. The outer appearance of this camera (size: 9 x 4.7 x 3.5 cm) is a still camera for 16mm film (or double 8mm film). Negative format is ca. 7 x 10mm, 70 exposures. With a Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 2.5cm 1:1.4 no.1059371 in C-mount, made in 1929, with a nice original sunshade with built-in yellow filter. The camera used a special twin cassette looking like an enlarged Minox cassette, the die-cast body structure shows an engraving „Patent Kilfitt“ internally, which is visible when the film chamber is opened (the side cover shows the serial number „16“). The camera body consists of two halves of die-cast aluminum , in the rear of the body a removable screw gives access to the focal plane (purpose unclear). Galilean viewfinder v=0,5x. The film is transported by pressing a lever on top of the camera (sprocket less film transport, two claws engage in the film perforation), and releasing this transport lever for about 3mm trips the guillotine shutter, which changes its direction (up or down) in every consecutive shot. The shutter is probably using an air brake as escapement, the shutter speeds (1-1/200) are changed by turning a small dial on the bottom of the left side of the body. The shutter mechanism is powered by a clockwork that is tensioned by a brass turning key, an attached dial serves as frame counter (frames 0 - 70) - very interesting discovery of a Kilfitt prototype in good condition.