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Rare KW Pilot Reflex Xenar 1936 camera - German twin-lens reflex
From €344.83
Ships within: 72 hours
Rzadki aparat KW Pilot Reflex Xenar 1936 - niemiecka lustrzanka dwuobiektywowa—
€344.83
You are presented with a unique and rare specimen from the history of photography – the German twin-lens reflex KW Pilot Reflex with a Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar 1:2.9/50mm lens. This iconic camera, manufactured around 1936 by the renowned company Kamera-Werkstätten Guthe & Thorsch in Dresden, represents the pinnacle of pre-war German optics and precision mechanics.
The Pilot Reflex model, also known as the Pilot Reflex Xenon, is a legendary design, prized by collectors for its solid build, characteristic design, and excellent image quality provided by the famous Xenar lens. As a typical twin-lens reflex (TLR), it offers extremely convenient and precise framing on the ground glass, which was the standard among professionals and advanced amateurs in the 1930s.
Key features and collector value:
- Rarity: Cameras from this period in good condition are increasingly difficult to find.
- Provenance: Production of the prestigious Dresden factory Kamera-Werkstätten (KW), predecessor of the later Praktica.
- Optics: Original, uncollapsed Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar 50mm f/2.9 lens, a synonym for sharpness and faithful reproduction.
- Historical condition: This item fits perfectly into a collection of photographic technology, history of Third Reich technology, or militaria (aerial photography, reportage).


