An obscure question. I saw one of these cameras in a local shop and I'm thinking of getting it. It's probably a model newer than the model 3 (it has a long rectangular plastic panel above the lens). I'm not getting it as a collectible, but for use in caual portrait photography. Any Werra owner out there who will advice for or against getting such a camera? Many thanks in advance!

-- (leehoyin@hutchcity.com), September 05, 2000

Answers

If it's an outfit, with the interchangeable 35mm Flektogon and 100mm Cardinar lenses, then snap it up.
On the other hand if it only has the Tessar 50mm, leave it alone. The Prontor shutter has a tendency to go wrong, the Jena Tessars are of variable quality, and the body material tends to corrode on the later ones. Apart from that, it's a fine camera!

I've owned a Werra 3, one of the last ones to be produced, from new. I carried it about for use as a notebook, always intending to get the accessory lenses if they came along at the right price. The shutter has failed on me three times, and only after cleaning all of the original lube out of it is it now reliable. It's not a particularly easy repair either.
Of course, some dope has now decided it's collectible, which means that the lenses have gone from hard-to-come-by, to Hen's teeth status. All in all, I wouldn't touch it as a useable camera.

Get a Minolta 7s, Canonet QL, or one of the many other Japanese CRF 'compacts' from the same era. The lenses are better, and have larger apertures in most cases; provided you can sort out the obsolete battery problems.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), September 06, 2000.

Thank you for your good advice, Pete! With what you've said in mind, I went to the camera shop and queried the shopowner about the Werra (which turned out to be a Werra 3 after all). To his credit, he has the same opinion about the camera as you have and adviced me not to get it!

-- Hoyin Lee (leehoyin@hutchcity.com), September 06, 2000.

Pete, I am surprised at the response... I have had a WerraMatic since the early 70's and have never had a problem other than when I dropped it!!

The shutter problem has never arisen.... and the 50mm Tessar lens is about the best you can get. Yes it is quirky.... film loading slow, the film wind cumbersome.... but if you want a camera with a tremendous lens and outstanding performance... it is a good choice.

I am in fact about to buy a second one!!

Rod

-- Rod Evans (rod_evans@hotmail.com), July 17, 2001.

I too am suprized at the previous message. The Werra is a fine camera, i've had no problems with this juicy specimen. I have the Werra-Mat & the Tessar provides stunning images! Great design, you really don't loose your shot with the winding feature...

Great camera here, get 'em while ya can.

-- Dadoo Chingas (mandingoflowers@aol.com), November 14, 2001.

I have a werra V and its as new! The Tessar is bright and clear providing crisp images. I am about to buy the acessory lenses, but in fact they are hard to come by ( in good condition ) The Werra is one of the most amazing technical designs i ever came across. The whole thing is very high grade metal craftsmenship! Fine design too. Even the slow times work after 35 years! If new lube is needed, it is about 1 hour work for a skilled technician, and that is worth the cool camera. The only weakness is the exposure meter, the cells loose power sooner or later, but even that is repairable, just get a new cell from a cheap selenium exposure meter and put it in, adjusting the level by a tiny potentiometer until it shows correct values!

Good camera, never had a problem with mine!!!

-- Rene Savelkoul (renesavel@yahoo.de), December 12, 2001.

It's a great camera if it's in a good condition, with no corrosion marks! I bought mine for less than 50 dollars with only the 50 mm lens and it's mine best investment in cameras! It had no technical problems in the last 40 years or so and it just give you great portraits with negative films like Kodak Portra VC 160 (I preffer it to NC), Kodak Pro Image 100, Fuji Neopan 200 and chromo like Fuji Velvia 50. I strongly recommend it!

-- Ion Vancea (ion@gft.ucp.br), January 09, 2002.

I do not know where the assertion that the Werra deteriorates has come from - I think someone must be mistaking it for another camera. The Werra Mat was my first camera, and I have now got 4, of different kinds. Each has proven reliable, and the lens is one of the best I have owned. True, the shutter is complex, but it had to be to provide the 1/750th fast speed.

I am not sure I would recomend the camera for portrait work, though. Surely an SLR is better for framing, and previewing depth of focus? The Werra is general purpose snapshot camera, though a bit heavy nowadays. Its metal work and design is superb - top-of-the-range German craftsmanship allied to superb German optics, and it is probably right to treat it as a collectible. Incidentally, if you are looking for a Werra to use, get the Werra Mat or Matic (earlier mark 4), both of which have coupled lightmeters, rather than the 3, which only has a coupled rangefinder.

-- chris baxter (cjbax@netscapeonline.co.uk), January 29, 2002.

I have a Werra Carl Zeiss Jena 1 camera and would like to know how old it is and its approximate worth. Please respond.

-- (beahen@rogers.com), July 22, 2002.