Plaubel Makina — Early Folding Press Camera with Anticomar 10cm f/2.9 & Compur Shutter, ca. 1930s

The Plaubel Makina is one of the most sophisticated press and field cameras of its era, produced by Plaubel A.G. in Frankfurt am Main under D.R.P. (Deutsches Reichspatent) protection. This example represents the classic pre-war configuration, featuring the characteristic double-extension scissor-strut bellows deployment mechanism — a patented Plaubel design that achieves a remarkably rigid and precise lens standard while remaining compact when folded. The front standard locks into position via the chromed X-brace strut assembly, whose engineering quality remains visually impressive nearly a century later.

The camera is fitted with a Plaubel Anticomar 10 cm f/2.9 lens — an exceptionally fast optic for its format and period, designed in-house by Plaubel and highly regarded for its portraiture rendering. The lens seats in a Compur leaf shutter with speeds engraved T, B, 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 200, as clearly visible on the shutter speed ring in the images. The faceplate is engraved "Plaubel Makina," "D.R.P.," "Compur," and "Plaubel A.G. Frankfurt a. M." — a full complement of original manufacturer markings. A knurled focusing wheel is mounted on the right side of the front standard, driving a rack-and-pinion mechanism with a depth-of-field scale graduated in the range visible in the side view.

The viewfinder system is particularly complete: both the folding frame sportsfinder and the smaller optical brilliant finder are present and upright. The rear of the camera carries the embossed Plaubel circular logo on the leatherette back door. A removable depth-of-field reference card — engraved in German for the Anticomar f/2.9 10 cm lens across apertures f/2.9 through f/18 — is present and clipped to the camera body, a delightful period accessory that underscores the working-professional pedigree of the Makina system.

The bellows are black and appear intact without immediately visible pinholes, though light-tightness should be verified before any serious use. The leatherette covering shows general age-related wear including light scuffing and surface oxidation to the metal trim, consistent with honest working use over decades. The camera is configured for glass plate or sheet-film holders at the rear, and the film-plane back shows the typical Makina sliding holders in the top view.

Material: Black-lacquered die-cast metal body with leatherette covering, nickel-plated steel struts and hardware, black accordion bellows, chrome-finish lens barrel and Compur shutter housing