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Offered is an extremely rare and very hard to find Ilford Witness with Dallmeyer Super-Six 2 inch f1.9 Anastigmat lens in close to new condition.
Just after WW II, Ilford decided to develop a high quality camera to compete with Leica and Contax cameras. With the experience of two former German employees of Leitz and Zeiss-Ikon this Witness was designed with interesting features of both the Leica and Contax cameras.
There is for instance a wide-based image coupled rangefinder like the Contax and a horizontal focal plane shutter like the Leica IIIf, but this time with a non-rotating speed dial like Leitz offered only years later with the Leica M3……
And perhaps most interesting: a special hybride lens mount. This so-called interrupted screw mount has the comfort of a bayonet but accepts all M39 screwmount lenses as well. Both Leitz and non Leitz lenses but also for example the screw mount Visoflex system can be used on the Ilford Witness. Indeed a well-done job from his engineers.
Unfortunately the market could not absorb this high quality camera and the production stopped in 1953 after nearly one year and less as 350 pieces produced. You can imagine: a very rare item and hardly impossible to find nowadays.
Besides that the camera is in almost like new condition it is technically also in perfect working order. Shutter is well working nice curtains. Speeding times are accurate. The rangefinder is accurate and viewfinder is clear. Included is an Dallmeyer Super-Six 2” f1.9 Anastigmat ens with the high performance of the Leitz and Zeiss lenses. Some small signs of use are visible on the barrel. Glass is clean. Very interesting is the focusing disctand. Standard up to 3 feet but the focus ring can be turned further to less as 18 inch (about 40cm).
The cosmetical condition of the set is excellent and close to new. Some very small signs of use (mainly on the lens) makes that we do not rate this set as like new.
Included is a copy of the manual and and original case (with Ilford logo) which is probably even more rare as the camera. Don't miss this beauty!