KW Patent Etui

The Patent Etui is a folding bellows plate camera manufactured by KW Kamera Werkstätten Guthe & Thorsch in Dresden between 1919 and 1938 and originally designed for glass plate negatives is one of the most innovative designs of that era, and they managed to obtain a extra-thin camera with a very clever engineering. Manufactured in two sizes, for 9x12cm and 6.5x9cm plates. Even if initially designed for taking glass plates, both sizes take film packs and roll film backs, such as those made by Rollex or Plaubel (RADA) for using 120 film and negatives 6x9.

The top models for 6.5x9 were fitted usually with Zeiss Tessar lenses, 105mm focal length and a maximum aperture of f/4.5, and Compur shutters, first with the dial set model and later with the rim set variation. Two other lenses were also used for lower budgets, Meyer Gorlitz Trioplan 105/4.5 and 105/6.3, the former with Compur shutter while the latter mounted a 3-speed Vario shutter. A few units were fitted with Tessar lenses of different focal length: 120mm and maximum aperture of f/4.5, a short tele photo lens. They are pretty uncommon and quite sought after. One particular cameras has been reported has having a 105/4.5 Leitz Elmar lens.

Also a few Patent Etui were sold with third-party vendor lenses, and there are also variations of the three basic models, including one without focussing rack and Schneider-Kreuznach Radionar lens, in f/4.5 and f/6.3 configurations and front element focus. Among the ones I own, there are two Tessar units (f/4.5 with 105mm and 120mm) and one Xenar, all of them four element designs. There is also one f/4.5 Radionar with frontal focusing and a Jsconar also from Schneider-Kreuznach, those designs being triplets. Of course, lenses are uncoated, an improvement that will not appear until a few years later. In Japan, a copy if this version was sold during the 1930s as Prince Peerless.

Variations aside, three different models were made: with normal bellows, with double extensions bellows (Luxus edition) and the fron element focusing already mentioned (Junior edition). Among others, some differences are:

• - A bubble spirit level may or may not be present beside the reflex viewfinder.


• - Rise-and-fall of the lens and shutter block can be achieved either by means of a thumb screw and worm wear, or by manually sliding it.


• - Focussing can be achieved either by front element rotation or by rack focussing.


• - The "KW" logo is not always present on the front panel, but it is engraved always inside the door.


• - Cross front is sometimes present.

The 6.5x9 version weights around 500gr and is 12x9x4cm, while the 9x12 variant goes up to 825gr approximately, being significantly smaller than most of its German competitors. A similar design, for example, was sold by Bentzin as the Plan Primar, although the Patent Etui predates it by more than a decade. In comparison, a Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5" weigths almost 2.5kg. The 9x12 variants mount a Zeiss Tessar 135/4.5, with the same shutter evolution as its smaller sibling. Equally, it seems that there are a few units with Tessar lens 150/4.5, but I have yet to see one.

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