Ensign 29 (4: after the war)

Shortly after the war photographic material was scarce, to say the least. But amateurs did want (need) to enjoy their hobby again, and the shop keepers had to earn a living. So old material was cut shorter (not 8 but 6 exposures), rolled again and sold under guarantee (Victor Latty, look below). In England import was restricted for a very long time, on the continent things were ehhhhrm different. The Americans didn't consider Leica worthwile, the shrewd Russians took Zeiss and Contax and converted them to "aus Jena" and Киев. The Americans wère in Bitterfeld, but left soon so the Russians also got Agfa Wolfen and made it ORWO. Kept working on that Agfa-colour system but that just wasn't the right way to go - C41 was better.

So Agfa Wolfen became Агфа Вольфен first, look at all the languages on the box - even "fabricacion alemana" (Spanish?) and selling, probably, old stock (6 iso 8) and, vèry weird: in this E29 size. For whom? I don't know of any Russian or German * 129 camera, and in the fifties? But I was very glad to be able to put them in my Ensign, compare them with contemporary HP3 ( Weston 125 ! became later ASA 400 of course) in the bakelite Soho (with that incredible depth-of-field, how did they manage thàt!)

*Yes, there was a very nice Welta Perle for 129 film around in the thirties! Welta became later VEB Pentacon...

(The mill left: "die Geismühle", look below. Right: "the Giant" in Ottersum.)