Diax Kameras

Diax-„news“

see book page	further corrections, comments and additions
35	Photographs of the 24×24-project haven’t been published in the book. You can find some here on > Cameras > 24×24 project.
60	According to an advertising in the periodical „Der Photohändler“, Heering-Verlag Seebruck/Chiemsee, Heft Juni/1951, p 32, there was a Proximeter close-up focussing device even matching the Diax II, made by Schneider/Hamburg as early as 1951. There are two items known realiter (Proximeter I and II), but both different to the advertised type.
80	Diax Standard: These cameras have been advertised in an Australian camera-magazine („Popular Photography“, November 1954, p. 94) for 27 Australian Pounds. However, the text describing the Diax Standard showed a false illustration by using the picture of a Diaxette. The advertisement containes a hint on the Australian Diax – representatives Salmon & Gardener (Melbourne) . The produced number of „Standards“ continues to be an enigma. For until now unearthed Standards see listing of Diax Standard body-numbers > Cameras > Diax Standard.
92	When developping the Ia-body to the IIa-rangefinder-type the light-alloy body has been modified to some minor details unvisable from the outside.
95	The distribution of Diax-products in New-Zealand was organized by T.A. Macalister Ltd, 12 Albert St. Auckland C.1 after having finalised arrangements with Salmon&Gardener (Australia) in 1952. (source: „Australasian Popular Photographer“ Juni 1952, S. 5)
101	Diax a-Xenagon 35mm: Meanwhile such a lens is known with black rim / without red triangle: lens-# 4410192.
102	Diax-a-Westar 3,5/50mm: After the first series marked „Opt. Werke Göttingen“ (OWG), Westars were marked ISCO. Now two later Westars again marked with OWG came up, so that there is a hint on another (small?) series of OWG-Westars. Two specimen of a Diax-Westar-lens came up, however both signed with an unusual „Isconar“ and serial-numbers 475477 and 478735, which is high regards both Westar AND Isconar lenses.
103	Diax a-Tele-Xenar 90mm: There is evidence now for all three variants: 1) chrome/red triangle 2) black/red triangle 3) black/no triangle Diax a-Isconar 85mm: For this type, too, an a-version with black rim (similar to the Isconar 50mm and the Schneider-lenses) is known.
113	IIb-cameras with additional 35mm-finder (instead of the usual 85-90mm-finder) obviously date from a later period of production in 1957 (and not 1956, as supposed in the book). Two IIb-cameras are known with body-numbers 135.463 and 135.834 within a total range of serial-numbers from 120.001 to about 138.xxx for Diax-IIb cameras. A Ib (body serial-# 101733) came up with false viewfinder engravings, not matching the focal lengths available for the b-Diax cameras but applying the common Diax Ia engravings from 1952-53.
120	Diax b-Tele-Xenar 90mm: Obviously these lenses have been regularly made in the heavy brass mount, like the a-version (weight 358 g, chrome). The mentioned lighter version (light-alloy, 238 g) is known from the estate of Walter Voss and appears to have been a prototype.
124	Diax accessory # 450: adopter for using Diax lenses with M39-thread-enlargers. In addition to the original Diax-accessory another professionally made adopter came up. Amazingly there occured a second one fully alike the first. Unfortunately, none of these two non-Diax-adopters shows any maker’s signature, so there’s no evidence whether there was a (small) series of these items made.
126	The van-Albada-finders (auxiliary finders) have been made in shining chrome as well as in satin chrome.
152-153	A prototype lens XENON 1:1,9/50mm for the c – models is known.
no page-number	On paperwork for the Ib and IIb-Diax, cameras show a different kind of rewind knob. Meanwhile a modified IIa is known with exactly such a knob. As there are no signs of damage this knob seems to have been mounted at the Voss factory. It appears as if such knobs have been used in very few cases in about 1955.