Wirgin Edinex
27.3.2014
I bought me a Wirgin! An Edinex type camera made by the Wirgin company of Wiesbaden, Germany, on eBay today, probably my oldest camera purchased so far.
It was advertised as SCARCE VINTAGE "GAUTHIER CALMACH - VARIO" CAMERA COLLECTIBLE - L@@K!!! The scarcity of this vintage camera is definitely overrated here, and the title mistakes the maker and type of the shutter for the camera. This Edinex camera has got a Vario shutter made by the Alfred Gauthier Company of Calmbach, Germany. I got it for a final price of $41 plus $24 first class international shipping from New York to Tokyo.
Wirgin was at its time one of the more famous German camera manufacturers from the 1930s till early 1960s. According to CollectiBlend.com the Edinex series was produced from around 1935 to the 1950s.
In terms of design this camera is a real beauty. Though it cannot deny taking inspiration in the Leica Standard of 1932, it adds to that camera's famous design its own unique features. The housing with its circular rounded left and right encasing of the inner 35mm film capsules is not only elegant but functional as it echoes the shape of the inner film transport mechanism with a minimalistic design.
My model has a
| * lens: Wirgin Gewironar 5cm 1:4.5 | + shutter: Vario (3 speeds 1/25 to 1/100, B, T) |
and thus seems to be an entry level model with a cheaper lens/shutter combination.
Other known lens/shutter combinations are:
| * lens: Wirgin Gewironar 5cm 1:4.5 | + shutter: Prontor II (8 speeds 1/175 to 1, B, T) |
| * lens: Wirgin Gewironar 5cm 1:3.5 | + shutter: Compur (T, B, 8 speeds 1 to 1/300) |
| * lens: Wirgin Gewironar 5cm 1:2.9 | + shutter: Prontor II (8 speeds 1/175 to 1, B, T) |
| * lens: Hermagis Paris Anastigmat Dellyns 5cm 1:3.5 | + shutter: Compur (T, B, 8 speeds 1 - 1/300) |
| * lens: Hermagis Paris Anastigmat Dellyns 5cm 1:3.5 | + shutter: Compur Rapid (T, B, 9 speeds 1 to 1/500) |
| * lens: Laack 5cm 1:2 | + shutter: Pronto (4 speeds 1/200 to 1/25, B) |
| * lens: Meyer Görlitz Trioplan 5cm 1:4.5 | + shutter: Compur (T, B, 8 speeds 1 to 1/300) |
| * lens: Meyer Görlitz Trioplan 5cm 1:2.9 | + shutter: Compur Rapid (T, B, 9 speeds 1 to 1/500) |
| * lens: Schneider Kreuznach 4.5cm 1:2 | + shutter: Compur Rapid (T, B, 9 speeds 1 to 1/500) |
| * lens: Schneider Kreuznach Xenar 5cm 1:2.9 | + shutter: Compur Rapid (T, B, 9 speeds 1 to 1/500) |
| * lens: Schneider Kreuznach Radionar 50mm 1:2.9 | + shutter: Compur Rapid (T, B, 9 speeds 1 to 1/500) |
| * lens: Schneider Kreuznach Radionar 50mm 1:2.9 | + shutter: Prontor II (8 speeds 1/250 to 1, B, T) |
| * lens: Steinheil München Cassar 50mm 1:2.8 | + shutter: Compur Rapid (T, B, 9 speeds 1 - 1/500) |
| * lens: Steinheil München Cassar 50mm 1:2.8 | + shutter: Prontor II (8 speeds 1/250 to 1, B, T) |
To add to the confusion, during the pre-war and war years Wirgin was sold to Adox, and the Adox Adrette is virtually a clone or re-badged Edinex; Adrette lens/shutter combinations:
| * lens: Schneider Kreuznach Xenon 5cm 1:2 | + shutter: Compur Rapid (T, B, 9 speeds 1 to 1/500) |
| * lens: Schneider Kreuznach Radionar 5cm 1:3.5 | + shutter: Prontor II (8 speeds 1/250 to 1, B, T) |
| * lens: Steinheil München Cassar 5cm 1:2.9 | + shutter: Compur 'B' 1 to 1/300 +B+T [size 00] |
15.11.2021
There seem to have been three major versions of the Edinex, distinguishable at the top design.
The first version was most alike to its design inspiration the Leica Standard. It has a flat top with a narrow viewfinder and no flash shoe.
With the second version the top was redesigned to look more like a Leica M. The viewfinder was integrated into a bulky headmount with an added flash shoe on top; in bold letters EDINEX was written on the forehead of this headmount.
A third version was similar to the second, but on the forehead it reads EDINEX I.
Lens/shutter combinations of the EDINEX.
| * lens: Staeble-Werk Kataplast 50mm 1:2.8 -R- | + shutter: Pronto (B, 4 speeds 1/25 to 1/200) |
| * lens: Steinheil München Cassar 50mm 1:2.8 VL | + shutter: Prontor-S (8 speeds, 1/250 to 1, B) |
Lens/shutter combinations of the EDINEX I.
| * lens: Staeble-Werk Kataplast 50mm 1:2.8 -R- | + shutter: Compur (8 speeds, 1 to 1/300 to 1, B) |
| * lens: Wirgin Wiesbaden Edinar 50mm 1:2.8 | + shutter: Prontor-S (8 speeds, 1/250 to 1, B) |
A further curiosity, beside the main model of the Edinex (the first version without the bulk head), a version in reduced width, the Edinex Gewirette was also produced.
| * lens: Meyer Görlitz Trioplan 5cm 1:3.5 | + shutter: Prontor II (8 speeds 1/175 to 1, B, T) |
CollectiBlend.com Price Index (15.11.2021): Average $100-120, Very good $140-160, Mint $260-280
More info:
http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Wirgin_Edinex_series
http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Adox_Adrette
http://collectiblend.com/Cameras/Wirgin/Edinex.html