(69) GOERZ Minicord III subminiature, gold & brown, w/case, beautiful, serviced

Description

C.P. GOERZ Minicord III 16mm subminiature camera, Austria c1958, serial number 6546, with f2/2.5cm Helgor lens, gold metal and brown leather, and case.
The Minicord
is a 16 mm twin-lens reflex 16 mm subminiature camera introduced by C.P.Goerz of Austria in 1951.
It's one of the highest quality subminiatures ever built.
Slightly larger than a pack of cigarettes (114mm L, 71mm D, 71mm W), it sports one of the sharpest lenses ever made for subminiature cameras, a six-element coated Helgor 25mm F2 lens, focusing from 12 inches to infinity. A depth of field table is built into the camera panel. Aperture 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11.
The viewing lens is in sync with the taking lens. Light rays entering the viewing lens are refracted by a prism and form a bright, life-size image on a piece of ground glass; the eyepiece is diopter adjustable for sharp image. Unlike an ordinary twin lens reflex camera, the Goerz Minicord image is not only right side up, but also unreversed, due to the use of a prism instead of mirror.
The Minicord is the
only twin lens reflex camera
in 16 mm subminiature history.
All-metal focal plane shutter, speeds B, 1/10, 1/25, 1/50/, 1/100, 1/200 and 1/400.
The proprietary Minicord cassettes take a double-perforated 16mm film, producing around 40 frames of a 10mm x 10mm image size.
This allows the photographer to use the camera either in horizontal or vertical position.
A swinging arm on base plate was also provided for better grip.
From 1953 and all the way through the 60's, C.P.Goerz produced the
Minicord III
(like this one)
.
It was identical to the previous model but with flash socket on the left side panel.
The Minicord finish was basically silver metal with black leatherette but many variants were made in small batches, like this one (gold tone with brown), that has to be considered a true rarity among the already rare Minicords.
Camera is beautiful, and size and maneuverability make it simply a joy.
The exterior shows average wear, with no bad issues like nicks or dents.
The camera has been serviced on Sept 2020 - and not used ever since - for good working order.
Viewfinder is bright.
Focus is precisely achievable.
Speeds are spot on.
Glass is crystal clear.
No cartridge.
Buy with confidence and safe from a trusted seller since 1998.
Thank you.