Mentor Golz & Breutmann Camera

In the year 1898 Hugo Breutman founded his camera factory in Berlin. Franz Goltz joined the company in 1899.
It is not sure whether the cameras, equipped with a focal plane shutter, were made in cooperation with Goerz and Ottomar Anschuetz or not.
The successor of Franz Goltz, Gustav Adolf Heinrich, initiated to move the factory to Dresden.
At that time Dresden was already a well known centre of camera industry.
During the first world war, the factory produced cameras for aerial photography.
After that period, it was hard to come back again in civilian camera business, but they kept producing single lens reflex and strut folding cameras.
In the year 1921 the name was changed in “Mentor Kamera Fabrik – Goltz & Breutman” .
After the dead of Gustav Adolf Heinrich, the continuation of the company was uncertain, until Rudolf Grosser took over the company, or what was left of it
and started up again in February 1944, with 15 employers.
The bombardment from 13/14 February 1945 destroyed the factory completely.
The company mainly manufactured single lens reflex cameras, equipped with the fast focal plane shutter, more
than any other camera manufacturer in the world, except the Graflex Company.
The camera body was a cube, made of wood and aluminium, covered with leather and a fold up viewing hood.

Bellows and lens-board focus from some 40 cm to infinite, mostly with f 4,5 Tessar, Heliar and Xenar.
The picture on the left shows the cube shaped camera without hood, ground-glass and the aluminium right side.

The mechanism to set the focal plane shutter

The " Mentor" square reflector camera is constructed for both upright and oblong pictures 9 by 12 cm. size and closes for carrying.
Its bulk when closed has been reduced to a minimum considering the full range of movements of the camera and its reliable and
convenient action in use. The camera consists of a frame which can be opened at the top and front.
Racked forward are enclosed the bellows and camera front with the lens attached.
The folding focussing hood as well as the ground glass screen find their place inside the camera.
The screen is provided with a mask showing the correct picture, oblong or upright.

The outside frame, in combination with the inner structure, forms the camera body, into which the mirror is so fitted
that it is self-operating, on the camera being opened or closed.
The focussing screen and self-erecting hood likewise automatically come into place.
On closing the camera, the focussing screen, in its frame, falls down into place, the hood likewise, and the two are enclosed,
together with the mirror, inside the camera. It is specially to be noted that when the camera is open the mirror
does not hang loose but rests firmly against the supports in the inner body. (*only newer models)
______________________________________________________________

A is the mechanism to set the width between the 2 roller blinds.
It works clockwise and anti clockwise.
B disk shows the slit opening.
C is the winding mechanism to cock the shutter and moving the roller blinds in the upper position.
G= release. D= Set the spring tension by turning it anti clockwise to improve it and clockwise to lower the tension.
E Displays the tension figures.
F= sets “I” for Instant or “T” for Time exposures

Moment Shutter time.
"B"=Beliebig (German) = appropriate
"Z"=Zeit (German) = Time =push the release knob to open shutter.
To close the shutter again, press shutter release knob once again.

So, if the switch is set in it's "T" position, it swings up the mirror, holds it in that position and, at the same time, sets a ratchet in a position
to prohibit the immediate following of the second blind when firing the shutter.
In fact the shutter-movement is split into two movements.
To make a Time exposure; Set the switch in "T" position. Pull outwards the winding/select knob and turn the time-select disc on "T"
has become a select knob. This sets the opening of the slit.

Because of the "T" position, the slit is opened to its maximum = equal to the image size.
Push the knob back. It's a winding-knob now and turn it clockwise.
By turning it, the upper blind is wind up on the upper shaft.
At the same time the lower blind is drawn up by the two straps connected to the 2nd upper shaft, which is turning simultaneously with the first upper shaft.
The upper blind is brought in its position followed by the lower blind and within between the both blinds,.. the adjusted slit.
4) When firing the shutter, first of all the lower blind, drawn by the spring tension of the lower shaft, rolls to its position on the shaft,
It is stopped by the straps, now on maximum length, attached to the upper blind and the upper shaft, which is still blocked.
Now the slit is open.
By firing the shutter again, the upper blind comes down by releasing the blockade and drawn down by the spring of the lower blind.
After exposing the shutter is down. There should be enough tension to hold the shutter plane tight.
You can study how the upper blind is connected to the 1st upper blind. By turning the winding knob, the upper blind goes up.
When it reaches the upper side of the image-sized back, stop it. The slit is open to its maximum.
Now you can see the two straps connected to the 2nd shaft.
By turning further, the upper 1st. shaft roles the upper blind and the upper 2nd shaft rolls the straps, just until the lower blind reaches the upper side of the mirror box.
The lower blind cannot move further.
End of lower-blind.

Back to European cameras

Home Jo Lommen Cameras