Wittnauer Festival Camera (1957)

The Wittnauer Watch Co. got into the camera business during the 1950s, selling cameras to the same stores that sold Wittnauer watches. Their first camera was the Wittnauer Festival, which was similar to the Bolsey Jubilee and the Bolsey B3.

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Film Chamber

The camera takes 24mm x 36mm pictures on 35mm film, using an f/2.8-f/22 45mm Steinheil (Munich) Anastigmat lens in an Albert Gauthier Calmbach self-setting shutter with speeds from 1/200 to 1/10 second plus bulb. Obex, Lynbrook, NY, made the body castings. This is a range finder camera with separate viewfinder and range finder. It focuses as close as 2 feet. It is smaller than a lot of compact 35mm cameras, but fairly heavy. The back comes completely off to load film. You need to turn a small wheel next to the film winding knob to set the film counter, which counts down from 36. The shutter release has a long throw and the action is a little stiff because the same movement of the shutter release cocks the shutter as well as releasing it. 1/200 second is a fast speed for a self-setting shutter. The shutter release and film advance are interlocked to prevent blank frames or double exposures. If you're careful about loading film you can squeeze a couple of extra shots from a 24 or 36 exposure roll.
 
[Update] The lens takes a push-on 15/16" (24mm) to Series V filter adapter.