Last year, I was kindly donated some old cameras by a lady in our village. One of them was an Altix V. I had never heard of the manufacturer.
I must confess that I was immediately struck by how sturdy it was and, dare I suggest, how attractive it is. I decided to find out more about them. Here is a precis of what I have discovered. I am starting with the Altix V simply because it was my first!
The Altix V is a very small 35mm viewfinder camera manufactured by Eho-Altissa. Altix cameras were produced from 1938 until 1958 when Eho amalgamated with VEB Pentacon. The first Altix cameras (models I – III) used a square 24×24mm format, which gave you 52 exposures on a 36 exp. 35 mm film.
Later models changed to the more common 24×36 format. Unusually for a viewfinder camera, models from the IIIA the Altix V were equipped with interchangeable lenses. The Altix V has proprietary Altix bayonet lens mount which is a bit of a pain as it limits one as to what lenses can be mounted on it.. As the Altix V’s viewfinder was only designed for use with the 50mm kit lens, an accessory viewfinder with interchangeable masks for the different focal lengths manufactured. I have never seen one!) The Altix V was supplied with three different standard lensese: a Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f/2.8; a Meyer-Optik Görlitz Trioplan 50mm f/2.9 and a rare E. Ludwig Meritar 50mm f/2.9. In addition, there was a telephoto lens, the Meyer-Optik Görlitz Telefogar 90mm f/3.5, and two wide-angle lenses, the Meyer-Optik Görlitz Primagon 35mm f/4.5 and a rather rare Meyer-Optik Lydith 30mm f/3.5. My Altix V is fitted with the Meyer-Optik Görlitz Trioplan 50mm f/2.9 lens.
There a several versions of the Altix V which can be differentiated by the position and typography of the “Altix” name, (cursive vs Capital Serif), the colour of the self-timer activation or the colour of the leatherette which was not only available in black but also in red, blue, green, orange and brown. The camera is equipped with an accessory shoe, an 3/8″ tripod mount (so an adapter for the more common 1/4″ mount is required) and PC sync for a flash. There is also a self-timer.
Shutter speeds range from 1 second to 1/300th second and ‘B’ and is fitted with a Prontor SVS shutter.
There is no rangefinder and so either an external rangefinder or some other form of measurement is required or you simply have to guess!
Finally, I should mention its rather unusual film loading system. The bottom of the camera is removed which releases a ‘door’ in the back of the camera which lifts up. Having installed the 35mm cassette, the leader is threaded over a cog and inserted into the take-up spool. The passage of the film over the cog activates the shutter cocking mechanism. Hence it is not possible to ‘dry fire’ the shutter without film being loaded.
This is a well built and, I think, attractive camera.I shall leave it there for now as far as the Altix V is concerned. Having acquired versions N and NB, I have been on the lookout for others and recently I struck lucky in an online auction where I found an Altix IV. It is in very good condition and appears fully functional. This too is fitted with a Meyer-Optik Görlitz Trioplan 50mm f/2.9 lens like my Altix V but in this case it is not interchangeable.
Attached are images of my four Altix cameras.
In the unlikely event that anyone has any Eho-Altissa cameras that they may be willing to part with, please let me know!
Here is an abbreviated table giving details of the Altix models that I have since acquired.
| Model | Introduced | Frame | Comments |
| Altix IV | 1952 | 24×36 | Also sold in USA as the Classic 35 |
| Altix V | 1956 | 24×36 | Interchangeable lenses; knob wind |
| Altix -N | 1957 | 24×36 | Interchangeable lenses, lever wind; Name on top |
| Altix -NB | 1958 | 24×36 | Interchangeable lenses; Light meter on top. |
