The Arette A is a camera from AkA. The company AkA Apparate und Kamerabau Gmbh (AkA for short) was founded in the Black Forest after World War 2. Later the company moved to Lake Constance. The viewfinder camera was introduced in 1959 and is part of a series of similar models.
The 35mm camera comes with a fixed focal length lens. The focal length is 45mm. The largest aperture is f/2.8. The photo camera has no autofocus. The lens is focused manually. The closest focusing distance is specified as 100 cm for this lens.
The lens bears the designation “ISCO-Göttingen Arettar 1:2.8/45”. However, there were also variants with the designation “Color-Isconar” and “Roeschlein Kreuznach Color-Arretar”.
The correct exposure cannot be measured by the Arette A, as it does not have a light meter. Aperture and shutter speed must be set manually. For the aperture, you can choose between f/2.8 and f/22. For the shutter speed, there are 1/200 second, 1/50 second and 1/25 second to choose from. The 35mm photo camera also has a Bulb mode.
An external flash can be connected to the PC flash socket. The camera has a thread for a tripod and cable release. The Arette A does not require batteries.
Films for the Arette A
According to the instruction manual of the Arette A, 35mm films are exposed. There is still a good selection of material for color and black and white images for this film format. Possible films for the viewfinder camera are the Fujifilm Superia 400* for color photos and the Ilford Delta 100* for B&W photos. Both films deliver convincing results and do well in test reports. Of course, there is a wide range of additional suitable films for this camera.
The color film is processed in the C-41 development process. This is offered by almost every photo lab. You can get your films at most drugstore chains in Germany, for example. The development steps for black and white film are slightly different from those for color film. With the proper instructions and photo chemistry, it can be developed at home.
The exposure area of the photo camera has a size of 24 mm x 36 mm. Thus, at least 36 exposures fit on a normal roll of film. To the next picture, the photographer must manually advance the film. The lever for this is found, somewhat unusually, on the underside of the camera.
Technical datasheet
| Attribute | Specification |
|---|---|
| Type of Camera | Viewfinder camera |
| Film format | 35mm |
| Film transport | Manual |
| Picture format | 24 mm x 36 mm |
| Lens name | ISCO-Göttingen Arettar 1:2.8/45 |
| Focal length | 45 mm |
| Biggest aperture | f/2.8 |
| Minimum focus distance | 100 cm / 3.28 ft |
| Focus | Manual |
| Exposure times | 1/200 second, 1/50 second, 1/25 second, Bulb |
| Bulb mode | Yes |
| Built-in flash | No |
| Flash Connection | PC-Flash |
| Tripod mount | Yes |
| Cable release thread | Yes |
| Self-timer | No |
| Power supply | Not necessary |
| Country of production | Germany |