Hensoflex 35mm SLR

As you can see the camera has a shutter speed dial of an early Leica M3 made until 1956 (until serial number 845000) and the corresponding shutter mechanism. Tough the camera carries a Leica screw mount lens flange ring the focus with Leica M39x1 screw mount lenses is not possible. It is an SLR camera! Various features indicate the high ambitions and similarities to Leica (i.e. the selftimer, the extendable rewind knob, the frame counter dial, the instant returning mirror, the built-in exposure meter, etc.). The stylized engraved name „Hensoflex“ on the prism housing and the „Hensor Wetzlar“ 2.8/50mm lens with the very low serial number „Nr.107“ indicate a very low production run. Probably by Dr.Hensoldt, Wetzlar.Only one other camera, named SCHEECAFLEX“ with a Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 2.8/50mm, is known to exist, which was sold in a Cornwall auction (March 1990).For sure the goal of this development was to create a compact 35mm SLR camera, technically equal to a Leica, with a built-in exposure meter and completely removeable back door for an easy access to the film. The built-in Metraphot exposure meter with hinged door was first introduced in cameras made from 1956 onwards. This and the shutter speed dial lead me to the fact that this camera was developed no later than 1957/1958 and of course before the first Leicaflex. It could be guessed that this development was no secret at Leitz but due to the beginning development of the Leicaflex it had no success. The last images are to show the size of the came compared to a M3 and Leicaflex.