Diax
Walter Voss Photokamera Fabrikation & Feinmechanik (1946 - 1949)
Diax Kamera Werk Walter Voss (1949/50 - 1958)
Ulm - Germany

Walter Voss established his company in 1946, just after the II World War, and production of cameras started in 1947 and ended in 1957. In only 10 years Walter Voss succeeded in manufacturing a whole range of very interesting cameras, but sadly the company closed in 1958. When peaking, the company didn't employ more than 64 people. However the heritage of Walter Voss and the Diax cameras are not to be neglected by neither collectors, rangefinder enthusiasts or photographers. Allthough only being in business for 10 years, the company was very successful in exporting their cameras, and these gems can today be found almost all over the world. It is estimated that Diax only produced less than 100,000 cameras in the 10 years.

Let me just say up front, that if you've never handled a Diax camera, you've really been missing out on something. The Diax cameras are an incredible range of cameras of the most exquisit quality and finish. Even after 50 years, the Diax cameras are worth using, and even having repaired/restored.To me, a happy Diax owner, these cameras are right up there among the best medium-level post-war German rangefinder cameras both in build quality, finish and certainly also when it comes to user value. Especially the models Ia, Ib, IIa and IIb are so loaded with personality and charm that you are bound to get to love these fine machines. It's a little bit hard to find those accessory lenses, so keep an eye out for them, and if you find any, and the lenses are flawless or acceptable, just buy them !. Accessory lenses for the Diax "A" models will also fit on the "B" models and vice versa, however the center marking, which are usually in a 12 o'clock position, will be 90 degrees offset. There are 2 exceptions though; the Diaxar / Laack 1:3,5/50mm and the Isco Westar 1:3,5/50mm both of which can damage the rangefinder pins on the "B" models.

Diax "0" (1949) VF
Serial no.: n/a
Format:  24 x 36 on 35 mm film
Optics: Steinheil Culminar 1:2,8 42 mm
Shutter:  Compur Rapid B + 1 sec.  => 1/500 sec.

This is an example of one of the early Diax cameras. As it often were the case in those days, the viewfinder are appauling, but the mechanics are quite good. It's a lightweight shooter with a quite fast Compur Rapid shutter that runs up to 1/500 sec, and in addition a fine Steinheil Culminar lens which, set at f 11, operates within a depth of field from 1,7 meters to infinity. The advance knob are coupled to the shutter, cocks the shutter and also offers double exposure prevention. The back cover slides off by turning a locking nut on the bottom plate.  It's a basic camera, but I would rate the perfomance for a cameras in this class to be above average.  

Diax I (1950-51) VF
Serial no.: n/a
Format:  24 x 36 on 35 mm film (135)
Optics: Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar 1:2,8  45mm
Shutter:  Synchro Compur  B + 1 sec.  => 1/500 sec.
Accs.: Diax Photometer rangefinder

The Diax I are remarkably heavier than the Diax "0". It is easily recognized by the twin-level top plate and the larger viewfinder. In my opinion the Diax I are the first model where the "Diax finish" really comes out and are obvious. It seems more well built that the Diax "0", and offers flash sync. also. Unfortunately it seems, that Steinheil lenses were not option on the Diax I, but only on the later Diaxette. Oh what the hell, I have always loved the Schneider-Kreuznach lenses anyway. 
 

Does anybody need 3 Diax IA's ?. Probably not, but faith and luck has blessed me with these 3 fine cameras, which makes it possible for me to show you 3 different views in one single photo. The Diax Ia hasn't got any rangefinder, but it DO have 3 separate viewfinders as seen on the middle camera. There are a separate viewfinder for each common focal length. Is that luxurious or what ?. Wait, theres is more !. The standard 50mm viewfinder is in neutral color, the 35mm blueish and the 90mm are yellow. The lenses are of course interchangeable with the Diax 55mm thread/bayonett mount. The big wind knob, which cocks the shutter and offers double exposure prevention, feels comfortable, and at the base of the knob you'll find the manual reset frame counter. There are in fact a manual shutter cocking lever on the shutter housing which cocks the selftimer. This actually means that you can "override" the double exposure prevention by using the selftimer without advancing the film on the advance knob.
 

Diax IIa  (1954) RF
Serial no.: 90XXX
Format:  24 x 36 on 35 mm film (135)
Optics: Schneider-Kreuznach Xenon 1:2  50mm (M55 Diax mount)
Shutter:  Synchro Compur  B + 1 sec.  => 1/500 sec.
Misc.: Coupled rangefinder, interchangeable lenses
Viewfinders for 50mm and 85/90mm
Accs.: Schneider-Kreuznach Tele Xenar 1:3,5  90 mm
        Schneider-Kreuznach Xenagon 1:3,5  35 mm

This is in fact an awesome Diax outfit. A fast Xenon 2,0 - 50mm standard lens, a 35mm wideangle and a very versatile 90mm tele lens. An outfit like this will keep most photographers covered when it comes to both streetshooting and portraits. A great improvement in comparison with the Diax IIa are the coupled rangefinder, but as there weren't any more room for yet another viewfinder window, a compromise had to be made. So the separate 35mm viewfinder has disappeared in favour of the rangefinder window leaving just the 50mm and the 85/90mm, and if you ask me, that's quite allright. If you are a frequent rangefinder user you might not even need the 35mm view, and if you do,  just find an accessory viewfinder for the 35mm focal length. You can get a russian KMZ for next to nothing, or maybe the original Diax "revolver" viewfinder with all focal lengths, the latter being quite more expensive. The coupled rangefinder are really the only significant difference between the Ia and the IIa, but for many users maybe an important one. The Diax IIa are truly a very desirable German Fräulein, that's got both style and class.
      

Diax IIb  (1956) RF
Serial no.: 137XXX
Format:  24 x 36 on 35 mm film (135)
Optics: Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar 1:2,8  50mm (M55  "B" Diax mount)
Shutter:  Synchro Compur  B + 1 sec.  => 1/500 sec.
Misc.: Coupled rangefinder, interchangeable lenses
Viewfinders for 50mm and 85/90mm
Accs.: Schneider-Kreuznach Tele-Xenar "Diax "B" 1:4  135mm

As far as I'm concerned, the Diax IIb are the last of the high quality cameras made by Walther Voss in Ulm. It was followed by a more "consumer level" model called the Diax L-1 featuring a fixed triplet lens and an uncoupled lightmeter. If you ask me, the L-1 are only a "must" if you have intentions of collection the entire Diax range of cameras. Now, back to the wonderful Diax IIb The top cover are totally different from the previous models, and the most prominent new feature are the beatifully made rapid advance lever, which also cocks the shutter. The viewfinder options are the same as on the IIa, one for the standard 50mm and one for 85/90mm, the latter being tinted yellow. I fell in love with the Diax IIb the first time I saw a picture of it, and  of course I had to get one. I had my IIb totally CLA'ed not too long ago, and I recall sitting in the back of my repairman's shop, just listening to that shutter quietly buzz away. The quality are outstanding, and so is the user value. With the rapid advance lever added, it is in fact an awesome streetshooter. Conclusion: This camera can be highly recommended !.