Dacora Digna

Dacora made cameras in Germany from 1946, from the early Daci box cameras, through basic klapp models in the 1950s to entry-level viewfinders and rangefinders till its demise in the early 1970s. They made cameras for European distributors, such as Ferrania, Ilford, Hanimex, Lumiere, Porst, Universa, Heiland and probably more private label sellers. Certex made several Dacora models in Spain as well.

Dacora used the Digna name for several models:

• The early Digna which is described here.
• A later Digna model with the same body but with a proper lens and shutter assembly.
• Digna 44, for #127 format film
• Digna Colour

All Digna models were basic shooters, essentially a camera of a minimal feature within a compact body. It was the first compact camera made by Dacora, after the box and klapp models, and it seems they didn’t put much effort into it. The Digna on my desk is in poor condition; either it was poorly made or it saw a hard life. The metal finishes are badly pitted, and the mechanical parts cry for help.

• It is a #120 format camera with a hinged back that has a red lens to show the frame number on a paper-backed film. Unlike better cameras, the red lens has no cover. The top has a trigger, a cold shoe and a winder knob.
• The front lens assembly pops out with a slight turn and locks back in reverse turn. It is guided inside by a track and supported by a spring. It could have been free-moving at its youth, but now it requires some force to move.
• At the front, there are two selector levers:
  • One for aperture, 8 or 11, a simple punched disk slides in front of the lens.
  • The other selects between B and I for instant.
• The shutter is on a self-loaded spring.
• A focusing ring around the lens is marked 5-10, 10-25 and 25-inf. I would guess it means feet. A synch port under the lens completes the offering.

As mentioned above, a second Digna model with proper lens assembly followed a year later; most online reviews are on the second model. More details at Old Camera Blog.

For the collector, it is an unimportant camera; I would pass. The second model could look nice on the shelf.