Goerz Anschütz (Model I)

The Anschütz Model I, produced by the German optical firm Goerz from 1904 to 1926, represents a significant early exploration of the 35mm format for still photography. During a period when larger formats dominated the amateur market, this camera offered a compact alternative, utilizing perforated 35mm motion picture film housed in special cassettes. While predating the commercial success of the Leica I by nearly a decade, the Anschütz Model I was part of a wave of German experimentation with small-format cameras. Its production run of over twenty years suggests a stable, if not revolutionary, product aimed at the dedicated amateur or professional seeking portability, featuring a relatively simple design typical of Goerz engineering at the time. It stands as a tangible example of the technological groundwork laid before the 35mm format became ubiquitous, embodying the transition from bulky plate and roll-film cameras towards the smaller, more agile tools that would eventually define modern photography. Its historical context lies firmly within this transitional phase, marking an important step in the miniaturization of photographic equipment.