Third model Beirette (1959) with Trioplan 1:3.5 lens & Junior II shutter image by Alf Sigaro (Image rights)

 

Beirette SL 100 image by Chemnitzer (Image rights)

Beirette SL 100N image by Justin Jakobson (Image rights)

Beirette SL 200, first model, with bare metal front cover, Meritar 45 mm 1:2.9 lens and Priomat shutter with PC socket. image by Chemnitzer (Image rights)

Beirette SL 200, third model, with Meritar 45 mm 1:2.8 lens and Priomat shutter without PC socket. image by Chemnitzer (Image rights)

Beirette SL 300, second model, with Meritar 45 mm 1:2.9 lens and Priomat shutter with PC socket. image by Chemnitzer (Image rights)

Beirette SL 300, third model with Meritar 45 mm 1:2.8 lens and Priomat shutter without PC socket. image by Chemnitzer (Image rights)

Beirette electric SL 400 image by Chemnitzer (Image rights)

Third model Beirette, 1959, with E. Ludwig Meritar 45 mm 1:2.9 lens and Junior II shutter. image by Chemnitzer (Image rights)

1960s Beirette v, with Junior II shutter and 1:2.9 Meritar lens, cold shoe by Jaqian (Image rights)

c.1970 (?) Beirette vs,with Priomat shutter and 1:2.9 Meritar lens Now with hot shoe and plastic lens barrel & rewind spindle image by AWCam (Image rights)

Beirette vs, 1974?, with Meritar 45 mm 1:2.9 lens. Depth of field scale is replaced by a transparent plastic ring and the shutter is not named. image by Chemnitzer (Image rights)

Beirette vsn with Priomat shutter & 1:2.8 Meritar lens, PC sync and hot shoe image by AWCam (Image rights)

Beirette vsn (1987) with Priomat shutter & 1:2.8 Meritar lens image by Marino M. (Image rights)

Beirette k100 image by Chemnitzer (Image rights)

Beroquick KB135 with Priomat shutter & Meritar lens image by Marzena Mikołowska (Image rights)

Beirette Electronic, c.1980 image by Alf Sigaro (Image rights)

Beirette 35, 1987 image by Alf Sigaro (Image rights)

Beirette vsn 2, 1989 - the last of the Beirettes image by Chemnitzer (Image rights)

Beirette was a name applied to a long sequence of compact 35mm viewfinder camera models, made from 1958 to the 1980s in East Germany by Beier. There were also some folding Beirettes, made from 1939, but production apparently disappeared during WWII. Although the name stayed the same, various tweaks in the design were made. Flash sync, for example, moved from a pin of the lens barrel to a standard hot shoe, and a plastic shutter release button replaced the original metal one in the mid-1970s. Several versions of this camera were sold by Boots, for example the Boots Beirette BL, or branded as Revue for export markets.