The Sola is a ultra precision camera in a palm sized, horse-shoe shaped package. Patented by Jahresuhren-Fabrik Gesellschaft A. Schatz & Söhne, a well known clock maker on 29th October 1934 and was sold from late 1937.

The built in spring motor was reported in advertisements to be capable of twelve shots before needing to be rewound. It could also take six frames at 1.5 frames per second. The frame counter goes to 24. A folding frame finder  is centred on the top of the camera and a waist level finder can be swung into place for portrait or landscape viewing. When viewed at eye level, through the sports finder the image is right side up and laterally correct. When set parallel to the narrow orientation of the camera the scene is upside down and backwards.

The focal plane shutter is similar to that of the Minox. The 16mm film is loaded into special metal cassettes. Negative size is 13x18mm

The standard lens is a Schneider Kreuznach Kinoplan f3 25mm. The other lenses are a Schneider Kreuznach Xenon f2 25mm and a Tel-Xenar f5.6 50mm.

The shutter dial is marked for B, 1, 1/2, 1/5, 1/10, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100, 1/200 and 1/300s.

The camera is heavy at 14oz with a full load of film and measures only 3 1/2" by 2 1/2" by 1 1/8". There are no records of how many where made but are rare and usually incomplete and not in working order.

The Sola has been named by numerous survivors of the Nazi concentration camps who recall  the unique whirring sound of it's gears as it was used to take rapid sequence photographs. It is unlikely that the camera was purchased by the military as all officially purchased cameras have military markings. These have been seen particularly on Leica and Robot cameras, and possibly a few Minox Rigas, but not on Sola cameras. There were plenty of photographs taken by the military and where used at the Nuremberg trials but no negatives from a Sola have been found. The myth however is perpetuated.

Ebay 2003/08/05 1025USD (shutter broken), 2005/11/27 2400EUR (case, +commission)

Typical asking price is 3600EUR in working order and the book value as 1600-3000USD.