Adox Polomat 2 (1959–1964)

A selenium meter in the sun, a mostly plastic chassis, and a Schneider-Kreuznach lens that gives ordinary light a soft, dreamy look

Overview

The Adox Polomat 2 is light, almost toylike, but it doesn't feel cheap. The body is mostly plastic, a bold choice for 1959. The top and bottom plates are metal, and so are the lens mount, the film pressure plate and the winding crank. Adox seems to have known where strength mattered. The selenium meter dome sits above the lens, with concentric rings that catch the light. It needs no batteries, of course - this is the early '60s - but it does need clean glass and a gentle hand. The Polomat 2 isn't a rangefinder. It's a viewfinder camera with a simple optical window, and there are no frame lines. You estimate and compose loosely. Some people like that, and some don't, depending on the day.

It sits in the middle of the Adox Polo family, above the basic Polo and Polo 1 and below the more advanced Polomat 1S and the fully automatic Polomatic 3S. The earlier Polo models had basic Adoxar lenses and limited shutter speeds. The Polomat 2 steps up with a Schneider-Kreuznach Radionar L 1:2.8/45mm, an underrated lens that gives softness with character, not just blur. It's not tack-sharp wide open, and it doesn't try to be. It renders skin tones warmly, handles backlight with surprising grace, and gives a dreamy, almost painterly look at f/2.8 to f/5.6. Stopped down, it tightens up enough for competent snapshots. The shutter is a Prontormat unit with speeds from 1/30 to 1/500 second, plus B, and it's cocked automatically with film advance, so there's no separate cocking lever. That's convenient. But the winding lever has a short throw and a slightly mushy feel, and some users report needing two cranks to fully advance the film. That might come from worn gears or dried lubricant in un-serviced examples.

The exposure system is the best part and the hardest part. The selenium meter reads ambient light and projects two needles into a small window on the top plate. You adjust aperture and shutter speed until the needles align, then fire. Simple in theory, but the viewfinder doesn't show the match-needle display, so you're constantly looking down and up, and that breaks your composition. Later models like the Polomat 1S fixed this by reflecting the meter readout into the viewfinder. The Polomat 2 makes you work for it. If the meter cell is cloudy, scratched, or just worn out after 60 years, these cells degrade over time and replacements are nonexistent. You can still use the camera with a handheld meter or by going full zone system, but the battery-free integrated meter is a big part of what the camera is.

Specifications

Key Features

Schneider-Kreuznach Radionar L: The Soul of the Camera

The Radionar L isn't a household name like a Summicron or a Tessar. The "L" stands for lanthanum oxide in the glass formulation, a rare earth element that improves refractive index and reduces aberrations. It's not a high-speed lens by modern standards, but f/2.8 was respectable in this class. It lacks edge-to-edge sharpness, but images have a soft glow wide open, with gentle fall-off and a three-dimensional warmth. The coating helps with flare resistance, though shooting into direct sun can still produce soft veiling. It's not a lens for architectural precision. For portraits, street scenes and moody interiors, it gives a look that feels distinctly analog. It's also a Schneider, built to their standards, even if it isn't badged as a Xenar or Curtagon.

Prontormat Shutter: Simplicity with a Catch

The Prontormat shutter is fully mechanical and self-cocking, so every film advance resets the shutter. That's convenient for rapid shooting, but the mechanism relies on a delicate spring and linkage system. In well-maintained examples it's reliable. In neglected ones the film advance can feel sticky or incomplete. Some owners report that the shutter fails to fire even after winding, a sign of misalignment or dried grease in the linkage. The speeds are accurate when serviced. There's no self-timer, and long exposures require a cable release, but the shutter button has a threaded insert for one. The B setting works as expected, but there's no lock, so holding it open for bulb exposures takes a steady hand or a locking cable.

Selenium Meter: Elegant, Fragile, Irreplaceable

The selenium meter is the Polomat 2's best feature and its weak spot. It requires no battery, ages gracefully if protected from moisture and extreme heat, and gives a direct, intuitive readout. But selenium cells degrade. They lose sensitivity, especially in low light, and if the top layer is cracked or cloudy they can become useless. Unlike CdS meters, they can't be recalibrated or replaced with modern equivalents. There's no workaround beyond external metering. And because the match-needle display is only on the top plate, unlike the Polomat 1S, which projects it into the viewfinder, you have to take your eye from the finder to check exposure. It's a design compromise that feels dated even for the early '60s, but it keeps the camera's profile clean and the cost down.

Historical Context

The Adox Polomat 2 appeared in 1959, when 35mm viewfinder cameras were hitting their stride. Companies like Leica and Contax had long dominated the high end, but the market was filling with affordable, stylish cameras from Germany, Japan, and beyond. Adox, originally a film company, had dabbled in cameras since the 1930s and came back in the late '50s with the Polo series. The Polomat 2 wasn't trying to beat a Leica. It was aimed at the snapshot shooter who wanted something better than a Brownie but didn't need rangefinder precision. It competed with the Kodak Retina IIIS, the Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta, and early Canon and Minolta models, at a lower price point. The plastic body cut weight and cost, but it also signaled that this wasn't a professional tool. The Schneider lens showed that Adox wasn't cutting corners on optics. And by using a selenium meter instead of CdS, they avoided the battery dependency that would plague later models.

Collectibility & Value

Today the Adox Polomat 2 is a quiet collector's piece, respected but not hyped. Clean, working examples sell for $120 to $200 on the open market, with mint+ specimens occasionally reaching $250 if the meter is responsive and the lens is flawless. Non-working or cosmetically damaged units can be had for $60-$90, often as "project cameras." The biggest red flag is the selenium meter. If it's dead, the camera loses a significant part of its value and usability. Lens haze, fungus, or separation are also common in un-stored examples, though the Radionar is generally well-sealed. The plastic body can crack at stress points, especially around the film advance and back latch, so check for hairlines or warping. The film pressure plate is metal, which is good, but the film rails are plastic and can wear over time, leading to uneven spacing or transport issues.

Serviceability is a mixed bag. A skilled technician can disassemble the shutter and lens, but parts are scarce. The Prontormat shutter isn't as common as a Compur or Synchro, so replacements aren't an option. Cleaning the meter cell is possible, but reactivation isn't. When buying one, test the meter in varying light and see if the needles move smoothly and respond to shadows. Check the film advance: one full stroke should cock the shutter and advance the film reliably. Look through the viewfinder for haze or residue. Ask if the camera has been recently serviced. A CLA (clean, lubricate, adjust) from a vintage camera specialist runs $80-$120, which might be worth it for a good donor body. If the meter's dead and the shutter is sticky, you're better off saving for a Polomat 1S or a Canonet G-III QL17.

eBay Listings

2 Rolls ADOX CHS 100 II 35mm Black & White Film - Exp. 2025

$24.00

Adoz Prontor II 2 Camera leather case Germany Calmbach Gauth

$80.00

ADOX POLO 1 35mm Camera w/45mm f2.8 Schneider Kreuznach Lens

$35.00

Adox Adrette with Xenon 2/5cm Schneider Kreuznach No.1810022

$499

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