Dear photography enthusiasts,
I’ve acquired two second-hand medium-format cameras this week. They are a
Praktika L and a Flexaret Automat (the exact model isn’t clear). The Praktika L
is similar in design and operation to my older analogue SLRs: the EXA 1C, EXA II and Exakta Varex IIb.
I’m a bit unsure about the Flexaret and whether it will work properly. I’ve never worked
with a medium-format camera before, only with the 35mm SLRs described above.
I’ve noticed the following issues with the Flexaret and would ask you to tell me whether these
are normal or if the model might be faulty.
1.) The shutter release button can only be pressed halfway, even though the lock is disengaged. (Camera is film-free)
2.) The shutter release button can only be pressed all the way down when the camera is open.
3.) After taking a photo, I can still see everything in the viewfinder; the image should actually be black.
4.) The lower lens of the twin-lens SLR is always closed. Is this normal?
5.) When winding the film, I get no clear feedback!
It would be a great help if I could get a description in German. Furthermore,
I need to know what roll films I require (for both cameras) and where I can purchase them. I mainly intend to
take black-and-white photographs. The optional accessories for using 35mm films are not available.
Many thanks in advance and a happy Easter. :lol:
Kind regards
fotodude
Hello fotodude,
Congratulations on the Flexaret Automat – a fine piece of kit. It’s also known as the Flexaret VI; the serial number of your camera will likely start with 6-nnnn... .
Re 1: That’s normal when no film is loaded.
Re 2: That’s correct too.
Re 3: No, and that’s a good thing. That’s one of the advantages of a two-lens reflex camera: the viewfinder image is visible at all times – before, during and after exposure – because the optical path of the viewfinder is completely independent of the optical path of the camera. That’s why this camera has two independent lenses.
Re 4: A lens that’s always closed isn’t much fun when taking photos. It should at least open now and then for exposure... Joking aside, it doesn’t open (see Re 1) if there’s no film in the camera. However, with the back cover open, the shutter should open when you’ve wound the film and press the shutter release. Otherwise, it needs repairing, or you’ve got yourself a new paperweight.
Re 5: What sort of feedback are you expecting? As long as there’s no film loaded, you’ll notice a slight resistance when winding or cocking during the first quarter of the turn, as the shutter cocks. After that, you can keep turning until the cows come home. It’s different when a roll film (a perfectly standard 120-type, by the way) is loaded: in that case, after winding and advancing the film to the next frame, that’s it. You can only keep turning the film after you’ve taken the shot.
I can’t provide German instructions; I searched for them for ages and eventually found an English version. If you’re interested, I can email them to you.
Have fun with it!
Best wishes and a happy Easter,
Michael
Oh, and one more thing: the film advance is detected via rollers. These react differently to different types of film. For instance, I experienced image overlap with a Chinese Lucky film that I didn’t observe with an old Foma film. So if you encounter problems of this nature, it may not be down to the camera.
EDIT – Just a quick note, I’ve just re-read your email. Just to clarify – the Praktica L isn’t a medium-format camera, but belongs to the 35mm camera category; it’s actually quite closely related to your existing EXAs and the EXAKTA. It is loaded with 35mm film (type 135), which in turn cannot be used in the Flexaret, or only with the appropriate additional parts. For your first attempts, however, you should have a go with standard roll film (type 120).
