Edixa Standard -- Mechanical West German SLR

[ic-racer]

In keeping with my interest in mechanical West German SLRs, I have an Edixa Standard that needs a little work.
The covering is coming off and the second curtain is slow. The viewfinder is hazy also.

 

[ic-racer]

Seven screws need to be reomved to remove the bottom plate.

 

[ic-racer]

With the bottom off, the second curtain tensioner is visible toward the back of the camera on the left of the picture. Counterclockwise turn tensions it after releasing the fixing spring.

 

[ic-racer]

Second curtain was still a little sluggish, so I removed the back plate to get to the rollers. The left hand rollers were not turning, the curtains were just sliding over them.

 

[ic-racer]

The pentaprism lid came off with six screws and this gave access to the eyepiece lens which was very dirty.

 

[ic-racer]

Pentaprism cleaned and re-assembled.

 

[ic-racer]

I used contact adhesive to re-affix the covering. Would be nice if one of the camera leather places already had a template for this. I could not find anything on-line, so I'm re-using the existing covering.

 

[ic-racer]

The Edixa is more primitive than the Rolleiflex SL35.
For example the Edixa does not have an instant-return mirror. Also, the lens fitted to the camera has a spring-loaded semi-stop-down mechanism.
You cock the aperture open, then it closes and stays closed after the exposure.
To get a bright viewfinder again, one re-cocks the lens to open the aperture and cocks the shutter to bring the mirror down.
Lens mount is M42 and I believe instant-return aperture lenses will work as the camera body seems to have a standard aperture plunger.

 

[ic-racer]

Focus tests show the ground glass* (yes glass!) screen is set inward about 1mm too much. Looks like somehow the "distance frame" spacers are long gone.

Screen shot from the translated manual. I will make up some spacers for the ground glass and test again.

*rather than a plastic fresnel, there is a large condenser lens frosted on its flat bottom that serves as the focus screen. ​

 

[ic-racer]

Also looking for some special lens for this camera. M42 mount. Super wide? Shift lens? Macro? Telephoto?

 

[MarkS]

Another one that was only a name to me, until now. Well done!

 

[ic-racer]

20mm Flektogon?
They seem way overpriced but I think it would go well on this camera.

 

[Paul Howell]

That would be a nice combo.

 

[henryvk]

I have a Helios 44 on my Edixa Standard and the plunger definitely doesn't trigger the lens' automatic diaphragm mechanism. From what I've read, Edixa M42 lenses sit at a slightly different angle than "normal" M42.

PS: If you haven't already done so, remove the old mirror damper and replace it with new foam. Somewhat mitigates the Edixa's loud mirror-slap.

 

[ic-racer]

May have to look at a pre-set lens, if that is the case.

 

[henryvk]

Yes, I simply removed the aperture pin from the lens. Since there's no TTL metering it's not like one more step in the process is going to ruin my experience.

Or I simply use one of the three Edixa-branded lenses that I have.

 

[ic-racer]

The split image device is actually two glass quarter spheres set into the glass focus screen. It is the glue that is making the odd marks.
I tried some acetone, but I suspect it will take a good soaking to release the glass so I can be re-glued. A project for later. First I need to get the focus screen in the correct location.

 

[ic-racer]

As mentioned earlier, the rectangular spacers under the ground glass are long gone.

 

[ic-racer]

First I measured the flange-focal distance and got 45.5 which is correct based on the service manual. Then I determined the focus offset of the screen using the lens barrel which needed to be extended about 1mm forward to focus on the existing screen location. Indicating the screen needs to be moved back about 1 mm.

 

[ic-racer]

Here is some foam tape that clocks in just at 1mm. I cut for little strips and placed them under the ground glass.

 

[ic-racer]

Ground glass is cleaned and re-installed. From the mirrorbox you can see the ground glass propped up to its intended location with the foam tape.

 

[ic-racer]

Focus is great. So, the search for some unique lens continues. Without a unique lens for this camera, it will likely not get used as I have so many other 35mm SLRs.
I appreciated the comments earlier that the Edixa lenses, though they use the 'standard' M42 flange focal distance of 45.5mm, have the screw thread start at a different location than Pentax or Practica lenses.
My camera has the stigmata of a Pentax or Practica lens, in that you can see where the plunger would have hit the lens pin. Slightly off center and not on the flat part of the wide plunger.

 

[ic-racer]

Here is a lens I found that does screw on with the DOF scale centered straight up. But it is a pre-set lens, so no pin.
It is an Edixa-branded Schneider 200mm F5.5 Tele-Xenar. With original box, Schneider screw-in caps and matching lens hood.

 

[ic-racer]

Without a hot or cold flash shoe in which to mount the little Reveni meter, I'll probably use my Sekonic L206 View meter.
It uses a large "N"-sized mercury cell, but I made a spacer so a common zinc cell will fit. I used a large screw and was able to adjust the locking nuts to the exact size needed to make good contact with the zinc cell in place. The blue silicone tubing spacer keeps if from rattling.
Voltage is good, per the needle in the red "Battery OK" zone. Realize the L206 freezes the needle after releasing the button.

 

[ic-racer]

I won't much use the 200mm lens, I need a wide lens. Here are some choices I found with an internet search. Though I can't find a period lens brochure.
I suspect these lenses will be centered on the Edixa and slightly off center on other cameras when screwed on all the way.