Meopta Flexaret Automat - HowTo

[pkerr]

A friend just found an old Flexaret VI TLR and I haven't tried it yet. I'm wondering how the aperture is set. And, what's the "automat" mean. There's nothing auto that I can tell.

The shutter speed is straight forward but the aperture rung has numbers 3 to 18 equally spaced on it and there is some kind of linkage between the shutter setting and the aperture. If I set the shutter to 1/500 then the aperture will only go from 12-18. If I fiddle so that the shutter is at 1sec then the aperture can only go from 3 to 8.

The focus has two arms on it that presumably show you the depth of field but it has a more familiar F-stop scale from 3.5 to 22.

The taking lens is marker as 3.5/80 and is a Prontor SVS.

Whoa! I just noticed the F stops marked on the side of the lens. I think I understand. The shutter and aperture are linked so you can changed the shutter speed and it adjusts the f-stop to compensate.

I still don't know what the numbers 2-18 mean then.

If I set the shutter to 1/125 and aperture to f-16 the other scale shows 15. If I changed the shutter to 1/250 then the aperature goes to f11 as it should and the other scale is at 15 still.

I guess it's time to give it a try but I'd apreaciate any information.

By the way, the camera takes 120 film but has an adaptor and mask to use 35mm. It's missing one little part that let's you rewind the film so if I did want to try 35mm I'd have to reqind in the darkroom.

I posted another thread here about the Kodacolor -X film I found in it and how I developed it in B&W chemicals.

 

[CZeni]

My guess is that the 3-18 numbers are EV numbers...there may be a way to unlink the aperture/shutter connection as on the Rollei EVS cameras...the idea is that you select an EV number based on available light, and then that stays constant no matter what shutter speed or aperture you choose. The camera adjusts the other to keep the EV constant. My old Kodak Retina IIIC has this system.

A friend just found an old Flexaret VI TLR and I haven't tried it yet. I'm wondering how the aperture is set. And, what's the "automat" mean. There's nothing auto that I can tell.

The shutter speed is straight forward but the aperture rung has numbers 3 to 18 equally spaced on it and there is some kind of linkage between the shutter setting and the aperture. If I set the shutter to 1/500 then the aperture will only go from 12-18. If I fiddle so that the shutter is at 1sec then the aperture can only go from 3 to 8.

The focus has two arms on it that presumably show you the depth of field but it has a more familiar F-stop scale from 3.5 to 22.

The taking lens is marker as 3.5/80 and is a Prontor SVS.

Whoa! I just noticed the F stops marked on the side of the lens. I think I understand. The shutter and aperture are linked so you can changed the shutter speed and it adjusts the f-stop to compensate.

I still don't know what the numbers 2-18 mean then.

If I set the shutter to 1/125 and aperture to f-16 the other scale shows 15. If I changed the shutter to 1/250 then the aperature goes to f11 as it should and the other scale is at 15 still.

I guess it's time to give it a try but I'd apreaciate any information.

By the way, the camera takes 120 film but has an adaptor and mask to use 35mm. It's missing one little part that let's you rewind the film so if I did want to try 35mm I'd have to reqind in the darkroom.

I posted another thread here about the Kodacolor -X film I found in it and how I developed it in B&W chemicals.

 

[Nick Zentena]

My guess is EV to. Must be one of the improvements over my Va. If your meter reads EVs then you could use EVs.

 

[mfobrien]

Meopta still has the manuals on their web site! I forget the exact address, but google will get you there. I have the Flexaret Automat VI or VII. I don't see any EVS numbers, just shutter speeds and f stops. It is a pretty fine TLR, and you can see some of my shots with it on photo.net: http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=009M5n

 

[Ole]

As always, http://www.meopta.cz/ is the place to go for all Meopta queries.

 

[pierre]

This camera links the shutter speed and aperture so you can work by EV number (Exposure Value). But you don't have to if you don't want to work that way. The button tab that allows you to change EV numbers can be pressed towards the body of the camera. When you do press it down like that, the EV coupling is disconnected, and you can easily set aperture or shutter speed independently of each other, as on any manual camera. The actual aperture is indicated near the EV numbers, but on the rim of the lens housing itself. Look, you can't miss them. "Automat" refers to the same thing it does in the Rolleiflex Automat: the film advance system.

 

[spqr89]

I just bought flexaret automat VI and I seem to have a problem with it. My camera won`t fire when the camera back is closed. however, when the camera backi is opet, it fires just fine. Help?

 

[Uncle Goose]

I just bought flexaret automat VI and I seem to have a problem with it. My camera won`t fire when the camera back is closed. however, when the camera backi is opet, it fires just fine. Help?

That's how it supposed to be. To operate the shutter with a closed back there needs to be film in the camera. Ohterwise you have to open the back to fire the shutter.

 

[williamness]

Hpw to set exposure in Flexaret VII

I bought a Flexaret VII on the front of the camera around the lens, looking frontally there are 3 signs-lever you can rotate:

1. a triangular black one on the right
2. a round, red on the left
3. a triangular black that can be also shifted frontally to unlock one of the rings

My question is:
WICH ONE OF THESE SIGNES MUST BE ALIGNED to the value chosen?
To be even more explicit:
HOW DO I KNOW I CHOSED A SPECIFIC VALUE, FOR EXAMPLE 1/125 EXPOSURE?

I downloaded english manual But i still don't understand.



Thanks, best regards

 

[pasiasty]

They use at least two different types of shutters for Flexaret VI: Metax and Prontor SVS. Here how it looks like with a Metax:



The word "automat" means you need not to cock the shutter separately from winding the film - just turn one knob until it stops and that's all. This prevents from double exposures, either intended or not. Meopta's swan-song, Flexaret VII, allowed you taking multiple exposures while being an "automat".

 

[thundertwin72]

I bought a Flexaret VII on the front of the camera around the lens, looking frontally there are 3 signs-lever you can rotate:

1. a triangular black one on the right
2. a round, red on the left
3. a triangular black that can be also shifted frontally to unlock one of the rings

My question is:
WICH ONE OF THESE SIGNES MUST BE ALIGNED to the value chosen?
To be even more explicit:
HOW DO I KNOW I CHOSED A SPECIFIC VALUE, FOR EXAMPLE 1/125 EXPOSURE?

I downloaded english manual But i still don't understand.



Thanks, best regards

The red lever used to select the flash modes: Bulb (M position) and Electronic (A position). It also serves to activate the Self-Timer (V position).

The right lever is used to select the shutter speed. To use it you have to move and hold out the left lever.

The left lever is used to select the aperture. Also be used to select the EV numbers.

On the outside of the ring around the lens are different inscriptions: apertures, speed index and flash modes / self-timer.

If you are willing to use the translator, I leave the link where I wrote a small article in a forum in my country: http://www.formatomedio.eu/index.php?topic=6909.0

Regards & Sorry for the traslation.