Meopta Flexaret VI

[Martin Rickards]

I've seen a Meopta Flexaret VI at about 100€, supposedly in full working order and clean. How does it compare with, say, a Yashicamat/Rolleicord. Would it be a good introduction to MF?.

 

[Thomas71]

Yes, Flexaret with Belar lens is a good entry level in the MF. But for the same range price (100-150 eur) you can find a Rolleicord with a Xenar lens which is overall a better camera.
I have both a Rolleiflex 3.5 Planar (superb TLR) and a Rolleicord with Xenar as backup and I use them in b&w that I develop and print in my darkroom. In most of case I can't distinguish photos taken with Planar from those with Xenar.
Rolleicords are excellent built, simple, reliable and affordable cameras.
Flexarets are a lower step TLR; good quality lens (but not as sharp as Xenar) and less reliable than Rolleicords

 

[Thomas71]

In the past I owned a Flexaret V which I sold for the same money that I paid. The Belar lens is more flare-prone than Rolleicord's Xenar, so make sure to have a shade hood (not very easy to find) and avoid as possible backlit shots. No problems in shots taken in shadows or cluody days, light conditions that I prefer for b&w

 

[AndyH]

I'd say that build quality is a step up from the Japanese models and the lenses re quite good. I'd say just a hair below the Rolleicord standard lens in quality. The Zeiss Ikoflex is another one often found in this price range, and of similar quality. In my opinion, getting one with a decent shutter and clean lens is more important than which brand. They are all getting quite collectible these days, and I expect prices will soon be rising fast. The "golden age" of pricing for any film camera these days may not last long.

Andy

 

[Martin Rickards]

Well, I've decided to go ahead and buy it. It'll be interesting to see how I get on with 120 film and a rather slower pace of shooting than 35 mm. It's being bought from a brick and mortar photo shop in Prague. Probably, if I don't get on with it, its resale value will not leave me too much out of pocket. Doing a bit of reading, it would seem that optically it is comparable with the Rolleicord, although mechanically the engineering may be sturdy rather than elegant. I know the Meopta enlarging lenses to be dark horses among the better known brands.

 

[gorbas]

They are very good cameras, I had Standard model. Lens was good. No complaints! Look for seller Cupog on Ebay, sometimes he has filters and hoods for Flexaret's.

 

[Martin Rickards]

I'm now the.owner of a Flexaret 6. This medium format thing is a tad more complicated: the aperture scale was difficult to find and I was looking for the shutter speed index mark for 24 hours before I found it. Once that was sorted out, it was time to load the first 120 film I had touched in 60 years (my first camera was a Ross Ensign Ful Vew). All done and all that is left is to hope that there's enough light to try it out tomorrow.

 

[AndyH]

I think you'll like it! It takes a while to start "seeing" in this format, but once you do....

Andy

 

[Martin Rickards]

Many thanks for all your opinions!!

 

[Deleted member 88956]

I have one Flexaret and never would I have dared to suggest it is better in any space of imagination than any Yashica TLR. While I`m sure there are good enough examples of Flexaret, I was not that lucky. While it came from some sort of CLA, the lever focusing (Autochord style) was only working for short time, a common problem with these devices in most makes BTW. All else is just so so. Rolleicord in good shape can be had for 120-150 and it is far above Flexaret, not to mention it will come with some brand value too. Yashicas all the way to before 124G can be had for under $100 and while not always flawless, it is mostly very capable TLR.

And remember this bit, Yashica had such balls that at one time they had a lens on an earlier TLR called ...TRI-LAUSAR, talk about having confidence launching a product on the market.

 

[Martin Rickards]

Well, the first 12 negatives on the roll of FP4+ came out quite well despite having to guestimate exposure. The viewfinder is very dark and the focusing adjustment doesn't seem to have much effect on the image screen. It takes an age to shoot. Now I have to make a 6x6 mask for my Opemus enlarger.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Well, the first 12 negatives on the roll of FP4+ came out quite well despite having to guestimate exposure. The viewfinder is very dark and the focusing adjustment doesn't seem to have much effect on the image screen. It takes an age to shoot. Now I have to make a 6x6 mask for my Opemus enlarger.

Focusing should be changing clearly as you move from near to infinity. Even with dark screen easy to check in bright setting. If you cannot see the change clearly, it is not working right.

 

[Martin Rickards]

Focusing should be changing clearly as you move from near to infinity. Even with dark screen easy to check in bright setting. If you cannot see the change clearly, it is not working right.

I think it's because I've been spoilt by the brightness of SLR focusing screens as well as my eyesight. The focusing lever seems to extend and withdraw the lenses and lighting on the day required slow speeds and almost wide open apertures. The only thing that looks really wrong is the sign of light leaks on the film rebate.