Rectaflex, how are they?

[NorwayPhoto]

Hello all.

I was in a used camera store and spotted a Rectaflex.
These was the model Rectaflex Junior.
Italian SLR. From what I find out, it was , maybe, the first SLR.
High quality and expensive. Junior was a bit cheaper, only up to 500 in shutter speed and some other things.
Part from that, not so much to find out.

How was and are these cameras?
Some who use them?
Or are they more a collectors camera?

 

[Paul Howell]

I think Rectaflex is somewhat rare, at least in the U.S, I have only one or two over the years, both in collections, I don't know any one who shoots with one.

 

[NorwayPhoto]

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Ian Grant]

They were post WWII cameras from the 1950's so later than the 35mm Exacta and KW Praktiflex camera.

I have 4 Focal Press Camera books, different years 1950's & 60's, these list the common higher end 35mm, 120 and sub-miniature cameras then available and there's usually a two page guide to each camera. These are taken from the more comprehensive small Focal Press Camera Guides. I'm fairly sure the Rectaflex is in one of them.

Ian

 

[Dan Fromm]

First hit from a Google search for Rectaflex: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rectaflex

Third hit: http://www.pentax-slr.com/108413508

What are they like? Manual everything, including stop down before exposure. Much less convenient than more modern SLRs with auto diaphragm.

 

[NorwayPhoto]

Thanks for the information.
Yes, I know they are 100% manual, convenient.....Well, maybe not.
But, I do like the look on them.
From what I find out, they where high end cameras, but high quality or not I do not know.
Any users here on apug?

 

[Ian Grant]

There's 3 pages in the 1957 Focal Press edition of "Cameras". Top standard lens was an f2 50mm Xenon (Schneider), other lenses were from leading manufacturers.

There were quite a few short lived camera manufacturers in Europe after WWII and the Rectaflex is from one of them, they were all hit very hard by the very rapid expansion of the Japanese camera manufacturers in the late 1950's. There's no Japanese cameras in the 1957 book by 1963 most of the major Japanese companies are included.

There's some superb European cameras made in the period after WWII up to about 1960, many quite innovative like the Praktina with it's motor drive and bulk film back. It's worth reading HS Newcombe's book 35mm Technique, my copy's from 1953. Newcombe owned a large UK camera shop and wrote from practical experience in magazines as well as authoring some books.

I made a decision some years ago not to collect 35mm cameras, but often feel very tempted especially when I see some of those post War cameras

Ian

 

[Francesco_Dini]

Hi,
I have a Rectaflex and I have some photos to show you here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/francesco_dini/albums/72157626349625270 and a brief summaty in my blog here http://photographyandspeeches.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/cera-un-volta-la-rectaflex.html
Thanks and regards