Camera - Flexaret VII

November 18, 2014

Camera - Flexaret VII

Manufacturer: Meopta, Czechoslovakia
Model: Flexaret VII
Medium: 6x6 and 6x4,5 120 roll film

Production period: 1966 - 1971

Flexare VII

source: http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Flexaret_VII

Flexaret VII

source: http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Flexaret_VII

...just try to type "Flexaret" or "Flexaret vII" into Google and choose the images... I am always surprised and amazed by the amount of really great pictures made by photographers all around the world using this nice old camera.

http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Flexaret_VII

Introduction

The Flexaret VII is the last in a series of TLR cameras made by Meopta (and its predecessors) in the former Czechoslovakia. It's a fully mechanical camera with an all-metal body. It has a solid feel to it and has some advanced features mirroring Rolleicord and Rolleiflex models from the same period.

For example: you can set the light value on a mechanical ring. This sets a series combinations of shutter speeds and diaphragms. When you decide you need to stop down the lens a little more, there's no need to choose the shutter speed any more. This feature is also found on some Hasselblad lenses and on several Rolleicord and Rolleiflex TLR models from 1954 onwards.

Transport and shutter

Winding the camera transports the film and cocks the shutter at the same time. It takes quite a lot of force to wind this camera. In principle, there's no danger of double exposures with this system. There is however, a way to make double exposures: On the right hand side of the camera it has a button that glides up to cock the shutter without transporting the film.

One of the few ways to distinguish an Flexaret VII from a Flexaret VI is the maker of the shutter: the VII has aPentacon Prestor shutter with a top speed of 1/500s whereas the VI has a Metax shutter with a top speed of 1/400s.

Lens and focus

The lens is a Belar 80/3.5, made by Meopta itself. It has a reputation of having rather soft coatings. It gives very nice results, though. It is probably wise to use a lens hood on any TLR. Focusing is done by a sort of anchor on the bottom of the taking lens, just like on the Minolta Autocord I. This anchor can be set to operate steplessly or with "clicks" on 1m, 2m, 3m, 10m distance and infinity. Choosing between these two modes is done by a small metal switch on the left of the camera. On the Flexaret VI, VII and Standard, Meopta used a B36 bayonet mount for filters. This means filters produced for the earlier Flexaret models can not be used. The lens tube has both an internal bayonet (for filters) and an external one (B40 bayonet) to mount the hood.

Optional items

There are a few optional devices available for the Flexaret camera's, these include following items:

- A 35mm insert so you can use normal cartridges instead of rollfilm (this counts from the IVa till the VII, Flexaret I till IV and the Flexaret Standard cannot take this adaptor). Note that there are 2 type of inserts made. There is an insert for the IVa, the V and the early (black) VI (which has a serial below 50,000), the other insert is suitable for the (grey) VI and VII.

- 35mm viewfinder (with build in rangefinder) to be used with the 35mm insert, it's not that common but it pops up on ebay from time to time at affordable prices.

- For the Flexaret VII you can even use a 6×4.5 mask (other masks like a 4×4 also exists but seem to be rare)- Two sets of macrolenses are made, one for 1m to 0.5m and one for 0.5 to 0.33m. The lenses always come in pairs (one thick for the viewing lens and one thin for the taking lens), the one for the viewing lens has parralax correction. Macrolenses made for the Flexaret I to Va will not fit the VI, VII and Standard (and Vice versa of course)

Links:
www.camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Flexaret_VII
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flexaret
www.blog.bkspicture.com/review_Flexaret_VII.html
www.collection-appareils.fr/x/html/page_standard.php?id_appareil=12620
www.tlr-cameras.com/Czech/
www.barteess.blogspot.com.au/2011/03/flexaret-automat-vii-tlr-zza-odry.html
www.nazirk.sam-magazine.sk/?page_id=163
www.paladix.cz/clanky/flexaret-1939-1971.html
www.cevela.eu/static/tech/flexaret.html
... and user manual as usual on this page:
www.butkus.org/chinon/flexaret/flexaret_vii/flexaret_vii.htm

More images:

Flexaret VII