Altissa Altix N User manual

Dear Photo Friend,
We are exlremelv pleased that ,vou have decidcd to bccorne tlre o.rvner of olr
new ,,4 I t i x" model, :rncl u'e feel sure that this Uttle carnera  'w'ill giye 1,s11 lastilg
pleasure. Tlrc ALTIX-Cameras havc in the past lears gainc.d countless friends at
home antl abroad, and .vorr will doubtlessly be one o[ thern, too, very soon. The
reason for this is that the little ,.a I t i x" is trulv a precision camera.
But please bear in mintl that vou shoulcl go through this Instruction Boohlet very
carefully and practise lhe various perforrnances described in it many times on
vour came    in rvhidr casc it is advisable to use a piece of test Iitm. This will
help you to become 'rvcll acqulinted with all the controls and will save dis-
appointmcnt.

We u'islr you good speed with ycur ,,a | [  i x".
                                             Yours sincercly
                  VEB ATTISSA.CAMERA-WERK

I  Interdangerble lenr
  2  Focuring ring
   I  Distance scale
  4  Focusing marl
  5  Depth.ol-field gcale
  6  Diaphragm rlng wirh diaphragm scale
    I  Diaphragm eetting mark
  8  Bayonet ring for locking the
    intodrangeable  lenses
  9  Shutlcr-setting lever
  t0ll  Rapid.windSpeed-rettingleverringfor film transport
    and shutter wind
 t2  Picture.counting disk
 t3  Indicator lor counting disl
 l4  Shutter release lnob
 l5  Film rewind knob
 l6  Rewind release
 t7  FiIm speed indicator
 t8  Oprical viewlinder
 l9  Accessory clip lor a Special Viewlinder                                                       2E
    or exposure meler
20 Slnchronized llash contact
2l Camera back
22 Locking nut for camera back23 Film spool
24 Film transport sprocket
25 Film track
26 Hinged film preesure plate
27 Film cassette chambei
28 Tripod bushing

IL lnstructions tor Use
                  l.  Opening the camera
             Turn the locl<ing nut (22) anti-clockwise until you hear a faint click; then plll  the
  j            camcra back (21) off.
.*!r        2. Inserting the fifm
            Remove the camera back (21 -_ 22), unfold the film pr.essure plate (26) and place the
               film cassette into the cassette chamlrcr i2Z). Rotate the rewincl knob (15) until the
                 lihn l<ey engages the bar in the spool core. Drarv the trimmecl film leatler through the
                    slit in the film spool (23) and bend about 5 mm of the film upu'ards. 'I'o facilitate
                 this proccdure, the film spool (23) may be roteted in either dircction. 'Ihc film is
  i               tightened bv a slight backward pull, 'l'hereupon  it is wountl on by anti-clochwise  I
               sprodret (24) catch hold of the lilrn perforation. The film pressure plate (26) mavI             rotation of the film spool (23) rrntil both toothecl whcels of the film transport
           now be folded bacli. (11'o avoid scratchirrg thc film, the film trach (25) and the film
 ti,             pressure plate (26) should ahvrl's bc licpt free from clust!)
   , ryt'        3. Closing the camera )
               Prrsh tlre carnera back (21) on to lfre clnrcra body anrl tightcn the locliing nut (22)
                 b). clockrvisc rotation.

Film transport and shutter wind
               'Iurn the rapid-wind lever (11) vigorouslv to the right as far as it rvill go. (Just before
             the stop vou rvill notice n sliglrt resistance, due to tlre functioning of the picture
               counter). The rvinding lcver returns automa,ticall.v to its initial position and shouldI#          be caught in its movernent u'ith vorrr thumb. Furt,her rvincling of the shutter lvithout
                                                    o'rving to the built-in locking clevicc. Film and shutter$"               first releasing it is impossible,
              are now both rvound op, and the release knob (1zr) ma1' be depressed. With a ne.rvlv
               inserred lilm, trvo blank exposures rnusl first be made, rvhich means relleating the
             performance just described. 'furn the picture counting disk (12) anti-clockrvise to
              bring the number 36 agailst the indicator (13). Set the rapid-rvind lever (1.1) onee
             more! catrsing the picture counting disk to jurnp to stroke nurnber 1, .rvhereupon the
                 carnerra is readl- for t]rc. exposurc.                                                                                                          )
         On actuation of the rapid-u'ind lever, the rewind knob (15) rotates automatically:
           a sign tlrat the filrn is being properlv transportecl.
          5. Changing lhe lilm
            At the entl of the film strip resistance becornes verv noticeable. ancl it may even be
                irnpossible to turn the rapid-u'ind lever (11) up to its stop (never use force, or you
            might tear the film!). Depress the rewind release knob (|.6) and continue turning the
                 rapid-rvincl lever as usual. Now the film can be spooled back. Prtsh in the relvind

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                 release knob (16) as far as it  rvill go and rcwind thc film into the cassctte by rotarion
              of the rewind knob (15). To facilitate rewinding, the rervind knob (1b) shoul<l be
l'              pulled out until it  stol'rs. Keep the rewind release linob (16) depressetl during t1e
                entire leu'inding procedure. After the rewincling is completed the camera may beli
F1             opened as described in Section II/1 and the film removed. All accessihle parts of the
             camera shotrld now be clustetl rvith a soft camel's-hair brush, whereupon a new film
          may be inserted.
             III. Lens and Shutter
         The ,,a I t i x - n" standard lenses    50 mm Zeiss Tessar, f/2.g, and 50 mm Mever Trio_                                                 -            plan, f/2.9, are interchangeable with                                                    special supplementary  lenses.
                 l.  Focusing
             The camera is set to the required distance by means of the rotatable focusing ring (2),
              rvhereby the desired nurnelitl on the tlistance scale (3) is brousht to stand asainst
               the focusing marh (4).
          2. Setting the diaphragm
            Turn                        tlre                       milled                            diaphragm                                                 (6)                                       ring                                                                 desired                                               to make the                                                                       diaphragrn                                                                             value stanrl                                                                  I               opposite                       the                         red nrark                                              (7), where                                                the                                                     diaphragrn                                                              ring                                                                                 clicks in.                                                            Thc cliaphragm                                                                        may
                also be set at intermediate apertures.

The depth of field is shorvn on the scale (5).
n          For example: A ilistance setting of 5 meters (16'8"; at f/8 yields a depth of field
 1            ranging from 3 to 15 meters (t0' to 50') :   snapslrot setting.
{        3. Exchanging the lenses
             Place the camera on tlre palm of your hand, on a table, or other flat sruface. TurnJ             the bal'onet ring (8) as far as it will go to the left. Lift the lens (l) out of the

    I             camera. Wlren replacing the lens, make sure tlrat the setscrew on the lens mount (1)
             engages 'rvitlr tlre notch in the ba1'onet mount, whereupon the bayonet ring can be
                tightened.
         4. Setting the shutter speeds
              Tlre Tempor Shutter is calibrated in the following speeds: B, l,rlz,rl+,tle,'lrs,tleo,rleo,
                tltzs,tfzso""c.'l'ime exposures of any desired length are always made at the B setting.
             In this case the shutter remains open as long as tlrc release lever is being depressed.
          The shutter speed is set by rotation of the milled ring (10), and alterations in the
             speed setting are possible even after the shutter htrs been tensionetl.
         5. Self-release and intentional double exposures
             Should ;-otr rvish to make use of the self-timer vou first actuate the rapid-wind lever
               (11) and then push the shutter-setting lever (9) to the left as far as it will go (the

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    milled knob eomes to stand above the ,,8" on the speed scale.) On actuation of t}e
    shutter release the delal-ed-action mechanism mns down for appr,oximately 8 seconds
     befol'e re'leasing the shrrtter.
    Intentional clouble erposures. If a negative is to be exposecl more than once (e. g. for
    trick exposures), you need onl.v, after the first exposure, to actuate thi: shutter-setting
    lever (9) by pressing  it gently to the left. The setting lever clicks in between the
   numerals 2 and 5. This pcrforrnance, and subsequent releasing of the shutter, mav
   be repeatcd any number of times. (This is verw important in case of non-fqnctioning
    of flash bulbs or electronic flashes.)
6. Flash contact
   The,,altix-n"   is provided with a synchronized contact (20) for flash units. ln
    connection 'rvith flash bulbs the shtrtter has to be set aL llzs sec. or longer, rvhereas
    electronic flaslres per.rnit the use of any shutter speed.

IV. Miscellaneous
trilm speed indicator: The film speed inclicator (17) in the rervinrl knob (15) helps
                                                                        u;i'i:n"'
                   illJ:,;TT,'1":#l*Jii:""i,:til",lTT,li"ff

Built-in viewfincler:         'l'lre b.ilt-i. Nervton finder (18) is calc.lated for the standard
                                       lenses of 50 r'rrnr focal length.
  tl'I
            Special \-iew'finder:      I'he Altix Spccial Lenses necessitate the use o[ the AI-'|ISSA
                                      Speci.l \-ie*-fi'der (rvith cornpensation for parallax). This vierv-Iq                                       [inder is lixed into tlrc acccssory clip (19). When bcing attached
                                 to or remo'ecl fr:om the ca'rera, the vicrvfindeir should allr-avs
                         be a<ljusteil to in{initv. Cable releascs oI anv tlcsired length
                                  mar' lre scrcu'etl .irrlo  tlrt-. shutt.er release knob (l1r).
           Tripod lrtrshing:        In the base. of the camera is a bushing (2E) rvith English
                                        threacl (/r")  Ior fixing a tripod.
              Filters and lens hoods: I)imensions of filtcrs and lcns hoods to fit the various lenses
                                            ilre as follou-s:
                                Aperture       Focal length       Slip-on mount          Screw-in mount                                                           Diam. mm      Inner diam. Thread pitdr
              Triopl;rn             ti2.9          50 nrm                      .)/            JD.D   X      0.5
            Tessar                       f t2.8          50 mrn              37               JD.i]   X       0.5
            Tclefogar              fi:1.5           90 mn                     Di)          49    X       0.75
           Primagon                       f l/t.5          35 mrn              55          49    X      0.75


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Attention  !
I{eep your camera pr,rtected from dust, san,l, sun and water. Clean the accessible parts
from time to time 'rvith a soft camel's-hair brush. Never use oil or grease.
Please do not interfere with the mechanism of your camera.