Astraflex User manual

-(t  AST RAFTEX
  ffi         Minicrture 35 mrn film (24x 36 mm)
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AST RAFTEX

                INTRODUCTION

The ASTRAFLEX is o single lens reflex comeio which uses35'mm.film,both color                                                                      xlLlz                *nite. The picture size is 24x36 mm or opproximotelv l
                                                                            in 20 qnd 36 expo-"il;i;;k'onJinches. A wide voriety of emulsions ond speeds ore ovoiloble
sures doylight film cossettes.
The ASTRAFLEX offers you oll the lotest innovotions of photogrophic progress
                                                second to l/roooth, coupled   ln.lrding focol plone shutter with speeds from I-                                      exposure plevention, outomotic ondfilm tronsport oJ ihrtt"t cocking, doutle
pr"r"t diophrogt l"nr"r, interchJngeoble -lenses, interchqngeoble  viewfinders'                          system, frJedom from porollox, prism vjewfinder, floshii*f" lens reflJx opticol
sy,.,ihronizotion for flosh bulbs ond electronic strobe unih, ropid lever wind for                         www.butkus.us                                   outstonding feotures.sequence pictures, ond mony other

INSERT]NG THE FILM

 To open the comero bock, pull the cotch (l) outrtuords. pull out rewind knob  (3)"
 Ploce the fresh film cossette into the empty'nlr chomber (4) with the film leoder
 in the direction of the toke-up spool (7).Push the rewind knob down thus engogingthe film cossette. Pull
 the film from the cos-
 sette ond ploce the
 tongue into the sl'J of
the toke-up spool  (7ll.
Then turn the toke-up
spoof by hond withoul
using the lever, wrop-
ping some film oround
the spoof . Be sure thol
the teeth on the sprocket
wheel (6) engoge both
top arrd bottom rows of
perforotions on the film
before closing the co-
merq bock, ond see thot
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the film lies evenly on the film trock (5).
                                         Close the bock of t'he comero ond press
                                                                                                                          (8)                                         cotch down to secure. Turn lever
                                                       fully, then set exposure counter (10) (in
                                               direction of orrow) on number 36. The
                                        indicotor (exposure morker) is the
                                                triongle engroved on the lever  (8). Press
                                             shutter releose button (9). Moke two
                                       blonk exposures by winding lever (8)
                                    qnd pressing shutter'releqse button (9).
                                       The exposure counter will nov/ point to
                                                                                                                                           is                                       exposure No. 1 , 'ond the comero
                                          reody for your first picture. You con be
sure thot the film ironsports in your comero properly  if the rewind knob (3) turns onii
clockwise os you turn ihe lever (8) to the right'

TO OPEN & CTOSE WAIST.LEVEL FINDER
press the smoll bulton on the bock of the finder (on bock of comero) ond it wi[l.open
                             press down ony of the wolls of ihe finder  iill the cotchlrt.r"ti*ffv. io close, iust
clicks. To bring rhe rognifying lens into position, pressthe smoll le.ver next tolhe lens'
                        .rn ihe-g.ound gloss (ofter you wind shutter) will be reproduced onii.  i*"g" viJwed

the film, in the some size. As you turn the
focussing ring on the lens the imqge on
the ground gloss chonges.  lt will oppeor
shorp. At the some time you ore com-
posing your picture ond controlling the
depth of field. For criticol focussing
use the mognifier, keeping  it close to
your eye. Before closing hood be sure
to fold the mognifier down. The woist-
level viewfinder con be interchonged



                                             with the Prism View Finder. To remove'
                                                      either finder (wqist-level or prism finder)
                                    from the comero, proceed os follows.
                                        Push cotches (13) outwords, the finder
                                                    will lift upwords ond con eosily be re-
                                       moved. l'o instoll'either finder into cq-
                                         merd, insert the front end of the finder
                        www.butkus.usinto the open grooye il5) of the view-

finder sebfipn of the comero (cn top of
comero 15) then push reor end down
until it clicks info position.

IHE PRISM FINDER
The Prism Finder is used for eye-level
focussing, holding the oculor lens'of the
finder close to the eye. You see o lo-
terolly correct, upright imoge in both
verticol qnd horizontql positions. The
direction of movement seen in the fin-
der is the some os thot of the subiect.
This finder, therefore, is ideol for sport
ond oction photogrophy (horse roges, trock meets, iennis molches etc.) becouse you
con mdve the comero in ihe some direction os lhot of the subiect. The Prism Finder
con be instolled.ond removed from the comero in the some woy os the Woist-Level
Finder.
FocussrNc scREEN wrTH Burrr tn mNorrwoin
This occessory con be builf into fhe ASTRAFIEX to speciol order before. purchose
or supplied subseguently os on odditionol occessory. lt ollows extiemely ropid ond
occurote rongefinder lype focussing ond, built into the focussing screen gives lhe
                                 .   ,.J,              '

ASTRAFLEX the odvontoge of both systems of focussing, ond thereby octs olso os o
double check' The rongefinder  is siluoted in the centre of the focussing screen ond
 consists of o light 6 mm diometer circle split into two holves by o fine line. The iwo
 hqlves of the imoge within this circle move in reloiion to eoch ofher wifh the lur:ning
of the focussing ring on lhe lens. The simplest woy of operotion is lo get o verticol
obiect into this port of ihe focussing screen. The correct distonce seliing qnd conse-
quently lhe shorpesl negotive will be ochieved when the contours of the two holves
form o closed line. See illustrotion below.





                                        .I                                                                           .USING THE STANDARD IENS
The iris diophrogm of the lens is controlled with the operfure ring.,The ASTRAFLEX
hos the odditionol odvontoge fhotthe effect of increosing or decreosingthis operture
in the iris con be seen on lhe focussingwww.butkus.usscreen. when the diophrogrfi is stopped down

the imoge on the focussing screen be-
 comes dorker, ond this olso meqns
thot less light will fsll on the film ond
therefore longer exposure is necessory.
On the other hond when the diophrCIgm
 is closed down the depth of field is ot
the some time getting lorger meoning
thot o lorger distonce behind ond in
front of the distonce focussed on will
be shorp. The extent of the depth of
field is shown on lhe depth of field
scole engroved opposite the distonce
ring on the lens.
The dislonce ring is used for lhe focus-
ing of the imoge. To get moximum brillionce on lhe focussing scrden, the focussing
should be done with the operture fully open. When this operotion is compleled lhe
operture should ogoin be stopped down occording to the prevoiling light conditions
(determined with o photo electric exposure meter).
The depth of field is found os follows: first focus for shorpness ond'reod off the
distonce opposite the slop which is intended to be used, this then provides the depth
of field, on ihe illustrotion for exomple, opposite to f8, on eilher side of ihe dislonce

ASTRAFIEX with shufier sPeeds:
     I rec.     tlnoo ol q second:         -
                                         speeds, turn ring (18) till the dot pointso) Fost speeds: To set,the shutter for fost
   to iero. Then liff ring (17) either before or ofler winding the shuiter ond iurn
       it until the speed number you select is ploced nexl lo the red dot on the inside of
    the ring (17), ond let it drop down. For fime exposures use the setting "B" on
    ring (17), be sure ring (18)

is set on zero. Shutter will stoy open os long os shutter releose button is pressed
          down (9). ASTRAFLEX Coble Releose with locking device should be used for time
             exposures of. long durotion.
            b) Slow Speeds: To set shulter for slow speeds lift ring (17) ond turn it until the
            speed "25" 1'1rt of a second) is ploced next to the red dot on the inside of ring
                   (17). Then turn ring (.|8) to the selected speed, (for instonce 1 second.)
I          IMPORTANT: Before setting slow speedsrolwoys sel the red "25" next to the red
            dol on the inside of ring (17).

       PHOTOGRAPHY WITH THE ASTRAFTEX
      Now thot we hove discussed the insertion of the film, the focussing, the shutter
          speeds etc, ond you hove followed our instructions the comero should be reody for
           toking photogrophs.
         Alreody in the description of the woist level hood viewer qnd the pentoprism
           finder you will hove noticed thot the toking position of the comero depends on the
          type of finder in use. With the hooded woist'level finder the comero is held ot
          opproximotely breost height so thot it is eosy for you to look onto the ground gloss
           screen. According to your personol eye-sight the comero hos to be neld of such
         on eye to comero distonce which will ollow the imoge formed on the ground gloss
          to be focussed with greot eose. lf rhe mognifier in the hood is used, which by the                                www.butkus.us                                                                 t

woy greotly ossists focussing, the posifion of the comero is roised right up to the
         eye. This method is olso used' for the toking of verticol pictures. However this
          entoils photogrophing "round the corner" os it were. For condid photogrophy  this
        con be o greot odvontoge, since the subiect being photogrophed is misfeld ihrough
        your position ond direction of viewing. Should some high obstocles be in the wly
        such os for instonce o crowd of o sports gothering  it ii eosy to photogroph over
        the top of this obsiocle by simply holding the ASTRAFLEX over your heod ond
         focussing on the ground gloss screen from underneoth.
        The pentoprism viewfinder, the odvontoges of which we hove olreody pointed out ol-
         lows the comero to be held in fhe so colled "quick shot" eye level position ond is for
I        such things os sport ond oction photogrophy, in ropid sequence, quite indispensoble.
       With horizontol or verticol views one eye is used to look into the prism finder,
         while the other con be closed or open for wotching the obiect. For horizontol views the
       comero cqn olso be used in the inverted position so thot the smooth bock is hefd
        steody ogoinst the foreheod ond qcts os o steodying support.
        Quite oport from the type of viewfinder in use the comero should lie in the honds
        of the user comfortobly ond wiilrout sfroin. The choice is completely left to the
        user os to which finger is used for the releose of the shutter, the film tronsport
         lever ond the operture or distonce ring. For shots in quick succession, however, it is
        besi if the shutter is releosed with the forefinger ond the film tronsported with the    l*   thumb of the right hond without rerhoving the comero from the eye.


                            iria;

Exqmple: Eleclronic FlcEh


             Synchro-o                              Light incidence on negotives


                       Hectronic flosh

'i                          Electronic flosh               ffi'1tso
$
                          Electronic flosh             Mltzs

       The synchro outlet M is designed for use with floshbulbs designed speciolly for
         focol plone shutters which hove lhe chorocterisiic of hoving o long even illuminoiion
         period. The tqble below gives o survei of floshbulbs which will give correct synchro-
         nisolion ond even illuminbtion ot ihe speeds indicoted.

UNTOADING FIIM FROM CAMERA
 After of l the pictures hove been token the film must be rewound into the originof
 cqssette. This is done by pressing
down the button (26) locoted on
the bottom of the comerCI, ond ot
the some fime turning the rewind
 knob (3) clockwise (to the right). As
fong os film is still in the comero,
you will feel the effort of winding
which stops os soon os oll' the film
 is bock in tlre cossette. Then open
bock of cqmero (2), prll rewind
knob (3) upwords, ond remove cos-
sette with exposed film.
Filrn Reminder: On. the r:ewind knob
(3) is <ln engroved scole (22\ with
speeds of most films. Sef this scole on the number corresponding to the speed of the
film with which you looded your comero. When you lronsport the film, wotch the red
dot on the rewind knob. When it turns counter clockwise the film in your comero  is
looded correctly. lf it does nol lurn, the comero is either empty or the film slipped
out of the toking spuol.

Comporison photognophs foken with norrnol, long
 focus ond telephofo lenses in the some posifion:

normol lens       REGARDING THE USE OF IONG FOCUS
Schn eider-Xenor     OR TETEPHOTO LENSES,I  2,8/50 mm
             we would like to write some more obout the
                   univensol use of these lenses which open mqny
                   fields of further opplicotions which we spe-
                      ciolly wcnt to point but. As opposed to lenses
                of normol focol length, thes'e' lenses hove o
                longer focol_ length  . brt o smoller ongf e of                 occeptonce. Due to this oll obiects ore increo-
long focus l-ns       sed in size, whereos the portion of the obiect
Schneider Xenor      gets corresponditlgly, smoller. Our  . pictureI :3,5/'135 mnr         exomples show quit-e cleorly thediff'enns pre-
                   sentoiion using lenses of difierent focol 6ngth
                      vrith the comeio in the some position.
                             It is often desiroble ond indeed necessory with
                 onimol, sport or: londscope photogrophy ond
                olso with mony scientific bpplic6tidnj qnd
                    srchitecture to bbtcin the te!eicope effect of
               these long focus lenses. Porticulorly useful
telephoto lens         functions ore performed bythe lenses.|00   of medi-Schneider Tele-        u.m fong focol length, such os     to 150 mm.
Xenor               Thes.e giye lorge n:egotive filling results, with-
L s il240 mm        out leoding to distorfion of perspective.
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Comporison phofogrophs foken wi|h normol onC
         wide angle lenses in the some posifion
This interchongeobif  ity of lenses is on incolctl-
loble osset of the ASTRAFLEX ,systern.
WIDE ANGIE LENSES,                                    normol lens
                                                                                    Sch nbider-Xenorperform exoctly the opposite  f u nctions to
those of the long  f ocus ond telephoto lens.      1 :2,8/50 m m
With this lens systems o shorter focol length
qnd o correspondingiy lorger ongle of etccep-
tonce is ochieved. Hereto we hove shown o
pr:ucticcl exomple in the form of pictures. The
lorger embrqcement of the subiect lets the
detqils within it eippeqr smoller which is on
odvontog€, for instonce, with interior shots,     wlde ongle lenssince it produces on ideq of spociousness.      Sch n eid er-lsogon
Further uses of the wide ongle lens ore for     S:l 4,5/40 mm
reproduction purposes, for forge groups, for
ponoromic londscopes ofld for "snqps" where
the increosed depth of focus is of , consi-
deroble odvsntoge.

\i
ore done similorly with the oid of exiension rings. The smsll depth of f-ocus with close
ups necessitoles o very occurole focussing which con be corrected through o smoll
m ove m e n t o n th e c o m e ro o s o w h o  I e'         ,*?l'
                           J[:       :i 1";r n''J,l;J":H:i"r,"T',;:iir#
                     q longer exposure time which is colculqted
                                through the folf owing formulo.

                                                        distonce lens to film
                                 Exposure increose -   {      tocoI fenght      t'
                                Exomple, distonce of lens to film equols focql
                                  length of lens (50 mm) plus length of extension
                                   ring (40 mm) so thqt

                                  Exposue'e increose -  (#)'

                               tffl':1,8 x 1,8= 3,24
                            so thqt in this excmple on increose of 3.24 or
                                opproximotely 31/z times is requ ired.

THE ASTRAFTEX BELTOWS ATTACHMENT
 is cerfoinly not o substifute for extension
 ri'ngs. Thqnks to its odvontoges ond sto-
 bility it hos become o volued occessory
for the discriminoting omoteur ond the
 professionol photogropher. Whif st with
extension rings you ore bound to certoin
pre-determined extensions with the be!-lows ottochment q possibility exists to
cover without gops oll the qchievoble re-
production rotios. A complete ond de-
tqiled description qnd instructions for the
bellows,qttqchment qnd its possibilities ore
supplied with this occessory.

THE MICROSCOPE ATTACHMENT
io. o hinged j)p9 occessory screwed with its top holf into the body of the comdro
like o lens. To fosien this combinotion (comero'ond Microscope otiochmeni) to the
microscope lhe eye piece is removed from lhe microscope ond ihe microscope
ottochment with the comero put on insfeod. The eye piece of the microscope is then
inserted ogoin ond.the microscope ottochment tightened os shown in the occom-
ponying illustroticn. Wirh the'hinge of the microscope otfoihmeni r . is ot oll times
possible even during procticol work, lo chonge the eye piece of rhe microscope