Praktica FX flier User manual

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/ITTRODT]CTIO]Y

        The Praktica is a one-lens reflex camera taking the perforated 35 mm cine film.
        The size of the picture ie 24x 36 mm.

        The Praktica possesses all the advantages of a modern precision miniature camera,
             e. g. shutter wiuder coupled with film advancemento lock against double and blank
          exposures, interchangeability  of the lenses, aud adaptability to micro.photography.

          Focuseing  is performed by means of a light-collecting lens whibh produces a clear,
          bright image.
        The Praktica takes all current daylight film cartridgee for 36 expoeuree in black.
         and.white and. colour film. The Praktica ig sure to give perfect reeulte and
        mechanical safety if the instructions for use are closely followed and carried out.

Venmo @mike-butkus-camera  Ph. 2083
PayPal Name  Lynn@butkus.org      www.PayPal.me/lynnbutkus

EXPLAN ATIOIV OF SIGIIS
 I  :  Release knob                             10 :  I\Iagnifying lens
2 : Knob for winding the slutter and transportinC  ll   : Rear flap of the light-hood
     the film
                                            T2 :  Latchbutron for light-hood
3 :  Picture-counting disc
                                              13 :  Releaee knob for rewind mechanism.                                 ::4 : Knob for setting the shutter speeds
                                              14 : Film epool5 : Knob for setting the speed groups
                                            15 : Sprocket wheel for transporting6 : Film rewind.knob                                                          the film
7 : Loops to hold the neck.strap'                                              16 :  Picture level
B : Interchangeable lens with rotatable rings for                                                   l7 : Camera back                           d
     setting distance and diaphragm, and with dist-
     ance, diaphragm and depth.of-focus  scales       18 : Catch for camera back
9 : Light-hood                                   \        19 : Film pressure-plate

I. Inserting the film

The camera back ie unlocked by pushing the
knob No. lB in the direction of the arrow. Open
the camera back and take it off, and pull out
the rewind-knob No. 6.

The film cartridge must be placed into the empty
chanrber with the beginning of the film projecting
in the direction of the picture level. Pull the film
from the cartridge and fix it into the empty spool
on the right-hand side of the camera.

It is of importance that the sprocket teeth catch
both perforated edges of the film.

Wind the shutter by rotating the knob No.2.

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Make sure that the filnr lies evenly on the film-
guide and toothed drum, link the (.anlera back
into the right.hancl groove and close it down.
'l'he filrn pressure-Jrlate nrust be llerfectly clean
befirre the calnera bat'k is cklsed.

After having bolted the camera bat.k, nrake two
blank exposures. The rewind-knob must hereby
turn in the ollposite direction of the arrow mark.
When all these manipulations have been per.
forrnetl, the r.ounting nrechanism has to be eet
to stroke No. l.

fhe carnera is now ready frrr the first expoeure.

n. Changing the film
                                  36 exposures having been made, a certain re-
                                                eietance will be noticed in winding the ghutter -
                                     a eign that the whole film is expoeed and hae
                                           to be rewound into the cartridge.

                                        This is done by pressing down the little button
                                        No. 13 and at the eame time turning the rewind-
                                   knob No. 6 in the direction of the arrow.

The beginning of the film will audibly slip out of the cartridge, and the rewinding procedure
is completed.

The camera back must now be opened and the exposed film taken out.
Do not change the film in bright sunlight, but if poseible in the ghade. It ie advieable
to deposit the film in light-tight paper or in a metal box after it has been removed, from
the camera.



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                       transportIII. Shutter and film

a) Winding the shutter
  A full rotation of the knob No. 2 as far as it
   will go to the right (clockrvise) rvinds the
    shutter, advances the film to the next picture,
   and ewinge the reflex mirror into the light-
   ray level of the lens. Take care that the
   releaee knob No. I is not preesed in while
   the shutter is being wound up.
h) Setting the speerls
   The epeeds are set by means of the adjusting knob No. 4 and the supplementary knob
   No. 5. The speed disc is engraved with
                                                         r/5ssth    r/zrth       black figuree for the ehort rpeede from       1e       eecondo with
                                                              r/2                                           thsth                                                          to                                                     eecond, and with "8"  eetting for       red figurea for the long epeeds from
       time exposures of any desired Iength.
  When set to the speeds of 1/5e6th to r/ssth eecond, the red triangle on the supplementsry
   knop No. 5 muat point towards the black triangle on the camera top.

When set to the speeds of l/1sth to                                                   1/2 secondo the red triangle on the supplementary
   knob must point to the red triangle an the camera top.
   The "B'o setting can be enrployed in both positions.
  To set the speeds, lift the outer ring No. 4 turn it to the desired nunrber and click it in.
   There is only one rest-hole for rl2 and 1/2sth second, marked by a dot between the epeed
   numbers l/2 and l/s'.
e) Releasing the shutter
  The exposure is made by gently preaeing in the button No. l. In order to avoid blurring
                                            the picture, the knob ehould not be let loose
                                               until the shutter has run down. When set'
                                                at "B", the shutter must be pressed as long
                                        as the exposure is to last. For the use of a
                                        wire release, the knob is provided with a
                                            thread into which the release can be screwed.
                                   Take care that the rvire release is inserted
                                                evenlv.


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ll/. Lens and Shutter

a) Press the button llo. 12, and the light-hood
   will spring up, uncovering the finder lens.
  When the shutter is wound up, a bright, clear
   picture will appear on the ground-glass surface
   of the finder. By turning the distance meter
   ring on the lens mount, the lens is focussed
   to the greatest possible sharpness. Focussing
   should be perfornred with the diaphragm set
   to the widest aperture, and the lens stopped
  down immediately before making the ex-
   posure.

   T'he camera is equipped with a magnifyinglens
   for easier focussing. It is swung into operating
   position by means of the lever No. 10.
  When using the rnagnifying lens, a distance of
  15 to 25 mm between the eye and the glass

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ehould be observed. Only then will the image
                                    on the ground glass be perfectly clear.
                                  The direct-vision view finder in the light-
                                      hood is very handy for sports enapshots.
                                         fn order to disengage this finder, the flap
                                        muet be swung in, rvhereupon the magnifying
                                               lene is brought into H'orking position. In thie
                                  way the flap is held level, and the eports
                                              finder can be used.
                                To close the light-hood, first ewing in the
                                          magnifying lens. Then push in the rear flap
                                             with the f<rrefinger and close down the light-
                                              hood.
                                    b) The lens scales
                                            fhe front ring on the lens mount is engraved
                                               with the diaphragm scale and the index point,
                                        the middle ring with the dietance ecale in

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   metres or feet, and the back ring with a dia-
  phragm scale showing the depth'of'focue.
   According to this scale, for instance, the
   Biotar lens f/2 with a focal length of 5.8 cm
    (2t lo"), at a distance eetting of 12 ft. (4 metres)
   and an f/l I aperture, givee a sharpness reaching
   from'l'6" to 30' (2.5 to l0 metres).
c) Changing the lens
  The lene in the camera body ie interchange'
   able within its threaded llange. By being
   turned to the left (anti-clockwise) the lens can
  be removed from the camera body. Should
   the camera be loaded when the lens is being
   screwed out, take care to shield the aperture
   from glaring light.
d) The mirror
   The mirror ie a very eensitive clement in the
   camera, and it must be protected even from

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the slightest damage. It is advisable. before
                                          exchanging the lenses, to swing the mirror up.
                                     Only use a very soft-haired brush to remove
                                     any possible uncleanliness from the mirror.
                                   e) Lenses usith diaphragm-presetting deaice
                               To set the aperturer pr€ss the ring directly
                                      behind the diaphragm scale backward (to-
                                           wards the camera) and set the aperture desired.
                                  Make sure that the ring clicks in its position
                                                 at the chosen number.
                                V. Close-up Tubes (Macro-photography)
                               The lenses in the Praktica make it possible for
                                    you to approach your object up to about 70 crn
                                            (28 in.). For exposures at shorter distances you
                                               will have to use intermediate tutres.
                                The table on the next page shows the numbers
                                      and lengths of the intermediate tubes, the distance
                                          of the object, measured fronr the rim of the lens,
                                  and the eize of the object.

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,'L  'I'he Prisrtttttic I"inder

                          A l)risrrratit: Fintler is available as an a(.(,essorv
                                            to tht: Praktir.a. At eye-level, this finder gives a
                                             grolrnd glass vierv of the irrrage - upright, t.orrect-
                                           sided, and f'ree frorn parallax error.
                               The Prisrrratir. Finder is atta<:hed to the top of
                                           the canrera light-hoocl by firing the nose rnarked
                                     "N" into the sprins carr.h (12) of the light-hood (9)
                                          anrl prrshing the trvo spring tat.ks nrarked "S"
                                               trnrlerneath the Iight-hoorl cover (9).


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WI. Electronic and Regular Flash Connection
On the front of the camera are three contact sockete. The eocket marked "Xo' takes electronic
                      o'F"flashes, whereae the    mark is for regular flash synchronization.
                                       ( X synchronization)a) Electronic flashes
  To be employed for all kinds of electronic deviceg acting without delay.
   Synchronization allows for exporureE up to 1/io th second.
b) Flash gur,s ( F synchronization)
  Vhen ueing euitable f lash gune, ehutter epeeds
  up to l/soo th second can be synchronized.
   The following chart gives the shortest shutter
   speeds in connection with the mogt popular
   flash lamps. The flash bulb must never be put
   into lhe flash unit before lhe shutter has been
  wound up.





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