Prinzflex 500 User manual

PRINZFLEX 500E F2 Helios

Specification is similar to the Prinzflex 500 f2 Helios but, additionally, features a built-in selenium photo-
electric exposure meter. See pages 14 and 15 for instructions relating to the controls and operation of the
Prinzflex 500E exposure metering system.


                        Fabulous pentaprism reflex with interchangeable lens - precision-made in Russia.

                  EXCLUSIVELY DISTRIBUTED BY DIXONS - WORLD'S GREATEST
                CAMERA


CENTRES PRINIFLEX 500
This instruction manual contains the basic characteristics and essential operating principles of the PRINZFLEX
500 Camera. Read very carefully and follow the instructions in the first few days of use. Soon you will become
familiar with the camera's controls, and handling, until you do not have to think about the 'mechanism' of the
camera-but enjoy concentrating on the more creative possibilities with this fine instrument.

5 IMPORTANT RULES TO OBSERVE
1. Screw out or screw in the lens only by the lens mounting ring.
2. Do not touch the optical surfaces of lenses or the return-mirror. Fingerprints diminish optical efficiency, and
may damage coated surfaces.
3. Do not rotate the shutter-release button while operating this control. Apply only the direct push-button 'action
with your fingertip.
4. Do not rotate the exposure-setting dial between marks: "B"and "500".
5. Always advance the film-transport crank to its fullest extent. This avoids blank exposures.

www.butkus.us


SPECIFICATION

                  58mm Helios f/2 interchangeable super-fast 6 element; minimum focus:18 inches;
                             apertures: f/2 to f/16; pre-set diaphragm; depth of field index; distance scale.
Lens:             OR ...
                  50mm Industar f3.5 interchangeable; minimum focus: 24 inches; apertures f3.5 to
                            f16; aperture-setting ring; depth of field and distance scales.

                          Focal plane; Instant return mirror; speeds: 1 /30 sec to 1 /500 sec; B and delay
Shutter:
                             timer. 'M' and'X'synchro.

Viewfinder:               Reflex viewfinder with groundglass focusing screen; Eyepiece magnification: 5X.

                           Single stroke crank: advances film, sets shutter, counts exposure, primes shutter
Film Transport:
                         speed dial.

Other Features:           Film type reminder; Film-rewind button.

Dimensions:            5B"x 38"x 4" (approx.)

Weight:                920 grams.





                                                Self-timer release button
                                             Flash unit connector socket
                                          Flashgun bracket





                            CONTROLS

                                        Lens

                                                Self-timer setting lever

www.butkus.us

LENS
CONTROLS

Diaphragm
setting ring
with index


Focusing ring
with
diaphragm
scale
Distance
scale
Depth of field
scale

INSTRUCTIONS FOR LOADING



                                 The camera can be loaded in normal lighting conditions.
                               Open the back cover of the camera by pulling the lock-
                                            latch upwards. Next, pull the film-rewind wheel upwards
                                      -and remove the film cassette. Next, cut a straight edge to
                                          the lead-end of the film to be loaded. Now fix the cut edge
                                         of the film under the take-up spool spring and engage on
                                          the spool tooth and film sprocket. Ensure that the film is
                                      guided correctly between the film-channel runners.
                                     Replace the cassette into its seat. Return the rewind wheel
                                            to its original position. Close the back cover by pressing
                               down the lock-catch. Advance the shutter setting lever to
                                          the stop position: then press the release button. As the
                                          lever turns, the film is advanced by the space of one shot.



                     To transport non-exposed film to
                            the film aperture: wind the shutter
                             three times: pressing the release
                           button after each winding: Note.
                       While winding the shutter, check
                         whether the film rewind wheel
                                rotates. If not, check whether the
                        camera is correctly loaded with
                              film. Finally, turn the exposure-
                           counter dial and set the figure '0'
                             to align with the index dot on the
                               ring. Set the exposure counter
                     when the shutter is wound.

                                  EXPOSURE SETTING

                                A gentle upward pull on the shutter speed
                                                              dial followed by a rotating movement sets
                                                         the shutter speed duration. The selected
                                                   speed figure is aligned with the index
                                             mark in the middle of the dial, then
                                                     depressed to fix it in the primed position.
                                                       Figures indicated are in fractions of a
                                                      second. 'B' indicates a hand-controlled
                                                    exposure duration. Slow shutter speeds
                                                         are obtained by first winding the shutter:
                                                             setting the dial to 'B'; then, by pressing the
                                                           release button and immediately followed
                                              by rotating it counter-clockwise to its
                                                                 fullest extent. It is released by turning the
                                                           release button back to clockwise.

www.butkus.us

NOTE: 1. The exposure duration can be set both with the shutter wound and released.
2. Use a tripod for slow shutter speeds on 'bulb' exposure.
3. When photographing without flash bulbs the synchro setting lever can be set at will.





                             To set apertures on the 58mm HELIOS lens: set the index
                                mark to align the selected aperture figure engraved on the
                                         aperture-setting ring of the lens. Each setting is click-
                                     stopped at each aperture setting. The same procedure
                                        applies to the INDUSTAR-50 lens except that with this lens
                                         there are no click stops: the lens aperture is set only after
                                        focusing.





FOCUSING THE LENS FOR IMAGE SHARPNESS

58mm HELIOS: Focusing should be done with the diaphragm aperture opened at maximum. For this purpose
the diaphragm ring of the 58mm Helios should be turned counter-clockwise to its full extent. Aim the lens at the
photographed object. Observe through the viewfinder eye-piece: turn the lens focusing ring until a sharp image
appears on the ground glass. After focusing, the lens is instantly stopped down by turning the diaphragm ring
clockwise to its full extent, i.e. to its preset figure.

50mm INDUSTAR: When photographing with the 50mm Industar lens (which has no pre-set diaphragm), the
aperture setting ring of the lens is set after the focusing is done. In situations where you want to photograph a
number of objects disposed at different distances: use the depth-of-field scale. The depth-of-field scale is
symetrically arranged on both sides of the index and corresponds to diaphragm values. After the camera is
focused you can read off the depth of field for a chosen aperture by noting the limits of the depth-in-field scale
on both sides of the index on the distance scale for the aperture setting selected. For example: when the lens is
focused at 1 Oft and f:1 1 aperture is selected, the image will be sharp in limits from 8ft to 40ft.


                   FLASHSYNCHRONIZER

                            For photographing in conditions with poor illumination, you should
                             use a flash gun. For this purpose the PRINZFLEX 500 camera is
                                     fitted with a special device which synchronizes flash to coincide
                             with the shutter operating time. To switch on a singleaction flash
                                bulb: set the synchronization setting lever against index "M". When
                               operating with an electronic flash gun, the synchronization setting
                                 lever should be set against index "X".


Only one exposure time of 1 /30th sec. may be used in the PRINZFLEX '500' camera: whet photographing with
either flash bulbs or electronic flash. Hand exposure "B" is not recommended when using flash bulbs: a
considerable amount of stray light (after flash) enters the camera with resulting fogged film.

THE SELF-TIMER


                               When shooting with the self-timer, observe the
                                            following procedure: wind the shutter: wind the self-
                                            timer mechanism by turning the self-timer setting
                                               lever down as far as it will go. Set exposure; choose
                                              the frame; focus the lens . . Close the lens opening to
                                              the f stop and press the self timer release button. The
                                                shutter operates in no less than 9 sec. after pressing
                                              the button.


UNLOADING THE CAMERA


                          When the exposure counter dial shows figure (36 or 20) it
                              means that the exposed film should be rewound into the
                                         cassette. The procedure is the following: 1 Disengage the
                                        shutter mechanism by pressing the film-rewind release button
                                    and, holding it in this position, rotate the film rewind knob in
                                      the direction shown by the indicating pointer until you feel,
                               by the relaxed force, that the end of the film has left the
                                     spring of the take-up spool. 2 Open the back cover of the
                                  camera. 3 Pull the film rewind knob upwards and remove the
                                     film cassette out of the camera.


IMPORTANT TIPS
The camera should be handled gently and carefully avoiding undue force to controls and dials. Always keep the
camera scrupulously clean 'and protected from excessive vibrations, moisture and sharp temperature
fluctuations. Keep the camera in a closed carrying case. For long storage purposes the cap should be placed on
the lens and the shutter and self-timer released. Never remove the lens from the camera unnecessarily. This
prevents dust and dirt from reaching the surfaces of optical parts. Clean the optical coated lens surfaces only
from outside with a camera blower-brush. As the camera is a complex optical and mechanical device, any repair
and adjustment should be performed only by a highly qualified specialist.

BULB FLASH WARNING
When using bulb type flashguns, do not insert a new flashbulb into the gun while it is connected to the camera
with the shutter un-wound. The shutter must always be wound before the gun and flashbulb is connected to the
camera.

www.butkus.us
PRINZFLEX 500E





58mm F2 HELIOS LENS

Specifications as Prinzflex 500 but, additionally,
features a built-in selenium photo-electric
exposure meter calibrated for aperture settings
and film speeds.

Except for exposure, all operations and
instructions for the Prinzflex 500 apply equally to
the Prinzflex 500E.

EXPOSURE CONTROLS

The principal controls comprise two circular dials
and each is concentric to the rewind release
button (see illustration). The Outer Dial
(calibrated from 1/30 to 1/500) is the shutter
speed control and this, when rotated, is constantly
linked to the small 'zero' index in the curved
meter-window, (see illustration). The Inner Dial
is the film-speed control (calibrated with ASA
and DIN speed ratings and aperture figures).

EXPOSURE OPERATION
To obtain accurate exposure: first align the film-speed setting line (engraved on the Inner Dial) to coincide with
the small black dot engraved beneath the selected film speed rating (ASA or DIN). Next, point the camera lens
to the subject and ensure that fingers do not obscure the photo-electric window (mounted above the lens).



Note the position at which the needle comes to rest. Now, rotate the knurled Outer (shutter speed) Dial until the
small 'zero' index is bisected by the stationary meter-needle (located in the curved window). The meter is now
primed for any selection of coincident reading of aperture and shutter speed.

Finally, align the red dot on the Helios lens with the selected aperture: point the camera at subject, rotate the
focusing ring until sharp image-resolution is obtained-depress the release button to obtain perfect exposure.