Voigtlander BESSA-Flex User manual

Congratulationson selectinga Bessaflexcamera.
Thisis a compactand lightweightSLRcamerawith a TTLstop-down
meteringsystemand M42lensmount.
Enjoyinggoodphotographybecomesfar easierwith this camera.
All you mustdo is focus,set your exposurewith the LEDmeterand
takea photoby pressingthe shutterrelease.
By carefullyreadingthis booklet,you can enjoy an easy to use
cameraandtakemanyqualityphotographs.





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AttachingNeck-strap
Attachtheneck-strapto thecameraas illustratedbelow:


                                  Be surethe endof the
                                          strapis on the inside.

Mounting/RemovingLens
* To attachor detachthe lens,avoidplacingthe camerain directsunlight.
* Makesureto setthe MeteringSwitch(12)to the OFFposition.

1. Alignthe lensmountthreadswiththat of
  the camera,thenturnthe lensclockwise.
* Pay attentionto not over-tighteningthe
  screw-onlens.
2.To detachthe lensfromthe camera,turn
  the lenscounter-clockwise.





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LoadingFilm
1,Toopenthecameraback(24),pullFilmrewindknob(10)out.
 Whenthebackcoveropens,theFramecounter(5)automaticallyresetsto" S
2. Insertthefilmcartridgeintothefilmchambersothattheprojectingendofthefilm
  cartridgeisdownward,Dothisina placeawayfromdirectsunlight,
3,FoldoutandliftuptheFilmrewindknow(10)Thenrotatethecrankcarefully
  whilepushinitdownlightlyuntilthefilmlocksontheFilmrewindfork(20).
4.Returnthefilmrewindknobtoitsoriginalposition.
5.lnsertthefilmleaderintothegrooveof theFilmTake-upspool(27)andplaceit
 sothatthefilmperforationsengagewiththespoolteeth.
6.Checkthatthefilmperforationsengageproperlywiththeteethof Filmsprockets
  (28)andthefilmslidessmoothlyalongtheFilmguiderails(19)byoperating
  lightlytheFilmadvancelever(4)toadvancethefilm,
7.Turnthefilmrewindcrankgentlyin thedirectionof thearrowto properlytension
  theloadedfilm.Stopturningthecrankwhenit becomesstiff,andreturnthecrank
  toitsoriginalposition.
8.Gentlyclosethebackcoverandpushit untilit clicks.
9.Advancethefilma coupleof frames,pressingtheshutterreleasebuttoneach
  time,untilframecounterindicates" 1ubetween0 and2.Thefilmrewindknob
  rotateseachtimethefilmis advancedshowingthatthefilmis advancingproperly.
* Whenadvancingthefilm,windthefilmadvanceleverslowlyandsecurely
  untilthefilmisfullytransportedtothenextframe.

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Film Speed Setting
1. Film speed is indicated on the outsideof the f ilm
  package,in the filminstructionsor on the filmcartridge.
2. Setthe FilmspeedSelectorDial(11) so thatFilmspeed
  index(B) indicatesthe valueon film speedselectordial
  correspondingto the filmused.
  For example,if filmspeedshown on the film is ISO
  1OOl21, set the filmspeedselectordialto the 100on the
  dialmatcheswiththe index.
3. Detentsare providedat each step of film speedon the
  films peed selectordial. When settingthe film speed,
  makesurethatit clicksintoplace.

Exposure Setting (Shutter speed priority)
1.Turntheshutterspeeddial(2)sothatthewhiteindicatorlinealignswith
  thedesiredshutterspeedvalue.lf thedialis accidentallysetat the
  intermediatepositionsoftheindex,theshutterspeedwillbeincorrect.
 Besurethatthedialclicksintothepositionwherethewhitelinealigns
  withthedesiredvalue.

             Subject                     Sutter speed
             StationarysubjectinsubduedLight  1-1 l1S
            Indoorsinnormalconditions    1/30-1/60
            0utdoorsona fineday         11125-1lZS0
           Seasideinmidsummer        1/500-1 12000
           Mountainareawithsnow        1/500-1lZ0O0
            Fastmovingsubjects          1/500-1 l20OO
Note:Outsidetheexposuremeteringrangeof yourcamera(EV1to EV19),
theexposuremeterwill notfunctionproperlyandthegreenLEDindicator
maylightinerrordespiteincorrectexposure.


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ExposureSetting(Aperturepriority)
1.Turntheaperturering0n thelensuntiltheindexon thelens      Subject                F/value
  barrelindicatesthedesiredf/value.                                 lndoorsinnormalconditions Flz-Fl4
  ClickdetentsareprovidedeachstepofshutterspeedontheFilm      OutdoorsOutdoorsononaa finecloudydayday     Fl4-Fl9Fl8-F111
 speeddial(2).                                                Seasideinmidsummer   F/11-up
 Whensettingtheshutterspeed,makesurethatit clicksintoplace     Mountainareaswithsnow   F/11-uo
  properly.
2.PushtheMeteringswitch(12)up untilit locksat 0N position. Over       Good       Under
 ThenturntheShutterspeeddial(2)untilthegreen0 indicator exp0sure     exposure    exposure
  lights.lf thered+ marklights,turntheshutterspeeddialtoward           r  l
  thehighershutterspeedsettingandif thered- indicatorlights,  l:+;/ r  l    +++
 thenturntheshutterspeeddialtowardthelowershutterspeed
  setting.                             o             o
3.Whendone,pushtheMeteringswitch(12)downto itsoriginal                                                                                                                                        t  l  l
 0FFposition.
Thesuitableaperturevaluechangeaccordingtothebrightnessofthe            Slightly       Slightly/  t  l                        /  t  l
object,thedepth-of-fielddesiredor filmspeedin use.Typicalsettings          0ver         under
oftheaperturewithlS0100121filmareasbelow.

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Focusi ng
1.Focusingis donebywatchingthecircledareain thecenterof the
  viewfinderscreen.Withinthecircleisthesplitimageprismandaround
  thecirclethereisthemicroprismcollar.
  PutMeteringswitch(12)downto OFFpositionandsettheaperture
  ringofthelensusedatwidestaperture,thenturnthefocusingringon  thelenstofocus.                      to
2.ln orderto focuswiththesplitimageprism,matchthetophalfof the
  centercirclein linewiththebottomhalf.Whentheyarealigned,focus
  iscorrect.
 Whentheupper-andlower-halfimagesin thecentercirclearenot
  aligned,it isout-of-focus.
3.Tofocuswiththemicroprismcollaroutsidecenterspot,a broken
  shimmeringimageis onthescreenwhenit is out-of-focus.Whenthe
 imageintheoutercirclebecomesclearandsmooth,it isinfocus.
4.Focusingwiththeentiremattesurfaceof theviewfinderis also
  possible.Inthiscase,whenthesharpestimageis obtainedonthe
  screen,precisefocusingisaccomplished.
5,Choosethemosteffectivefocusingmethodfromtheabovelist
  accordingto theshootingsituation.(Suchas thelensused,the  subject,etc.)        ffiffi

Confirmi ng Depth-of-Field
1. Pushthe Meteringswitch(12) into the ON position
  aftersettingapertureringon the lens.
2. Confirmthe Depth-of-fieldin theviewfinder.
3. Pushthe Meteringswitchdowntheto OFFposition.





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Holding Camera
1.Holdthecamerain thepalmof thelefthandsoasto turnthelens
  focusingringeasilywithfingers.
2.Holdthe camerabodylightlyandplaceyourrightindexfinger
  lightlyontheshutterreleasebutton.
3.Pressyourleftelbowlightlyagainstyourbodyandlookthroughthe
  viewfinderto steadythecameraagainstyourface.Thenrelaxyour
  rightarmholdingthegrip.
4.Withlowershutterspeeds,it is recommendedto usea tripodand/or
  cablerelease.
Windingthe Film
Youcanwindthefilmonto thenextfreeframeeitherbya fullsingle
strokeorratchetleveraction.

Rewinding the Film
1.Whenthe film advanceleverno longeroperatessmoothly,
  checkthe framecounter(5) display.lf the framecounter
  showsthat the all framesof the loadedfilm have been
  exposed,thenit is timeto replacethefilm.
2. Pressthe filmrewindbutton(26)on the camerabase.
3. Foldout the filmrewindcrank(9) andturnit in the direction
  of the arrow.
4. Oncethe pressureeases,the film is completelywoundinto
  the cassette.
5. Liftup the film rewindknob(10)and pullit up to openthe
  cameraback(24).Nowthe filmcassettecan be takenout.
6. Do thisin a placeawayfromdirectsunlight.




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n B" (bulb) setting
                                          rr1,Withtheshutterspeeddial(2)setat " B position,theshutterwill
 remainopenforaslongastheshutterreleasebutton(3)ispressed.
2,Thissettingis usefulwhenanexposurelongerthanonesecondis
  required,suchasin landscapephotographyorat night.0rit maybe
 usedforspecialeffectphotographybyemployingtheflashtestbutton
  insubduedlightingconditions.
3.Besureto usea tripodand/orremoteshutterreleasewhenusingthis
  shutterspeedsetting,
Self-Timer
1.Windthefilmadvancelever(a)andfullyturntheself-timerlever(7)
 counterclockwise.Nowtheself-timerisreadytorelease
2,Presstheshutterreleasebutton(3)andtheself-timeroperatesto
  releasetheshutterapproximately10secondslater.
3.0ncetheself-timerbecomesreadyit is impossibleto returnit manually.
 Sosetitwhenyouarereadytouseit.
4.Theself-timeris veryusefulwhenyouwishto includeyourselfin a
  picture,0ryoucanuseit in orderto preventcameramovementdurring
 extendedexposures,insteadofusingtheremoteshutterrelease.

Flash Photography
l.lnsertthe optionally-availabledoubleshoeadapterfor
 simultaneoususeofflashandexternalfinders(15).
2.Connectsynchronizedcordof shoeadapterto synchro
  contact(14)onthecamera.
3.Slidetheflashunitintothehot-shoeontheshoeadapter.
4.Settheshutterspeeddial(2)to 1/125secorlower.
5.SetthecorrespondingaperturevaluewiththeGuideNumber
  of yourflashunitby operatingtheapertureringof thelens
 used.
  Fordetailsonhowto determinethecorrectaperturevalueto
  use,followtheinstructionsgivenin themanualof yourflash
  unit.




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Optional Accessories




                                                x SideGrip





* Manualoperationfast TriggerWinder

                                               x ShoeAdapter

Specifications
Type:            35mmSLRcamerawithfocalplaneshutterandTTLstop-downmeteringwith3
                LEDdisplay.Exposuresettingobtainedbymatching0 mark.
FilmFormat:       24mmX36mm
Shutter:              MetalfocalplaneshutteroperatingverticallyB,1-1l2000s
FlashSynchronization:    X contact,synchronizedat 1/125orlowershutterspeed.
Viewfinder:           Eye-levelfinderwithuseofpentaprismimage.
Field-ofView        95%
Focusingmethod:      Matchingthedividedimagethroughhorizontalsplitimageprismcentersopt,
Displaysinviewfinder:   Red+ markLEDOverexposurewarning
                  Green0 markLEDProperexposureindication
                Red- markLEDUnderexposurewarning
Exposuremetering:    TTLstop-downmeteringsystem.Centerweightedareameasurement.
Measurementrange:     lS0100121EV1(F1.4,1s)-EV19(F16,1/2000s)
Filmspeedsetting:      15025/15-3200/36,by1/3steps
Filmadvance:       Bysingleand/orratchetleveraction.Doubleexposurelocksystem.
                     Triggerwinderavailableasoptionalaccessory.
Filmrewinding:      Byoperatingthefilmrewindknobandfilmrewindcrank,thebuttonresets
                     automaticallytotheoriginalpositionatthecompletionoffilmwinding.
Framecounter:         Progressivetypewithautoresetbyopeningthebackcover.
Self-timer:          Mechanicalself-timer,approx.10sec.Duration
Powersource:       Two1.5Valkalinebatteries(1R44)orsilverbatteries(SR44)
Sizeandweight:       135.5x 89 x 52.5mm,4859(bodyonly)
* Thesespecificationsandexternalappearancearesubjectedto changeforimprovementwithoutpriornotice.
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