Altissa Altix cameras

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seany65

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I thought I'd start a new thread for Altissa Altix cameras as I've just bought a mark III which seems to be working well enough, it's even got a film in it. Unfortunately I had to open the back so that I could see if the shutter was opening at 1/200 and 1/100 so it's ruined. I'll bet it had photos of the man on the grassy knoll, or Lord Lucan riding off on Shergar or something.

Anyway, I thought it would be an idea to start a single thread where people could share info and ask or answer questions about Altissa Altix cameras.

At present, I'm not sure of my Laack Tegonar (coated) lens has a filter thread (it's rather hard to tell), or whether it's meant to take push on hoods and filters. I've ordered a Green 20mm filter as from what I can tell, the outside diameter is 19mm (hard to tell, as the divisions are in 1/2 mm steps!), so a 20mm filter should fit on it with only a bit of fiddling with the tabs. If I can find some cheap 18mm or 19mm threaded filters hood, I'll get a better idea if the lens does have a thread on it.

I wasn't too sure where to put this as my scale focus 'III' uses 35mm film but produces 24mmx24mm negs, so should it go in "Scale focus 35's" or "Half frame/subminiature"?
 
Interesting cameras from an interesting manufacturer. I think(?) the Altix that have an interchangeable lens use an uncommon mount with locking ring. This is the same mount as can be found on Pentaflex 8 and Pentaflex 16 movie cameras (though I doubt the flange to film distance is the same).

Am I right in thinking that Altissa ended up in the VEB / Pentacon conglomerate?
 
@Dralowid: My Altissa III has interchangeable lenses, via a screw thread, but apparently the only other focal length they made for it was 5cm. The camera and lens are the same versions as the ones on the left of the pic posted by neal3k. There were slight variants - one had the flash sync socket at the bottom right on the front, and there was at least one other version of the 3.5cm lens, a Novonar Anastigmat. On the other hand if something did go wrong with my lens I could always get another even if the shutter doesn't work and just use the lens.

You are right, they were merged into the VEB/Pentacon lot.

Many of the II's/III's I've seen have what look like really icky glass in the vewfinders, but the two I've owned have had clear ones with frames that are easy enough to see. I think the frames are for the 5cm lens.

@neal3k: How are the shutters on yours? I've seen quite a few listings in which the shutter has some sort of trouble. My last one had slow speeds that were too slow and the tech couldn't fix it.

They could've come up with a better way of taking the top-plate off than having to remove the front panel and its leather.

From what I understand the IIIA, their first 35x24mm, also had interchangeable lenses via screw thread, though I presume it would be of a different size to that of the III.
 
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Maybe I should have gotten an earlier, square-format Altix for its slimmer profile versus the V that I ended up with: The 24x24 format would also be a change of pace.
 
Here's a link to a site with some info about Altix's:

Altissa Altix cameras

Altissa Altix, Laack Pololyt, Call Zeiss Tessar, Ludwig Meritar, Meyer-Optik Trioplan, IOR Orizont, camera information, photographs, collection
www.cjs-classic-cameras.co.uk
 
Thanks for the link, having read it I've obviously got my lens mounts completely mixed up! Apologies!

Now...I wonder what still camera did use the Pentaflex mount......
 
Michael, You were right about the lens mounts, it was used on the V, the N and the Nb. Also, even if you had been wrong, there's no need to apologise to me.

I've also been wondering if the lenses on Taxona cameras, also fit onto Altissa III's as both the Tessar lenses fitted to each look the same (although I think the tessar was fixed on the Altix III version that had it), and the Novonar anastigmat lenses fitted to each look identical and they are for cameras of the same format giving the same Neg. sizes?

I'm sure I've read that the Taxona camera can take take up spools from any 35mm zeiss ikon camera, so I was also wondering if this could be an option for those with an Altissa which doesn't have a usable take up spool?
 
The apology is only there because I sometimes worry about starting another bit of internet misinformation running. The smaller German manufacturers produced some excellent cameras with, as one would expect, fine engineering. I used to collect them but have sold the lot, things just got out of control!
 
It appears that the filter thread on the 35mm Laack Tegonar (If it really is a thread) is less than 17mm. I've tried it with a 17mm sky 1A filter that won't screw on. I can't find any 16mm threaded filters to test on it, as the listings do mention 16mm BUT they are usually for cine cameras. I suppose theoretically the thread could be 15mm but there's nothing at all about them. I'd consider getting a 14mm-17mm step up ring to see if the thread is 14mm if they weren't so expensive. If it was, at least I'd be able to have a sort of home made lens hood - the step ring with the filter (sans glass as it's a bit damaged due to the back of the glass being level with the back of the thread so if you put it down the glass is in contact with what you put it on. Idiot makers!) screwed onto the front.
 
I've just bought a push-on 20mm B+W "green"-ish filter and it's marginally too small, even with the tabs out a bit. I also bought a Kodak 210-250 push on filter adapter thingy, which pushes onto 21mm and holds 25mm filters. With a bit of the usual fiddling with the tabs it fits onto the the lens of my Altix III. So it seems the push on size ofr the Laack Tegonar is 21mm. I'd still prefer screw in stuff as they are more secure, but it's hard to get 16mm threaded stuff, even harder than 21mm push on stuff.
 
I'm sorry I missed the seany65 question about the shutters when he asked back in January. Unfortunately, I was buying quite a few cameras when I bought my Altas and I don't remember. I don't consider it a big deal if it takes a bit of naphtha to kick off old leaf shutters, though.

Here are some shots from each - the system I used would only let me post three:

Alta II (24 X 24) on HP5+

Stairs to Nowhere by Neal Wellons, on Flickr


Alta IV (24 X 36) with Ilford HP5+

Going Back to Nature by Neal Wellons, on Flickr

New Lock by Neal Wellons, on Flickr
 
Thanks for the reply and pics, Neal. They look pretty sharp to me. Did you estimate or use a rangefinder?

On the other hand, Pffft! Ya big show off, " Look at me, I've got Cludor shutters that actually work!" lol.

I was going to use my previous Altix III at 1/200th or 1/100th only as the slow speeds were too slow and the tech couldn't fix it. I can't remember whether I sold it to the shop as "for spares" or something. I recently bought another one from that shop, and at the time the shutter didn't seem to be slow. I got it home and yup, the slow speeds were slow. I'd be tempted to think I'd bought back the one I think I sold to them in the first ruddy place, but the frame in the viewfinder seems slightly paler/harder to see. Then the camera seemed to seize up, but maybe it needs a film in, as there's one in now and the main problem seems to be the shutter needs more pressure than it should to be pressed and it doesn't like to come back up.

I'm beginning to think a big hammer will fix it...

I would like to get it fixed but I've no idea who I can send it to now.

Neal Your II looks the same as my III, and from what it says on the website I linked to in an earlier post (I've just checked to see what differences there were), the II had a metal front with speeds up to 1/400th, on the other hand in the blurb for the II, it ssays the speeds went up to 1/500th.
 
Glad I have one for comparison Seany. With my non-rangefinder cameras, I just estimate the distance or more often, use zone focus if there is a DOF scale on the lens. Also in bright sunlight, I don't use a meter, just Sunny 16 (actually Sunny 11). With the exposure latitude of non-slide films, I can get a well exposed photo by guessing.
 
neal, did your altix II work properly from the start, or did you have to get it fixed? My III is really playing up, the speeds all seem to be one stop slow, and quite often the wind knob grinds and won't turn even before the film has been advanced by a half frame.
 
Neal, those pics look sharper with a guessed distance camera than most of mine taken with focusable cameras, lol.

Wish I knew someone in the UK who could fix the speeds, the shutter button and the wind mechanism on my "III", or I could get a fully working one, that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. most seem to be in Germany and with shutters that ain't working properly.
 
About the wind mechanism fault I thought I had with the Altix III I bought recently.

It turns out that I, err, well, err, I had put a 24 shot film in and only noticed the other day that the film counter was at 30 and that's why the mechanism was having trouble winding on.😳🙄😆

I noticed the other day that I still had a couple of photos of my previous Altix III on my little digital camera which I took as part of a"record" of the photo stuff I had". I didn't save any to my pc as the pics were crap and I hadn't kept the camera. Out of curiosity I looked at them and the number on the lens looked familiar - yup the same ruddy number as on the lens of the Altix III I mentioned in the first post of this thread! I'd had a funny feeling that I'd bought it back from the shop I'd sold it to a good while ago. 😆
 
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