Altix V

[Muggins]

I've just bought one of these, with a Trioplan lens. I think I've worked out most of the knob and buttons, and I have a dead film I can play at loading it with (I've never used a bottom-loader before), and test the shutter with.

Partly in case there are any "gotcha"s I've missed, and partly because I like period ephemera, does anyone have a manual? It's the first camera I've had that Mike Butkus can't help with!

Thanks,

Adrian

 

[pesphoto]

not familiar with it. Could you post a pic of it?

 

[Wimpler]

Can't help you much. I only have an altix-n.

Here is a nice page with some info:

http://www.retrography.com/altix.htm

It also has a link to a page in german with more info. Shouldn't be to hard to find your way 😉

 

[Muggins]

Hi Wimpler,

Didn't notice the link to the page in German - I work with two German-speaking camera fans, so that's great!
Pesphoto, not sure about the protocol of linking to other people's fklickr pics but if you just search for Altix V you'll find a good pic straight away. I've not actually got mine home to take a pic of it yet! And even then, I'd need to D&P the film... I'm a dinosaur!

I can't get over how triangular it is - it is just a shade narrower than a Trip 35, and only the knobs make it taller, but it's almost as long as it is wide - and that's just with the 50mm lens!

Adrian

 

[Muggins]

And, to add to the "I can't believe..." list, I can't believe how solid it feels. Now I have the order right (most of the time...) for winding on, cocking and releasing the shutter, I'm running that test roll back and forth through it just to give the shutter a bit of exercise. The top couple of speeds look fine, but the slow ones are lazy - no doubt within a stop or so for negative film, though.

But the shutter release is something else - it just glides down as though it has all day, then the lever pops over with nary a quiver. I've never shot with anything that feels like it! I think I might enjoy this little beauty...

Adrian

 

[Muggins]

Has anyone ever had one of these apart?
In a particularly phallocranial moment I tried to dismantle mine as the shutter was very sluggish and the flash sync didn't work... Well, they're downright impossible to get into and, to add insult to injury, despite me not going anywhere near it, the frame spacing mechanism has now gone tits up.

Any ideas would be gratefully welcomed, otherwise it joins the pile of paperweights! Pity, as the Trioplan isn't a bad lens.

Adrian

 

[john341]

I had often thought of buying an Altix..the only thing that puts me off it is the view through the finder..I think it could be quite tunnel-like. Love those 35s from the DDR

 

[Muggins]

I don't recall any problem with the viewfinder - the only real issue I recall using it was that it is so triangular, with a lot of weight at the front, that it feels odd in the hand. Once you got over that it felt really solid, with a buttery-smooth reassuringly lazy shutter release that felt as though you'd never need to hurry it.

There's a few pics from it near the front on my flickr page if you are tempted.

Now I shall go and beat myself up again...:bang::bang::bang:

Adrian