Braun Super Paxette - A Little Dainty RF

Great pics. Please add them to the flickr group if you have an account. Really like the colours, what film were you using? I always use B+W in mine, I think I have only ever put one colour roll through!

Thanks for the comment ddutchinson

ped
 
Neet little camera.

Thinking about getting a "new" RF camera in the following months and this looks a good option. Just checked the prices here in Germany and you can get one BIN, in AB condition for round about 80 bucks, including the 45mm.

Sounds like good value to me, judging from your pictures.

Oddly enough some russian Leica clones fetch higher prices.
 
From the look of those pics, it looks like a good example of a Tessar design. Just a guess, I never looked anything up, but it sure looks Tessarish.
 
Trius said:
Will: Is there an adapter for Zuiko lenses? 😉
Click to expand...
At the time the Paxette ( 1950's to early 60's ) was made , I doubt if Braun had even heard of Zuiko lenses!!!🙄
I had one years ago with a set of Schneider lenses, 50mm Xenar, 35mm Xenagon and 90 mm Tele Xenar all very very sharp. There were some with less than wonderful lenses with the names of Pointar, Kata and Staeble. Some were fitted with Zeiss Tessar range and excellent Steinheill Quinon and Culminar glass. Some of the early Paxettes were poorly engineered, the later ones with the "hump" on the top are well made. Lenses are 39mm screw but leica stuff will not work or fit, (you could damage the shutter and the lens!)
But see here
http://www.cameraquest.com/braun.htm
 
Last edited:
My kit comprises of:


Super Paxette II

Super Paxette IIB

Super Paxette IIBL

Cheap tripod

Steinheil Munchen viewfinder 35,38,85,90,135

Braun zoom finder 35,38,45,50,85,90,135

Metraphot 3 meter

Cable release

Braun 38mm finder

Strap pin

Enna-Werk Munchen Tele-Ennalyt 1:3.5/135mm

Roeschlein-Kreuznach Telenar 1:5.6/135mm

Steinheil Munchen Quinar 1:3.5/85mm

Staeble-Telexon 1:5.6/85mm

Staeble-Telon 1:5.6/85mm

Steinheil-Munchen Quinon 1:2/50mm

Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar 1:2.8/50mm

Pointikar 1:2.8/45mm

Staeble-Kata 1:2.8/45mm

Staeble-Choro 1:3.5/38mm

Staeble-Lineogon 1:3.5/35mm

In the lid of the case there are manuals for all the cameras (original, in german), manual for the Metraphot meter and the Braun zoom finder, pamphlets and reviews from 50's magazines, some filters (orange, green, yellow), silica gel.


Fave lenses are the Pointikar (the original my granddad gave me, it's seen so much over it's years), the 50mm f2 Quinon, 50mm Xenar and the Choro 38mm

Steaeble-choro 38mm
4831019279_82771ce3d2_z.jpg


Schneider-K Xenar:
5589596836_0d34223798_z.jpg


5589003083_16c991d1b9_z.jpg
 
Sweet little camera! And ped; That's a very nice collection.

As I recall 'Sgt Basilone' uses one in the HBO series "The Pacific" at some point. Weird time-warp for the camera 😉
 
He snaps a picture at the wedding with it as I recall, in the episode based around him.

Unfortunately I do not have the series on DVD/BlueRay just yet.
 
I never saw it but keep meaning to check it out.

Also heard a rumour there's a Paxette in Star Wars somewhere?
 
John Robertson said:
At the time the Paxette ( 1950's to early 60's ) was made , I doubt if Braun had even heard of Zuiko lenses!!!🙄
Click to expand...

John,

Earl just asked that question because he knew I am a Zuiko lens nut. But Zuiko lenses are around in 50's and 60's albeit not in the popular OM mount.
 
ped said:
Great pics. Please add them to the flickr group if you have an account. Really like the colours, what film were you using? I always use B+W in mine, I think I have only ever put one colour roll through!
ped
Click to expand...

Fuji 200 ASA

OlliL said:
Neet little camera.

Thinking about getting a "new" RF camera in the following months and this looks a good option. Just checked the prices here in Germany and you can get one BIN, in AB condition for round about 80 bucks, including the 45mm.

Sounds like good value to me, judging from your pictures.

Oddly enough some russian Leica clones fetch higher prices.
Click to expand...

Before you buy one, read on the variations of the body. I personally will not pick up the models without RF, and interchangeable lenses.

Steve M. said:
From the look of those pics, it looks like a good example of a Tessar design. Just a guess, I never looked anything up, but it sure looks Tessarish.
Click to expand...

My thought exactly, Steve. From what I read, that's what Cassar lenses are.

Trius said:
Will: Is there an adapter for Zuiko lenses? 😉
Click to expand...

Earl, this thing reminds me of a Pen D2, except this is full-frame.
 
I have a couple Super Paxettes, one of the clamshell system cases, and a few lenses, one of which is a Schneider 50 mm...

It IS just the cutest little system-35mm camera I have ever seen...

Mine could stand a good cleaning and RF calibration... reminds me of a Vito B on moderate steroids 🙄

I haven't seen of the stuff going exactly cheap on e-bay lately...

My GAS- goal is to someday round-up a full set of Schneider lenses for mine.
 
the photos in this thread are beautiful.

hmmm... i found one of these cameras at a local antique center and passed it up because of its price and size... didn't even test it to see if it worked. maybe i should reconsider and go back.
 
Bill Mattocks, who used to frequent this forums, was very knowledgeable about these cameras. Somewhere here there should be a thread he started in which he described them... and also mentioned someone who sold the Paxette lenses on eBay as if they were compatible with Leica SM cameras.

Beautiful work... Thanks for posting about this camera!
 
OK, this looks like the right place.

Prompted by the $40 challenge thread, I followed a few attractive rangefinders on eBay, including Olympus RCs, a couple of Ricohs and so on. But they all tended to run over the limit.

I struck lucky, however, with a Super Paxette, which came yesterday. All seems to check out mechanically, though I'm not 100% about the winder mechanism.

But the important thing is that I seem to have fallen in love. The Braun is quite simply the cutest and most beautiful camera I have ever handled. Sure, the fixed Staeble-Katz 45/2.8 is the one everyone recommends avoiding, and there's a solid chance it isn't of the same build quality as certain other of its compatriots. But, when the shutter release keeps saying 'Press me' seductively in your ear, what does any of that matter?

It's in the ERC for the moment, but that's likely to be swapped for a wrist strap once I get one that can attach to the tripod bush.

I've nearly completed the first film, so we'll see how it gets on.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom