Perfex Forty Four - anybody use one ?

[Luddite Frank]

I just picked-up a fairly decent (cosmetically) Perfex Forty Four, with a Graf Perfex Anastigmat 1:3.5 f=5.0 cm.

It seems complete ( take-up spool is there ), and not corroded or oxidized, but the works sound "screechy-gunky", and the lead curtain is Swiss-cheese.

Does anyone have one in working order ? Any pictures from it ?

If it can do a decent job, I would probably invest in new curtains and a CLA...

😎

 

[oftheherd]

I remember it used to get some good comments on the old Pop Photo site. I had never heard of it until then. In fact there was a person who used that as his screen name.

 

[MISH]

I have a Perfex fifty-five, It was the first camera my father ever had, bought new in 1946 or 47. He took some tremendous shots with that camera and I have shot a few rolls with it (led me back to rangefinders and Leica) I asked a repair person about doing some work on it and he just laughed.
I always wondered if the camera store had any Leica IIIC cameras in the case but their cost would have been out of reach for my dad back then

 

[johannielscom]

Used to have a Perfex Deluxe.

It was a brick but it had a Wollensak 2.8/50mm lens and I did this to it! 😀 😀

Furthermore I commend everyone willing to shoot a Perfex, I refrained... 😉

 

[philruss]

The Perfax was my first 35mm camera that I bought back in 1943 and paid about $75.00. I looked at the Leicas but they were to expensive at about $300.00. I have a Perfax fifty-five and a forty-four that I found on eBay. If we ever get some good weather here in Texas I will put a roll in the fifty-five and post some pictures just to show that an American made camera of of about 72 years is still working.