Fujica MA-1, some more

Some more from the Fujica MA-1

Fenix Ib, from Poland, unrepairable

The Fenix Ib looks like a nice camera. It was made in Poland around 1952-54.

 
It is a manual camera with a 45mm/f2.8 standard fixed lens. There are shutter speeds from 1/10 to 1/250s plus B.

I cleaned the shutter and the camera was working, but after less than a dozen clicks the cord that arms the shutter was broken, it is a common problem for this camera.
I opened the camera, but the repair looks complicated, I am not going to restore its operation.

You can see the broken cord that links the advance lever with the shutter in the lens

For assembly instructions this site has a lot of information: http://aparatyanalogowe.pl/content/fenix-i-1

Votar Flex TLR, a very simple camera

The VotarFlex is a simple TLR camera. Does not need focusing, has only one shutter speed
(1/50 maybe) plus a B setting and 3 apertures f8, 11, 16.

The camera can be used in daylight or for long exposures

Here are some samples with a Lomography 100 film. The paper backing leaves markings on the film!
I must try with another film brand...
Daylight exposures

a double exposure

and a night exposure with the B setting

Fujica MA-1, plastic and simple

The Fujica MA-1 is a simple plastic camera. It has a 40mm lens with two aperture settings, one for cloudy day (f8) and one for sunny (f11). The camera needs no focusing. But if the subject is between 1-3m we can use the flash setting on the lens. 

I tested the camera with a Kodak Gold 200 ASA film. I did not get very sharp results. There was a lot of vignetting too. I think the film found in the camera had sharper photos.

using the flash setting, for subject distances 1 - 5 meters