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Foitzig Foinix |
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The technical stuff: Type: Folding Bellows Type Medium Format 6cm x 6cm on 120 roll film . Lens: Bayreuth Steiner Shutter: Prontor
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| This one came to me in need of some minor repair because the lens housing would not open. After a clean and lubricate it is now almost there it just needs a little help to lock. It's an unusual camera which was only made for a short time and, by German standards, relatively small numbers. The story behind the company is such that the owner started out in 1945 in Lubeck with limited production, moving to new works at Trier in 1950. Karl Foitzik, the owner was unfortunately killed in a car accident in 1955 and although the company continued for a further 3 years it finally closed in 1958. After a little research I've established that the Foinix was introduced in 1951, after the move, and this one would have been made between 1951 and 1953, at which time the company took over an optical manufacturer and started producing their own lenses. I know this was made at the Trier factory because it says so on the case but it has a Steiner Bayreuth lens as opposed to the in house Foinar. Mechanically it's A1 the wind and shutter is fine, focus is smooth and the glass is very clear, although the company apparently had a problem with these early Steiner lenses which is why they acquired the optics firm. Cosmetically, the leatherette is peeling away in places, but that's easy to repair, and there are a few small chips in the paintwork but otherwise good. I am keen to see what it's capable of so I'm putting in my order for some 120 roll film to give it a try. The first roll showed up an issue with a light leak, hence the rather strange thin images where I have edited the bad part out. A second roll was then used, which, with a bit of ingenuity, I taped he back door shut, produced some excellent results. The camera itself has now been retired, but the lens lives on. I was so impressed by the lens that I made an adaptor to mount it on my digital SLR, see using old lenses. |
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