Paxette electromatic
Electromatic I
In 1959 the Braun Paxette electromatic was advertised as the world's first fully automatic 35mm camera. Its selenium meter controlled the aperture and gave a red/green light sufficiency signal in the viewfinder. But other automatic functions were missing. Instead, the focusing of the Ennagon 1:5.6/40mm lens was fixed, and it had only the single shutter speed 1/40 sec. Film speed had to be selected manually to obtain proper exposure by the aperture system.
1st Paxette electromatic, version with Katagon lens image by Paul Analog (Image rights) |
Electromatic II
The Electromatic II still had a single shutter speed at 1/40 sec, but with an improved lens. It was fitted with an Ultralit 1:2.8/40mm, focussed with a twist/screw action. Markings on the lens show that it can focus down to 1m (3.3 feet), although with only a simple viewfinder the photographer must use a guess focusing technique. At around 2m there is a symbol of a person to indicate portraiture, and at around 4m there is a symbol of a building. As with the Electromatic, the selenium meter gave a red/green light sufficiency signal.
Braun Paxette Electromatic II image by ☆★ picturemaker ★☆ (Image rights) |
Electromatic III
The later version Electromatic III had a better lens and shutter combination, with a good set of selectable speed and aperture settings and coupled meter visible through the finder.
Electromatic IA
The Electromatic IA had interchangable lenses.
This generation of the Paxette was unusual in featuring lever-rewind as well as lever advance.
image by Guy Kokken (Image rights) |
Links
- Instruction Manual at Camera Manuals Online
- Braun Paxette Electromatic II - photos and information from Jonathan's blog
- Paxette Electromatic, Paxette Electromatic I, Paxette Electromatic IIs on www.collection-appareils.fr by Sylvain Halgand
- Calibrating the focus ring on a Paxette on Jonathan's blog