Diax Standard - Brilliant condition

[luke_mahoney]

<p>So my mum just handed me my grandfathers camera from 1954. You guessed it, it's a Diax STANDARD. I almost dropped it I was shaking so much. It's in beautiful condition and have put some photos up if you would like to see. I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do with it to be honest. I would like to have it cleaned professionally, I live in Brisbane Australia, if anyone has any suggestions on cleaning/servicing and appraisal it would be greatly appreciated!</p>

<p>Gallery is at https://imgur.com/a/8jV4B if you would like to have a look.</p>

[John Seaman]

<p>Can't help with the services you need in Australia, but it seems this is a very rare camera. Theres another thread about it here:</p>

<p>http://www.photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00N4Qj</p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Lucky man, <strong>Luke</strong>, thats a camera known only down here in Australia and New Zealand, and is a pretty rare item. The specialist seems to be Peter Geisler; his website sems to be down but he can be contacted at:</p>

<p>mailto:geisler.peter@t-online.de</p>

<p>Our Chris Sherlock of Retina Rescue has an international reputation as a craftsman of note, and he has apparently serviced Diax models. He could be worth contacting.</p>

<p>http://retinarescue.com/</p>

<p>Failing that, I'm sure Pete Naylor or Tony Lockerbie will read this and offer advice!</p>

[luke_mahoney]

<p>Thanks Rick!<br>

I've contacted Peter and sent him all the info for the camera. He was delighted to hear another one has been unearthed.<br>

The camera seems to work perfectly fine although shutter speeds 1 and 1/2sec are slightly delayed since the leaf shutter hasn't been used for quiet some time.<br>

I'll get a roll of 35mm and take some pictures and post them and see how it goes.</p>

[tony_lockerbie]

<p>Hi Luke, congrats on the Diax. I'm afraid that I'm a bit of a nunce when it comes to the Diax cameras, although my Dad used one back in the fifties. Sometimes just exercising that shutter will free up many of the speeds, and good luck with it...looking forward to some pics in the future.</p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>I'll look forward to the pics, <strong>Luke</strong>; that little Westar lens is quite uncommon, and I'm interested to see what you can do with it. </p>

[peter_naylor1]

<p>Hi, Luke - congratulations indeed, on such a great acquisition courtesy of your mum and old grandad. No point in me advising you to contact Peter Geisler up there in Germany with your camera's details to add to his database, because you've already been there and done that. </p>

<p>In spite of its rarity and therefore high value, the Diax Standard isn't an especially difficult camera for a competent camera technician to service, especially its Synchro Compur shutter which was a common item on better configured West German-made cameras in the 50s.</p>

<p>I guess that because your Diax Standard has some family heritage mileage courtesy of your grandfather, you'll undoubtedly be wanting to keep it. Just in case you now get some approaches from around the world to part with it, I can tell you that a few years ago I sold one to an overseas collector for c. A$1300. It was a world record for a 'Standard' at the time. I'm proud to say that I still have two of them in my classic camera collection, and those I shall definitely be hanging on to. (Pete In Perth)</p>

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