m42dave

<p>You're welcome, Tony. BTW, I use a CD-15 1.3x0.4mm ceramic screwdriver, available on eBay for $1.99 plus shipping. Well worth having just for this purpose.<br> D.</p>

<p>Tony,<br> Remove the screw above the right strap lug (looking at the front of the camera); this screw just covers a hole. Underneath it, you will see a variable resistor with a slot in it. Just turn this resistor one way or another (I calibrate my meter against a gray card in daylight). For accurate adjustment, use a ceramic or plastic screwdriver, or even a bamboo toothpick with the end trimmed flat. If you use a metal screwdriver, the meter needle will jump around. I wish other camera meters were so quick and easy to adjust! Hope this helps.<br> Dave</p>

<p>Thanks for sharing the review. Of all the screw-mount cameras I have, I keep coming back to the TTL and Zenit 12XP as users. I just like the simplicity of using them, and they take great pictures.<br> <br />The viewfinders are a bit dim due to the front of the prism being semi-silvered. Fortunately, they made it easy to calibrate the meter--just remove the screw on the right front of the top cover, and the variable resistor is underneath. By the way, if you experience issues with internal reflections, Protostar telescope flocking works well, applied carefully as needed inside the mirror box.</p>

<p>I own a Kiev 19 and 19M, and have found them to be solid and reliable, with accurate TTL meters. The Kiev 17 does have a faster 1/1000th top shutter speed, but lacks the convenience of built-in metering. <br> <br />The Kiev lenses are often excellent and a good value. I bought an Arsat-H 80-200 zoom, brand new on eBay for $15 (including shipping). It is well built, nicely multicoated and performs well.<br> <br />Dave E.<br> <br /><br /></p>

<p>Hi,<br> Thanks for posting your review of the FED 50. It's one of my favorite compact cameras. I have also used an Olympus Trip 35, and I find the Industar lens on the FED to be even better. I would rate it comparable to the Rollei 35 Tessar or Minox Minotar. The FED also offers a wider range of shutter speeds, and more information in the viewfinder, showing both distance symbols and shutter speed/aperture combinations. The auto exposure and zone focusing systems work well, in my experience. <br> <br />Regards, <br> Dave E.</p>

<p>This is an older thread, but for anyone researching the subject, Kurt's Camera Corral closed both of its locations in January, 2016. Camera & Darkroom is now located at Washington & Menaul, and AP-T Camera Repair is also nearby on Menaul. Picture Perfect at Menaul & Juan Tabo does film processing.</p>

<p>Interesting to see this posting as I just acquired a Pentaflex SL myself, also in great condition (though with the Domiplan lens). I like the austere utilitarian styling of the old Prakticas and am amazed at how even and accurate the shutters still are on these cameras.<br> <br /> I have read that the Pentaflex came with a plain groundglass screen, but mine has the central micoprism focusing aid, same as many other Praktica models, though it lacks the "shutter uncocked" flag in the viewfinder.</p>

<p>The Zenit 19 does take two 625 batteries, but 1.5-volt alkalines will work fine. The meter is not sensitive to voltage.</p>

<p>Joseph, <br> PM sent on the book offer.</p>

<p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/17906316-lg.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="480" /></p> <p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/17906307-lg.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="480" /></p>

<p>Greetings,<br /> I realize this is an older thread but wanted to add the following information in case is is helpful to anyone researching the topic of Petri EE lenses.<br /> <br /> The first Petri shutter-priority SLR to use EE lenses, the Petri FT EE, has two small levers behind the lens mount: one (at the lower right corner of the mirror) which pushed against the aperture control pin of the lens to set the proper aperture in EE mode, and one on the right side of the mirror box. This second lever, when pushed in by the aforementioned tab on back of the EE lens, adjusts the red exposure warning flag in the viewfinder to match the maximum aperture of the lens.<br /> <br /> Unfortunately, this tab may prevent mounting on some earlier Petri SLRs. On the manual Petri FT II (which came out after the FT EE) there is a slot cutout behind the lens mount, presumably to accommodate this tab. The standard 55mm EE lens does not have a tab and should mount fine on the earlier breech-mount SLRs.<br /><br /><br /></p>