PL
The Fenix camera was developed by a team led by Felix Sujkowski in 1950-54 at the Centralne Laboratorium Optyczne. Originally, it was supposed to be a single-lens reflex camera, but the construction was redesigned around 1954 with a design redesigned for a viewfinder. The name of the device refers to the first name of the constructor.
Fenix was available in four versions, labeled I, Ib, II, IIb. The body and the back wall of the camera were pressurized metal castings. Fenix was equipment with the excellent Euktar lens 45 mm f/2.8 aperture of the values from f/2.8 to f/22 in increments of 1 EV and leaf shutter of a time 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1 / 125, 1/250, B with double exposure lock and leaving the unexposed frame. Fenix had the single stroke lever also with the cocking shutter device and frame counter. Versions I and Ib have X-sync and 0.8x magnification viewfinder, while the version in the viewfinder Ib was visible frame of photo size. Fenix II and IIb were built in of the viewfinder rangefinder coupled to the lens. He also had a sled to attach the flash. The camera is beautifully presented, but the biggest problem was often breaking the wire of cocking shutter. Was sold along with a distinctive leather case in brown, which unfortunately I did not get.
Specification
• Initially designed as: single-lens reflex camera
• implemented in production: camera with viewfinder
• negative format 24x36mm
• Euktar 1 lens: 2.8 / 45 mm
• Aperture from 2.8 to 22
• central shutter: 1/10, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100, 1 / 250s and B
• sleds and sync socket with flash
• fast film advance using the lever
• minimum shooting distance: 1 meter (?)
• Fenix II in addition a rangefinder
• Film advance system:
• Fenix I and Fenix II – from cassette to cassette, without reversing
• Fenix Ib and Fenix IIb – with a return knob.
Data of my collection
Camera Fenix and s / n 19407 acquired by purchase for 99pln. Its decor is quite unusual, but I was unable to determine whether it is original or has been replaced. The camera was almost efficient but it was required purification and it waits yet to exchange links cocking shutter. But this is typical the failure of this camera.
More:
- https://camerapedia.fandom.com/wiki/Fenix-II
- https://www.optyczne.pl/182.1-artyku%C5%82-Historia_WZFO_%E2%80%93_czyli_%E2%80%9EPolacy_nie_g%C4%99si%E2%80%A6%E2%80%9D_cz._III.html
- https://mente-et-malleo.blogspot.com/2011/05/kolejny-polak-feliks-fenix.html
- https://www.flickr.com/photos/trzy/3824068471/
- http://aparatyanalogowe.pl/content/fenix-i-1
