What the Foth (Flex) is This?

[@Toad_Hugger]

Amazing that you found one with so many accessories! And the F2.5 to boot! I know it is possible, though tedious, to rebuild the cloth focalplane shutters. I hope to get myself one someday. It's such an interesting camera.

[@houstoncombatphotography9454]

I’ve talked to a couple people about rebuilding the shutter, but since it’s working I think I’ll put it off for now.

[@alexcarrillo5510]

Are collecting old cameras Fun? I now have been bitten by the bug as I have been getting cameras from Germany as I have a FOTH TLR myself. Have try to figure the SLOWER Speeds in setting it, as it can be down But you have to use a cable release, and have you try the self timer? it can be adjusted to 4 to 10 seconds, and as I have check the shutter, as It is very light tight, But to cover the tiny pin holes that a friend of mine who fixes Old cameras from 35mm to 120 format told me that try to find the DARKEST Black Finger Nail Polish. So I did, and still use it, as I have with the Foth, But a Pentacon 35mm SLR, and also a Praktina, and he show me in coating the shutter once, then let it dry, and then coated again, and also show me to coat BOTH sides Inside the mirror box. Today I still use the both Pentacon, and Praktina, as for the Foth I only coated on the film plane, and still giving me no pinholes shots... I hope that you find a perosn that can sow the camera case back together. Oh Yes I too have a Contax II, and III models as well. Good Video.

[@houstoncombatphotography9454]

It’s good to hear that your pinhole-repair solution is still working, I haven’t used my Foth since last year so I don’t know if my paint pen solution is holding. I’ll run another roll through it soon. As far as “is collecting old cameras fun,” heck yes it is. More than fun, it’s freaking addictive. :)

[@hobo662]

Just purchased one of these today! Seller said the shutter does not fire so I’m assuming that it is suffering from a similar problem with shutter degradation. Thankfully, someone posted a guide for repairing/restoring this camera on IFixit so I hope I can get it working! Thanks for the video!

[@houstoncombatphotography9454]

@@hobo662 I tried following that guide, and gave up. Fortunately my camera wasn’t screwed up too badly.

[@hobo662]

@@houstoncombatphotography9454Thanks for your reply! Just got it on Thursday and surprisingly the shutter works and the shutter curtains are in good condition! The only thing that is missing is the red window cover on the back. Do you think this is a big problem? Thanks in advance!

[@namesurename-fotografiaana3168]

It is quite a common that such old camera suffers from dead shutter. It is not only about light leakage, it is also about curtains stiffness. Permanent and the best solution is curtains replacement. I did it for my friend’s Foth and today I started to work on mine. Glad to see you were able to take some pics with your camera!

[@houstoncombatphotography9454]

I checked with a local camera repairman and he wouldn’t touch it, he said there were so many one-off designs that he would have to open it up to just figure out the shutter design which would take too long and cost too much for the repair. Bummer. But it’s still working, hopefully it hangs in there for a while.

[@houstoncombatphotography9454]

How much would you charge for curtain replacement?

[@namesurename-fotografiaana3168]

Oh, I live in Poland :)