Chris's camera pages

Braun Paxette

Braun Paxette 35mm viewfinder camera
A simple, but well made 35mm camera from Braun. This is an example of the first Paxette, probably made around 1950. After the introduction of the Paxette II (A very similar camera, with the single exception that it had an interchangeable lens instead of a fixed lens like this one) this model was called the Paxette I.

Braun made a whole raft of similar cameras, and it can be difficult to tell which one you are looking at. This camera has a fixed lens, so it is a model I, the model II had an interchangeable lens. It also has an extinction meter in the second window in the top cover, where you might expect a rangefinder.

It is fitted with a Pointikar 45mm f/2.8 lens in a Prontor S shutter, with speeds running from 1 to 1/300 seconds plus B. The shutter has X and M flash synchronisation, and a built-in self-timer.

The shutter release is a knurled button on a lever, at the right-hand side of the shutter body.

The film advance is by the knob on the top-right of the top cover.

Later Paxette I cameras are very much the same, except they have a rapid-wind lever for the film advance instead of the knob, and later cameras had a pressed-steel accessory shoe. Even later Paxette I cameras had a top cover with a raised central section instead of the flat top cover.

There is a knob to rewind the film at the left-hand end of the top cover. The rewind button, which must be held depressed throughout the entire rewinding process, is the very small button on the top of the top cover, on the right, towards the rear.

I've got the original ever-ready case with this camera, which looks well-worn, and the camera has a transfer from the retailer, Wallace Heaton Ltd, still visible on the leatherette at the back of the camera.

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A brief history of the early Paxettes