Franka 35 Vario

COLLECTION

FEEDBACK

Franka 35

The technical stuff:

Camera type: Compact viewfinder

Lens Type: Isco Frankanar 45mm f2.8 - f22

Shutter Type: Vario 3 Speed + B 25,50,200

This impresses me as a basic but well engineered and quite solid little camera. The shutter was stuck when it arrived but that's fixed now. These Vario shutters have a rather crude shutter cocking mechanism which can be a bit hit and miss, but with a little adjustment and a good greasing they usually get going. I'm looking forward to taking this one out on the road, it has a superbly clean Isco lens which looks as though it will produce some nice sharp images. Wrong!!! I may have put the centre lens in the wrong way around because there is not a single shot in focus. I've posted some of the pictures after they have been doctored but I will try again when I've had chance to fix it. As thumbnails they don't look too bad but I have limited the opening size to 6 x 4, you'll see why. The woodland shot was not helped by the fact that I was using a lightmeter that turned out to be totally inaccurate. I definitely think the potential is there and I would like to try it again.

This has now been done and what a difference. This second set of images are sharp and clear with excellent detail, helped in part by having my Zeiss Ikophot lightmeter with me. Now the Isco lens has redeemed itself and I must pay penance for having reassembled the lens badly the first time.