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Braun Paxette IIL |
 Version française |
Manufactured or assembled in Germany from (Circa) 1958 to (Circa) 1958.
Index of rarity in France: Infrequent (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 13357
See the complete technical specifications
Chronology of cameras Braun
Although the company existed as an optician since 1915, it wasn't until 1948 that Braun (Karl Braun AG or Carl Braun) started selling cameras. The initial models were fairly simple box cameras. The construction of some boxes was outsourced to Linden, a metallurgical company. Throughout the 1950s, the number of camera models built by Braun increased. The box camera range was quickly complemented by a series of folding cameras with technical levels dating back to pre-war times. The 35mm cameras from the Paxette series found success for almost two decades. However, facing competition from Asia in the 1960s, the company soon ceased this activity to refocus on the production of slide projectors, with the popular Paximat series since 1955. The company became Braun Photo Technik GmbH in the early 2000s. As of 2023, the company still exists and manufactures binoculars and action cameras.
This company, based in Nuremberg, has no connection with the household appliance company (Braun AG, later Braun GmbH), founded in 1921. The confusion between the two companies arises from the fact that Braun GmbH also built slide projectors (such as the Braun D7).
The main series of Braun cameras were :
| Box | Box 6x6 or 6x9 |
| Norca | Folding 6x6 and/or 6x9 on film 120 |
| Gloriette | Compact film 135 |
| Paxina | Compact 6x6 on film 120 |
| Paxette | Compact film 135 |
| Paxette 28 | Compact film 126 |
| Paxette 35 | Compact film 135 |
The first series of Paxette comprises cameras with a distinctive appearance. Two large knobs are symmetrically arranged around a central cover enclosing two windows and the accessory shoe. These cameras have a somewhat rugged appearance but are very sturdy. Starting from 1957/58, the silhouette undergoes a complete change and becomes more commonplace.
| non-exhaustive | Years | Lens | Shutter | Window | Obj. Fixe | Obj. inter. |
Film winding | |
| Paxette |  |
1951- | Kataplast 2.8/45 mm |
Prontor-S | One viewfinder + lightmeter | Yes | Knob | |
| Paxette | 1951- | Cassar 2.8/45 mm |
||||||
| Paxette | 1951- | Pointar 2.8/45 mm |
||||||
| Paxette | 1951- | Staeble - Kata 3.5/45 mm |
Vario | |||||
| Paxette I |  |
1953- | Staeble - Kata 2.8/45 mm |
Prontor-S | ||||
| Paxette I |  |
1953- | Staeble - Kata 2.8/45 mm |
Pronto | ||||
| Paxette IL |  |
Cassar 2.8/45 mm |
Prontor-SVS | Lever | ||||
| Paxette IM |  |
1953-58 | Pontar 2.8/45 mm |
Prontor-SV | One viewfinder + rangefinder | |||
| Paxette IIM |  |
1953-58 | Staeble - Kata 2.8/45 mm |
Prontor-SVS | Yes | |||
| Super Paxette I |  |
1956-58 | Pointar 2.8/45 mm | Prontor-SVS | Coupled Rangefinder | Yes | ||
| Super Paxette I |  |
1956-58 | Staeble - Kata 2.8/45 mm |
Yes | ||||
| Super Paxette II |  |
1955-57 | Prontor-SVS | Yes | ||||
| New design (c. 1958) | ||||||||
| Paxette IL |  |
1958-60 | Plastogon 2.8/50 mm | Prontor-SVS | - | Yes | Lever | |
| Paxette IL |  |
1958-60 | Staeble-Katagon 2.8/50 mm | Prontor-SVS | Rangefinder | Yes | ||
| Paxette IL |  |
1958-60 | Staeble-Kata 2.8/45 mm | Prontor-SVS | Yes | |||
| Paxette IIL |  |
1958 | Cassarit 2.8/50 mm | Prontor-SVS | - | Yes | ||
| Super Paxette IIL |  |
1956-62 | Cassarit 2.8/50 mm | Prontor-SVS | Rangefinder | |||
| Super Paxette IIB |  |
1957-64 | Staeble - Kata 2.8/45 mm |
Prontor-SVS | ||||
| Super Paxette IIBL |  |
1957-64 | Staeble-Katagon 2.8/50 mm | Prontor-SVS | ||||
| Paxette Automtic Super III |  |
1958-62 | Culminar SLK 2,8/50 mm |
Prontor-SLK | ||||
__________
This Paxette II L has the special screw mount for the interchangeable lenses of the Paxettes II and Super Paxettes II [1]. Its viewfinder features three light-coloured frames (presumably for 50 - 85/90 - 135 mm focal lengths).
The typology established by Braun is therefore respected [2]:
II: interchangeable lenses.
L: viewfinder with bright frame(s) (Leuchtrahmensucher).
However, no lightmeter or rangefinder on this compact camera.
There are two levers on either side of the top cover:
- one (on the right) for film advance (two actuations) and arming,
- one (on the left) for film rewinding.
The stud on the top cover (near the film advance and arming lever) is used to unlock the film drive shaft to allow rewinding.
The shutter is a Prontor-SVS. The shutter block is integral with the body, only the optical block is removable.
The lens mounted on the presented specimen is a Steinheil -E- Cassarit 1:2.8 45 mm. The "-E-" marking means that this optical block can take advantage of the coupled rangefinder (Entfernungsmesser) of the Super Paxettes bodies. The diaphragm of this Cassarit features 12 blades which form an almost circular aperture.
According to the classification system proposed by Patrice-Hervé Pont [2], this Paxette is categorised as "Family 3 / Type 17". "Family 3" corresponds to the Paxettes and Super Paxettes with a high top cover, "Family 2" members have a hunchbacked top cover and those of "Family 1" have a flat top cover.
The equivalent models with a fixed lens are unsurprisingly named Paxette I L.
[1] This specific mount is mechanically compatible with the Leica M39 mount but is incompatible for focusing (different flange-to-film distance).
[2] Pont Patrice-Hervé. Maxifiche Paxettes & Super Paxettes. France : Club Niépce-Lumière, December 2008, Les fondamentaux, n°28.
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