2026-09-06 Braun Paxette electromatic Camera

    This is almost embarrassing. I was going through my stories and found I had taken photographs of this camera—a Braun Paxette electromatic—almost exactly a year ago. That is bad enough but even worse I had started a story by collecting some information from the internet and then must have assumed that story was told and simply filed it away!
    There is always more to the story than simple internet research of a camera’s history. 

    Does it work? If it doesn’t work can it be fixed? What does it feel like to look through the viewfinder? Has it some trick or outstanding feature? Is it a valued addition to my collection? All my stories could be quite lengthly—you should all be glad I don’t write a book on every new item!
    It is past time I tried to finish what I started so long ago.
    The really different thing about this camera is it takes two advances of the film advance lever to cock the shutter and get the next frame in the gate. The original Leica camera used to require this double stroke advance, so it is up to you to decide if ½ frame is the original 35mm frame used for movies. 

But I digress…

I noticed the case was a little beat up when I bought the camera. It may look a little worn, but the snaps and folds in the real leather are all still tight and 
working well. 

Now off to some internet details—

Only 40/50 ASA film could be used in the original version. Also Braun lost a lawsuit over the phrase, “World’s first and only truly fully automatic 35mm camera,” as Agfa had launched the superior Optima weeks earlier.

Only the third variant, launched in spring 1960, got rid of the limitation of only one film speed. There is now a small slider at the bottom right of the lens, labeled 16-18-21 DIN, or 10-32-64 ASA in the export version. Interestingly, this is not technically the same, but probably reflects the types of films most commonly available in the respective markets. This was achieved using an "improved" shutter that now controls three speeds (est. 40, 60 and 120 sec), which are not officially documented anywhere else. This variant was renamed Paxette electromatic I in the course of 1960, but you can also still find examples with only electromatic engraved on the cap. (Editors Note: The camera shown is the last type and not marked as a “1”)

The (fixed) lens was mostly an Ennagon 5.6/40 mm, a coated triplet, made by Enna. The later variants can also be found with a Katagon made by Staeble (same specification, Editor’s note: This camera has the Katagon.) The camera has a hot shoe, a rare feature for its time, and actually was one of the first cameras re-introducing it to the market as the future standard.

Note the really suburb finish. The large knurled ring concentric with the tripod socket allow you to remove the entire back shell. The camera is a little complicated to load with a hinged film gate and a fold-out cartridge holder. 

    To rewind the film you need to move the brass button above the advance lever down in the direction of the arrow marked “R”. This disengages the advance sprockets. Then you swing the smaller advance lever marked “P” at the left. While we are in this view look at the outstanding viewfinder window! Some early 35 mm cameras had “peep hole” viewfinders that may had insured exact pointing at the expense of barely seeing the subject.

The top deck is beautiful for its classic lettering and the use of chrome touches. If all you collect cameras for is their striking beauty, this camera is a jewell.