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David
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 20, 2004 - 02:46 pm: | 
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I found a very unusual camera in a thrift store. Its a 'Continental TXL'. On the base it says 'Made in Hong Kong'. Its a single lens reflex with a real pentaprism but a fixed 40F2.8 Conar lens. It is aperture priority auto - powered by 2 AA's. It takes either 64, 100 or 400 film (no DX capability). It has a built-in push-up flash. In the viewfinder is a microprism and split-image, under and over exposure LED's and a flash-ready light.
Winding is by thumbwheel and rewind by conventional manual crank.
Well thats the description. My problem, the back wont open! It operates by pulling up on the rewind lever but the back does not open. Any ideas? I really dont know how those back catches work. |
John Farrell
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 20, 2004 - 03:40 pm: |
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They lift a bar which hooks onto the back. The problem could be rotted light seals, gluing the back into the body groove. Try lifting the rewind knob, and while it's lifted, levering the back. Use a plastic or wooden lever, to avoid scratches. |
miles
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 20, 2004 - 10:25 pm: |
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Agreed. Pulling on the rewind know extends it by 6mm. At which point the spring on the hook engages. After another 3mm the door opens.
The Continetal TXL does not have much light seal material. There is only a little bit by the hinge. The light is trapped by a groove around the door on the body, and a 1.5mm flange on the door that mates with it. Prying the door may bend the flange.
It is an interesting camera, especially the guide number focusing feature. |
David
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 06:52 pm: |
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I managed to get it open by prying it with a thin piece of metal. The catch was working, its just that the back was too tight a fit, I'll sandpaper the edges of the back a little.
Boy this camera is unusual. I wonder who made it? The shutter is the mirror flap. It works a bit like a Topcon Unirex. |
