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Novoflex reflex housing for Leica
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 07, 2019 2:51 pm    Post subject: Novoflex reflex housing for Leica Reply with quote

I have bought an M39 Novoflex reflex housing for Leica, it comes with a bellows and some extension rings. I was hoping the bellows could be used on their own, but they're designed to be attached to the reflex unit and won't attach directly to a camera or adaptor as they have no M39 male fit. Bummer.

I have with it a couple of extension rings plus one labelled 'LEIHEK' this has M39 male and a finer thread female on the front. What was that for?

The reflex unit is nice and I've figured out that the mirror is flipped up with pressure on a pair of tiny buttons on the camera end. Would there have been some sort of cable release mechanism here? As the buttons are tiny and it's terribly fiddly.

I have had no luck finding anything about this system online save for a one sentence mention in Novoflex's website and a slew of sales. can anyone recommend a good website for this?



back of the reflex housing showing the tiny button for flipping up the mirror



the mystery adaptor

Thanks in advance.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 07, 2019 7:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

According to a 1974 Novoflex brochure, "LEIHEK" is an adapter ring for using "Leitz Hektor and Elmar 135mm lens head" with the bellows. I'm no Leitz expert. Did some Leitz lenses have a detachable lens head?

This source (German language) also mentions and shows "LEIHEK".


PostPosted: Tue Oct 08, 2019 8:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks so much for that, the name LEIHEK tells you. Yes Leica made several lenses which had removable heads. I have only one presently, the 9cm Elmar. The head of this lens has a regular M39 screw fit. The front thread of the LEIHEK has a wider screw with a finer pitch. I wondered if it was for Novoflex lens heads only.

I have no problem fitting lenses and using this item, which I want to, but need to know if there's an accessory which allows me to raise the mirror prior to taking a picture. The Leitz PLOOT and Visoflex 1 have a manual trigger or a double cable release system and the Visoflex 2 has an arm which when pressed triggers the camera and the mirror lift. But this thing has two tiny buttons which are fiddly to use.


PostPosted: Wed Jan 20, 2021 10:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There was a release bridge to connect the button on the camera with the lever on the Novoflex reflex housing. They were made by Novoflex both for Leica M and for Contax camera's, probably also for Leica LTM camera's.
Lex


PostPosted: Sun Jan 24, 2021 3:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've heard about this item since posting this. But this is the first picture I've seen. I made a square plate from plastic which sits between the camera and reflex housing. This keeps the buttons pressed all the time. But now I've seen this I may try to make similar. Can you show a photo of it on its own?

Thanks


PostPosted: Mon Jan 25, 2021 4:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There happens to be one for sale:
https://www.benl.ebay.be/itm/NOVOFLEX-Reflex-Housing-LEICA-M3-FIRING-MECHANISM-Shutter-Release-Lever-NOSYN/353056507318?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

They don't show up very often. The screw on the right is not original, but it probably works as well.
Lex


PostPosted: Fri Jan 29, 2021 6:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

SandroB wrote:
There happens to be one for sale:
https://www.benl.ebay.be/itm/NOVOFLEX-Reflex-Housing-LEICA-M3-FIRING-MECHANISM-Shutter-Release-Lever-NOSYN/353056507318?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

They don't show up very often. The screw on the right is not original, but it probably works as well.
Lex


Thank you for that, its at a shop local to me. I was talking to the proprietor last month about this item.

So is it only suitable for the M3? I'll email him and ask.

Thanks once again


PostPosted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 11:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not just for the M3 but for all Leica M bodies. Not sure about the digital ones though, but probably it works at least on the M8 and M9 as well.

Lex


PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2021 12:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

SandroB wrote:
Not just for the M3 but for all Leica M bodies. Not sure about the digital ones though, but probably it works at least on the M8 and M9 as well.

Lex


Sorry, my question should have been "Is it suitable only for the M series? What about my IIIf? "


PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2021 8:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No it doesn't function on the III and other screw mount Leica's. There was another Novoflex release bridge for those camera's. Occasionally it pops up on Ebay, but not very often.
Lex


PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2021 7:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I found one.

A guy on Facebook was asking what it was. It was different in looks to the M version but my suspicions were confirmed when another member correctly identified it.

It's on the way. I probably paid too much but I'll have one and that's the most important thing


PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2021 7:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

philslizzy wrote:
I found one.

A guy on Facebook was asking what it was. It was different in looks to the M version but my suspicions were confirmed when another member correctly identified it.

It's on the way. I probably paid too much but I'll have one and that's the most important thing


Congrats I have an original from LEICA, which I used for a project...


PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2021 6:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

the adaptor - on the way