02-01-2022, 03:04 PM
In the late 1950s, there was a fashion for lens shutter single lens reflex cameras. The earlier ones had fixed lenses, but later versions had interchangeable lenses. These cameras required a complicated shutter - it had to be open for viewing before taking a photograph, but then close, reopen for the exposure, then close again after the exposure. At the same time, the mechanism had to uncover the film gate (a flap covered this while the shutter was open for viewing), and stop down the diaphragm. Winding on lowered the mirror, dropped the flap over the film gate, cocked the shutter, and opened the diaphragm. The complexity made these cameras unreliable. Kowa, who made the Kowaflex pictured above, produced probably the least reliable of these cameras.
The situation for lens shutter cameras was made worse, when instant return mirrors were added to them. One manufacturer, Voigtlander, even made an SLR with instant return mirror and automatic exposure, the Ultramatic, which was the byword for unreliability.
The camera above is one of the few non working cameras I've seen, which has a mechanical fault. Most faults are caused by dried out lubrication, and dirt.
I do have other cameras!