Gakkenflex TLR

[ampguy]

anyone assemble one?

how hard was it?

[AJShepherd]

It was pretty easy. While the instructions are in Japanese, the diagrams are very clear and easy enough to follow. The trickiest bit is the shutter assembly, which you need to check out as soon as you put it together before you add more of the bodywork.
There are a few translations and guides out there on the internet which might help out with that too.

Just check everything over step by step and you should have no problems.

It's a fun camera to use, obviously not a sophisticated optical instrument but the images are pretty neat all things considered.
Here's two from my last batch.

gakken011 by Antony J Shepherd, on Flickr


gakken021 by Antony J Shepherd, on Flickr

Both taken with Ektar 100.

[rbiemer]

I have one and it was pretty straight forward to assemble.
Anthony, my frame spacing has been troublesome, how do you deal with advancing? One full revolution or a bit more?
Thanks!
Rob

[AJShepherd]

Rob,
I usually go one half-turn of the indicator disc. I find it helps if I apply a small amount of pressure (just a firm grip, really) on the back just over where the sprocket wheel is, as that stops the film sprockets from slipping over the wheel and not turning the disc with the two slots in.

In reality, however sometimes I over-wind a bit and get larger gaps between frames!

[pdexposures]

Took me about an hour to put mine together. Got one for the GF... she's been working on it for a few days haha.

To be fair though I've never shot with mine. Just bought it to put together like a Lego camera kit.