Photographica Pages

An online guide to collectable cameras and related stuff

Zeiss Ikon Panflex Reflex Housing for Contax

The Panflex reflex housing was a replacement for the prewar Flektoskop, and competed with the Zeiss Jena Flektometer. The Panflex allowed reflex viewing with any Contax external mount telephoto lens. Wide angle lenses protrude into the mirror box and would block the mirror from swinging up. Only the 115/3.5 Tessar, and a small number of 300/8 Tele-Tessar and 500/8 Fernobjectiv lenses would focus to infinity mounted on the Panflex. A bellows unit or extension tubes could be placed between the lens and the housing for even greater close up work.

The Panflex has a rotating tripod socket and an adjustable eyepiece diopter correction. Production was about 1100 units.

The Panflex reflex housing shown next to the leather covered wooden box it came in.

The Panflex reflex housing in its box.

The 115/3.5 Tessar, mounted on the Panflex housing on a Contax IIa.