Focaflex

Focaflex was my most curious camera for years. The mirror in this camera flips down instead of up. The image is formed at bottom of camera by the 50/50 beamsplitter mirror and then viewed through the same mirror from viewfinder (bottom, right). Dimmer finder illumination makes it difficult to focus at low light levels. That’s why the focusing screen in this camera is fully reflective instead of a mat screen. The orientation of the image at the focusing screen is inverted reverted and it is fully corrected by the roof prism. With its leaf shutter built into the lens, Focaflex works like a Hasselblad, with a light baffle behind the mirror that flips down after shutter release.

Above, Focaflex disassembled to show its focusing screen, viewfinder, and advance mechanism. Left, Cross section of Focaflex, drawing by Ali Afshari. From the book: "Restoring the SLR".

Not an easy Repair !