1951 / Braun Paxette I / Vintage Camera

The Braun Paxette I is a well-built, compact 35mm rangefinder camera from the early 1950s, featuring a fixed 45mm f/2.8 Pointikar lens combined with a Prontor S shutter offering speeds from 1 second to 1/300 second plus bulb, as well as X and M flash synchronisation and a built-in self-timer. It has a scale-focus system and an extinction meter to help with exposure, and film advance is originally done via a knob (later models featured a lever). The camera is characterized by its flat top without the four “horns” found on later Paxette II models, a frame counter integrated into the accessory shoe, and a sturdy, solid German industrial design with very few awkward design quirks, making it a classic example of early post-war German 35mm cameras. Its compact yet durable body and straightforward controls reflect the technological style and quality of the era, with a strong emphasis on mechanical precision and simplicity.