Last Updated on 11/26/2017 by Chris Gampat
Ihagee announces adding a “Base” model and choice for an M42 lens mount for the new Elbaflex
With 10 days left and a little less than halfway of its funding to go, the new Ihagee has a couple more tricks up its sleeve to entice film photographers into backing their new Elbaflex 35mm analog camera on Kickstarter. Now, backers have the option to choose between two models and two lens mounts.
With the outpour of requests from passionate film photographers, Dresden-based Ihagee have announced they added a basic version of the Elbaflex for a $299 pledge. Called the Elbaflex Base, it will have the same mechanical and technical specifications as the more premium Elbaflex Prime — which you can get at a Super Early Bird pledge of $529 — but with less aesthetic and ergonomic refinements. The wooden grip is a standard issue for the Prime, but can be added on to the Base. The budget version will also have a leatherette covering in one color, as opposed to real leather covering in four colors made available for the premium version.
The Base also comes with a two-year warranty, while the Prime comes with a full five-year warranty, both of which will be provided by Ihagee’s Global Repair Center in Germany.
The two models will also be made available in both M42 mount and the Nikon F mount initially announced in the campaign.
The new Elbaflex takes pride in being born out of the collaboration between a team of German and Ukranian engineers. The German side, in charge of design and engineering, is comprised of technicians and former engineers with years of experience in making analog and digital cameras, and lenses for Leica and Schneider Kreuznach. The Ukrainian side, apart from inspiring the design from the classic Kiev 19M, is comprised of former members of the Arsenal factory in Kiev who will oversee the production.
“The ELBAFLEX is a joint effort between German and Ukrainian engineers. For both – the Base and the Premium version – the camera internals have been improved by carefully reengineering a number of key components, especially some critical mechanical elements. These parts include elements of the mechanical shutter, the usage of updating sealing materials of the highest quality and a new, soft mirror brake,” says their Kickstarter campaign.
Visit the Elbaflex Kickstarter campaign and the Ihagee website to learn more and back the project.