The Pentacon Six System
by TRA

How can I make a flash bracket adapter for my Pentacon Six or Exakta 66?


The “feet” (the spool holder knobs) on the bottom of the Pentacon Six / Exakta 66 make fitting a standard flash bracket difficult.  I therefore had a bracket adapter plate made to interface between each camera and the bracket I used with it.  Also, in each case, the bracket used was slightly different.  However, these brackets were not uncommon in the 1960’s and 1970’s, and can often be picked up very cheaply in boxes of odds and ends in traditional camera shops, or at camera fairs – or of course on eBay.

Here are pictures of the finished adapter plates.  To see larger versions of these images, for Pentacon Six cick here and for Exakta 66 click here.

[C309-27/27A]
This plate has a large knurled wheel that screws into the camera’s tripod socket. 
Just behind this wheel is a ¼” threaded socket into which the flash bracket screws. 
The projection to the right of the adaptor plate in this picture engages with the upright on the flash bracket, 
preventing it from swivelling back and forth.

[C309-30/30A]
The flash bracket cable release is an optional extra that works well.  It is threaded to screw into the bracket and has a locking screw for longer [non flash!] exposures.

[C309-28/28A]
This bracket looks as though it was designed for a twin-lens reflex like the Rolleiflex.
The adapter plate has a vertical ridge at the back, to prevent the camera swivelling.
However, this is harder to make, and also prevents opening the back without removing the adapter.

[C309-29/29A]
Here are templates for making these adapter plates.  Please note that the size of the spool holder knobs varies with the version of the camera, and in the case of the Exakta 66 bracket, the person who made it accidentally made the holes too large, so check the correct diameter with your camera and adjust the template accordingly.  Also, of course, the dimensions of your flash bracket may be different from mine, so careful checking of this is required, too.

Click on the small images to see a larger one, which should be full size in print-out.  In any case, the ruler shows the scale.
Flash bracket 1 (P6) bottom view
Flash bracket 1 (P6) top view
Flash bracket 2 (E66) bottom view
As regards depth of the bracket, this is the depth of the feet that stick out the bottom of the camera (and the “third foot” nut on the Exakta 66).

These brackets are made out of some sort of nylon, but plywood or MDF board would probably serve equally well.  The newer bracket is a much simpler design, but be aware that the holes for the camera’s feet are far too large.  It relies on the presence of the “third foot” nut, screwed into the camera’s tripod socket, and a very precise fit with this, for its stability.

Refer to the pictures above for a three-dimensional view of what the adapter plates look like.

To see an alternative design for a flash bracket adapter, click here.

To go back to the Frequently-asked Questions front page, click here.
 

If your question is not answered, you are welcome to Contact me

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© TRA November 2005, February 2007