[rollei_list] Re: [rollei_list] OT: Voigtländer Avus

Jan,
I have used an Avus (still own one) and still use it's more expensive brother the Voigtlander Bergheil all the time. The camera uses 9x12 cm sheet film in the sheet film holders (the backs you speak of) and 6x9 cm in the adapter. I assume the adapter would be a RADA which is worth $70 or so by itself. In any event, Efke sells 9x12 B&W film which can be purchased from any of the big online photo stores such as B&H. The adapter will take standard 120 roll film. I use roll film for color and the Efke for B&W. If it is a RADA rollfilm adaptor you will be looking through a little red window for the numbers indicating the next exposure when winding the film. Be warned that you will be using the 6x4.5 cm frame numbers because its these numbers that appear in the red window exposure indicator on the RADA. Instead of 16 exposures of 6x4.5 you are really getting 8 exposures of 6x9 cm. Thus, the numbers to wind to are 2, 4, 6, 8, etc instead of 1, 2, 3, etc.
I really like both the Avus and the Bergheil and find myself using them rather than dragging out my Toyo 4x5", 45A field camera. To me they are "pocket view cameras" with great lenses. For $70 I would snap this up - you are getting the ground glass, the holders and the rollfilm adaptor - you hardly ever find all of those in one sale like this. I use the ground glass for critical focus but often compose with the wire frame and rear sight. I've never liked the "brilliant" finder up near the shutter. I have to assume the shutter is a dial set (above the lens) as apposed to the later rim set (around the shutter). These are the weakness of these cameras - you might have to get it serviced to get close to correct speeds. Often you can get them working OK just by 'exercising' the shutter a bit in all speeds.
As for processing - I use the same 3000 series JOBO drum for 9x12 cm, 4x5 " and 5x7 " so developing is not a big issue for me. - Of course you can tray develop but as with all negative film, I don't use a safe light. I have cut down 4x5 film to 9x12 cm and have learned to make sure I am not cutting off the notches on the film! However, I find the Efke just fine for most situations. Email me if you need help down the road. 

Rob

On Jun 18, 2009, at 9:52 AM, Jan Decher wrote:


Hi Everyone,
I have been offered a Voigtländer Avus large format camera with double extension, groundglass-hood, 4-5 Voigtländer backs and a 6x9 rollfilm adapter. Shutter is a Deckel 1/1-1/200sec. The lens is a very clean 13.5 cm Zeiss Tessar. All for $70. The seller said he tried the rollfim back and it works but that it woul dbe difficult to find sheet film for it becaus it was a Europen size (8x12cm or something like that). 
Is this a good deal?
Has anyone used this kind of a camera? Is it possible to cut 4x5 sheet film to size for these older formats? How do you process it? Do I need a whole new set up of tanks or can I process in trays? Which Darkroom light? 

Thanks,
Jan ---
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