[rollei_list] Re: Automat 'Tropical'
- From: "Richard Knoppow" <dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:27:09 -0800
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Sadowski" <dsadowski@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 5:43 PM
Subject: [rollei_list] Re: Automat 'Tropical'
Perhaps it went like this. When stock Rollei cameras were
taken to
the tropics, there must have been problems resulting from
certain
materials being exposed to prolonged heat. So, on a
special order
basis, the factory modified some cameras for use in the
tropics, using
different materials.
If I had to guess, it could be different glue used to keep
the
covering on, and maybe different grease used to focus the
lenses.
I don't know specifically about Rollei cameras but
tropical conditions are more about prolonged high humidity
than heat alone. The combination of heat and humidity causes
corrosion of many metals and is conducive to the growth of
mold. The idea is to avoid metals which corrode easily and
materials which are culture media for the mold. Leather does
not do well in the tropics. In addition to mold and
corrosion there are a lot of insects in tropical areas that
can raise hob with anything they can eat, again leather and
wood are vulnerable here.
Old view cameras came in "tropical" versions with so
called Russia leather, supposedly tanned with mold and
insect resisting materials. I don't know if it was
successful. Tropical cameras also used woods like Teak which
were more resistant to mold, heat and insects.
Of course, no wood is used in Rollei cameras but its
likely they would survive better with some other covering
than leather, or no covering. Certain metals, bronzes for
instance, are resistant to high humidity and are often used
for marine applications. There may also have been some issue
with lubricants but perhaps more to make them mold resistant
than heat resistant.
It would be interesting to hear from anyone with
authentic information about what Rollei did.
--
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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