[rollei_list] Re: OT: Treasure chest
- From: "Eric Goldstein" <egoldste@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:31:18 -0400
I agree on the Miniature Speed. Of the cameras in the treasure chest,
that is the one I'd start with. 6 x 9 is a great format and the Singer
roll film holders are straight forward and reliable; look for the
small "extra" rollers right by the film gate Richard describes and see
if you are luck to have a back with them.
Not all Miniature Speeds with roll film backs had the Graflok; some
mounted the roll film backs with a spring clip kit. I have one of each
type and actually prefer the spring clips, as the back in on more
securely. The rangefinders and viewfinders on these cameras are
excellent and the ground glass dim and difficult.
Richard told you accurately that the Raptar needs your evaluation;
same with the 65/6.8. You will need to abandon the rangefinder and
viewfinder with that lens, which I believe was a WA Dagor type of
modest performance but Richard K may know more. If memory is serving
right, you can get to infinity on some of these cameras/lenses with
the bellow collapsed completely, and with some you just miss. I use a
Bush 23 to shoot wide... it is a better set up for this...
If you find an 80 WA Ektar in those goody boxes send it directly to
me... it is a coke bottle <cough> <cough> not worth your time fooling
with <cough><cough> don't bother with it <cough> ;-)
Eric Goldstein
--
On 9/16/08, Richard Knoppow <dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Thor Legvold" <tlegvold@xxxxxxx>
> To: <rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>; <rolleiusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 2:06 PM
> Subject: [rollei_list] OT: Treasure chest
>
>
>
> Well, tonight two big boxes arrived, full of camera equipment.
>
> My grandfather passed away recently, he was an avid photographer all
> his life. My uncle as well, although he passed quite a while ago my
> aunt decided it was time to clear out his photo gear and find a good
> home for it.
>
> So it's here. Most of the stuff I have a vague inkling as to what is,
> but no more than in passing. I've concentrated all my time shooting
> on manual mechanical cameras for the most part (i.e. Rollei, Contax,
> Nikon FM2).
>
> I'm hoping anyone who knows about the equipment can give me a few
> leads as to where I can learn more, also I have some specific
> questions regarding several specific items.
>
> Baby Grey Rollei (with film still in it, as far as I can tell). From
> what I can tell, finding film for this is going to be a pain. It has
> a Xenar lens, and actually looks to be in pretty good shape except
> for some loose leather. My son has been bugging me to get him a
> camera (he's only 5....), maybe this would be one for him to play
> with (he ruined the (broken) EOS I got him when he was 3...) as he's
> a lot more careful now.
>
> Polaroid Land Camera Model 95A. This one is a beast, and a wonder of
> modern design (I'm guessing from the early to mid 60's). A 'compact'
> folder that goes right along with a nice old Caddy with fins and
> all... Chrome and brown leather, looks to be some medium format. This
> is a wild camera. The lens looks like cr*p, but the camera itself is
> a marvel of mecahnical engineering.
>
> Nikon F. There are 2, one early (642xxxx serial) with a
> "Demonstrator" stamp at the bottom of the back cover and one later
> (741xxxx) with the coupled light meter finder. The older one looks to
> be in better shape, sounds great, lens is old but clean (both come
> with matching 50mm f1.4). I'm sure both could use an overhauling.
> Also, both are showing signs of corrosion ('patina') on the metal top
> deck. Is there any good way to clean this to restore the orginal
> finish? The older one looks like it's seen it's share of violence,
> dinged and bent here and there, but has a really terrific feel to it,
> shutter sounds fantastic, etc. I love the removable back to change
> film, just like the Contax II/III. I think my FM2 suddenly has some
> competition...
>
> Is there an equivelant of Harry Fleenor and Jürgen Kuschnik for
> Nikon? Are these worth having overhauled at all, or am I wasting my
> time (and money)?
>
> Nikon F4. This one would be interesting to try out, as I've avoided
> whiz-bang auto-everything cameras as much as possible (excepting the
> Rollei 6008). But it seems to have some sort of problem. It looks
> like new, comes with a compliment of lenses (both MF and AF), has the
> 6 battery motor (I guess that means it's an F4s) and even data back
> (with dead battery, will have to remedy that in the morning). When I
> turn it on, the battery indicator shows full charge (I also tried a
> set of fresh AA cells and got the exact same problem), the lens
> focuses, but there is no light in the display. There does seem to be
> info there, but no green backlight. Then, when I hit the shutter,
> nothing happens. The display goes blank, and about a minute later the
> camera suddenly fires on it's own. Usually a red light by the ISO
> setting wheel (left of finder) blinks repeatedly. I've downloaded the
> manual and had a quick look, but haven't found out what the problem
> might be. It's an imposing camera with about a gazillion switches
> and buttons, it will take a while to learn what everything does
> (assuming it can be brought back to life).
>
> I'm guessing that the camera has been stored where there was a lot of
> moisture and/or salt in the air (my aunt and uncle lived in
> Huntington Beach, for all I know the cameras were stored on their
> boat, or maybe in the garage). Most of the lenses for the F4
> unfortunately have some amount of fungus growing, some quite a lot.
> Is there any way to remove fungus? I've used regular lens cleaner
> (Kodak) and lens paper on most of the glass where there wasn't too
> big a problem. However one of the rear elements of one lens (probably
> the most expensive one, I'm guessing) is covered with fungal flowers.
> I didn't touch it yet, in case there's a proper way to deal with it.
>
> Nikon lenses include:
> AF Nikkor 80-200/2.8 ED
> AF Nikkor 85/1.8
> AF Nikkor 28-85/3.5-4.5 (I'm guiessing this is what came with the F4
> as bundled new)
> AF Micro Nikkor 60/2.8
> MF Micro-Nikkor 105/4 (this is a weird looking lens)
>
> There is also a set of something I'm not sure what is, looks like
> extension rings or adapters. There are some bayonet fittings as well
> as screw threads, and each ring has a letter A, B1, B2, C and D.
>
> Also inclued was a selection of filters, from UV to Circular Polarizers.
>
> Graflex Century Graphic (the plastic version) with Kalart rangefinder
> and two lenses, an Optar 101mm/f4.5 (I think this is a 4 element
> Tessar design) as well as a Schneider Angulon 65mm/f6.8 in a Syncro-
> Compur. The camera and extra lens look like new. There are also many
> backs. The one on the camera has a ground glass viewer and seems to
> be attached by some spring-loaded mechanism (I'll have to find a
> manual for this one). There are several Type 5 graflex backs, as well
> as a plastic 'Fidelity Deluxe' copy of same, and a Graphmatic film
> holder (looks like you can preload metal holders in a magazine that
> automatically shifts the old films behind the darkslide). Also
> included is a Singer rollfilm back. As soon as I figure out how to
> remove the back that's mounted I'll have a go at the others.
>
> Is 2x3 cut film still sold, or should I simply go with 120 rollfilm?
> The frame looks to be about 6x9cm, is that correct?
>
> I'm looking forward to trying this one out. I had considered picking
> one up on eBay to try out, now I don't have to mess with eBay at
> least. It even has movements! Very cool.
>
> Well, I wanted to share all this new stuff with someone, and figured
> who better to appreciate it than you guys here on the list. And I'm
> hoping some of you know enough about the gear to give me a few tips
> about it.
>
> Best regards,
> Thor
>
>
> I am a long time Nikon-F user. Its a great camera despite some of the
> lenses not being quite up to Canon's equivalent.
> The Century Graphic was the first camera Graflex made with the Graflok
> back. This is a universal back which has since been adopted by most makers
> of press type cameras. The spring loaded ground glass panel is removable by
> means of two hooks at the sides and slide locks are provided for accessories
> such as roll film holders. The later ones have a built-in fresnel lens,
> early ones do not.
> There is much additional information at http://www.graflex.org
> You are correct about the Grafmatic holder, the Graflex site has
> instructions for loading it. The best of the roll film holders were the ones
> made by Singer with the yellow lever for winding. These have extra rollers
> for holding the film flat. The roll adaptors use the same reversed curve
> arrangement used in the Hasselblad.
> The Optar is a Wollensak Raptar in disguise. These are Tessar type
> lenses of variable quality. You may have a good one. I've found that the
> Raptar version has what appears to be a design error causing excessive coma
> or perhaps its oblique spherical aberration (they look the same but come
> from different causes). In most f/4.5 Tessars the coma is completely gone by
> f/8 but there is some residual smearing in the corners with these lenses
> even when closed down all the way. You will be able to tell right away by
> looking at bright small highlights in the corners of the image. The shutter
> is also Wollensak, a house branded version of the Rapax. These are very good
> shutters and can usually be brought to original specs. Wollensak used hair
> type springs which are relatively easy to make if they need to be replaced.
> One feature of the Rapax/Graphex shutter is that the trigger pull for
> tripping it is uniform at all speeds. This makes the shutter much more
> reliable when used with a synchronizing solenoid. Most of these shutters
> have internal flash synch that can be set for either strobe or flashbulbs.
> The bellows is made of a synthetic material. Graflex seems to have used
> this from about 1940 on. Its virtually indestructable and rarely develops
> pin-holes unless seriously abused.
> These are neat little cameras. Sheet film is available from Freestyle.
> The Graflex made "Riteway" holders are the best of class, Later Fidelity
> Deluxe holders are also good, I don't like the earlier ones because they
> tended to warp. I have probably a fifty or more Graflex 4x5 holders and
> nearly all are good. The chances with other brands of older holders is
> chancy.
> I posted an alignment procedure for the Kalart side rangefinder on the
> Graflex site but it needs to be revised. They are not difficult to set up
> but it can be a tedious job. Once set, however, they are quite stable, the
> infinity corrector (on the side of the camera bed) might need a touch up. If
> you want more contact me off list (or on list if there are enough Speed
> Graphic fans here to tollerate it). The Speed Graphic is my second favorite
> camera (you guess the first favorite).
>
> --
> Richard Knoppow
> Los Angeles, CA, USA
> dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> ---
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