Vintage film cameras

[johnnyrod]

Weather looks nice next week - is the axe rideable?

That good or bad Kenzie? I'm sure I'm paraphrasing at least two quotes there but I can't place the second one.

[Kenzie]

It's funny. Then I saw the description. Did you open the package and think wtf has he sent me?
I'll send you a roll of 120 to test it.

[johnnyrod]

Yes and no, I'm not prone to over-optimism but it was a pleasant surprise to find several bits still connected to each other. I did think that when I saw the Canonet! I guess you lost the element of surprise this time. I'll save the crowing for when it can take pictures though. It's amazing how few screws have to come out of them. I read a short while ago, a chap had overhauled his camera, think it was a Cocarette but can't be sure, it only needed one screwdriver. That was one from the early 20th century, before these ones. I love these old things, when clever engineering had to solve problems that couldn't be done by just adding electronics.

[Kenzie]

Yeah I stopped when I tried to lift the escapement out and it pretty much split in two. Really hope you can get it running as it looked a good bit of kit and surprisingly hard to find. Hope Yoko's problem doesn't involve not taking a disc lock off. I've only done that once!

[johnnyrod]

I've done it three times I think, definitely more than once. First time while standing on the pegs ready to ride down a kerb - amazing how little distance you need to get your balance! No chance of saving it from up there.

I hope so too. The action on B is good so it should be a matter of figuring out what is sticking or catching on what. Might soak the escapement to clean it, haven't actually done that. It runs nicely but could be different when there's load on it. Yes quite rare but top notch in their day, bit of a Lotus sort of brand I guess. I don't know anything about the lens but they didn't make anything budget so it should be good (even as a triplet), end be interesting to see it wide open. The flash sync looks to have been added later as it is a bit crude, although on mine where the rangefinder tab attached to the shutter casing, it looked very rough, like they'd done it on the built shutter and left all the swarf in. Who knows, it is said that maybe a third of Contaxes didn't work when they left the factory - maybe times haven't changed so much!

[Kenzie]

I did mine on my TS125R at school. I came to a sudden halt and gently laid the bike down on the ground and my leg! Nicest finish I've seen on a camera is the Voigtlander Vito B. Still trying to get a Vito ii.

[johnnyrod]

Forgot to say, did you see the Certo has a rudimentary auto frame counter on the film advance knob? I can't remember how to use it off the top of my head, something like, once it's lined up at 1, you do a full turn then continue until the next number lines up with the pointer. They are spaced to account for the roll getting fatter as you get further on. I had no joy with mine TBH, and I can't remember how to set it to 1 when you see it in the red window, so I just use the latter. It may not suit newer, thinner backing paper, but there are ways around that, but a nice touch all the same. Shame it probably won't work quite right.

Folding Vito? I see lots of ads, no idea what a decent price is. They have a massive long shutter button I think? Nice-looking though. The Vito B is lovely, the coating on the lens looks proper BO, very purple.

[johnnyrod]

And where's my ruddy Contessa... if I click through 3 different package tracking screens (how doe all this get paid for? seems awfully busy) I find out it's now at the sorting office of 13ten or Citipost though I can't figure out which, in Wednesbury. I was in Wolverhampton all day, mainly waiting for something to happen. Could have popped out!

[Kenzie]

No, to be honest I hadn't noticed. Will take a look when I get it back. I meant to ask yesterday where your present had gone.

[Kenzie]

My Kowa arrived today. Lens is good, meter works. Just needed a good clean. Case is split but no biggie. I completely forgot I even bought it. Also bought a lot of expired film which includes a sealed 126 film cartridge.