Kodakkook123

I've had the tape dry up and crack away from the backing paper on old roll film which caused it to jam.

I had some vintage roll film jam in my cameras because the tape holding the leader dried up and gave way so I like to check the tape before I load old roll film (in a dark room of course). I have ten rolls of 1960's 828 that this was more common to.

Thanks for the input John! And thanks for setting me on to the correct pn for the bellows...I popped it in the day before I left. It was a real conversation starter I'm Italy.

Hi, I replaced the bellows on my VPK Mod B and took it with me to Italy. I loaded it with some very expired Verichrome Pan: one roll from '64, one from '66, and one from '68. I bought these rolls on Ebay just for the spools and paper but I figured why not shoot the film? I didn't keep track of which rolls are from which date. I decided to stand develop the film in Rodinal 1:100 at room temp for 1 hr. So here are some of my pictures. They look like vintage postcards from one of most over-photographed cities in the world - Florence, Italy.

You may need a pair of bent needle nose pliers to get them from the back. The destructive way is to cut the old bellows away and get the tabs from the front with a small stout pry bar.

Well, at least the bellows doesn't leak. The Junior looks like a cheaper version of a Tourist, which is all metal, and came in a variety of shutters and lens, the mid range can be found of about $30.00. I've developed Verichrome Pan from the 1960's and have been stand developing it in Rodinal 1:100 for one hour with good (printable) results.

Glen, don't waste your time trying to patch the bellows. The only real solution to a leaky bellows is to replace it. I've been there and done that. I just pulled some of my 127 film from the soup and it looks a lot better than my patched job. The replacement is straight forward. Remove the lens/shutter. Drill out the front rivets, the tension from the lens ring obviates replacing them. The rear bellows frame is held down by metal tabs on the camera body, just bend them (gently) away and out comes the bellows. You'll need the front frame from the old bellows if the replacement doesn't have one. I lost too many tabs in the rear to feel comfortable that I could have a light tight seal so I just glued it in with gasket goop to make sure. I'll have pics to post when they dry...

Hi Glenn, I was able to get a replacement bellows and installed it the night before I left for a three week trip and my VPK made the cut for selection for my trip (of the fifty film cameras I have, I took nine). I loaded it with some very expired Verichrome Pan (1960's) but I haven't returned yet or processed any of it. I may stand develop it in Rodinal 1:100 for a hour. I hope the new bellows holds, I had to cement it to the back frame with gasket goop because the metal tabs finally fatigued. I'll post when I get results...

Yep, that's about where they start to leak. You could try some liquid electricians tape. On my bigger folders I reinforced the corners with fabric electrical tape and then coated over this with flex-seal and that seems to have cured them. But on the smaller folders the tolerance is too tight to take any extra material, maybe all they can take is some liquid sealer. This is why I was interested in a replacement process and a procedure that could be customized for cameras that don't have known replacement parts like my Agfa Solinette.

Thanks Glen, John S. Confirms the p.n. and I'll order one....this site is so great, thanks for all the input!

Thanks John! I would have had no idea what the bellows part number was or who has one...I'll order one today!

Thanks Marc! That's my camera alright...I probably have a department store variant with no model name for the U.S. market...mystery solved!

Thanks for the report...Sounds like you have a rare, sound example of a good bellows....take care with it! I'm about through trying to buy one sight-unseen and I may as well keep trying to make bellows for them. Post some pics when you develop them...

Yep, That's the logo...I had already confirmed that after John pointed me to Franka Werke...I still can't find what model it is. It is definitely a square format 6X6 circa late 1940's for the lens, the body could be later...the body is very Solinda-ish except for the viewfinder and no accessory shoe (no cold shoe, no flash capability).

I don't know why the pics aren't showing in my original post. They are probably too big of a file so here's the compressed jpegs... Thanks!