Tengor Tango - Part 1

I periodically peruse the antique shops near my home to see if any “interesting” cameras have arrived since my last visit that might need a good home. Over the years of scavenging, my eyes have become trained to spot clues in the various vendor booths that might lead to another prize in my collection. Part of this training over the years has also included being able to quickly pass over the “junk” cameras that dominate the displays: most Polaroids and all Kodak instant cameras, cheap point & shoots, Argus C3s and 75s, and box cameras to name a few. However, lately, as I have become more interested in collecting and using medium format cameras, I’ve decided to take a closer look at box cameras (both researching online and examining in the shops). This has led me to purchase two Box-Tengor cameras from two separate local shops in the past month: a Goerz Box-Tengor model 760 (pre-merger) and a Zeiss-Ikon Box Tengor model 54/2. This thread will focus on the Goerz model 760 shown below.

 

Goerz Box-Tengor Model 760

 

Up until recently, my vague recollection of the Box-Tengor cameras was that they were supposedly a higher-end box camera that were suitable for use in tropical climates due to their all-metal construction. I suppose the cardboard and wooden box cameras of the period were prone to disintegrating or warping in the excessive humidity of the tropics. Also, I had only seen them referenced as being manufactured by Zeiss-Ikon. My curiosity was piqued then, when I found this Box-Tengor model without the Zeiss logo. In fact, the only logo I saw was on the lens ring which was marked “Frontar Hahn-Goerz”. The camera was in dirty but decent condition and the shutter worked so I forked over the $20 asking price and took it home for further examination and cleaning. I should note that, while in the store, I tried to open the camera but was unable to do so with reasonable force and didn’t want to risk breaking something so I decided to take the risk and purchase it anyway. As a result, I assumed the camera took 120 film and shot 6x9 format. However, once I got it opened, I was surprised to learn it took 116 film and shot in 6.5x11 format. I was a little disappointed until I examined the mechanism further and realized that, without much effort, I could extend the side film rails and modify 120 spools to fit the camera which would give me a 6x11 format camera after conversion. Further research on this camera showed that it was manufactured by Goerz from 1923 to 1925, prior to the merger into the Zeiss-Ikon conglomerate. A nice write-up on this camera can be found here.

Modified for 120 roll film

 

 

Modified 120 supply spool on left, modified 120 take-up spool on right

 

Unlike later, post-merger Box-Tengors, this camera is pretty basic in operation and specification. It has a fixed-focus achromat doublet lens, three apertures: f11, f16, and f22 via a sliding plate with three Waterhouse stops, and a single-speed shutter with a bulb setting via a sliding lever. There are no tripod sockets but you can use a cellphone clamp from a selfie stick to get around this limitation. The camera cleaned up nicely and the lens was spotless. Internet research revealed the shutter speed as 1/25th of a second. However, after cleaning the shutter and test firing, I would say the speed is closer to 1/50th of a second which is what I used to meter my test shots. The biggest issue I found during the cleaning and modification was that the previous owner(s) had removed the side body latches that hold the back on. This is not a problem because the fit is very snug and it takes some effort to separate the back so I’m not worried about it accidently coming loose. Another issue I found is that the film winding knob ratchet is either broken or stuck open because it’s possible to wind in the wrong direction. Normally, I think this would be a big deal since the ratchet mechanism helps keep the film tight on the reel. However, this camera has a real spring-loaded pressure plate that accomplishes that task - a very nice touch. Finally, like most cameras this age, the front-silvered viewfinder mirrors have some corrosion but, for the most part, are still usable.

 

An actual spring-loaded pressure plate in a box camera!

 

Once I had the camera cleaned up and modified for 120 film, I was anxious to shoot a test roll. This turned out to be trickier than I expected because the paper backing on the 120 film is not marked for 6x11 format. I used a spare paper backing to estimate the number of winds to the first frame and the number of winds between frames. For the most part I was successful but I missed the first frame by half and I left too much spacing between frames which resulted in capturing only 5 frames on the roll instead of 6. After adjusting my numbers, I think I’ll get all 6 frames next time.

 

Below are 4 shots from my first test roll. It was a dismal, damp, and cloudy day so I used Fomapan 400 black & white. All shots are handheld and all shots are at the maximum aperture of f11 except for the windmill which I shot at f16. The windmill is located at a local park and is one of my favorite test targets when I try out a new camera. I have included magnified views of the center and top thirds of the windmill to show the center sharpness and falloff in sharpness at the edge. The other images, taken at f11, show more significant degradation of sharpness away from center (as expected).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Despite the miserable weather, I was more than pleased with the results, especially considering this camera is nearly 100 years old. I look forward to experimenting more with the 6x11 cm format. Thanks for looking and stay tuned for Part 2!

 

Gary

Nice results, Gary. The Tengor is definitely one of the better box cameras (note the two element achromatic lens vs. typical single element meniscus).

A fine project and excellent results! I'm looking forward to seeing further samples.

I love it! Thanks for sharing. The results are extremely impressive.

 

For us old-timers on this site, it's almost like having Gene M back (for a treat see his old website at Found Films), although this is a "found camera" not "found film".

Edited January 3, 2022 by JDMvW

Thanks for the kind responses everyone. I wanted to share another image from this camera taken two days ago in better weather with more dramatic light. I shared a similar image from the same roll in a separate thread in this forum.

 

This is an image of Ash Cave in Hocking Hills, Ohio. On a clear day, beams of sunlight manage to sneak through the trees and light up the small waterfall that flows over the cliff. This is a 3-second exposure at f16 on Fomapan 100 using a tripod. I used the T setting on the shutter along with a black card over the lens to make the exposure to minimize camera shake since there is no cable release socket on this model. I have also included magnified sections of the top and bottom areas to show how far sharpness extends to the edges of the frame.

 

 

 

 

Not too shabby for a simple box camera!

 

Gary