Your Next Test

I've a Zeiss Box Tengor I haven't used in years--and never used with

color film. I want to experiment with that camera next. What camera

(s) will you folks be experimenting with next?

<P>My Franka Super Frankarette has been sitting with a film in it for 3 weeks now, begging to be taken out for a walk - this has been my next test project for most of August and I really hope I can get on with it this week. For those of you who don't know it, the Super Frankarette is a coupled-rangefinder 35mm with a fixed Schneider Xenon lens - very much a bread-and-butter German camera of the 50s.</P><P>After that, there is a Moscow 5 on its way to me...</P>

Me too, Brian! Looking forward to my Moskva 5 folder that might arrive every day. And I got a good bargain on a 65mm lens for my RZ67 outfit two days ago that needs to be checked.<br>

After a lot of folder disappointments I hope that the Moskva 5 is the medium format picture taker I long for to carry around in my pocket for snapshots. I'll keep you updated.

Hi, Randy Hmmm, funny you should mention the Box Tengor, which was probably the most upmarket box camera ever made. I've just taken delivery of a really nice 1934/38 54/2 model, the one with nice art-deco diamond design on the frontplate, plus - gosh! - 3 aperture settings and 3 focussing zone settings too. I've seen some reports that this old beast could produce some surprisingly sharp B&W negs for a box camera with a mere 2-element lens. Still, you're getting into some strange territory with color film, from an uncoated and non-color corrected lens. I've tried this before myself with a 1938 AGFA Karat f3.5 Solinar, and the results were - well, nice but "different"! Let us know how things eventuate, 'cos I'd be interested to see.

Now, regarding which camera I'm experimenting with next - it's a c. 1956 AGFA Super Silette 35mm CRF, the rare F2 Solagon lens and Synchro-Compur shutter version. I'm halfway through a 24-exp Konica ASA 100 color neg film, and dying to rush things through to see just how sharp images this famed 6-element lens can produce. PN

The Box Tengor 54/2 is a great little camera. Although of course the first time I used it I mistakenly read focal distances as feet not meters... and got mush. Had to brush up on the history of the metric system.

My roommate gave me an Ansco Ready Flash but it's 620, must adapt and try it out with some 120.

Current "experiments" are as follows. Hollywood Reflex, a cheap TLR. Dories toy camera and a Coronet box camera.

Just got my inherited Robot IIa, Schneider 37,5 and 75mm CLA'd. For a 50 year old camera, it's working quite well. The problem is it's 24x24mm frame, very unusual... I think if I shoot negatives the lab will have trouble to print them...

I have been buying cameras faster than I can clean and repair if necessary. Waiting to be used an Ansco Regent (did my bellows hole plugging work?), a green Werra with a Zeiss Tessar lens, a Yashica Electro 35 (which has yet to arrive in the mail), an Isolette(what ever made me put b&w film in it?), a Retina S1,and some old favorite keepers (Retina IIa, Leica, Olympus 35ED and a Canonet 28.

Charles, your're going to love the Werra. It's now one of my favorite cameras. I can't belive how sharp those lenses are.

 

I'm waiting for my 127 film to get in, then it's off testing my Foth Derby. I didn't realize that they were so small. I paid $10 for the camera. It appears to be in great shape. The lens is clear with no fog or scratches. The leather is great and the shutter seem accurate (although we'll see about that). It even came in a nice leather case with a yellow and a close up (portrait Kodak 6A) slip on filter; both very clear. I'm thinking this one may go with me where ever I go.

Contessa LKE, for close-up photography unsing a recently acquired set of Proxar lenses

I recently acquired a Vivitar 2800 flash (for free) which accepts a PC cord, so my next test is to hook up the flash to my Yashica 'A' and try my hand at some off-camera flash.

 

BJ

I don't acquire cameras the way many of y'all do, but I DO sometimes acquire lenses.

 

I have to cobble up mount adapters -- no big problem, I've done it to verify they'd focus closer than infinity, then put the bits away -- so I can take some test shots with my fairly newly-arrived 360/10 Apo Saphir and 360/10 Apo Lustrar Ser. II. Both are about equally attractive; the Apo Saphir is a little heavier, the Apo Lustrar a little larger. All this to decide which one to pay skgrimes to make a proper mount adapter for. I have a 14"/5.6 Cooke Aviar that ought to be in the competition, but its just too heavy to use.

 

I have a 10.16" Cooke Copying lens whose rear element I suspect is radioactive. At any rate, the front cell is clear and the rear is yellowed, so I suspect radiation damage. As I type, the lens is basking under a UV lamp. When I first got the lens, it produced yellowish color transparencies. Its been basking for over a month and seems clearer. I guess I'll dust it off next weekend and take a few shots with it.

 

I just bought a 17/0.95 Xenon in C-mount. I have no intention of using it on my Beaulieus, want to try it out reversed as a high magnification macro lens. After it comes I'll look for a filter step ring that fits it, and then perhaps will be able to shoot it against my 17/4 Tominon. The Xenon is faster, might be sharper when open wider than f/4. Maybe.

 

For one of my other projects, a reverse T-mount-to-Minolta SR/MD adapter would be very useful. That's female MD bayonet, male M42x0.75 threads. Any leads would be appreciated.

 

Cheers,

 

Dan

<img src="http://www.globalmatter-lab.net/graflex574.JPG"><P>

I'm currently figuring out my new 5x7" Press Graflex.

After I get settled in North Carolina, I plan to clean the shutters and calibrate the rangefinders in my two Kodak Bantam RF cameras and test them with 35 mm film -- hopefully I can get 24 shots in there.

Tests?

 

Well, I am still calibrating my Kalart Press #2 for flash operation. The first one has a balky shutter. I need to get some Size C batteries and see if the focus spot works on the new one.

 

Still looking for a spring back for my Ihagee 6.5x9 plattenkamera to be able to shoot 2x3 film holders in it. Rarer than hens teeth I say.

 

I still haven't loaded film in my Z-I Icarex (BM) so that's probably my next project.

 

tim in san jose

David, nice Graflex! I have a 5X7 pre Anniversary Speed Graphic that is in beautiful condition. I can't wait to try it out. Lots of other stuff I've never used, too. Ack! Decisions, decisions-- -----------

Lynn, thank you. I took my Robot to a service specialized in classic cameras, here in Sao Paulo, Brazil. I guess it's a long distance from you, sorry. They charged about US$ 80,00 for the job. The camera had a sticky shutter (common leaf shutter problem), needed new light seals and lube. The lenses were in bad shape, very fogged and the technician wasn't able to recover them 100%.

Along with the camera I found interesting accessories, such as a telemeter, the film cassette and the rewinder (the Robot IIa doesn't have a rewinding knob) and others I couldn't identify so far.

If I can help you with something, let me know.

No new tests or experiments, other than using my existing inventory of cameras & lens in new & creative ways . . .

Dana,

 

I'm glad you mentioned the metric problem. My BT has a scale with the numbers 20-inf; 20-6; 6-3. Those are metric?

 

The lens is labeled Frontar f9, and appears to be coated (!). The stops are 9, 11, and 16. Does anyone know what the shutter speed is?

 

Beautiful camera, though. An x-sync terminal, a cable-release socket, and what appears to be double-exposure prevention. And of course, an attractive array of Zeiss bumps!

I'm with Christopher Chen - trying to get full use from what I've got before buying another! Iskra and 35RC at the moment...

I got test rolls going in the Brick, both Ciros, the Zeiss 520L, and just finished one off in the Yashica. Am also shooting my first test of Provia 400 in the GAF, wondering how those slides will turn out.

 

Zeiss Nettar will be here tomorrow with luck, so I reckon that's the next test. Oh yeh, and shoving rolls of Portra VC thru the Holga with decent results.

I haven't tried my Isolette with color film. Might be interesting. I have plenty of Reala in the fridge.

The Konica Auto S2 I won on the big auction site finally arrived last week, after almost two month travel between Canada and Belgium. And it didn't even transit through the naughty and slow custom's office!

So that will be the one I will test first, after some minor cleaning is done. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this camera blocks the shutter release knob when light is too low or too high, like discussed in a recent topic on this forum about the Retina Automatic III. Clever! I wonder how the results will be in comparison with my Electro 35...

I have a Zeiss-Ikon Contina loaded and ready - but still have to find a good occasion to shoot it. Will get B&W results of my newly acquired Yashica 35CC today.

Well, it's sitting in the Post Office at the moment, as I missed the postie by a 1/2 hr today. Now have to wait till Friday, as I can't get to the PO tomorrow. Drat!

 

Going on 2 weeks holiday soon, so I may take it along. Along with 3 other folders (2 6x6 and a 6x9) and a digital....Also I've got a couple of rolls of Efke 25 to try, and I'm thinking a 6x9 folder may be the best place for it ;-)

 

I've also got to try the Moskva 5 with some slide film.