Kodak 35 Rangefinder operation questions

[chromatic-aberration]

Just recently picked up a Kodak 35 Rangefinder, and for the life of me can't

tell if it works or not. Can someone talk me through what I need to push, pull,

or prod to get the shutter to fire? For that matter, can someone confirm which

protrusion is indeed the shutter release, and whether or not I need to cock

something?

[tgh]

Winding the film knob tensions the shutter, but it either needs film in the camera or with the back off you can trick it by turning the film sprockets as you wind the knob on top.

 

The shutter release is on the outside rim of the lens/shutter, at about 11 o'clock as you look at the front of the camera. It's got a shield over it, but the peg sticking out the back is what you press.

 

It's a really acwkward looking camera design, but has a nice lens.

[charles_stobbs3]

There is a manual available for free download at the "classic camera repair forum" website. At that site click on "instruction manuals" in the left hand column, scroll down to the bottom of that list and click on "comprehensive manuals listing". Kodak is in the G-L section, I think what you are looking for is the first Kodak listed.

[alex_lofquist]

While there were several lenses made for Kodak 35s, If you have the Anastigmat Special f/3.5, also labelled Anastar, you have a fine lens of the Tessar design. It has been a while since I owned one, but I thought that you had to cock the shutter manually with the lever on the top left side of the lens, as viewed from the front. (Not sure of that.)

[chromatic-aberration]

Figured it out at last... I needed to depress the rewind knob (?) just as I began to wind the film forward. Barring some sort of a mechanical defect, it looks like it was designed that way to prevent the photographer from accidentally advancing the film partially while the camera sits in a bag or a pocket.<p>

 

...and yes it's the Anastigmat Special f/3.5 lens. I think with a 1946 serial number.<p>

[alden_banniettis]

Chris,

So how has that Kodak 35RF been doing? I have the non-rf version which I am about to put into use.

[kelly_flanigan1]

The focus distance on these cameras is buy unscrewing the front element. <BR><BR>With this scheme the lenses performance varies with distance.<BR><BR>With a scheme like this the lens designer often corrected for minimum Spherical Aberration at say 15 to 20 feet; and let the SA vary from infinity to the close 3.5 foot distance. At infinity the SA is overcorrected; its low a say 15 ft the design point; and is undercorrected at closeup distances. Stopping down masks these woes.<BR><BR>What the technoid S.A. stuff above means is that one will probably have a wider scatter in quality of images shot than with say a similar Tessar design like the Signet 35's; in which the entire lens block moves as a group for focusing. Ie one will get more chaps saying the Kodak 35's Tessar is a dog; or great; or average; and no typical mention of the focus distance or fstop used.<BR><BR>

[kelly_flanigan1]

On a optical bench one can view the aerial image at the film plane of an artifical star; and vary the focus setting of the front element. The SA can be seen the vary; and the design point found of minimum SA.

[chromatic-aberration]

Honestly, I've only managed to shoot about half the roll that's in there. The miniscule rangefinder windows are such a pain in the butt to use, that I tend to take a couple of shots, put it away, and then forget about it for a couple of months. Since this thread started, I've got a non-RF Kodak 35. Given my rather poor track record with guess focus cameras, I haven't done much with that either. I have an accessory rangefinder on the way to me, and hopefully when that arrives I'll actually get a sample roll through that camera. *sigh*