Kodak folding camera problem

[jon_shumpert2]

<p>I bought an old Kodak folding camera today and I am having problems opening the front. I don't see anything other than the Kodak name on the front and on the removable ground glass and folding hood. It came with several sheet film holders which slide in. I pressed the release button to open the lens standard, but it is stuck. I did an image search and found what I think to be an identical camera. It looks like a Kodak Recomar. I will include a picture. Is there a safe way to open a stuck folding camera without damaging it? I would like to get it open to see if it is useable. Thanks for any help. </p><div></div>

[jon_shumpert2]

<p>Here is one of the back. Thanks again for any help.</p><div></div>

[CoryAmmerman]

I'm not familiar with that

particular camera, but I have a

similar Voightländer camera that

has a hidden button under the

leather on the top of the camera

towards the front. Maybe yours

has something similar. I had to

Google it to figure out how to

open mine when I first got it.

[andrew_spence1]

<p>yea just a Cory says<br>

please post a photo of the lens when u get it open I like to see that<br>

regards Andrew</p>

[jon_shumpert2]

<p>Thanks for the suggestions. I had already tried the release button, but decided to give it a little more force. I finally got it to open by pushing the release a little further than it was designed for. That, along with a flat piece of metal and a little grumbling was the solution. It isn't perfect inside. The outer part of the front and rear elements look great. The inner surface, not so much. The shutter and aperture seem to work well. It is missing the bubble finder near the lens as well as the spirit level. I found that it has lateral shift and rise and fall movements. The bellows don't have any obvious light leaks, but I have not checked it out in depth. I may try to take the lens apart for cleaning. The ground glass is broken, so if I decide to try to make the camera useable, I will replace the glass. If nothing else, I have a nice display camera for a total of $5. Here are more photos of the camera. I set the rise/fall and shift to different positions in the two photos .</p><div></div>

[jon_shumpert2]

<p>Here is one more with the rise and shift at the other end of movements.</p>

<div></div>

[john_shriver]

<p>If it's 2-1/4" by 3-1/4", it's a Recomar 18. If it's 3-1/4" by 4-1/4", it's a Recomar 33. Made by former Nagel in Germany.<br>

Combination plate/film holders are common on eBay. Note that holders for the 33 come in both 3-1/4" by 4-1/4" size and 9cm by 12cm size.<br>

Good change of being able to clean the inner surfaces of the lens.<br>

You really want to use the ground glass, so the reflex finder is no big loss.</p>

[John Seaman]

<p>The front and rear lenses of this vintage of camera usually just unscrew for cleaning.</p>