Unboxing the Medalist

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Since "unboxing" seems to be all the rage on YouTube, I thought I'd share this moment with the forum. This Kodak Medalist arrived this morning, all the way from the USofA.</p><div></div>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>I've been looking for one for some months. I wanted one that that was cosmetically good, and mechanically and optically sound. I also wanted one that had the military-style black-anodised helix, and a reasonable price tag. It all seemed to be rather a big ask, but this copy seems to fit the bill; I've yet to put a film through it, but everything seems to click and move as it should. I'm sure some member might like to provide a little background on the Medalist; I personally think Walter Dorwin Teague came up with a camera that I'd be happy to display as a fine example of mid-century design and engineering.<br /><br />I'll post some results and a little more detail when I've put a couple of films through the beast. Meanwhile, I'm off to the darkroom to re-spool some 120 film onto 620 reels...</p>

[bruce_z._li2]

<p>The Ektar lens is a real jewel with high resolution and moderate contrast, and I hope you will like it. I happen to have a spare leather case for the Medalist, but Rick you are too far from California. :-)</p>

[Rick_van_Nooij]

<p>Just remember to watch that shutter release button. Make sure it's all the way up before winding to the next frame or the whole thing'll jam. <br /><br />That Ektar is something else. The RF/VF setup is pretty nice, but damn that thing is heavy.</p>

 

[John Seaman]

<p>Super acquisition Rick. I've got the same camera. I found in use, the film tended to come adrift from the guide rails chewing up the edge. It helped to make sure the film was wound as tightly as possible on the the 620 spool.</p>

<p>Also don't be tempted to remove the rangefinder housing for cleaning, as I did. It's easy to remove, but getting it back is not trivial, involving setting the rangefinder linkage in a certain way which I couldn't manage. An expensive mistake.</p>

<p>The ring on the lens front unscrews to accommodate the series 6 filters. Mine was seized on but I eventually got it off.</p>

[ken_jeanette1]

<p>Beautiful, can't wait to see some results. My personal favorite of the Teague designs was the Bantam Special. If only that little bugger used 35mm.</p>

[Dustin McAmera]

<p>'A fistful of efficiency': in <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=PGMzAQAAMAAJ&pg=PT1&dq=Medalist&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiJ9s76h4fOAhUrGZoKHSQqBHgQ6AEIKzAB#v=onepage&q=Medalist&f=false">Popular Photography, March '44</a> (at Google books);<br>

<a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=vWIzAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA59&dq=Medalist&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiJ9s76h4fOAhUrGZoKHSQqBHgQ6AEIJzAA#v=onepage&q=Medalist&f=false">and again in May</a>: adverts for a camera you couldn't buy!<br>

It looks splendid, Rick!</p>

[marc_rochkind]

<p>Here's my Medalist page:</p>

<p><a href="http://basepath.com/ClassicCameras/grid.php?id=16672584&key=PxQX7n&back=article.php?url=http://basepath.com/ClassicCameras/content/articles/Alphabetically.html">http://basepath.com/ClassicCameras/grid.php?id=16672584&key=PxQX7n&back=article.php?url=http://basepath.com/ClassicCameras/content/articles/Alphabetically.html</a></p>

<p>Lots of photos, a few ads, and a brochure.</p>

[donald_miller5]

<p>I am not getting one, I am not getting one, I am not getting.....................................</p>

[Mike Gammill]

<p>Great find, Rick. I look forward to seeing some images.</p>

[paul_wheatland]

<p>I've had my medalist navy model for several decades. Notes to keep in mind: do not mess with toothed wheel on shaft, do not convert camera to 120, you will lose the film flattening caused by the spring loaded rollers, Don't bother with using single exposure back with 120 stockholder, enjoy the spectacular performance of the gauss formular optic a cousin to Heliar anther fine lens!</p>

[chauncey_walden]

<p>I love mine. I've had 2 of the Medalist IIs. Got rid of the first when I found the second one that had been converted to 120 by Bald Mountain. The lens was a carefully designed (Rudolph Kingslake and a host of RIT students tracing rays) reverse Heliar formula that Kodak also used on the lenses they made for the first Hasselblads. Had one of those also. Lenses were spectacular. I have all the accessory backs including the extension but have not felt any need to use them.</p>

[chuck_foreman1]

I guess it was just a matter of time. This is a truly interesting item and definitively AMERICAN. I'm glad

you've managed one and I too look forward to your shooting with this famous Ektar lens.

 

Although I humbly have one, my mediocre results will pale in comparison. My version of the Ektar lens is in

the Graflex mount ( another decidedly American design) I've also been intrigued by this design and have

loved the Bantam model too. I may yet try to get a Bantam ( you should too) I look forward to your

comments on use ie ergonomics etc too! Thanks for sharing the un-boxing.

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Good to see so much interest!</p>

<p><strong>Bruce</strong>, thanks for the offer of the case but the camera arrived in one, an interesting pigskin affair, solid around the body of the camera and sort of pouched around the lens. It's suitably worn, but serviceable, still.<br /> <strong>Rick</strong>, thanks for the heads-up regarding the shutter release, I'll be wary.<br /> <strong>John</strong>, I certainly won't be attempting to disassemble the rangefinder/viewfinder any time soon! Though the viewfinder could do with a clean. Yes, I make a point of re-spooling film as tightly as possible.<br /> <strong>Marc</strong>, that's a truly excellent Medalist site of yours, thanks for the link.<br /> <strong>Paul</strong>, good advice, and I'm quite happy with the 620 format, having re-spooled enough film to be at home with the procedure.<br /> <strong>Chuck</strong>, I've long lusted after a Bantam but they're hard to find and don't come cheap... I hope my efforts with the Medalist lives up to your expectations!<br /> <strong>Chauncey</strong>, thanks for the additional background information, and thank you <strong>Mike</strong>, <strong>Ken</strong> and <strong>Pete</strong> for your input.</p>

<p>I hastily ran a film through the camera yesterday afternoon before "signing off" on the deal, and it performed well. It's certainly heavy and bulky, but I like the placement of the controls and the viewfinder/rangefinder arrangement works well. Luckily I had a copy of the manual as the film loading procedure is certainly non-intuitive! The manual itself is sort of chatty and disorganised, nowhere is there an illustration of the whole camera with an index to it's component parts, just individual illustrations of the various procedures under discussion. Certain points emerge quite casually, for example the fact that, if the 1/400 speed is required, the shutter speed ring must be set <em>before</em> the film is wound; this seems relatively important but it's just mentioned in the body of the text. Anyway, here are a couple of decent-sized samples from the first film; I'm certainly impressed by the lens and something more creative will emerge as I get to know the camera. Kodak Tri-X 400 developed in PMK Pyro.</p><div></div>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>#2</p><div></div>

[JDMvW]

<p>oooooh......<br>

[note to self, remember the Signet 35.]</p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>SShhh! <strong>JDM</strong>... Enough of that kind of talk or <strong>Donald</strong> and I will <em>both</em> be wanting one... The Signet would certainly be a nice companion for the Medalist...</p>

[david_l3]

<p>I have a Medalist just like yours. Also have the ground glass adapter and cut film back. Ken Ruth at Bald Mountain CLA'd it and told me the lens checked out among the best he'd seen. With that knowledge, it's a keeper. I'm still learning how to re-roll 120 film onto 620 rolls, and the negatives so far are excellent. </p>

[User_502260]

<p>I recently got a link from a friend showing that Ken is retiring permanently from camera repair. I was very sorry to read it. Ken worked on a number of projects for me and is quite a craftsman. I will have to send him a note.</p>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>Rick,</p>

<p>Nice looking camera. Your initial shots look great.</p>

<p> </p>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>Pete Hobbis,</p>

<p>Thanks for the info on the advertisements. I actually have a copy and did a scan of the back cover.</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

[donald_miller5]

<p>Hey, I am just loading a Baldessa that I was inspired to acquire quite a while ago. I am trying to remember what motivated me to get one. Tmax 400,Ektar100, Agfa Precisa 100 or Gold 200?</p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p><strong>Donald</strong>, if you're referring to a post I did on the Baldessa 1B, it was Arista 100 EDU Ultra I used.</p>

<p>http://www.photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00dw5v</p>

<p>Yes <strong>Les</strong>, the Medalist is a quite a handful. The original leather strap that came with it failed the "tug test", tearing away from the rivets, so it's now wearing a good strong (gulp)<em> Canon</em> strap. It sounds as if you have a fine example indeed, <strong>David</strong>, and I'll try to produce something a little more interesting with the camera,<strong> Marc</strong>, if and when the weather clears...</p>

[donald_miller5]

<p>Yes it was your post I was referring to. I just noticed that you posted on it 2 years ago also. Can not get the Arista right away so I will play with Agfa slide film. Yhanks</p>

[darin_cozine]

<p>Rick, nice find on the medalist. I've only rarely had the desire for one. But ive heard good things about the Ektar on it. A 5 element design.. a true heliar?</p>