Concerning the Medalist

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>It's great to see continuing interest in the Medalist. Thanks <strong>Greg</strong>, that Ektar lens seems well-suited to landscape work. Quite right, <strong>Tony</strong>, I think there's so much detail in these scans that it tends to soften them at a small size. When they're pumped up to the equivalent of, say, a 20x24 print, they lose that effect and just look very sharp.</p>

<p>Thanks <strong>JDM</strong>, and "steampunk" sums it up, all nuts and bolts, metal in all directions. The camera arrived with it's original leather strap attached, but it was as near as dammit to breaking at one of the attachment points, so I took it off. As the strap had been passed through the attachment brackets and the loops riveted closed, I had a choice of cutting the strap or unscrewing the brackets. I chose to remove the brackets, slightly amused by this lack of fancy stuff like buckles. Still, I guess Linda Lens would have put some strain on the system...</p>

<p>Thank you <strong>Arnie</strong>, <strong>Julio</strong>, <strong>Sandy</strong> and <strong>Kent</strong> for your input.</p>

[Two23]

<p>I've been reading up on the Medalist, and found that famous railroad photographers of the 1940s, Beebe & Clegg, used one of these along with a Speed Graphic. The camera was replaced in the mid 1950s by the Chevron, which was just as expensive at the time. I was getting all excited about the Chevron and considering buying one until I found it's just a 6x6. Can't imagine any 6x6 better than my c.1954 Rollieflex.</p>

<p>Kent in SD</p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Yes, <strong>Kent</strong>, I had a passing interest in the Chevron,but I learnt that the five-element lens in the Medalist had been downgraded to four elements in the Chevron, and that the Synchro-Rapid 800 shutter was prone to failure and was expensive (and sometimes impossible) to repair. It just didn't seem quite like my sort of camera... And, as you point out, there are heaps of good 6x6 cameras out there.</p>

[Robert_Lai]

<p>I have the Medalist II. It still has the metal strap brackets, but my case has attachment points for the strap, so they go there. The strap is leather, but inside the leather is a plastic reinforcement layer, along the entire length of the strap. This would prevent the strap from ever letting go if the leather broke.<br>

The cases and straps for the Nikon F and F2 followed a similar concept. There is a metal liner in the strap where it attaches to the loop on the case. Thus, the strap attachement is metal to metal, never to leather. The inside of the early Nikon straps also have some type of plastic reinforcement to prevent letting go if the leather cracks through. <br>

<br />If only Leica had thought to take such careful precautions with their early leather cases and straps! I routinely cut off almost all vintage leather straps due to their insecurity at this point in time. The Medalist and Nikon straps have been the exception.</p>

<p>In terms of industrial construction, the Medalist II has 1/4 inch wide brass rails internally, along with the appropriate wipers to allow the lens to extend, and maintain flash synch.</p>

<p>Overall, though it is an extremely good camera, its size and weight make it a tripod camera.<br>

Trying to shoot it handheld invariably results in blurs for me. The shutter release requires deliberate effort to plunge it all the way down.</p>

[Rick_van_Nooij]

<p>I still have my 1941 Medalist I, the linkage between the winding knob and the shutter has been removed at some point, presumably because something jammed at the time. I have to manually cock the shutter and use the red window to advance the film.<br /> I'm pretty sure if you find a 1941 sample without the black anodized helical it is one that went to the civilian market. The Black lens barrels were done by military request to either reduce reflection or beter protection against sea water. Graflex also switched to black-painted trimmings in 1943 with their Anniversary Speed Graphics. <br /><br />I've read references to the US Navy taking 200 medalists and using their Ektar lenses for Stereoscopic Landscape reconnaissance cameras but I've yet to see proof of this. <br /><br />A few of the British Army Film & Photography Unit photographers were lucky enough to receive a Medalist and got to shoot color film with them.<br /> <br />One of the three appendectomies performed aboard a submerged submarine during WW2 was photographed with a Medalist on Christmas Eve 1942 by Lt. Robert K.R. Worthington.<br /> <a href="http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08236.htm">Details and photo of this operation aboard the Silversides (SS-236) </a><br>

<br />Medalists were in the US Navy inventory well into the 1970s.</p>

[chuck_foreman1]

<p>Amazing... beautiful landscapes... As you said objet d'art...but you created same with a less than spectacular tool... Great Work!!</p>

<p> </p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Thanks, <strong>Chuck</strong>, I'm pleased you enjoyed the post!</p>

[rajmohan.]

<p>I've been seduced by <strong>Rick</strong>'s images and the experiences of others here into buying a Medalist II, apparently in good cosmetic and functional condition. I look forward to receiving it shortly.<br>

I have two questions:<br>

1. Rick - did you shoot the images in this thread hand-held or on a tripod?<br>

2. Is it possible to use a standard threaded shutter release cable on the Medalist I/II? I've read conflicting information about this.<br>

Thank you.</p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Congratulations, <strong>rajmohan</strong>, you're in for an interesting experience! Make sure you read the instructions; Mike Butkus has a copy on his invaluable site, for a small donation:<br /> <br /> http://www.butkus.org/chinon/kodak/kodak_medalist_ii/kodak_medalist_ii.htm</p>

<p>Yes, all these images were hand-held, mainly at 1/200, and yes, the camera has a standard screw-in cable release socket. It's not visible until the lens is screwed out to the taking position, being mounted on the helical just behind the control rings. Post some images of and from the camera when you've had a chance to get familiar with it!</p>

<p>I'm sorry I didn't respond sooner, but Photo.net failed to advise me of your posting a response in the thread.</p>