A Camera You Don't See too Often

[ralf_j.]

I came upon this camera (MITHRA) by chance as I was looking through some Flickr Images. It is quite rare from what I see, made around 1947 in Switzerland. Mine came from the Republic of Georgia for a pretty reasonable cost given that the only eBay sample is listed at 200$.

 

Its name Mithra seems to be from a deity I am not very familiar with, sorry :-)

 

For a "simple" box camera, it is very well made, all metal with a 2 element Achromat lens. This projected a pretty sharp image on the ground glass after I cleaned it.

 

The viewfinder is another interesting contraption, it rotates via the front knurled ring for Landscape or Portrait mode.

 

Maintenance was pretty straight forward: remove 3 screws up front, clean viewfinder and blow away the dust bunnies sitting dormant under the decorative plate. Straighten out bent retainer of viewfinder, oil socket of rollers and reset light baffle thread with some modest glue. It is loaded with Arista 400, and time permitting, it will get some use this weekend. Here is the camera in the mean time.

 

 

 

[rick_drawbridge]

Now that's an interesting camera, Ralf, and I'm curious to see what it can produce. There's a little information regarding the company and the camera here:

 

Mithra – Vintage Camera Lab

 

Do you think that 400 ISO film might be a little fast for the experiment? I usually test these oldies with 100 ISO film, and choose a bright but slightly overcast day.

[ralf_j.]

Now that's an interesting camera, Ralf, and I'm curious to see what it can produce. There's a little information regarding the company and the camera here:

 

Mithra – Vintage Camera Lab

 

Do you think that 400 ISO film might be a little fast for the experiment? I usually test these oldies with 100 ISO film, and choose a bright but slightly overcast day.

You are correct Rick, but it is my go to test film, and if I pull the development a little plus some exposure control at scanning time Should do the trick. I still have some Neopan Acros in the freezer and a couple of Delta 100s, but those are for better cameras

[Mike Gammill]

Also a yellow filter would help if lighting conditions are too much for fast film.

[John Seaman]

Interesting indeed. I'm hoping that the mottled appearance of the lens in the second picture is a reflection! Another way of reducing exposure by around two stops would be to tape on a polarising filter,

 

There don't seem to have been that many cameras with doublet lenses for some reason.

[ralf_j.]

Interesting indeed. I'm hoping that the mottled appearance of the lens in the second picture is a reflection! Another way of reducing exposure by around two stops would be to tape on a polarising filter,

 

There don't seem to have been that many cameras with doublet lenses for some reason.

Hi John - that's not the lens, that's the shutter flap with slight rust on it. The lens is clear as a whistle (Safely behind the shutter) now after some generous Zeiss lens fluid was applied. :) The camera is ready to go, pleasure to aim and shoot after maintenance.

[glen_h]

Now that's an interesting camera, Ralf, and I'm curious to see what it can produce. There's a little information regarding the company and the camera here:

 

Mithra – Vintage Camera Lab

 

Do you think that 400 ISO film might be a little fast for the experiment? I usually test these oldies with 100 ISO film, and choose a bright but slightly overcast day.

 

I like ASA 400 film in older cameras.

 

For one, on a cloudy day it works well.

Usually it is within the exposure latitude for sunny days.

 

Last year, I was out with a Brownie 2(F). It has three aperture settings, the smallest of which

the manual says to never use with instantaneous shutter setting. (Maybe about 1/40.)

 

It might be f/32, so not bad with ISO 400 film.

 

You were supposed to use it indoors, with the shutter on T, the camera held steady, such as

on a table, and open/close maybe 1/2 second. (As well as you can time by hand.)

 

I also had VPL in my Brownie 2(F), along with a type F filter that I held in front of the lens.

[JDMvW]

Thanks very much. (here's a nearly useless article about it Mithra 47 - Camera-wiki.org - The free camera encyclopedia)

 

Mithraism was commonly followed by Roman military people. It was a major competitor to Christianity.

Mithraeum in Londinium