User_503771

<p>Another option is black silicone rubber caulking compound. Should last awhile too.<br>

Don't bother with the "gun" gizmo that you'd use if caulking around a window pane. You could use a Q-tip or other similar implement to apply it.</p>

<p>Yes, I'd be interested. I'll have to pay postage; I'm in California.</p>

<p>One thing to consider is that in the early days of scanning, just about the only high quality scans available were drum scanners. It was -- and still is -- typical of drum scanner operators to present their wares in terms of file size, rather than resolution.</p>

<p>File size will not only reflect potential resolution, as noted above, but also how much time the scan will tie up the machine.</p>

<p>With a call or email to the vendor, this should be easy to sort out.</p>

<p>To quote:</p>

<p>"The previous owner had fitted a very crude shim between the font element and the lens board."<br>

<br>

I can't visualize this, I just don't have enough data about what this means.</p>

<p>If the shim means that the front element is inhibited from being fully screwed into the shutter, then you have to remove that shim because the spacing between the elements won't be right.</p>

<p>Regarding the above comments about shims: If the lens was originally fitted with shims, in order to adjust the spacing, then they're important. However, I've rarely seen these in modern lenses.</p>

<p>To clarify: Such a shim would be a very thin flat piece of metal, probably brass, shaped like a doughnut, placed between the element and the interior shutter body.</p>

<p>Some "barrel" (no shutter) long-focal length lenses for graphics work came with these, to help optimize them for close focus; they could be removed to optimize for infinity focus (or maybe it was the other way around??).</p>

<p>Anyway, if that shim you've described interferes with either element being screwed all the way into the shutter body, you need to remove it, then check your results with the lens.</p>

<p>Otherwise, an enthusiastic "ditto" to the above advice to send it in for a checkup. Getting that taken care of should be well worth it!<br>

Good luck, and do let us know what happens.</p>

<p>I noticed some of the shots had some vignetting, presumably from the AutoVignette feature built into that fine instrument. And you found the undocumented toggle for it -- genius!<br>

Great shots too.</p>

<p>google "photo exposure record" and you'll get some nice hits. And by the way, I checked and the filoflex page is still there and is another nice option.</p>

<p>Sadly, I also looked for the old Zone VI Field Data exposure notebook and couldn't find any except old copies going for high prices.</p>

<p>You could also check out Ansel Adams's offering in "The Negative". It's got a great layout and is free to copy (he offered it up for copying, right there in the book).</p>

<p>No need to apologize for the "close to home" shots! They're great, as always.</p>

<p>I really hope that the worst is well behind you, with more of the best ahead of you.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, it's obvious that your "hiatus" did not in the least affect your eye for a photo, or your ability to compose. I've always liked your photos and the stories behind them, and look forward to many more.</p>

<p>Eat well, get your rest, and keep the photos coming!</p>

<p>You might want to check HP's web site for info about B&W printing. I know that I got some weird results from my 8550 and they posted a work-around for just that thing.</p>

<p>I don't recall offhand, but it had to do with fiddling the print settings to reduce color saturation; had no effect on image contrast, but sure got rid of color cast!</p>

<p>Also, the paper you use is a very big deal in this regard, or at least so I've found. It's curious, but for color printing it's not such a big deal, but with B&W it is. The 8550 is my third or fourth HP printer and I love 'em all, so it's worthwhile to work it out.</p>

<p>I like the low saturation in the color photos, it serves the subject matter really very well.</p>

<p>I wonder, is it low saturation or low contrast? Oh, whatever, it works. Thanks for the post!</p>

<p>If you've got to eat Ramen noodles, here's a tip:</p>

<p>Start with cold water, throw some raw broccoli in, bring to boil, then throw in the noodles. Use just half the "flavor" packet, maybe a little hot sauce.</p>

<p>Spinach works well too. With either one, at least you're getting some nutrition with the ballast.</p>

<p>The reason I know all this is because I, too, have bought used equipment a few times (haw-haw) in my day.... (And thank the photo gods that Ramen noodle packets are actually cheaper now than they used to be!)</p>

<p>Signed,</p>

<p>The Voice of Experience</p>

<p>PS: Congratulations on the great find, and the great photos with it!</p>

<p>Thanks for the replies!</p>

<p>To Rob, my apologies if any are in order (<em>huh, wha'? Were you funning me?</em>)</p>

<p>JDM, just to clarify -- I'm not so sure either about business prospects. But I'd sure to love to be able to work on my own equipment.</p>

<p>Leigh, I will follow up on your lead, which is much appreciated. My time lately is fairly limited, but as soon as I find out anything, I'll make a new post about it so that others will know too.</p>

<p>Thanks again, everybody.</p>

<p>I decided over the holidays to finally take the plunge and contact Infotech, in Colorado, for their complete Valera camera repair course, which is apparently a classic in its field.</p>

<p>I found the web site, but when I tried to contact them through the email address, I got a return on the email; it's no longer "in service".</p>

<p>A google search came up with hits that indicate that Infotech is no longer extant. Apparently the principal, Larry Lyells, has passed away (?) and they shut down after that.</p>

<p>So, I'm wondering if anyone has reliable info as to either: 1) has Infotech indeed shut down?; 2) has Infotech passed on their enterprise to someone else?; or 3) another source for these manuals.</p>

<p>Infotech had them available either as reprints or on CD; I'd love to get ahold of the CD, as I have access to really good printing equipment, for good repro quality. But a good reprint would do nicely.</p>

<p>Some time ago I did get a repro book of a bunch of National Camera repair course booklets, but the repro quality was really bad and I couldn't easily make heads or tails out of the order of the books. It had been presented (on eBay) as a rather complete course, but I have the nagging feeling that something important is missing.</p>

<p>Also, with the poor repro quality, most of the pictures are uselessly unclear, and the pictures are a very important part of the course materials. It's as though a substantial percentage of the information is just missing because of this.</p>

<p>So, if anyone knows where I can get good repro quality, and complete, copies of the Valera course, would you let me know? I'll be watching posts here for any replies, with bated breath!</p>

<p>Hoping you all had a great Holiday season, and let's all keep shooting into and through the new year!</p>

<p>If I recall correctly, the Korona 8x10 uses a six-inch square lensboard, about 1/4" thick, with a rabbet cut around the edges to make the front part of the board about 1/8" thick.</p>

<p>This is pretty much identical to the boards made for Ansco and Burke & James 8x10 cameras. They might well be interchangeable without modification.</p>

<p>Later model Deardorff boards (the ones with the square corners) might also fit, but you have to watch out because the Deardorff boards were often thicker overall, and some cameras can't accommodate the extra thickness.</p>

<p>As for the back, you could look on eBay for one; they come up now and then. Be sure and measure the back that you have, and make sure the outer dimensions are the same on any back that you try.</p>

<p>The problem with backs from other manufacturers is often in the rabbet being cut to a different dimension. Also, the "mating" pins, which attach the back to the camera, usually won't match up. But if it's the standard, later-model Korona, any reducing back from any other late-model Korona should work fine.</p>

<p>Someone skilled at working with wood should be able to help you modify a reducing back that doesn't fit, so long as it isn't too small.</p>

<p>I think that the camera might be worth the price noted above, without the lens. The lens and shutter appear to be in good clean shape (look through the glass with the shutter open; if it's nice and clear with minimal or no scratches, you have a good specimen!). If so, the lens is certainly worth a lot more than the camera.</p>

<p>Check eBay's completed listings for Protar VII or Protar 7, see what they've sold for recently. If it's less than a couple hundred for the lens, I'd hang onto it until the price rebounds. Or better yet, keep and it shoot with it!</p>

<p>Same goes for the camera -- it might be worth somewhere over $100 in its current condition, but if you put a bellows on it, you'd have an 8x10 you can shoot with -- and a lightweight one at that!</p>

<p>One big advantage your camera has, is that it has its extension track. Many of those cameras are missing them, so this adds substantially to its potential value.</p>

<p>I've recently acquired a Polaroid Sprintscan 120 (a rebadged Microtek Artixscan 120tf with different firmware).<br>

It worked sporadically for a while but not reliably, and after uninstalling and reinstalling Polacolor Insight v5.5.1 I can't get it to work at all with either that program or Silverfast AI 5.5, although it now works just fine with Vuescan (after not working with that program initially).<br>

Re Insight: It'll prescan and set up just fine, but when I go to scan, it now says that it can't create a preview file and that I should clear space on the drive where my temp file is.<br>

Silverfast says it can't start the scanner.<br>

I tried running it on my SCSI card and that worked sporadically; that's what inspired me to just uninstall everything and reinstall. But I did manage to update the firmware to v. 1.33 (an option not available with firewire) so the effort was not lost. Now I'm using it with the firewire port; that seems to hold the most promise.<br>

Does anyone have one of these up and running currently on an XP machine? I'd like to have the option to use other than Vuescan, but what the heck, it works as-is so it's not urgent. I just like to make these things work if possible under all scenarios. If we could compare notes, that would be great.</p>

<p>If the dust is inside the bellows, then it's inside the camera and can of course cause problems.</p>

<p>If it's on the outside, it's not a problem per se, except that it's an indicator that the camera is dirty -- which could mean that the back where the film holder goes is also dusty/dirty.</p>

<p>If the dust is on the inside of the bellows, one good way to clean it is with a piece of masking tape looped around so that the sticky side is out. Gets lint off of slacks too.</p>

<p>I read some time ago, someone recommended trying activated (?) charcoal for this very thing. Or it might have been some charcoal available for water filtering equipment, like the ones in aquarium water circulating pumps.</p>

<p>Sorry I don't remember more.</p>

<p>The problem as I see it would be primarily on the interior surface of the bellows -- that's been the source of persistent odor of all smelly bellows I've had contact with in the past. You can usually clean the exterior well enough to get it to stop stinking, but the interior has absorbent fabric.</p>

<p>I've tried various strategies to take care of this, all to no avail.</p>

<p>I have one camera right now that has this malady, and the bellows is in really good shape, too.</p>

<p>Airing out in sunlight certainly seems like it could help, as it would kill off most of the odor creating little critters (mildew) infesting your rig.</p>

<p>Thereafter, if you decide to not replace the bellows until it's actually shot, I would recommend storing it separately from lenses, film holders, etc. to hedge your bets against mildew, fungus etc. migrating in greater-than-normal concentrations from the camera to the other stuff; perhaps in a small cardboard box, closed.</p>

<p>But the fact remains that this sort of stink probably indicates a certain amount of rot occurring within the interior fabric, besides the obvious life-forms thriving therein. So a bellows replacement will be necessary regardless, it's just a matter of when.</p>

<p>And meantime, if you do find a solution to this, <em>post it! </em>You would find yourself suddenly most popular around these parts.</p>

<p>Sorry I can't be of more help....</p>

<p>The dog appears to be considering making a run for it. That smell, huh?</p>

<p>The distortion reminds me of my perceptions as I made some of the mistakes of my youth. A long time ago, but notable memories....</p>

<p>Wow. That's all I can say. Keep posting, everybody who gets their hands on it!</p>

<p>If it'll ease your mind any, I'm available (for a nominal fee) to impersonate a member of the Secret Police. Just let me know when you finish your Polaroid mod, and I'll be happy to show up about 4-5 hours after you fall into deep, rapid-eye-movement sleep, and pound on your door.</p>

<p>After that, I will make some furious but curiously indecisive attempts to confiscate your camera (all the while never once trespassing), fail in doing so, give up and then run away.</p>

<p>But seriously, I hope you post what you do with the camera and how you did it.</p>