leigh_marrin

THANKS FOR ALL THE NUMEROUS REPLIES! This forum is one of the friendliest and most informative of the several I monitor. As my 5cm Corygon is evidently "only" a three-element lens, I won't expect much at f2.9, but I know from my little experience that Cooke triplets can be quite sharp stopped down.

My camera has two red windows on the back, so it evidently came with a reducing mask. As the Goldi is a 3x4cm vertical format, the reducing mask must have been 1.5x4cm, right? Seems like an awkward, "skinny" format shape.

Hi, just picked up what the seller describes as a ZEH GOLDI 127 folding camera. Except for MADE IN GERMANY written on the back, the body is otherwise unmarked.

The lens is marked C. FRIEDRICH, MUNCHEN, CORYGON-ANASTIGMAT F2.9 5cm. The shutter is a rim-set Deckel Compur, which appears to be fairly accurate.

It's got a folding "Albada" finder. Format size is 3x4cm. While the camera back has two red windows, the reducing mask is missing.

Overall, it's a cool little camera. Finish is not quite equal to my pre-war Ikontas, but very good. The X-shaped struts that support the lens work well, and it opens easily and locks up tight.

I can't find much about Goldi cameras or C. Friedrich lenses on Google; any info appreciated. Also, is its "Corygon" lens 2 or 3 elements?

After checking the bellows with a flashlight and checking the focus with a scrap of ground glass, I'm gonna order some 127 Efke film from J&C.

Thanks for reading; Leigh Marrin in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Well, this afternoon I checked out an eBay auction for a 35mm/f2 Fuji lens identical to mine: an hour before it closed there was a $1495 bid from a Japanese bidder.

Dang, it seems weird that an otherwise unremarkable lens I paid $150 for 20 years ago is now worth more to a few collectors than my Leica M3. But as I'd really love a Leica M2, I guess it's time for some profiteering.

Thanks for all the informative replies. I'll try to translate some of the Japanese/Fuji sites.

Peter, I suppose I should try and cash in on my "rare" Fuji lens, but I suspect I'd have trouble getting anywhere near those wild Tokyo prices here in North America. My 35mm/f2 Fuji appears to be a fairly decent lens, so I'll hang onto it.

About 20 years ago I picked up a LTM 3.5cm/f2 "Fujinon" lens, made by the "FUJI PHOTO FILM CO.", for use on my Leica M3 and IIIf. Price was about $150, and while I never used it much wide open, it is a fairly good lens in the mid aperture ranges. It's probably a little bigger than the first generation Leitz 35mm Summicron.

Recently I tried to find a little info on Fuji LTM lens on the web, and could find almost nothing. But on eBay, I was astounded to see an identical lens with an opening bid of $1400, and a "buy-it-now" price of about $2200. The buyer's hype mentioned that this was a very rare lens, and also that it was made in 1954, with 7 elements in 5 groups.

Also on eBay were listings for a Fuji 5cm/f.28, 5cm/f2, 5cm/1.2 and a 3.5cm/f3.5. All were very pricey; even the 3.5cm/f3.5 had an opening bid of about $3000. No surprise: none of the lenses had any bids yet.

Questions: wonder if anyone here has used any of the Fuji LTM lens, and their impressions of them? Also, did Fuji ever make a LTM-mount camera?

Interesting interview with Winogrand! Thanks.

For anyone in Southern California who likes Winogrand, the original photographs from his "Women Are Beautiful" book are currently on display at the art museum of the University of California at Santa Barbara. The UCSB show runs until May 1. While some of the pictures are somewhat grainy, all are well worth seeing.

Hi, as mentioned, you want metal single-sided film holders for your Avus. I'd try either eBay or Pacific Rim Photo in Salem, Oregon.

If possible, try to find German-made Kodak 9x12cm holders. They will work with either glass plates or sheet film. Most other 9x12cm holdes are intended only for glass plates, and require a seperate "film sheath" to adapt them for sheet film.

Ernest and John, thanks very much for your suggestions. I'll follow up on your leads.

--Leigh Marrin

Hi, I've got several old German plate cameras, including two in 9x12cm format. One is a Zeiss/Ica "Bee Bee" with a 13.5cm Tessar and the other is an unmarked Welta-looking body which has a 13.5cm Rodenstock Eurynar F4.5. I've got several cut film holders for 9x12cm, and am using Efke PL100 ordered from JandC Photo.

While both cameras have light-tight bellows, I'm still getting some film fogging. Last night I put a small flashlight inside the bellows with the bulb towards the back, and found that light is leaking through the felt light seal that sits next to the film holder. (Not much; not all sheets show fogging.)

Question: any suggestions on replacing this old, dry section of felt? (Or is it "velvet"?) Any suggestions on modern replacement cloth-types and glue are welcomed.

Thanks very much. --Leigh Marrin in Santa Barbara, Calif.