clarion-3

Hello folks, About pocketability, I have a Chinon 35EE, which is about the size of an Olympus Trip,but has the advantage of a really sharp rangefinder also delayed action. The cds meter is in the lens mount, so to put filter on is OK.The battery is a silver oxide SG13. There's a bright line viewfinder. The camera goes under different names. I bought mine from a car boot sale for ﾣ8 recently and was pleasantly surprised with the photos I took on the first film. There's also a hot shoe and the lens is 38mm 1:2.7 .Cyril Lowe

A method to avoid the "Contax Grip" is to put a small piece of hard plastic,or something similar, underneath the pointed projection next to the lens mount,so as to effectively cancel the infinity lock. You could put a spot of glue on it to fix it. Then the Kiev could be held as an ordinary camera,and focussing would be done as normal. Cyril Lowe

I know that I'm a couple of years behind the Retinette thread but I'm hoping someone can answer my query. I recently bought a Retinette 022 at a car boot sale. It is working at all speeds, although one second seems to struggle to get there. My question is what are the speeds on the other side of B for ? They are marked as 4,8 15, 30, 60, 125. The shutteris a Compur Rapid, but no way can these speeds be selected. There is also a LV scale. I am curious to know the answer. Cyril Lowe.

Is there anyone Who can advise me how to replace the shutter tapes on an Edixa-

mat Kadett please?

Hello! I'm deviating slightly from the previous subject, but this is still in the realms of Zeiss Ikontas. I recently bought a battered old folder from a car boot stall for three pounds Sterling. On taking it home I stuck the leather back on, cleaned it all over with Ronsonol, then polished it with Kiwi boot polish. The camera turned out to be a Semi Prince, from a Japanese maker.It is a direct copy of an Ikonta A,520. Things were sticking on the shutter,so I removed it,by unscrewing the ring inside the rear,then straightening things which had got bent and were preventing the thing from working. It took quite a bit of gentle tweaking before it fired OK, but I did it! I then cleaned the lens with Jessops cleaning fluid. It now works beatifully, and it has the first film in. The lens is a Schneider Jsco,f4.5, 7.5cm, and the shutter is named as a Prontor, but I think it may actually be a Telma as the speeds are 25,50,100 125. They were both made by Gauthier. I think it was made in 1938 as they added a PC socket that year. The only drawback with the camera is that the tab on the front door has been broken off, so I have to use an elstic band to keep it closed. The D ring of the rewind has been replaced with a brass knob, which is no detriment. C. Lowe

Hello, Very nice photos, but the camera shown is a Solida 1. The Solida 2 has an uncoupled rangefinder. I have one, no apparent body number, but Ennagon lens number84348.

Peter, I give up, for now .We did try! Cheers, Cyril

I'll add the letters!

These things are sent to try us, Peter.I own up to being numb over conputers. When I go on to my photos it says they are jpeg. It must be something I am doing. Cyril.

The picture of my Walz is considered undisplayable for some unknown reason. It's a bind. Cyril Lowe

Peter, I'm trying to send a picture of my Walz 35. Cyril LOwe

Nice looking camera, but doesn't it use Rapid cassettes which are unobtainable now? I can't see any means of rewinding the film.Cyril Lowe

RJ, Check out Rick Oleson's page "Brighten your Rangefinder" He suggests cutting a small piece of black adhesive tape and sticking it in the centre of the viewfinder window (front), the same size of the rangefinder patch. I've just done it to a dim camera and it works! Cyril Lowe

Hello Peter, I'm glad somebody acknowledges the Walz 35. I can't find any information on it anywhere. I bought one a couple of weeks ago and have had a film through it, and the photos have turned out lovely and sharp. After seeing your query I checked the camera using electronic flash, and it fires on both "M" and"X".I don't know if this is of any help, but just try it. I have found that once I got the gremlins out of the camera it works superbly, and it needs a wind and a half to cock the shutter, and it has to have a film in to do so. Cyril Lowe

Just a note to say that I bought a Walz 35 last week at a second hand shop. It's in unmarked condition, but the shutter speeds were a bit sticky. After applying a drop of Ronsonol, as is usual, and exercising the shutter quite a few times it seemed to work OK. But it has since turned into a double stroke winder, for some reason. Earlier it only needed a single stroke to wind on and cock the shutter. Does anyone have any ideas about it? Overall it is a beautifully made camera and I am hoping that things settle down. I have put a film in it today, so fingers crossed! The rangefinder is spot-on. Cyril Lowe

Try to get a Rank Mamiya. They have a 40mm Sekor 2.8 lens, speeds from 1/4 to 1/250 sec. Coupled rangefinder, and selenium meter. I got one for a fiver and the photos are superb. If the rangefinder is out a bit it can be adjusted in about fifteen minutes, by only removing the window bezel and tweaking a little screw with a small screwdriver. The Rank Aldis is the same camera but with a cds meter, which needs a battery. 40.5mm filters. Good searching, and a Happy New Year.

Further to my last note, I have discovered that my "Doxa" is identical to the Balda Baldax. The lens is named as a Doxanar, and the shutter is a Compur, going from 1 second to 1/500th, plus T and B. My photos came out somewhat fuzzy, but I put that down to the lens not being clean enough.

I'm not talking about posh cameras like Rolliflexes, but a simple TLR called Altiflex 1H. I would like to know what the shutter is. There is no name on it, the speeds go from 1/25 to 1/00 th sec, and T and B.The apertures are 4.5, 6.3, 9, 12, 18, 25. The camera was made around 1936 I believe. I bought this last week for a few quid, but apart from being dirty and very worn works OK, as far as I can see. I'm waiting for my first film to be processed. Cyril Lowe.

I found a rare one recently. A "Doxa",16 on 120, made by E.Birnbaum in Rumburg, Prague, in 1930. I cleaned the dirt off and stuck the leathers back on, then polished it with Kiwi shoe polish. The Zeiss bumps give it character. I dosed the shutter carefully with Ronsonol and the Compur works beautifully, self-timer and all. There doesn't appear to be any light leaks in the bellows, and I now have my first film in it. It cost three quid in an antique centre. Cyril Lowe.

In my note about my Rank Mamiya, the price I paid for it should have read five pounds.

Try a Rank Mamiya. I bought one for ?5 and it's the smoothest, quietest,and nicest camera to use that I have.And it turns out very nice pictures. The meter on mine is accurate, and you could jump through the viewfinder, and the rangefinder is very clear. What more could one want? Cyril Lowe.