hunter_compton

There are a couple problems with using a 620 spool. The flange diameter is still a bit too large, and the spool is a bit too short since the holder doesn't have spool centers. I have tried my modified spools with backing paper only, and have observed that they bind a bit at the start of the roll and the end, My fear is that with film on the spool there simply wouldn't be enough room in the film chambers for 12 exposures without binding up the camera.

Unfortunately, It's not the manual for the shutter. It's a screenshot of the the manual for servicing the Medalist II that Mike Butkus was kind enough to send me, and I doctored a bit to better reflect the subject matter. It doesn't include any information about the shutter other than how to remove it from the focusing helical assembly. There is apparently a military technical manual for the Medalist floating around, but I haven't been able to find one short of one being offered for $200 on eBay.

I thought that I would share a very special camera out of my collection with you folks here. This is my Kodak Brownie, the $1.00 camera first offered for sale by Eastman Kodak in 1900. This technically isn't the very first brownie, as the very first production run of 15,000 had a problematic shoe-box style back cover, and were only sold from February to March 1900. This model was a revision of the design to include a sliding latch and was sold from March 1900 until October 1901 when the No.2 Brownie was released and this camera got renamed as the No.1 Brownie. The acquisition of this camera is an interesting story in of itself. I happened across a small antique store in northern Michigan a few years back and inquired the proprietor about cameras. She then showed me a cardboard box full of a dozen or more mostly uninteresting 35mm point and shoot cameras along with some accessories, I saw a Kodak Bantam in there too, which was enough to convince me to pay the asking price of $20 for the lot. Later, when I was able to unpack the lot I found this forlorn little box in the bottom, and opening the back I realized quite what I had. The small reflex finder was also found in the box. My camera has multiple wear marks, but complete with the detachable (and often lost) winding key, the optional reflex finder and is light tight. The reflex finder is still workable too as the mirror hasn't desilvered. Pulling off the front reveals the simple rotary shutter. Pushing the lever on top either to the left or the right trips the shutter for an instantaneous exposure (probably about 1/30 of a second). There is a small lever on the right side which can be pulled out with a fingernail and allows for time exposures. The lens is a simple meniscus and is set up for a single aperture size (probably somewhere from f/11 to f/16). The red window is intact on the back. Sliding the latch on the back and pulling down the rear cover reveals the film holder assembly. This card is folded over the backing paper after it is wound around the back of the wood and card assembly. The gold letters "Brownie Camera" identify this camera as one of the 1900 models as the later cameras would say "No.1 Brownie". I will admit, shooting with the camera that started it all and brought photography into the hands of the average consumer is a very tempting proposition. I would very much like to shoot with this camera, but I have not done so yet as it takes the now long obsolete 117 roll film. 117 film is the original 2 1/4" x 2 1/4" film with six exposures per roll. 120 film is the same width and the numerical markings on the back would work, but 117 film had a narrower spool flange diameter of 7/8" vs just over 1" for 120. This means that 120 spools will not fit in the Brownie. I have some plastic spools which I have reduced the flange diameter to fit the Brownie, but a full roll of 120 will still not fit as it will exceed the flange diameter and result in light leaks. One solution would be to cut down a roll of 120, both the film and backing paper to six exposures in order for it to fit. The other option would be to make a custom spool with a spindle that is similar to that found on a 620 spool but with the height and keyhole size of a 120 spool and the flange diameter of a 117 spool, this would result in being able to fit 12 exposures per roll. I assume a slower film like Ilford Pan F+ would be ideal for a camera like this in bright sun or slightly overcast conditions.

You may want to check out this thread as well, as it has some photos of a disassembled Medalist II shutter: A day with Big Bertha If your slow speeds aren't working, are you able to tell whether your fast speeds actually differ by rotating the shutter speed ring? Possibly there is no spring pressure pushing the escapement cam arm into the gear train or the triangular escapement claw has worn teeth?

My apologies for the delay, I had hoped to have this uploaded sooner but it ended up being longer than expected and then we lost power here the other evening and it killed my upload progress. Try this link: And if you have trouble seeing it let me know.

I am far from an expert on these (my experience is all of two cameras), so I could of course be wrong in my suspicions. There is a relatively easy way to test what is at fault. Extend the focusing helical to the infinity point and then take the back off. Find the sliding plate on the top of the guide assembly (it will have four screws holding two L shaped metal brackets to it). Push the sliding plate to the right, this will cock the shutter, then push it to the left, which will fire the shutter. If this moves smoothly (it will require some force because you don't have the benefit of leverage from the winding knob or auxiliary cocking lever) then the issue is in the body. If it does not, then the issue is in the shutter.

I have been working on my Medalist I the last few weeks, the two are very alike of course, the main difference being flash sync and revised distance scale on the Medalist II. I suspect your issue is not in the shutter, but in the body of the camera, where there are many sliding surfaces and 70 year old grease to gum up the works. The ring in your first photo (with the red arrow) allows one to remove the focusing helical, however it is not necessary to remove either the shutter from the focusing helical or the helical from the camera in order to service the shutter. Everything necessary can be removed from the front in order to access the shutter internals for CLA. The ring highlighted with the purple arrow is for retaining the top plate of the shutter mechanism and does need to be removed after removing the front lens element, shutter speed and aperture rings and the plate with shutter speed and aperture markings. The process for disassembling the shutter is rather complicated to describe, I was planning on creating a video showing how to service the No.2 Supermatic, If you are able to wait I should have it available in the next couple of days. There will be some small differences in the shutter because of the self timer vs flash sync, but it should help you understand things.

I recently aquired a Kodak Medalist I camera (the earlier version with self timer and fine focus dial that lacks flash sync). It is in decent cosmetic condition, the lens is clean and clear and the shutter functions but I will still probably tear it down and give it some CLA. However, this example has a couple of broken and missing parts. The front lens element for the viewfinder is cracked into two pieces, it's still usable but I would like to replace it because it is bothersome to compose a picture with a large line in the viewfinder. It's a meniscus lens with a concave rear, so I cannot simply replace it with a new piece of glass or plastic. Also, the disc which displays the focus distance ranges in the DOF calculator is missing, I have the spring and glass for it but the rotating dial has disappeared somehow in this camera's lifetime. Can anyone direct me as to where I could acquire such parts. With a camera this old and obscure, I don't believe any retailer would have an inventory of parts but perhaps somebody has a parts camera or something?

<p>What exactly is the difference between the SM and SF flashbulbs and the No.5 and 25, I had always thought that there was a difference in timing, but I have noticed in a few of my camera manuals it says that the cameras can use any of these bulbs. What is the difference?</p>

<p>So I recently acquired a nice No. 2 Bulls-Eye Kodak from 1898 with two empty spools in it. Now I know that 101 roll film went the way of the dodo in 1956 and that Central Camera in Chicago no longer carries it either.<br> Since I want to use this camera and not be limited to single sheets of film or photo paper I figured that I could make some film by soaking 3.5" paper in Rockwell's Liquid Light to make a negative material. I know it would be slow but paper negatives were the first kind of film. The problem is that I cannot find any source of 3.5" wide paper, acetate or plastic film anywhere and was wondering if you guys had any comments or ideas?</p>

<p>And don't forget you can print your own box with the link below the text.</p>

<p>Any suggestions?</p>

<p>This season be sure to use only the finest quality films in your Kodak camera, this includes the new Kodak T-MAX 100 films for black and white prints. This film has fine grain and fast speed for photographic situations both indoors and out. Ask for quality! Use only Kodak films in your Kodak camera.<br> <img src="http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/s636/hcompton79/kodaksignet35tmax800x600_zps3acdb67a.jpg" alt="" /></p> <p>This fine quality product is now available for the low price of only FREE! Suggested printing size is 8x10 for a 35mm film box. Print on thick cardstock and glue tabs.<br> http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/s636/hcompton79/KodakT-MAX1950sdesign_zps2dfd08a0.jpg</p>

<p>I am thinking of buying a large roll of 46mm Kodak Kodalith ortho 6556 type 3 film to bulk load film for my 127 cameras. I know that this is a high contrast film but have some questions:<br> 1. I know it will still have a high contrast but will souping it in Diluted to 1:3 or D-76 at 1:9 give some midtone values and if to for how long should they be developed?<br> 2. I have read that using an acid stop bath will cause pinholes in the emulsion, and was wondering if an acid fixer will do the same. I use the Kodak fixer from B&H and is this an acid fixer?</p>

<p>What do you mean by a fogged emulsion? One exposed to light?</p>

<p>Does anyone with more chemistry experience than me think that there is a way to create modern "instant" film for those old polaroid land cameras? Perhaps someway to use 120 film and photo paper with some sort of chemical regent. It wouldn't need to take the original 60 seconds but perhaps 15 minutes or less. Using an external fixer like the original polaroid films.</p>

<p>No mine is the early model, no fan, small lamphouse and no switches.</p>

<p>Does anyone know what the purpose was for the transformer that came with the early (20's and 30's) Kodascope projectors was for? I have a Kodascope model C and was wondering if it was necessary for use.</p><div>[ATTACH=full]760390[/ATTACH]</div>

<p>Yea I've seen and own many 828 boxes in my collection. But I wanted to reproduce the original box to go in my 00 cartridge premo display. </p>

<p>Does anyone know what the box looked like for this type of film, it came out in 1916 to go with Kodak's 00 Cartridge Premo. I am looking for the picture of the <strong>Film </strong>box not the one for the camera which can be found on Google images.</p>