what camera is this

[robinb]

hi All

dose anybody know what camera this is ?
I'm sure I've seen one before but I can't put my finger on it

thanks

robin

[Alan Clark]

Robin,
It looks like a Kodak half-plate technical camera, but the enlarged picture is too blurred to make out clearly.

Alan

[MartyNL]

I'm by no means an expert but it looks a bit like a Korona View Camera by Gundlach Optical Co. Or something similar.
Not all that hopeful I suppose!
http://www.historiccamera.com/cgi-bi...&search=search

[JOReynolds]

Originally Posted by Alan Clark

Robin,
It looks like a Kodak half-plate technical camera, but the enlarged picture is too blurred to make out clearly.

Alan

I agree with Alan. I became familiar with the Kodak Specialist, modified for 4x5", at the Regent Street Polytechnic in the early 1960s. The colour is the clincher.

[Alan Clark]

Originally Posted by JOReynolds

I agree with Alan. I became familiar with the Kodak Specialist, modified for 4x5", at the Regent Street Polytechnic in the early 1960s. The colour is the clincher.

Yes, a Specialist.
Don't drop one on your foot....

Alan

[Brock]

Not sure if it's your camera, Robin, but if you need instructions then I posted them a while back on my website:

http://www.theonlinedarkroom.com/201...e-and.html?m=0


www.theonlinedarkroom.com

[Lostlabours]

I've seen them sell in excellent condition for £50 (last 12 months). The 205mm (8") f7.7 Ektar lens is often over looked, these are superb lenses, vey sharp from Infinity to 1:1, also very small and light, better than the US made versions as they are Compur #0 compatible.

Ian

[Brock]

Hi Ian,

I'm on my second one. Got the first cheaply at a local auction and traded it along with some cash for Leica gear. Picked up the second one for £100 including the 203mm Ektar and a 90mm Angulon. Still haven't used them much at all which is a shame really. The plan is to use it for half plate contacts. I'm great at plans - putting them into action is the hard bit.


www.theonlinedarkroom.com

[Lostlabours]

Bruce, the downside to the British made 203mm f7.7 Ektars is they are usually in an Epsilon or Prontor SVS shutter neither of which has a preview function. Very late ones were in a Comur (last version of the shutter) but they seem quite rare.

I had one in an Epsilon but acquired a second in a Rontor SVS in a job lot of shutters - 3 for £20, it's in mint condition. I let the first go when I sold a monorail camerabut acquired another in a stick shutter (quickly fixed) last year, this one is a rare late US version in a Compur #1 so has a preview lever. Usually US versions are in old Supermatic shutters.

You'll need to test the 90mm f6.8 Angulon, some are excellent others, usually early ones SN below 5,000,000, can be quite variable in quality. They just cover 5x4 with no room for movements. At f22 they are capable of excellent results.

Both lenses are in my light-weight LF kit that I use in Turkey/Greece and the image quality is on a par bwith my modern lenses.

Half plate film is rather expensive but you can use 7x5 flim holders as they have the same outside dimensions as the Kodak half plate holders. 7x5 film is a lot cheaper and easier to find.

For some reason these Kodak cameras are often over looked, they are quite capable cameras, I see them fairly regulary for sale at my local camera fair.

IAn

[Brock]

My Ektar has the Prontor, Ian. It's in beautiful condition so will probably produce excellent results. The Angulon is 654,xxx,xxx (can't remember the whole number) so it might be good as well. I've got some quarter plate film holders and was going to use the Angulon for the smaller format. I don't think I'm going to have a 5x4 enlarger once
I get my darkroom up and running so it might not see much use.

My Specialist came in its original outfit case and seems to have been the clinical photography kit - camera, Ektar, Kodak mount 370 lens adapter, filter and lens hood, auxiliary and extension tracks, half plate holders and quarter plate film sheaths and Kodak tripod. It's a great outfit and just speaking about it makes me want to get it out and shoot some pics.


www.theonlinedarkroom.com