OT: Re: What's the weirdest thing that you've ever found inside

From: Tony Duell <ard_at_p850ug1.demon.co.uk>
Date: Thu May 27 23:00:54 2004

>
> On Fri, 28 May 2004, Tony Duell wrote:
> > > While trying to find a Kodak Retina possibly lost off the back
> > Why would you want to find one of those? It is my opinion, based on
> > dismantling and repairing many cameras, that Kodak have never made a
> > decent camera. Not one! (and yes, I've worked on Retinas, Retinettes, and
> > Retina Reflexes).
>
> While I agree with you about the Retin*,

I don't blame you :-). An example. The Retina Reflex is very similar
inside to the Voigtlander Bessamatic. One of the main differences is the
exposure meter coupling. On the Voigtlander it's a train of brass gears.
On the Kodak it's a loop of string (and you can't install the string with
the front assembly in place, you can't install the string without the
exposure meter in place, but it would be a lot easier to install the
front assemnly before the meter. Hmmm..)

> it's a little like saying that IBM never made a decent computer.

You mean IBM did make a decent computer??? (only joking :-))

> I have a fairly decent cherry, mahogany? and leather 8x10" view
> camera made by Kodak. (actually apparently continued production

Yes, OK. And IIRC Graflex are actually part of Kodak, and their stuff
isn't too bad (although I prefer my 4 MPPs...)

> under Kodak name by companies swallowed up by Kodak (the MICROS~1
> of the early 20th century)
>
> If you're willing to wade into WWW:
> http://www.fiberq.com/cam/ekc.htm
> http://www.geh.org/fm/toronto/htmlsrc/mE13000111_ful.html
>
> Mine is one of the earlier ones (Century 1920s? 2D), and could
> use some substantial restoration work (such as replacing the
> bellows that I have a dozen patches on, and finding original

Totally off-topic, but for camera / repairs in the UK, I'll recomend 'The
Camera Bellows Company' in Birmingham. They can make just about any
bellows, and are not that expensive (around \pounds 50 for a bellows for
the MPP 5*4 camera). And they're pleasant to deal with, which counts for
a lot!

> lens and lens boards instead of what I'm using)

-tony
Received on Thu May 27 2004 - 23:00:54 BST

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