I've just fixed the shutters in both of my Bantam RF cameras (I half expected to wind up combining parts to make one working camera, given one shutter was completely locked, but it works a lot better without all the tiny aluminum shavings). The rangefinder in one appears accurate, and I've loaded it by cutting down a roll of 120. I'd like to put the other in working condition, also, either as a backup or to sell, but the RF is considerably out; I can't get the images to converge correctly at infinity (when set to infinity on the scale, convergence is around 25 feet), though the lens focus is correct and the RF is very close or dead on at 4 feet.
I've looked at Daniel Mitchell's page on adjusting the RF in the somewhat similar Kodak Signet 35, but while the shutters appear nearly identical, the RF setup isn't so similar; the Allen screw, and removable DOF scale that covers it, don't exist in the Bantam RF. Nor do there appear to be separate adjustments for different distances (adjusting the cam position on the focus ring); attempting to adjust with the screws on the front of the ring gives no effect that I can see.
Reloading these cameras turns out to be easier than I expected, BTW -- I was able to fit a full length 120 cut-down, with the leader and tail trimmed to about 7-8 inches, on the original 828 spools I have, which with the automatic winding stop in these cameras (Bantam RF uses a friction roller instead of the feeler pin in most other Bantam cameras, so works correctly even with unperfed film) will give 17 or 18 frames on a roll; that's a lot more practical (IMO) than 8 frames on original 828 film. Now I need to find more 828 spools, or get some materials and fabricate a few.
I've looked at Daniel Mitchell's page on adjusting the RF in the somewhat similar Kodak Signet 35, but while the shutters appear nearly identical, the RF setup isn't so similar; the Allen screw, and removable DOF scale that covers it, don't exist in the Bantam RF. Nor do there appear to be separate adjustments for different distances (adjusting the cam position on the focus ring); attempting to adjust with the screws on the front of the ring gives no effect that I can see.
Reloading these cameras turns out to be easier than I expected, BTW -- I was able to fit a full length 120 cut-down, with the leader and tail trimmed to about 7-8 inches, on the original 828 spools I have, which with the automatic winding stop in these cameras (Bantam RF uses a friction roller instead of the feeler pin in most other Bantam cameras, so works correctly even with unperfed film) will give 17 or 18 frames on a roll; that's a lot more practical (IMO) than 8 frames on original 828 film. Now I need to find more 828 spools, or get some materials and fabricate a few.
