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Any Idea What Camera This Fits?

Punkinhed7

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Just picked up what appears to be a bottom plate winder/film advance lever adapter for, judging by the size and the little guide tabs on the sides, a 35mm camera. Other than that I haven't been able to figure out much about exactly which camera it would fit. It has a black matte/crackle finish and no distinguishing marks/names that I can see. Any help would be much appreciated.

PS. Sorry for the poor photo quality...took them with shaky hands on an iphone.
 
Which camera has

-) a body with rounded edges

-) the transport/cocking lever at the bottom

-) takes an accessory winder
 
Well, it looks fairly similar to the bottom-located winder on a retina, but why would you need to add a second one...

I also thought possibly leica/other old knob-wind rf's but the only thing I could find was the Leicavit style trigger.

As to your second point, why would the transport lever need to be on the bottom in the camera's native state? An accessory winder port/access seems like it would do the job fine.

The total lack of branding/maker's mark is also throwing me a bit.

If you know the answer: please, share your thoughts (sorry if I'm missing something glaringly obvious).
 
My idea is that your part is the standard lever, that could be substituted by a winder.
And most winders, including old models, are located at the bottom.

A special access to the transport gear-train for a winder may mean more space needed. Then a detachable lever may be the better solution.


Retina:

Well, some Retinas and the Retinette have exactly the same location of the gear-unlocking button with respect to the lever. But that's it.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I've got a Retina Reflex S and Retina Reflex IV, and it doesn't look like either of them (but I'll check when I get home anyway).

To me it looks more like an accessory, to add bottom-wind capability to a regular top lever/knob body, in which case that's a whole lot bigger field in which to look.
 
well

Why do you believe it is for a camera? Could it be a winder for an accessory film back instead?
 
A bit more info: from end to end the base/black metal part measures ~63mm, the width is about 31mm, the inner diameter of the part that engages the camera is 12mm and exterior (around the threads) is 15mm.

AgX: I'm more inclined to think it's an accessory winder rather than the standard piece because of the two little tabs on the side to keep it stable/to stop it from rotating once attached.

snapguy: that's an interesting thought that I hadn't considered...any suggestions of type?
 
Punkinhed7 said:
AgX: I'm more inclined to think it's an accessory winder rather than the standard piece because of the two little tabs on the side to keep it stable/to stop it from rotating once attached.
Click to expand...

The same would apply to a standard lever that is substitutible with a winder.
 
first thought

My first thought was a winder for a roll film back for a Speed Graphic or something similar.
 
The same would apply to a standard lever that is substitutible with a winder.
Click to expand...

I know we're getting down to semantics here, but if it's substitutable by design wouldn't that then make the winder by itself an accessory?
 
looked up

I Googled "35mm film camera with winding lever on bottom" and one photo that I saw looks exactly like your gizmo. It is from a Retina Reflex III. I am gobsmacked.
 
They're definitely similar but, at least compared to mine, have some noticeable differences.

Here it is alongside the lever on a II-c.

Notable differences: the circle covering the center hub/axle of the lever is much larger on the retina while the lever portion is both a different shape and slightly longer on the mystery piece. The spool release button is also much smaller on the retina. Structurally, the lever on the mystery is piece is substantially elevated and spaced further from the edge of the camera than on the retina.

As I look more at the crackle finish it's seeming more reminiscent of something you'd see on a Russian piece...any ideas there?

Finally, one more measurement I thought could be helpful: the distance from the edge of the circle that would protrude into the winder to what would presumably be the edge/end of the camera/back is ~37mm
 
oops, that last reply was to Chris...taking your google advice now snapguy


Edit: I looked and the winder on the Retina Reflex III looks more like the one on my IIc than the unidentified one. Maybe you found a different image...can you link it?
 
Punkinhed7 said:
I know we're getting down to semantics here, but if it's substitutable by design wouldn't that then make the winder by itself an accessory?
Click to expand...

Precisely! That was my idea.

That lever being the standard part (though substitutible), and the winder being the accessory.
 
any other leads? doing some more snooping around last night I started thinking maybe it could fit some/one of the Zorki's but don't have one laying around to test the theory.
 
Punkinhed7 said:
any other leads? doing some more snooping around last night I started thinking maybe it could fit some/one of the Zorki's but don't have one laying around to test the theory.
Click to expand...

I saw something like that attached to one of the very early knob wind SLRs, something like a Contax D.
 
Success! Thanks for the Contax tip...led me down the right path:

Quick Winder (Schnellschalthebel)

 
That was where I saw it before... But I was looking for a body with rond edges...



Thus two groups were right:

-) those who thought it to be a lever to be substituted by a winder

-) those who though it to be a additional lever to add bottom film winding to a camera with top winding.


That bottom access to the transport gear-train was designed

-) to couple to the transport mechanism of a 17m back

-) to couple to a spring-driven and a electrical winder

-) to couple to this transport lever


The idea probably was less to have bottom film transport, but to have fast film transport. Faster than with the original transport knob at the top.
The question remains though why the camera did not get a fast transport lever at the top anyway?
 
AgX said:
Thus two groups were right:

-) those who though it to be a additional lever to add bottom film winding to a camera with top winding.
Click to expand...

Yay I won!
What do I win?

Something about the shape of the engaging mechanism just reminded me of the one that fits my grip to my EOS 3...
 
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