Any photo examples taken with

Dave Wooten · Sep 13, 2009

Vintage 35 mm from the 50's and early 60's, i.e. Kodak Realist...and info on different quality of lenses used in that era? I just got a Realist, for a prop, needs some work. shutter is a bit sticky. Might attempt to get it working. I am impressed by the weight of the camera and quality of metal work of the housing. The lens is a steinheil munchen cassar S 50 mm 2.8. Don t know about the lens but I am sure the build cost of the housing today would be cost prohibitive today. Has a rangefinder that seems to work....

tessar · Sep 13, 2009

There's a website called DrT's Stereo Page which has a lot of useful information on the Stereo Realist, including repair instructions:
Dead Link Removed
You have one of the later models, 1954-56.

Dave Wooten · Sep 13, 2009

Thanks Tessar,

When I google realist, I get the stereo etc....this camera is not a stereo camera...Realist 35 is engraved on the top plate. Can t find a serial number, but is is made in Germany....I ll check out DrT! Thanks again.

Ian Grant · Sep 13, 2009

I've used a Cassar on and Edixamat and it was quite a pedestrian Tessar type lens, not particularly outstanding, I used it at the British F1 Grand Pix around 1970/71. All Tessar's are best stopped down f11 is optimum for a 50mm, f8 acceptable. Of course for portraits etc where criticalm sharpness isn't an issue they are fine wider

Ian

cooltouch · Sep 13, 2009

I used to buy and sell photo equipment, and briefly owned a very nice Retina IIa, made in Germany. I want to say it had a Schneider lens, but I'm not certai anymore -- that was some 18 years ago. I put one roll of film through it before I sold it. I still recall how well made that camera was. I have no idea offhand where that single roll's worth of photos are, but if I run across them, I'll post a couple of examples.

Michael

Dave Wooten · Sep 13, 2009

I haven t found a photo example of this Realist 35 (non stereo) camera. The advance lever is jointed and folds into a recess in the back of the top plate....prontor SVS

shutter speeds are B, 1 sec , 1/2 sec, 1/5, 1/10, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100, and 1/300 (skips 200/250).

Lens isSteinheil Munchen Casas S 2.8...lens number is 1251408, serial number inside camera is 762052.

Duh, I just realized that I do not see Kodak anywhere on the camera! Just Realist on front and top plate. Maybe I have been barking up the wrong tree!?

Nicholas Lindan · Sep 13, 2009

http://photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00Kaj5

Dave Wooten · Sep 13, 2009

Thanks Nicholas, that s the camera, left hand film advance et al....I was looking for Kodak.

cooltouch · Sep 14, 2009

You might find this website interesting -- they have a .pdf of the Realist 35's owner's manual there.

http://www.butkus.org/chinon/realist_35/realist_35.htm

Michael

elekm · Sep 14, 2009

Regarding pre-1970s cameras, they continue to be used somewhat widely by a number of people here and elsewhere.

The popular German brands (without listing a huge list of specific models) include Zeiss Ikon, Agfa, Voigtlander, Rollei, Braun, Balda, Ihagee, Kodak AG (the former Nagel Camera Werks) and others.

I don't know if this is true of all Stereo Realist models, but mine focuses by moving the film plane to and fro.

JPD · Sep 14, 2009

Kodak Retina Ib with 2,8/50 Schneider Xenar:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19332145@N00/3490792277/sizes/l/

The Cassar is a three element lens, and should perform best stopped down to 11 or 16.

Dave Wooten · Sep 14, 2009

Is there a difference in Cassar and Cassar S?

JPD · Sep 16, 2009

Dave Wooten said:
Is there a difference in Cassar and Cassar S?

Not sure. The "S" can be for "Spezial" or "Sonder" and could stand for a special version tweaked to 2,8. Earlier Cassars weren't faster than 2,9.

Ian Grant · Sep 16, 2009

Dave Wooten said:
Is there a difference in Cassar and Cassar S?

Possibly because the original Cassar's were triplets but later Cassar's were Tessar type, perhaps these were the S

Ian

Steve Smith · Sep 16, 2009

There are some in my gallery taken with a Kodak Retinette 1b and a Kodak Retina reflex III with Schneider 50mm f1.9 lens.

Steve.

Dave Wooten · Sep 18, 2009

Ian Grant said:
Possibly because the original Cassar's were triplets but later Cassar's were Tessar type, perhaps these were the S

Ian

There are 4 reflections in the lens (?)

Ian Grant · Sep 18, 2009

A Triplet or a Tessar has the same number of air/glass surfaces, the main difference is the front element of a Tessar is a cemented pair.

It does appear that I was right about the Cassar S being a Tessar type, one manufacturer Regula sold cheaper models with a front cell focussing Rodenstock Trinar or a Cassar, and their better models with a Cassar S or Zeiss Tessar.

Edixa also sold their SLR's (Edixamat's etc) with a Cassar S.

Ian

Steve Smith · Sep 18, 2009

Ian Grant said:
Edixa also sold their SLR's (Edixamat's etc) with a Cassar S.

I have an Edixa Prismaflex with a 50mm Auto-Cassaron. It was my first 35mm SLR which my father got for me about 30 years ago. I assume this lens is similar.

Steve.

Ian Grant · Sep 18, 2009

Steve, I think the Auto-Cassaron was a further improvement, there was also a Cassarit, they were all f2.8 standard lenses.

Ian

Any photo examples taken with

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