Anyone knows this Fieldcamera

[BlueLemon]

Just bought this cheap.... i hope

It comes with a Leitz Tessar 210/6.3 and 4 film cassettes, tripod and a leather trunk.

Does anyone have any information on this camera ???

Thank you to anyone who are kind enough to spend a little time explaining.... much appreciated.

Claus / Denmark

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Looks like a Japanese 1/2 plate camera. Could be English though. Early 20th century. Nice little camera, regardless.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Looks like a Japanese 1/2 plate camera. Could be English though. Early 20th century. Nice little camera, regardless.

If it's a Leitz Tessar it almost certainly is Japanese....

(Sorry, couldn't resist).

The f/6.3 Zeiss Tessars are among my favourite lenses: MUCH better than the faster versions. As you say, the size and f.l. indicate half plate/13x18cm/5x7 inch.

Cheers,

R.

 

[BlueLemon]

Okay thanks guys

I paid 173 Euro´s for it - would be approx 235 USD

Is this okay ?

And does anyone have any information on the camera itself ?

Claus

 

[Roger Hicks]

Okay thanks guys

I paid 173 Euro´s for it - would be approx 235 USD

Is this okay ?

And does anyone have any information on the camera itself ?

Claus

Dear Claus,

Very fair price, I'd say, with that lens (assuming it is a Zeiss Tessar).

Further information? No. It's too generic. The anodized scale along the edge suggests recent Chinese/Japanese to me (within the last 30 years) but the non-standard film-holders argue against that. There's a Russian camera that looks somewhat like this, and has non-standard holders, but my recollection of it is not that clear. The lens has to be worth 50-100 euros which leaves 73-123 euros for the body and four film holders, something of a bargain.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[BlueLemon]

Hmmmm.... bit confused that the terms of branding knowledge is far beyond my knowledge of todays Canon, Leica, Nikon and Sinar - not stretching beyond the most recent Leicas

Maybe these additional photos will help you guys out....

But to narrow it down, you suggest it is 13x18, of Japanese or russsion origin

Any feedback that will narrow it further down to its content - is most welcome

 

[BlueLemon]

Correction

According to seller its a "Carl Zeiss Jena Nr. 2791000 Tressar 1 : 6,3 f= 21cm"

Will this help you

 

[Roger Hicks]

Almost certainly Russian then. All I can suggest is googling Russian 13x18cm cameras. I have handled them but have never seriously considered buying one - though at that price, I might have.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[BlueLemon]

Okay guys

Actually i was after a Linhof technika or a Wista field - but the money wasn´t there, and i figured this one looked "just a wee bit more than nice"

Will I be able to use the lens on another Field camera - and which would you suggest ? Don´t say Gandolfi, i have only red figures on my banking accounts ;-)

Cee

 

[Nick Zentena]

Why do you want a new camera? You haven't even broken this one yet

Could it be one of those Indian field cameras?

 

[BlueLemon]

Arrhh.... i don´t i guess ....

I have bought a couple of camereas recently....and i will state that I am not a camera collector.... I use cameras, they are not ment for shelves.

a couple of Hassy´s, a minty Diana F - gee this is fun, a full scaled and equipped Sinar P2, a Yashica Electro 35 rangefinder and now this.....

I have the most sublime Canon Dslr - Ds2 with all lenses that match my likings, but this has become very borring to do pictures after I went back to to darkroom..... now I want more, I want to learn, I want to leave digital as much as I can - but still use digital when not playing around.

but creative work has to done analogue - but you already know this guys.

C

 

[matti]

Chinese seagul maybe. It looks like one I saw.
/matti

 

[ragc]

Most likely a post-war Japanese half plate, English style with a back taking non-standard book form holders (of which you seem to have some). It is a fine camera. You can make a modern tripod adapter that bolts to the English tripod mount and 4x5 and 5x7 backs for it (if it is a half-plate it can take both sizes). Many of these cameras were similar to more modern (and very light) Nagaokas. Definitely a user camera...no need to spend more! Mine is a pre-war example and I use it with excellent results with lenses from 90mm to 370mm.

 

[BlueLemon]

Hi Guys

I found a similar camera for sale on a danish site - without a lens, but else the exact same equipment.... It is a Seagull. Seems that i have made my selv a bargain - thís guy asks 600 USD without a lens. Got mine for much less including the Tessar.

Any thing that i have to be aware of with this camera ?

 

[David H. Bebbington]

Just a word about "standard" and "non-standard" film holders. Modern cameras take slides like Fidelity, Toyo, etc. which if given a name at all are called "blockform" slides - they have pull-out sheaths to make an exposure, hinged end flaps to load film but otherwise have no moving parts.

Earlier cameras, particularly Engish ones, had a type called "bookform", typically with wooden "roller-blind" type sheaths which pull out far enough to expose the film but do not pull completely out of the holder. Your camera seems to have these. The key feature of these holders is the two clips which, when released, allow the holder to be opened right out via hinges at the bottom to allow film loading (in many cases they will need a film insert in order to accept sheet film). "Bookform" slides may be "non-standard" today but were standard 100 years ago in England. You do therefore have some chance of finding some more, but you should try before you buy to make sure they fit.

There is also a non-standard wooden type slide which I have only seen on Russian cameras (particularly the "FKD" brand) which looks like bookform but has no hinges and loads through the opening created by pulling the sheath out. I have an FKD 13x18 cm, which is the most horrible view camera I have ever owned. The sheaths will not pull out of the slides smoothly, despite the application of candle wax and every other traditional filmholder lubricant, nor will numerous other alleged moving camera parts actually move.

Should you wish to make a 4x5" back for your camera, let me know. I have several which would only need a square wooden adapter panel to be made to fit your camera.

Regards,

David

 

[Roger Hicks]

"Bookform" slides may be "non-standard" today but were standard 100 years ago in England. You do therefore have some chance of finding some more, but you should try before you buy to make sure they fit.

Dear David,

Except of course that they were not standardized in terms of register or indeed size, so they were a standard type but in no sense a standard holder. Even single metal dark-slides, popular from about 1910-1940, exist in a wide range of sizes and registers.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[ragc]

Dear David,

Except of course that they were not standardized in terms of register or indeed size, so they were a standard type but in no sense a standard holder. Even single metal dark-slides, popular from about 1910-1940, exist in a wide range of sizes and registers.

Cheers,

Roger

They may be available on your side of the pond. Here in the Americas they are very hard to find... I have my original 1/2 plate back but have not found any!

 

[Roger Hicks]

They may be available on your side of the pond. Here in the Americas they are very hard to find... I have my original 1/2 plate back but have not found any!

Largely because, as far as I know, Americans took to standardized blockform holders much earlier. Also. single metal holders were far more common for 9x12cm and below than for larger sizes.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[Blackie Fingers]

It looks a lot like my Zone 6, but it sure isn't one (I'd guess it's Japanese). I modified mine to accept an old press camera's graphlok back I bought on eBay. You could probably do the same, and I managed it without damaging the originality of the camera. From your pictures I can't tell if there is a shutter with the lens. If that's the case you'll have to throw some money at it.