Can anyone explain the markings on a Bencini Relex C.M.F. lens distance scale?

[ArtL]

I have a Bencini Relex C.M.F. 127 roll film camera from around 1950. The lens has a fosusing scale marked from 2.5 m to infinity. However, the lens cannot be focused at a distance greater than about 6 - 7 metres. It is not damaged or jammed at that distance, it is limited by design. I am guessing this is the hyperfocal distance for the 75 mm lens. The information I have been able to find on this camera indicates that the lens has a fixed aperture of f/11.

There are two markings on the focusing scale that have me puzzled.

The first is the marking "1:11" at the limit of the lens's focusing range. Chat GPT has suggested that this is the reproduction ratio for the lens at that focus setting. Would anyone care to comment on this?

The second is the marking "F.7.5" at about half way between the 2.5m and 3m settings. Can anyone tell me what that means? I don't think it means 7.5 feet since the minimum focus distance of 2.5 m equates to 8.2 feet.

I am starting to think perhaps it means the reproduction ratio is 1:11 when focused at 7.5 m.

 

[AnselMortensen]

Hard to tell, looking at it in 2D.
Have you tried the butkus.org website to see if he has scans of a manual for it?

 

[ArtL]

Thanks for your interest. I did find a manual in the Victoria Museums site but it was very basic and did not explain what the markings mean.

 

[koraks]

The first is the marking "1:11" at the limit of the lens's focusing range. Chat GPT has suggested that this is the reproduction ratio for the lens at that focus setting. Would anyone care to comment on this?

Yes, don't trust ChatGPT because as often, in this case it tells you utter bogus. The 1:11 means it's an f/11 lens.

The second is the marking "F.7.5" at about half way between the 2.5m and 3m settings. Can anyone tell me what that means? I don't think it means 7.5 feet since the minimum focus distance of 2.5 m equates to 8.2 feet.

This means the focal length of the lens is 7.5cm or 75mm.

The other markings are distance (in the upper left quadrant) and what appear to be the two shutter speeds in the upper right quadrat: B(ulb) and 1/30.

Welcome to Photrio!

 

[ArtL]

Thank you, koraks. That makes sense, I am sure you are correct. Cheers.