Carl Zeiss Jena Universal Palmos #8098 (1903)

[ragc]

Hello: I am new in APUG. I have posted in other forums, but APUG is unique in having this Antique camera section. I have a Carl Zeiss Jenna Universal Palmos which is in 8+ condition except for the back, which was modified by the previous owner to accept a B&J 5x7 back, and which I have "repaired" by converting it to 4x5 using a Graphic View I back. From the serial number I deduce this may be a first year of production camera (this assumption is based on the number of a presentation camera I saw in an auction which was just 14 ciphers earlier than mine, and dated 1903). Anyone having information on this particular camera please let me know what you know, or where to find more information on it. I would like to find what lens/shutter was original equipment, accessories, etc. Thanks!

 

[ragc]

"I have posted in other forums, but APUG is unique in having this Antique camera section."

But no one posts in it!

 

[ragc]

Update

Here is the same camera, but now with a Zeiss Dominar f4.5 on a dial-set Compur shutter and with the Newton Viewfinder fitted to the viewfinder rail.

 

[glennfromwy]

I can't give any specs on your camera, which is a nice looking specimen. I can say, however, a nice one can command a pretty fair chunk of cash. I tend to collect and use classic cameras of various kinds. Love 'em. Especially 6X4.5 folders and press cameras.

 

[ragc]

I found it described in eBay as a Burke & James (the previous owner had adapted a B&J 5x7 back to it). I was the only bidder. I knew it was not a B&J as I bid, but the price was around $40.00, so I went for it. It was quite a pleasant surprise when I received it.

The 127mm Kodak Ektar on the camera for this photo did not handle the use of fall very well. The camera has a large range of rise/fall and tilt on the front standard. The bed drops for macro use.

 

[Dan Fromm]

Um, what does drop bed have to do with macro? I've always thought that it was to allow the use of short lenses, by removing the bed from the lens' field of view.

Cheers,

Dan

 

[ragc]

Dan, forgive me my newbieness... When shooting flowers with my Korona (no drop bed) the front extension showed up in my negatives. Since I was shooting using the back extension to focus maybe I did something wrong. A drop bed would have helped, though. That's what I meant by macro. My lens was a 190mm, which is slightly short for a 5x7.

 

[glennfromwy]

Quite a nice find! I belive the Dominar lens may be one of the lenses original to this camera. I'll do a little looking and get back.

 

[Dan Fromm]

Dan, forgive me my newbieness... When shooting flowers with my Korona (no drop bed) the front extension showed up in my negatives. Since I was shooting using the back extension to focus maybe I did something wrong. A drop bed would have helped, though. That's what I meant by macro. My lens was a 190mm, which is slightly short for a 5x7.

Hmm. Forgive my ignorance of Koronas. I know that at least one of the camera's standards has to move to allow focusing, but I don't know whether front, rear, or both can move.

My little Graphics have fixed rear standard -- the box doesn't move at all -- and moveable front standard. This limits somewhat the lenses I can use for closeup work. If the lens is too short, when I have the magnification I want -- set by the extension -- the front of the bed can hit the subject. But I've never had the bed in the image when working closeup. With a short lens when I've forgotten to drop the bed, yes, absolutely, then the bed is in the image and the image is ruined. But it takes a fairly short lens, in 5x7 context roughly a 135, to make that mistake.

If both of your camera's standards move, then when shooting closeup put the front standard at the very front of the rail, set magnification by moving the rear standard to get the necessary extension, and then focus by moving the camera. Use either standard for slight adjustments after the camera is in about the right place.

Cheers,

Dan

 

[ragc]

You are correct. In retrospect that's exactly what I should have done. The many tasks to be performed in LF filled my mind (it was my first excursion into the backyard with film loaded) and I did not come up with the possibility of the problem. It's funny, but I did not see the front standard on the ground glass either. The drop bed allows you to focus with the front standard (like on my Palmos, which has a fixed box rear) and not get it in the image, either with macro focus or with short lenses.