Fotocamera 9x12

[Curt]

Fotocamera 9x12 Talbot Errtee, 1930. Bella macchina, con doppia estensione del soffietto, vetro smerigliato, otturatore Compur che pero’ funziona solo su un tempo (tutti i tempi sono veloci), B e T funzionanti, mirino sposrtivo obiettivo Laack Rathenow Pololyt Anastigmat 135mm f 4,5. Movimento di decentramento. Macchina completa e in ottime condizioni.
Is it worth 30 EU?

 

[Ole]

The shutter needs a CLA, but a simple "fuel soak" might be enough. For 30 EUR I would buy it if I didn't already have 3 9x12cm plate cameras

 

[Ole]

BTW, I moved this thread to LF since it's a plate camera with movements

 

[David H. Bebbington]

Do you speak Italian? I don't but I seem to understand that this camera's shutter is working on 1 speed only. As such this camera is suitable for use as an ornament only, there are a lot of folding 9x 12 cm cameras about and you could get a fully working one for €30 or less.

Regards,

David

 

[Ole]

My Italian isn't that good either, but at that age it will be a dial-set Compur. In those there is one partiular piece where if the friction is too high, all speeds will be about 1/25 since the slow speed escapement won't engage. It takes less than half an hour to fix it - it must be the easiest of all shutter repairs!

 

[Denis P.]

Fotocamera 9x12 Talbot Errtee, 1930. Bella macchina, con doppia estensione del soffietto, vetro smerigliato, otturatore Compur che pero’ funziona solo su un tempo (tutti i tempi sono veloci), B e T funzionanti, mirino sposrtivo obiettivo Laack Rathenow Pololyt Anastigmat 135mm f 4,5. Movimento di decentramento. Macchina completa e in ottime condizioni.
Is it worth 30 EU?

"Photographic camera 9x12 Talbot Errtee, 1930. Nice camera, with double extension bellows, ground glass, Compur shutter whch, however, functions only on one speed (all speeds are fast), functioning B and T speeds, sports finder, lens Laack Rathenow Pololyt Anastigmat 135mm f 4,5. Camera has movements. Camera is complete and in excellent condition."

That would be quick-and-dirty translation of the Italian original.

For 30 EUR, I'd say you should get it, if nothing else it will make a nice paperweight - besides, wth a bit of DIY cleaning, the shutter may spring to life. I recently got a 127/4.7 Ektar on a Speed Graphic, which behaved the same (all speeds too fast, approx. 1/100) - with little exercise, it sprung to life - it's usually the lubricant turning to gunk - some exercise usually helps-

Regards,

Denis

 

[Curt]

Yes I agree this is a honey of a camera and well worth the price.
Thank you

 

[Mongo]

I have the same lens (in a different shutter) and I must say that I like it a lot. It's got a "glow" to it that's hard to describe, but that's wonderful for many applications. It's not a terribly sharp lens and you have to be careful to shade it properly, but the results that I get from it are pleasing to me.

Unfortunately I don't have any scanned prints taken with the lens, but if you like the look of older lenses you might like this one. It's a fairly uncommon lens and I have no real idea of the history behind it (my Vade Mecum is in the mail as we speak), but I find that the lens is great for pictures where sharpness is not my first concern. I'm sure that there are many technically better lenses out there, but I find the Laack to be a real joy to use.

 

[Dan Fromm]

The VM thinks Laack's Pololyt is a triplet, fitted to relatively low-priced cameras. But I doubt that the cheapest cameras got Compur shutters.

 

[Mongo]

The Laack Pololyt that I have is indeed a triplet (judging from the reflections), and it's fitted into an ISBO dial-set shutter. I purchased the lense separate from any camera, so I have no idea where it started out.

As I mentioned before, it's got a very nice "old fashioned glow" to it. I wish I'd discovered my love for these lenses earlier...I own plenty of uber-sharp, latest-and-greatest glass, and although sometimes there's no substituation for sheer resolution, it's fun to play with old, uncoated glass just to see what you'll get. Stopped down it's a reasonably sharp lens, but wide open it really glows.

Not truly a soft focus lens, but it does have a wonderfully soft image wide open. I'm planning to adapt it to my Bronica S2a to see what the images look like on smaller film. I can see this being a great portrait lens for 6x6.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Cheapest cameras didn't often get Compurs, but triplets were apparently fitted in Compurs on occasion. I have a rim-set Compur mounted on my Kawee Camera that came with a Radionar, which is a triplet.

BTW, Ole, with a 1930 date, that camera is likely to have a rim-set Compur; the transition began about 1928 and was pretty much completed by 1930. A rim-set #0 or #1 Compur might accept a better lens; the one on my Kawee Camera happily fits a Skopar that came to me on a thoroughly dead Compur, but that' lens isn't in use on that camera because the focal length is a few mm too short and there's no way to adjust the focus that direction.