- Joined
- Apr 6, 2014
- Messages
- 180
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- Multi Format
This camera has served me well for 6 odd months, but I have out grown it at this point. It has lots of movements and is a good camera to learn large format on. Cosmetically it's in good condition--especially for being 60+ years old. I would rate it BGN+. The Bellows is light tight, and I installed a new ground glass as well. I'm selling it with an extra Copal 1 Lens board (which I had a 210mm Sironar-N in) and the original Wollensak 135mm f/4.7. Here are some pictures I made with the camera.
Asking $300 plus shipping. I'll eat the paypal fees and also donate 2% from the sale to APUG.
The Camera:
1954 Busch Pressman Model D
The Good:
-New borosilicate ground glass with grid lines
-Light Tight bellows
-Lots of movements (all of which work really well)
-Multiple finders which still work.
-Portable and light weight
-Infinity stops still work
-Ground glass hood still works.
-The springs in the back are still good
The Not-So-Good
-The rangefinder doesn't work--It's in good condition but for whatever reason won't function. It's probably repairable, but I don't know enough about it to fix.
-No latch--The camera decided to lock itself shut for a day and a half, so I removed it.
-The front standard is a bit loose--couldn't figure out how to tighten it. It won't be an issue for normal operation, but if you are planning on shooting long exposures on windy days, it would be an issue.
-The focusing wheel on the left side isn't attached--appears to be a set-screw issue, but it didn't bother me much.
-The ground glass I got to replace the original was slightly too small, so I had to diy it to get it to fit. It works fine, but makes it difficult/impossible to use a lens where the rear cell needs to be screwed in from the rear--like the 210mm Sironar-N.
-Busch decided on a proprietary back so most of the polaroid backs and grafmatic backs won't work.
-Proprietary lens boards--only copal 0 and copal 1. Check the other Busch threads to see which lenses work--I was using a Fujinon W 135mm and Rodenstock Sironar-N 210mm.
The Lens:
Wollensak 135mm f/4.7
-Clean glass--no fungus, haze, or separation.
-Nov 1954 manufacture date
-The shutter is accurateish (I wouldn't trust 1/400th, and 1/10th to 1sec are a bit slow) I was still able to get good pictures out of it.
-Some dust which shouldn't affect the image.
-Aperture moves smoothly, with no oil on the blades.
Asking $300 plus shipping. I'll eat the paypal fees and also donate 2% from the sale to APUG.
The Camera:
1954 Busch Pressman Model D
The Good:
-New borosilicate ground glass with grid lines
-Light Tight bellows
-Lots of movements (all of which work really well)
-Multiple finders which still work.
-Portable and light weight
-Infinity stops still work
-Ground glass hood still works.
-The springs in the back are still good
The Not-So-Good
-The rangefinder doesn't work--It's in good condition but for whatever reason won't function. It's probably repairable, but I don't know enough about it to fix.
-No latch--The camera decided to lock itself shut for a day and a half, so I removed it.
-The front standard is a bit loose--couldn't figure out how to tighten it. It won't be an issue for normal operation, but if you are planning on shooting long exposures on windy days, it would be an issue.
-The focusing wheel on the left side isn't attached--appears to be a set-screw issue, but it didn't bother me much.
-The ground glass I got to replace the original was slightly too small, so I had to diy it to get it to fit. It works fine, but makes it difficult/impossible to use a lens where the rear cell needs to be screwed in from the rear--like the 210mm Sironar-N.
-Busch decided on a proprietary back so most of the polaroid backs and grafmatic backs won't work.
-Proprietary lens boards--only copal 0 and copal 1. Check the other Busch threads to see which lenses work--I was using a Fujinon W 135mm and Rodenstock Sironar-N 210mm.
The Lens:
Wollensak 135mm f/4.7
-Clean glass--no fungus, haze, or separation.
-Nov 1954 manufacture date
-The shutter is accurateish (I wouldn't trust 1/400th, and 1/10th to 1sec are a bit slow) I was still able to get good pictures out of it.
-Some dust which shouldn't affect the image.
-Aperture moves smoothly, with no oil on the blades.
