Identifying and appraising a 5x7 aircraft camera.

Stock Dektol · Mar 19, 2014

Hey guys,

I stumbled upon this aircraft camera at a thrift store for $20 and had to have it. Identifying the exact model is proving difficult. The lens shade identifies it as a model K-24 aircraft camera, however no k-24's i've found resemble this thing. I do know that it's a 5x7, and that it's got a 300mm f/5 Kodak Aerostigmat lens. The camera weighs about 25 pounds, and is 2 feet long. It seems to be made out of fiberglass with metal and wood elements. The film holder has a "Thomas Airviews" logo stamped onto it, and the shutter mechanism (which is removable) is covered in what I assume are Japanese characters. Here are some iphone images of the camera. Does anyone have information about it?

Here is a link to the images.

http://imgur.com/a/mP6qf

Prof_Pixel · Mar 19, 2014

Looks like it may be a mashup made from parts of different cameras.

illumiquest · Mar 19, 2014

everything except the lens is super useful and expensive. i'll get rid of the lens for you

Dan Fromm · Mar 20, 2014

The lens cone (not shade) is from a K-24. The K-24 shot 4.5" x 4.5" on 5" roll film.

Your camera is probably a home brew. Real aerial cameras are usually all metal.

By the time the K-24 was in use (WW-II) aerial cameras shot roll film. The sizes most commonly used by USAF were 5" (images 4.5" x 4.5") and 10" (images 9" x 9"). No 5x7. Did you measure correctly?

The 12"/5 Aerostigmat was designed sometime in the 1930s, is rated to cover 5" x 5" and isn't highly respected.

Jim Jones · Mar 20, 2014

The writing is indeed Japanese, apparently having to do with a heater control and perhaps shutter controls. I don't recognize the logo with the stylized five petal cherry blossom containing the Japanese character for the figure 6. The camera is almost certainly a hodgepodge of several parts. I paid a lot more for just a lens like that with its lens cone.

Stock Dektol · Mar 20, 2014

Any idea what the lens, or whole package would be worth?

Dan Fromm · Mar 20, 2014

Stock Dektol said:
Any idea what the lens, or whole package would be worth?

The only way to find out is put it up for sale on eBay. Go for it!

xya · Mar 22, 2014

the sign on the camera is konishiroku, later konica. I knew that I had seen it, but it took me a while to recall. it was on one of my konica pearl cameras. I found a reference here http://collectiblend.com/Cameras/Konishiroku-(Konica)/

obviously they made loads of aerial cameras https://www.google.com/search?q=konica+aerial+camera&tbm=isch#imgdii=_

EdSawyer · Mar 22, 2014

Couple hundred $, if that . The lens is not highly sought after, the rest is just a paperweight. sad but true.

Jim Jones · Mar 23, 2014

The Konishiroku logo doesn't appear anywhere on my Konishiroku cabinet size glass plate strut camera kit produced for the Japanese Navy in June, 1944. It is beautifully made outfit, unlike some military equipment produced so late in WWII. Alas, the focal plane shutter no longer works. I paid $40 for it at a gun show a few decades ago. Googling for "Konica military camera turned up only one image: https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/...6eQ6GROVmXJd9WwM429OARCemGuwm8MyKgqtOOwjpUu3Q

Identifying and appraising a 5x7 aircraft camera.

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