Kodak Premo B folding camera

[Photoemulator]

I just won this camera in an auction and boy is it rough! Dark and dirty, but the bulb and hose for tripping the shutter is still there; which is amazing to me. I think the Auction house didn't know how to open it. Funny enough; I got a film pack of Super-XX unexposed. I'm eager to engage this pack on an outing. But maybe if I restore this camera. Any ideas on that?
I was thinking of stripping off the leather and refinishing the wood but replacing the leather handle with a new one. Thoughts?

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

The leather strap handle on old gear is often called a "toe strap."

It is always a good idea to replace it.

 

[Donald Qualls]

That Super XX is at least thirty-five years old -- as that's when Kodak dropped production of all pack films (due to the two women who'd been sitting in the dark loading the packs for decades both retiring). It might still work, but it's likely to have lost some speed and gained a lot of fog. Exposing at EI 25, or 50 at most, and developing with 1 g/L benzotriazole added the developer is recommended to have the best chance of getting usable images. It also won't fit normal 4x5 developing tanks; the film is slightly larger (and much thinner) than modern sheet film.

That said, that's a magnificent old camera, and it should accept modern film holders. I hope you can restore it to working condition!

 

[Don_ih]

It has its own film holders, I believe.

The film pack likely has lost all adhesion. So, the sheets of film won't pull through. The last film pack that age that I opened, the emulsion was peeling off the base.

 

[Tel]

Nice camera--looks eminently repairable. I've done more than a few of these cycle cameras. A sharp chisel, some thin leather and a lot of Pliobond should see you right....the bellows may be the most difficult part but these look like they may be supple enough to repair. How's the shutter and glass looking? I've got some thick belt leather to make a new handle; let me know what length you'd need.