kodak premo

Just picked one of these up at the flea market it is a model 2A cartridge premo, $2 for a camera, cant turn that down . It has T, B, 25 and 50 above the lens, on the bottom I have an aprature setting of 1-4, does anyone know approx what aprature settings these represent? I put a roll of HP5 through it this eve on some adapted spools, I will see tomarrow how it develops. Any help or suggestions for shooting with this are appreciated.

http://staswickphoto.smugmug.com/photos/75339865-M.jpg

If memory serves, the apertures translate to f/11, 16, 22, 32. The shutters on these are notoriously inaccurate. Most I have tested fire at around 1/25 at all settings. The use of filters will give more speed options than the shutter settings. Fun to use, though. Just because.....

I was just looking at a conversion table last night, Glenn is correct. Given the speed of film back then, I wonder how much 1/50 was used.

There were films available as early as 1910 that would allow use of 1/50 at f/11 in full sun -- that's ISO 25, or what would have (once ASA got around to standardizing, in the late 1920s) then been ASA 12. Films of that speed were available well before WWI, and were already "slow" by 1930 or so.

I stand corrected. Actually, I was thinking of the earlier Premos. I should know by now not to post before caffeine. Still seems strange though to think of 1/50 as the fastest shutter speed on a camera where f/11 is wide open.

I have the No 2, which is designed for 120 film. Other than that they seem remarkably similar. It's a favorite of mine, having made two trips to Europe with me and been the instrument of choice for many of the shots I showed when I finished my last art grant. Most of the time I was shooting 1/50 at aperture "3" (f22) with HP5 - mid summer, mid day. Great look: quite clear but neither particularly sharp nor contrasty, even with what should have been 2 stops over exposure and full development.

I love the darn-near indestructable nature of the case and the looks I got when I hauled it out of my pocket to take shots in Paris. The Rodin Museum shot with a camera Rodin could have used...

I found that the red window could be covered with gaffers tape, lifted to advance the film, with no real problems.

If you're interested in making a mask to adapt the 116 window to 120, try roof flashing, spray painted black. It worked wonders for a 3A I've been playing with.

Have fun!