'New to me' Kodak Medalist II

[kenj8246]

This 1947 Medalist II is in pretty good shape to be as old as me. Ran a roll of TriX thru it before mailing it off for a CLA. The Ektar lens is in especially clean condition.

Bush Library, College Station TX by Kenny Johnson, on Flickr

Bush Library, College Station TX by Kenny Johnson, on Flickr

Kenny

 

[Paul Howell]

The Navy used Mealist for good reason, very strong body with a high quality lens.

 

[paul ron]

they are great cameras. i had one that came with a sheet film holder for the back.

amazing how well they still perform.

 

[kenj8246]

they are great cameras. i had one that came with a sheet film holder for the back.

amazing how well they still perform.

My Medalist I came with the cut sheet back only which I was able to rectify thru Herr Schmidt in Chicago.

 

[studiocarter]

Does yours have the PC thingie below the lens?
One sold on eBay yesterday? for over twice what I paid for mine months ago.

 

[BetterSense]

I want a Medalist, but I just don't want to deal with 620 film.

 

[MattKing]

I want a Medalist, but I just don't want to deal with 620 film.

Ken Ruth at Bald Mountain will convert the feed side only to 120 film for a fairly reasonable cost.

 

[kenj8246]

Does yours have the PC thingie below the lens?
Yes, there was even a flash of some sort included with the camera but I doubt I'll be using it much.

I want a Medalist, but I just don't want to deal with 620 film.

'Fraid you're SOL unless you get it converted.

 

[paul ron]

ive tried grinding the ends of 120 spools and did get that to work just fine. its crude but better than special order 620 from B&H which is respooled 120 i think.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/129752-REG/Kodak_TMY_620_T_Max_400.html

grind the ends of the roll till its almost paper thin.

 

[Paul Howell]

I have a couple of Touristers, I clip the edge with nail clippers and sand the top and bottom of the spool, takes a little time but seems to work just find.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Does yours have the PC thingie below the lens?
One sold on eBay yesterday? for over twice what I paid for mine months ago.

I saw that one on Ebay- $438 or so? Seems a bit much. Especially because the lens had a 1944 serial number date and no circled L, so its coating status was questionable. A couple of weeks earlier I picked up a Medalist (I) for well under $200. Patience and a willingness to stick to your price is critical on Ebay.

To the OP- nice looking shots. The horse one reminds me a bit of Atget. The tonality is impressive. I need to look at Tri-X again- it worked well in my youth but when I returned to film (sc*nning, not wet printing) I wasn't getting good results and moved on.

EDIT: First time I've seen the pop-up for using a verboten word around here. I mean, I understand on one level, but at the same time.....

 

[Paul Howell]

They also show up on Shopgoodwill.com on occasion, but would be a pig in poke as the stores don't have staff who know anything about vintage cameras. When in high school I worked for a local photographer who was retired Navy photographer mate, he shot weddings, color and black and white, he usually carried 2, they were his go to camera, 8X10 and 11X16 color were no problem even with color negative film available at the time. He upgraded to a Mamyia press as he wanted interchangeable lens, but always said the Kodak had a better lens so carried both the Mamyia and Metalist.

 

[mweintraub]

Did you pick that up in Corpus?

 

[kenj8246]

I saw that one on Ebay- $438 or so? Seems a bit much. Especially because the lens had a 1944 serial number date and no circled L, so its coating status was questionable. A couple of weeks earlier I picked up a Medalist (I) for well under $200. Patience and a willingness to stick to your price is critical on Ebay.

To the OP- nice looking shots. The horse one reminds me a bit of Atget. The tonality is impressive. I need to look at Tri-X again- it worked well in my youth but when I returned to film (sc*nning, not wet printing) I wasn't getting good results and moved on.

EDIT: First time I've seen the pop-up for using a verboten word around here. I mean, I understand on one level, but at the same time.....

Interesting you should mention Atget. An acquaintance's daughter had to do a paper and her assigned artist was Atget. We found some small-town architecture nearby that she shot with TriX and I developed for her. I'm happy to report she received a very good grade on her paper.

 

[studiocarter]

620 film filmphotographyproject.com sells new 3d printed spools

 

[choiliefan]

It's easy to "chuck" a 120 roll of film in the lathe between centers and turn down the spool ends. Does a very clean, professional looking job handily.

 

[JohnMeadows]

I love the results from my Medalist I (once it came back from Ken). With a changing bag and a couple of spools 120->620 respooling is a snap.

 

[BobMarvin11225]

I've never tried 3D printed 620 spools, but years ago I tried a couple of rolls of expensive re-spooled 620 film. The flimsy plastic spools didn't even make it through one re-use; better to buy old metal 620 spools through the auction site.

 

[JohnMeadows]

I've never tried 3D printed 620 spools, but years ago I tried a couple of rolls of expensive re-spooled 620 film. The flimsy plastic spools didn't even make it through one re-use; better to buy old metal 620 spools through the auction site.

I got a few of these and so far, so good (multiple re-uses)

Dead Link Removed

 

[Dan Daniel]

I got a few of these and so far, so good (multiple re-uses)

Dead Link Removed

I just received four of these 620 spools from FilmPhotography Project. They are well-made quality molded hard plastic.

Before I ordered a set I communicated with the FPP people about using the spools in a Kodak Medalist. They had no concrete experience, but did say that their spools are slightly oversized and if the Medalist was tight the spools might not work.

The spools are slightly oversized. The end cap pieces are a bit thicker than a metal 620 reel. ~.020" (1/2mm) thicker on each end. So the total extra length of the reels is .040 or a bit over 1mm. I assume that the moldmaker couldn't go thinner on the end caps and guarantee straight parts. Other dimensions are fine- the opening width between the two end caps, where the film and paper sit, is perfect. The diameter of the end caps match a metal 620 reel.

In my Medalist (I), the FPP spools will fit in either position. But in the feed position, it is tight and the spool does not move freely at all. I will most likely not use them as feed spools to avoid too much pressure on the spool and film. In the takeup side they are also snug, but given that this side is driven by the advance knob they should work well.

JohnMeadows, are you using them for feed in a Medalist?

I might try shaving down the end caps on a lathe; if so I will report back how it goes.

 

[JohnMeadows]

I just received four of these 620 spools from FilmPhotography Project. They are well-made quality molded hard plastic.

Before I ordered a set I communicated with the FPP people about using the spools in a Kodak Medalist. They had no concrete experience, but did say that their spools are slightly oversized and if the Medalist was tight the spools might not work.

The spools are slightly oversized. The end cap pieces are a bit thicker than a metal 620 reel. ~.020" (1/2mm) thicker on each end. So the total extra length of the reels is .040 or a bit over 1mm. I assume that the moldmaker couldn't go thinner on the end caps and guarantee straight parts. Other dimensions are fine- the opening width between the two end caps, where the film and paper sit, is perfect. The diameter of the end caps match a metal 620 reel.

In my Medalist (I), the FPP spools will fit in either position. But in the feed position, it is tight and the spool does not move freely at all. I will most likely not use them as feed spools to avoid too much pressure on the spool and film. In the takeup side they are also snug, but given that this side is driven by the advance knob they should work well.

JohnMeadows, are you using them for feed in a Medalist?

I might try shaving down the end caps on a lathe; if so I will report back how it goes.

I have used them for Medalist I feeds successfully. In mine, all film is snug, but it all fits. I wonder if there is some variance in the spools?

 

[Dan Daniel]

John, with my Medlaist I, the FPP plastic spools sit in the feed side with no side to side play. The movable silver roller has a black metal tab on each side that holds it in place. The plastic spool is rubbing against these two metal tabs. It fits, but it is snug. I worry that it is snug enough to require excessive force to wind the film?

A metal spool has about a millimeter side to side play between the two metal tabs.

The diameter of the plastic spools is fine.

 

[JohnMeadows]

John, with my Medlaist I, the FPP plastic spools sit in the feed side with no side to side play. The movable silver roller has a black metal tab on each side that holds it in place. The plastic spool is rubbing against these two metal tabs. It fits, but it is snug. I worry that it is snug enough to require excessive force to wind the film?

A metal spool has about a millimeter side to side play between the two metal tabs.

The diameter of the plastic spools is fine.

All I can do is go by my experience and so far with the spools I got things have been snug but working.

 

[kenj8246]

Just got this Medalist II back from Cameraworks in Latham NY, shout out for Alan, good CLA. Rangefinder is nice and bright and the frame spacing is nice and uniform. Shot some Tmax 100 and 400 thru it.

Dick's Classic Cars, San Marcos TX by Kenny Johnson, on Flickr
Dick's Classic Cars, San Marcos TX by Kenny Johnson, on Flickr
Dick's Classic Cars, San Marcos TX by Kenny Johnson, on Flickr

Now, if I can just get my Medalist I back from Bald Mountain....

Kenny

 

[Dan Daniel]

Any tips on holding the Medalist steady while firing the shutter? My first couple of rolls have had slight motion blur in most of my shots. I've been trying the Kodak recommendation of squeezing the shutter beneath my middle finger with the thumb on the bottom.