Noblex Pro 175-U on the way: Any Advice?

cayenne · Jun 13, 2022

Hello all,
Well, I scored a new "toy"...a Noblex Pro 175-U model swing lens camera. This one shoots my favorite size negative, 6x17 Medium Format Film.
It is coming with the slow shutter speed module....

I've not found much at all on YouTube about this particular model. I've heard and read little snippets that it can be a little tricky loading the film..having to push the film or rear rollers as you close the back, to ensure film is pressed firmly in place and doesn't pull off the take-up reel....

But not quite sure what that proper procedure is. So far, I've not found much info on the online manuals for this camera.

Does anyone have any experience with this camera? If so, I'd really appreciate any links to info, or experience stories of working with it.

I'm thinking this will make for a bit more convenient and portable companion to my Shen Hao 6x17 view camera...keep it for the real precise shots I can plan and set up for, and bring this one almost for times when I just want or need to snap off quick shots without a lot of tripod set up and not needing specific lens choices for composition.

Anyway, it is supposed to be in like new shape and hope to have it in before this weekend!!

It's hotter than hell here already in New Orleans, but I'll try to get out at the crack of dawn this weekend and get some shots before everything starts melting for the day....

Thank you in advance,

cayenne

AnselMortensen · Jun 13, 2022

I don't have specific knowledge about that particular camera, but images from swing-lens cameras look significantly different due to distortion...and might not match what you see in the viewfinder.
Sincerely,
Ex-Horizont & Widelux owner

cayenne · Jun 13, 2022

AnselMortensen said:
I don't have specific knowledge about that particular camera, but images from swing-lens cameras look significantly different due to distortion...and might not match what you see in the viewfinder.
Sincerely,
Ex-Horizont & Widelux owner

Thank you for the reply!!

Yes, I know how the swing lens looks..I've been having fun with an older Russian HorizonT myself. It appears you had one at one time too.

I figured I had the 35mm swing lens thing covered, and for a bit more money than a really really nice widelux, I found what appears to be a mint condition 120 medium format camera that shoots the same approx 3:1 panos on the larger film.

But from the small snippets I can find, it appears the larger film gives some potential extra problems when loading, to make sure it stays on the take-up spool and making sure the rollers properly seat so that film is properly seated and aligned, etc.....

One thing this camera is said to have vs the other swing lens ones...this one apparently has some sort of "shift" capability, which would possibly help with some of the distortion if needing to shot a taller building?
I'm curious to see how that works....

But again, thank you very much for the reply!

C

Huss · Jun 14, 2022

I'm not sure if I had this one, or the 150 - it's been a long while and I only shot two rolls of film through it! I do remember that the English translation for the instructions was incorrect for the film loading procedure. Something to do with the start point on the frame counter. I wish I could remember! But basically use your common sense - when you read the instructions to load/get it ready to shoot - think through what you are doing in the process and why.

cayenne · Jun 15, 2022

Huss said:
I'm not sure if I had this one, or the 150 - it's been a long while and I only shot two rolls of film through it! I do remember that the English translation for the instructions was incorrect for the film loading procedure. Something to do with the start point on the frame counter. I wish I could remember! But basically use your common sense - when you read the instructions to load/get it ready to shoot - think through what you are doing in the process and why.

Ok, thanks for the heads up!!

FedEx just dropped off the camera today....about to unpack and give it a look. Looking forward to shooting this weekend some.
Hmm...got 1 package, the camera...supposed to have a 2nd one with film I bought to shoot in it.

I have film, but with this thing only getting 4x shot per roll, I figure I"d better get a bunch of 120 film!!

C

Donald Qualls · Jun 15, 2022

cayenne said:
with this thing only getting 4x shot per roll, I figure I"d better get a bunch of 120 film!!

No kidding. Should I buy stock in Kodak?

cayenne · Jun 15, 2022

Donald Qualls said:
No kidding. Should I buy stock in Kodak?

LOL..possibly so...that and Ilford!!!

For this go around, I got some Fuji Pro 400H, Cinestill 800T, and Illford HP5....with some Cinestill 400D on backorder....and a bit of Kodak 200 coming too.

If Cinestill is somehow getting Vision3 film and removing the remjet to repackage it....I wish there was some way we could get some of it WITH the remjet still on it so as to work well when you don't want halation.
I'd be happy to develop it at home and remove the remjet myself.

That's what I'm planning to set up to do next month with the 35mm Vision3....buy a spool and roll my own and develop it myself.

But I'm getting off topic.

Yes, investing in film companies might be worth your while...the Noblex and my Shen Hao 6x17 both only get 4x shots per roll...but OH, so much fun to see those large negatives!!

C

Sirius Glass · Jun 15, 2022

From my experience with the WideLux F7, take a photograph of a child running past you from right to left and the second photograph of a child running from left to right. Enjoy!

Donald Qualls · Jun 17, 2022

cayenne said:
If Cinestill is somehow getting Vision3 film and removing the remjet to repackage it....I wish there was some way we could get some of it WITH the remjet still on it so as to work well when you don't want halation.

Vision3 is easy to get in 35 mm; shortest roll Kodak sells is 400 feet, but sometimes you can get a short end less than 150 feet (which will fit in a regular bulk loader) from a "recan" dealer and there are a bunch of sources for it in cassettes with remjet still on. For the 120 version, you'd probably have to do it the way Cinestill (presumably) do: buy it in sufficient quantity to get a custom cut to 61 mm instead of 70 mm, and no perfs (I've assumed they've been buying it that way from day one, in order to get the remjet left off).

That is to say, I'm pretty sure Cinestill is buying it with the remjet never applied, not treating it (in total darkness, without disturbing spectral sensitizers) to remove the remjet.

cayenne · Jun 30, 2022

Well, I ran my first roll through the Noblex. At a quick glance of the negative, the images look GREAT.
I even tried it with the special slow shutter speed attachment.

Only a couple of kinks.

1. ON first frame, it appears somehow I didn't wind the film on far enough....? The first image is only about 1/3 to 1/2 of the frame I shot....and there is pretty much a full frame blank at the end of the roll, even though when I wound it on, the indicator rolled all the way to #1. I'll have to double check myself next roll I install.

2. I had gotten a remote control cable release thing from Reveni labs, so that I should do selfies with view cameras and well, this Noblex. It just would not trigger the Nobel to function. I screwed in a normal manual cable release and it did fire the camera off...although it "felt" a little crunchy for want of a better word...but disappointed the remote control unit didn't work on this new camera.

Anyway, I believe I have 30 days to return so I'll be running film through it this holiday weekend.....

cayenne

Citsmith · Dec 31, 2022

There are copies of the manual on-line. You really need one because this camera doesn’t work similar to other cameras.
In reference to your image spacing the film must be wound till there is a mark on the film back that lines up with an arrow on the paper lining of the film before closing the back.

Citsmith · Dec 31, 2022

The manual is at https://inside.cad.rit.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Noblex-150HS.pdf
I would start there.
The rise feature on the camera lets you keep the camera perfectly level but shoot more up without the horizon curvature.

cayenne · Feb 3, 2023

I"m still trying to get something figured out on this.
The instructions seem to indicate there is a button to push when you have put your film on and wound it...to let the camera know when to start counting images.

I don't have this button on mine and I think part of the problem has been, I'll close the door and the film winder doesn't stop at 1...

By happenstance, the other day when playing with it without film trying to figure things out....aftert closing the back I slicked the shutter button, which didn't fire the shutter....but, when I then started winding the film knob, it seemed to start counting frames there.

I'm starting to guess maybe there were 2x versions of this model camera and mine is the older one without the separate button to let it know time to advance the film?

Anyway, still trying to get it figured out....I've blown too many rolls not getting my full 4x frame out of the roll.

C

Citsmith · Feb 3, 2023

It is a small silver button on the back of the camera labeled START. It is labeled 5B on the parts list in the instructions. If it is not there and there is just a hole, you have a problem to be repaired. That button, as you said, sets the spacing of the film after the arrow is lined up on the film.
Good Luck,

cayenne · Feb 3, 2023

Citsmith said:
It is a small silver button on the back of the camera labeled START. It is labeled 5B on the parts list in the instructions. If it is not there and there is just a hole, you have a problem to be repaired. That button, as you said, sets the spacing of the film after the arrow is lined up on the film.
Good Luck,

Yeah...I don't have that button...puzzled me when I read the requirements.
I thought I read somewhere, this was a later model addition and apparently I don't have it.

But failing having that button...how do you let it know when to start? I was guessing from just poking around that once I get film on, close the back...I hit the shutter button in lieu of a "start" button like you have?

C

Citsmith · Feb 3, 2023

In the early models there is no START. Button. You push the shutter button instead.

cayenne · Feb 6, 2023

Citsmith said:
In the early models there is no START. Button. You push the shutter button instead.

Ok thank you.
I picked up a bunch of Kentmere 400 120 film recently....so, gonna try to load and shoot a couple rolls with it and see if this works....

C

Noblex Pro 175-U on the way: Any Advice?

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