Recesky/Gakkenflex upgrades

[Donald Qualls]

The Recesky (clone of the Gakkenflex) is a kit-built 35mm TLR with a fixed shutter, disk aperture (f/5.6 or f/11), no frame counter (though it does have an indicator to show how far to advance), molded plastic lenses, but a true matt screen couple focusing (geared together opposite thread, like a Kodak Reflex or Reflex II, or Ricohflex).

One of its main attractions is that the kit is only about $15. The big drawback is the Holga-like quality of the lens (which also must be carefully synchronized so the viewfinder focus matches that on the film -- and without a B option on the shutter, the recommended method is to shoot, process, and adjust based on the results).

Has anyone built one of these? Can you comment on the practicality of installing a real glass lens (triplet, perhaps) with adjustable shutter and aperture, perhaps even flash sync, and matching viewing lens? Leaf shutters were common in low-end 35mm cameras (which would have lenses of about the right focal length) from the 1930s until around 1960, and some of the earlier ones had a bellows and erecting mechanism that are both prone to going bad after 80 years.

This might be aided by the likelihood that the focal length is significantly shorter than 50 mm, allowing the shutter to be front-mounted on the focusing barrel -- has anyone measured this?

 

[4season]

I built a Gakkenflex a few years ago. English-language assembly directions are here.

Replacing the lens ought to be fairly easy if you can find a replacement with similar focal length and physical size. Might be possible to devise some rudimentary "B" and means of changing aperture, but remember that this was designed as a toy, so film transport isn't super-precise, focusing screen is a thin piece of frosted plastic, and using it in landscape orientation is always going to be a challenge. Are you sure you wouldn't rather adapt a 4x4 TLR to shoot 35 mm?

 

[Donald Qualls]

I built a Gakkenflex a few years ago. English-language assembly directions are here.

Replacing the lens ought to be fairly easy if you can find a replacement with similar focal length and physical size. Might be possible to devise some rudimentary "B" and means of changing aperture, but remember that this was designed as a toy, so film transport isn't super-precise, focusing screen is a thin piece of frosted plastic, and using it in landscape orientation is always going to be a challenge. Are you sure you wouldn't rather adapt a 4x4 TLR to shoot 35 mm?

I've got a bottom-end Yashica 44 (three speed shutter, triplet lens, red window only), if I wanted that. This Recesky looks to be 1/3 smaller and half or less the weight, and designed for 35mm.

I think my Recesky kit came in today's mail, and I've already got the English directions linked in another thread. I can already see a way to calibrate the focus before assembling the shutter: just about that, install the lenses and the "black box" without the shutter, and put the viewfinder matte screen on the film path, or string a length of frosted tape across in place of film; after checking that film plane and viewfinder agree, mark the sync point used -- and calbrate a focus scale while doing this (may also want to fabricate an infinity stop to go around one lens or the other, since there isn't one in the kit).

There's no doubt in my mind I can improve this; if I can get better lenses for ten bucks, it'll be worth it (and I think i can -- I did a quick browse through Surplus Shed today and they have a pretty good selection of lenses in the size and focal length range needed to be drop-in replacements).

 

[BGriffin23]

I am posting to keep updated on this thread.

 

[Mr Flibble]

I've built 2 some years ago. I did some a few simple improvements to them, like adding black mat paint of the film chamber walls and some light seals.
What helps with the film advance is pressing against the back of the camera as you wind the film. This prevents it from slipping over the 'frame counter' gear.
There are some variations between the various productions of this kit, I got one that didn't have a ground glass but a clear piece of plastic as a focus screen.. Fixed that with some scotch tape.

They're fun as is, to build and maybe run a roll through it once in a while. But yes, they're toy cameras

Replacing the lenses; I don't think that would be that hard to do. I suppose as long as you got two similar ones to replace both the viewing lens and taking lens so that the focus remains the same between them.
I recall seeing a hack to add 'B' to the shutter mechanism.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Matte paint or flocking inside the "black box" seems like a good plan. A "pressure plate" of soft foam with a slick, semi-rigid surface material (cut out to clear the counter cog) would be excellent. Light seals probably a good plan (I've got a couple foam kits I bought for my RB67 backs and haven't installed).

If mine has a clear screen, I might just scribe some lines on it (or glue thread across the screen space) to use with aerial image focusing. More accurate than matte screen anyway. Now I need to go try to find that B hack.

 

[xya]

I built one, it was marketed as a german advent calendar and I published the process daily on a french website from dec 1 to 24 2019 https://www.polaroid-passion.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=32496. there is an english version on one of my websites at http://www.oddcameras.com/advent_calender_diy_camera.htm and a description of the resulting camera at http://www.oddcameras.com/recesky_diy.htm. mine produced the expected results, no leaks but a soft image, close to lensbabies results, but much cheaper. it was real fun to make.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Yep, that's about what I was expecting -- single element plastic lens means it'll be no better than a Holga. Hence why I'm interested in upgrading. With both lenses easy to remove, and half a dozen screws to be able to block the shutter open temporarily for focus synchronization, it can be done after initial assembly, as long as I don't glue the body together as security for the screws. A double meniscus ("periskop") would be a welcome improvement, though that requires the aperture to be between the elements.

I'll get it assembled one of the next few weekends, and then shop around Surplus Shed until I find lenses that look right.

I was looking at the shutter parts on the instructions, and I think this is the same kind of "paddle" shutter that was in the 35mm camera I received years ago with the lens drilled out for conversion to pinhole -- but the drill went through the shutter as well. I repaired that with a piece of brass foil over the hole, and then converted it to "always B" (more useful for pinhole that way) and added a cable release socket. I think it ought to be possible to make that a switchable conversion...