New ground glass focusing screen for my Burke & James 4×5 Press Camera

August 23, 2020August 23, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

I’ve recently acquired a rather large collection of cameras and various bits of gear from well-known New Mexico writer and photographer Ken Cobean’s estate. His son, Sam Cobean was kind enough to let me appraise his dad’s collection and we’ve since struck a deal for me to purchase it.

One of the cameras in the collection is this very nice Burke & James Press camera (pictured below) from the late 1940s to early 1950s (I haven’t nailed down the exact date of this particular camera as of this post). It may turn out to be a mid-fifties camera and lens set after a tad more research.

4×5 inch large format press camera. Equipped with a Wollensak Rapax Syncromatic shutter with speeds from 1 to 1/200th of a second plus ‘B’ and ‘T’.

The lens is a Wollensak 162mm f/4.5 coated Raptar Series II (Tessar type) made about 1950 or 1951. In 4×5 large format photography, a 162mm focal length lens is considered to be equivalent to a ‘normal’ 55mm lens in 35mm photography.

The ‘C’ with the ‘W’ inside it (in red) indicates that the lens is ‘Wocoted’ or simply has a Wocote coating on all lens surfaces. This lens was produced between 1947 to 1972.

After installing a new custom made ground glass focusing screen I decided to give it a test run in the studio. My Yashica LM proved to be an appropriate subject.

The revolving back on the B&J Press was rotated to take advantage of the verticle nature of the shot. I’m quite pleased with the results.

My ‘studio’ set up. The press camera is in the dark on the lower right.

The original ground glass in the press camera has seen better days.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day! – Chris

http://www.ccstudio2380.com

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

Throwback Thursday – a Canon Classic

August 20, 2020August 20, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Canon New F-1 Olympics

The Canon New F-1 Los Angeles 1984 Olympics Edition.

Thanks for stopping by and have a beautiful day! – Chris

Be sure to stop by my always open camera shop hosted by Etsy at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

Friday Fotos! – Naked Leica

August 14, 2020August 14, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Happy Friday all! Today’s featured camera the Leica IIIg with attached Leicavit winder. This camera was built in 1956 according to its serial number and typical for these Leica IIIg bodies, the leatherette (vulcanite) becomes brittle with age and extreme dryness. Although the dry air inhibits corrosion it does dry out internal lubrication so a complete CLA is in order.

I’ve deskinned (crude) the body of its failed covering reveling a rather industrial looking Leica in its place.

I could get used to this look.

Before the covering was removed. It looked good until you handled it and then bits of old leather just fell off in small crumbles.

It’s headed off for some much-needed service. I’ll keep you posted when I get it back and run a test roll of film through it. I’m still up in the air about what to recover it with.

Thanks for stopping by! – Chris

My camera shop is always open at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

Chasing Classic Cameras – Nicca 3-S

August 13, 2020August 13, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Nicca 3-S 35mm rangefinder camera from the mid-1950s. Here it’s mated with a rather rare Nippon Kogaku W-Nikkor C 28mm f/3.5 wide-angle lens and matching Nippon Kogaku optical 2.8 viewfinder.

The Nicca is a solid camera in its own right. Many call this type of camera a Leica copy or clone but I prefer to say it was inspired by Leica’s design.

Thanks for stopping by and have a beautiful day! – Chris

My camera shop can be visited at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

New in the Shop – rare photogear!

August 11, 2020August 11, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Hi all! We hope your week is going well and that you and your family are staying safe. We’ve been very busy cataloging and testing a rather large collection of cameras, lenses, and cool bits and bobs that we’ve recently acquired from a local family. Some of these cameras have been in their family for over 100 years!

Here’s a small sample of some of the items we have in our camera shop right now at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

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As with everything we sell in our online shop, we test, clean, inspect each and every piece before describing and depicting it accurately in our listings – always lots of clear, detailed, and well-lighted images to make it easier for you to feel comfortable with your purchase. We can ship almost worldwide through our Etsy partnership and we accept most forms of payment. See something you like and have a few questions? Contact us at ccphotographyai@gmail.com. If there’s something you’ve been looking for we may have it in our collection. Let us know what it is and we’ll be glad to share it with you.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day! – Chris & Carol

http://www.ccstudio2380.com

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris – hello Miranda!

August 10, 2020August 10, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Here’s a seldom-seen “system camera” from Miranda first released in 1965. The Miranda G was a one-hit-wonder and was quickly replaced with metered models. I think it was called the Miranda GT when a metered pentaprism was added.

Exploded view of the Miranda G. Up to three viewfinders were available for use in the system.

A fast Auto Miranda wide-angle lens (made by Soligor?) – f/2.8 2.8cm

A focal-plane shutter with speeds from bulb to 1/1000 second.

There are 8 different focusing screens available for this model.

This beast weighs in at 877 grams as pictured minus film and batteries. Wait, there’s no batteries as this is the meterless prism. Time to break out your hand-held meter because this is basic photography 101 – pure analog.

I wanted to post an advertisement from around 1965 or so with the Miranda G but I couldn’t find any. The G is rather uncommon in any condition.

This wonderful classic is available in my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

Thanks for stopping by and stay safe! – Chris

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

SUNday Spotlight – Chasing Classic Cameras – Kodak

August 2, 2020August 2, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Happy Sunday to all! Today’s spotlight falls on these two beautiful classics from Kodak. Both are from the early 1900s and they are fully operational.

Kodak No. 3-A Folding Brownie Camera Model A. This one is from the period 1909-1913.

The lens is made by Bausch & Lomb Optical Company and the shutter is adjustable for “T’, “B”, and “I”. This model uses 124 roll films.

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Pictured below is No. 3 Folding Pocket Kodak Model H.

No. 3 Folding Pocket Kodak Model H from around 1910.

Bausch & Lomb Optical Company lens with aperture adjustments from f4 to f128 and shutter speeds of “T”, “B”, 1/25, 1/50, and 1/100 second.

The Kodak pictured above uses 118 roll films that are no longer made but both of these cameras can use modern 120 roll films with the use of adapters on the film spools.

The black bellows are original to this camera. Previous models had red bellows.

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These cameras are from the collection of well-known New Mexico photographer and writer, Ken Cobean (Hial Kenyon Cobean, Jr.). His photographs and articles appeared in numerous publications including Life, Time, and other well-known magazines.

I attribute the excellent condition of these cameras to excellent care and a favorable environment of the Southwest United States.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com – Chris

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

(almost) wordless wednesday

July 29, 2020July 29, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

yashica pentamatic big time

Have a beautiful and safe day and many thanks for stopping by! – Chris

I have some interesting new items in my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com which is hosted by Etsy.

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

SUNday Spotlight! – Pigeonflex

July 26, 2020July 26, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Hello all! Happy Sunday and thanks for stopping by.

Before Yashica was Yashica they were Yashima and Yashima’s first camera was the oddly named Pigeonflex.

pigeonflex with dirt

Proudly displaying 67 years of dirt, dust, soot, and grime. I’ve since cleaned it up (which was super fun) and as you see it here it was fully working! Credit goes to those talented craftspeople in Suwa, Nagano Prefecture, Japan those many decades ago.

I purchased this from a Japanese seller from Hokkaido, Higashi-ku, Sapporo, Japan a few years back.

Yashima’s Pigeonflex Twin-lens Reflex (TLR)

A short two years later, this was the first camera from Yashima to carry the Yashica name – confused yet?

Yashica Flex S from 1955

Have a beautiful day and be sure to stop by my camera shop hosted by Etsy at http://www.ccstudio2380.com – Chris

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

Leica IIIg – 1956

July 25, 2020July 25, 2020Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Hello all! Happy Saturday.

Today’s spotlight camera is the Leica IIIg which was the last Leica rangefinder camera that used L39 (LTM) screw-in lenses. This lovely camera set is from 1956.

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The camera’s serial number indicates that it was in production in the latter half of 1956 while the lens looks to be from 1955. The Leicavit winder is appropriate for the models IIIf and IIIg so I believe it’s original to this camera.

Typical to cameras that are over 60-years-old, this one will need a complete CLA (cleaning internally, lubricating, and adjustment) professionally. The shutter is way out of adjustment so the shutter curtains are not operating properly and the speeds are off. The winder will need internal cleaning (mostly removing old lubricants) and installing fresh lubricant. Hopefully, that will enable it to operate as designed at about two frames per second (a stretch).

The lens works as it should and appears to have escaped the dreaded fungus and mold. The front and rear optics are clean and scratch-free but internally it does suffer from haze on all the elements. This appears to be typical with Leitz lenses from this era.

This camera set has a wonderful history and it would be nice to be able to shoot with it again. Here’s hoping.

Thanks for stopping by and have a beautiful day! Please feel free to visit my camera shop hosted by Etsy at http://www.ccstudio2380.com – Chris

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris

Yashica cameras and so much more!

Category Classic Film Cameras

New ground glass focusing screen for my Burke & James 4×5 Press Camera

I’ve recently acquired a rather large collection of cameras and various bits of gear from well-known New Mexico writer and photographer Ken Cobean’s estate. His son, Sam Cobean was kind enough to let me appraise his dad’s collection and we’ve since struck a deal for me to purchase it.

Throwback Thursday – a Canon Classic

Friday Fotos! – Naked Leica

Chasing Classic Cameras – Nicca 3-S

Nicca 3-S 35mm rangefinder camera from the mid-1950s. Here it’s mated with a rather rare Nippon Kogaku W-Nikkor C 28mm f/3.5 wide-angle lens and matching Nippon Kogaku optical 2.8 viewfinder.

New in the Shop – rare photogear!

Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris – hello Miranda!

Here’s a seldom-seen “system camera” from Miranda first released in 1965. The Miranda G was a one-hit-wonder and was quickly replaced with metered models. I think it was called the Miranda GT when a metered pentaprism was added.

SUNday Spotlight – Chasing Classic Cameras – Kodak

Happy Sunday to all! Today’s spotlight falls on these two beautiful classics from Kodak. Both are from the early 1900s and they are fully operational.

(almost) wordless wednesday

SUNday Spotlight! – Pigeonflex

Hello all! Happy Sunday and thanks for stopping by.

Leica IIIg – 1956

Hello all! Happy Saturday.