|
Post by Just Plain Curt on Dec 2, 2006 7:43:26 GMT -5
Just a few of my latest finds. Nothing really rare, just fun cameras. Praktica V FB w/Helios 58 f2 Zeiss Ikon Nettar 515 w/Novar 7.5 cm f4.5 Olympus OM 1 (thanks Bob) w/50 f1.8 Zuiko Montanus Montana w/Deltamon 45 f3.5 Mamiya Auto-Lux 35 w/Mamiya-Sekor 48 f2.8 As I said, nothing to set the world on fire, just some decent old cameras in nice shape.
|
|
|
Post by Randy on Dec 2, 2006 7:59:57 GMT -5
What can you tell us about that Montanus Montana? Now is that a name for a camera or what? ;D
|
|
PeterW
Lifetime Member
Member has Passed
Posts: 3,804
|
Post by PeterW on Dec 2, 2006 8:12:35 GMT -5
Nice finds, Curt.
The Praktica IV and V are reckoned by some people to be the best mechanical cameras Praktica made.
Randy, despite its American sounding name, the Montanus Montana was made in Germany by Montanus Camerabau, around the mid 1950s I think. Before it changed its name to Montanus the company was called Potthoff (Kamerafabrik Potthoff & Co) and made a Bakelite TLR called the Amplion Reflex.
PeterW
|
|
|
Post by doubs43 on Dec 2, 2006 12:02:44 GMT -5
Curt, that is a fine looking example of the Praktica V, a beautifully made camera. The OM-1 should also take outstanding images. Nice finds for sure.
Walker
|
|
|
Post by nikonbob on Dec 2, 2006 15:49:37 GMT -5
Curt
Nice catches. We should do duelling Nettar 515s sometime.
Bob
|
|
PeterW
Lifetime Member
Member has Passed
Posts: 3,804
|
Post by PeterW on Dec 2, 2006 17:55:26 GMT -5
Curt, just looked again at your Praktica V and realised it's got a Russian Helios lens on it. Strange how many Prakticas turn up with Helios lenses. I've picked up three in the past year or so.
I think it might be that the owners got them with f/2.8 Domiplan or Meritar lenses and realised that the f/2 Helios, particularly the 44-2 and 44-M which can often be found for next to nothing in the UK, sometimes with a Zenit hanging on the back, was a much better bet.
PeterW
|
|
|
Post by Just Plain Curt on Dec 3, 2006 7:16:00 GMT -5
Hi Peter, Yes, the Helios to my mind anyway is a much nicer lens to work with. The Meyer Domiplan has become the bane of my collecting since I have 9 and only two work properly. Apparently they were assembled with contact cement rather than grease. I really like Prakticas and now only bid on them if there is either an extra lens included or a non-Domiplan on the camera. Seems like the rest of the Meyer lenses were fine, just the Domiplan for some reason. P.S. I put the Helios on the camera to try both out then liked the look so much it stayed. Unfortunately the shutter is capping so it'll need a good CLA. Hi Randy, You like the Montana name huh, LOL? Plenty straight forward viewfinder camera. Fancier version came in imitation reptile covering. Mine is like new and seems to have been taken good care of. If we ever emerge from old man winter's chilly grip I'll need to try some film through it but so far it's way too cold out. I start 22 days of holidays on Thursday so maybe then, if not when I go to Vegas for Christmas. Ho Ho Ho, turkey buffet mmmmmm.
|
|
PeterW
Lifetime Member
Member has Passed
Posts: 3,804
|
Post by PeterW on Dec 3, 2006 16:31:38 GMT -5
Hi Curt,
I don't like Domiplans either. I had two, and on both of them the auto stop-down stopped working. If yours have the same problem you can get to the stop-down mechanism from the back.
There's a plain dish-shaped piece at the back of the main barrel which just unscrews. On both mine it came off with finger grip, but you may need to improvise a strap spanner if it's tight. Under that is a peculiar hoop-shaped spring arrangement that can pivot. Not sure what it does, but you have to take it off to get at two of the three screws that hold the stop-down mechanism and iris plate.
If all that's wrong is that the iris or its operating ring is sticky you can clean it and it should work OK. If it doesn't, the trouble may be the link from the aperture ring which is right at the front of the lens and has a long link piece piece going back by the side of the lens elements to reach the iris operating link. To get at this you need a rubber bung to undo the front of the lens, the nameplate.
On neither of mine could I find anything broken or stuck, so I just cleaned everything and put it all together again. Hey Presto - they both worked, and carried on working OK. Still don't know what I did to cure them. I got rid of them at a boot fair on a couple of duplicate Prakticas before they went wrong again, if they ever did.
When they were working, the Domiplans gave quite decent results, but I didn't find the same with a Meritar. Despite its name I couldn't see much merit in it at all. I've had triplets on cheap fixed lens cameras that gave better results. I hadn't got the heart to sell it as a good user lens so I gave it away as a 'spare' lens with another Praktica I sold which had a Helios on it.
I have both a Praktica IV and V but I haven't had to do any work on them at all so, sorry, but I offer anjy tips about a shutter CLA.
BTW, with regard to finger grip, I've found a pair of kitchen rubber gloves with a rough non-slip surface on the fingers ideal for getting a good grip. I've been able to undo parts with those which I couldn't shift with bare fingers. Very handy if you've got a really stiff lens to take apart.
PeterW
|
|
|
Post by herron on Dec 3, 2006 19:11:56 GMT -5
........BTW, with regard to finger grip, I've found a pair of kitchen rubber gloves with a rough non-slip surface on the fingers ideal for getting a good grip. I've been able to undo parts with those which I couldn't shift with bare fingers. Very handy if you've got a really stiff lens to take apart. PeterW I may have to try that. I've got a couple of filters that were used in tandem. Got them off the lens OK...just can't seem to separate them from each other. I'll try your trick and let you know if it works!
|
|
|
Post by Just Plain Curt on Dec 4, 2006 5:58:03 GMT -5
Thanks for the tip Peter, I had a couple apart but stopped after the rear ring. Guess I need to go into it a bit deeper.
|
|
|
Post by herron on Dec 4, 2006 15:52:30 GMT -5
........BTW, with regard to finger grip, I've found a pair of kitchen rubber gloves with a rough non-slip surface on the fingers ideal for getting a good grip. I've been able to undo parts with those which I couldn't shift with bare fingers. Very handy if you've got a really stiff lens to take apart. PeterW I may have to try that. I've got a couple of filters that were used in tandem. Got them off the lens OK...just can't seem to separate them from each other. I'll try your trick and let you know if it works! I'll be darned....it worked! ;D And I was just about ready to buy one of those filter rings from Micro-Tools!
|
|
PeterW
Lifetime Member
Member has Passed
Posts: 3,804
|
Post by PeterW on Dec 4, 2006 17:52:13 GMT -5
Glad it worked, Ron. I learned the trick many years ago when I was trying without success to get the top off a new jar of pickled onions. I just couldn't get a grip. My wife took it from me, put her kitchen gloves on and undid it first try! Kitchen gloves were known for a long time in the family as 'pickled onion openers'.
PeterW
|
|