Auto Wester 35mm rangefinder

[lloydy]

Auto Wester 35mm rangefinder

I've never heard of Wester cameras before, but I've seen a nice rangefinder, pre 1958 ( Apparently NKK went bust then ). It has a Wesco 28mm lens, the shutter is cocked from a lever on the lens and fired from a button on top. The rangefinder window is very yellow - radioactive? whatever, the rangefinder works. It's in very nice condition with a good leather case.

All I can find out is that Wester cameras were made by Nishida Kogaku Kogyo 'NKK' and a bit of information on the earlier folding cameras the S1 and the Autorol. I can see nothing about this rangefinder.

Is it rare and valuable, or is it just another decent rangefinder ? I've got a few rangefinders already which I hardly use except for my Zorki 4K, they aren't my main focus of interest. So, should I spend money on it ?

[Stephen]

Value unknown, as it is rare, but qualify by being rare does not mean desirable. Nishida were on the point of bankruptcy when introduced, it was not made for long. I think I last saw one in a camera store in the late 70's, my impression was, I think, that it was an average Japanese design of the late 1950's. Are you sure about 28mm? possibly F2.8 and 45mm, unless this is a wide angle, or a half frame camera.

[lloydy]

It could well be a 45 mm lens, I'm dyslexic with numbers and didn't have a chance to write any details down.

I kinda thought it might be the case that it is a rare but not desirable or valuable camera.
The quality of construction is decent, but who know how it performs?
It's in a local charity shop and they keep the cameras for me to have a look at and give a rough value on, so I also get first chance at the good stuff. ;D I might just bring it home and run a roll through it for testing.

[Berndt]

Never heard of an Auto Wester 35 mm rangefinder either. There are Wester- or ( very similar named ) Vester-cameras, but they are all medium format cameras, using 120 and not 35 mm film. However, your camera/NKK shutter seems to be mentioned here briefly: camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Nishida_shutters#Wester_and_NKK_Wester.2C_.2300_size

A rare camera, I guess. If it is not too expensive and still in decent condition, go for it.

[daveh]

A new name to me too. It's probably worth (to you at least) what you will pay for it.

[lloydy]

I gave in and bought it, and it's a nice looking rangefinder. As far as I can tell the NKK Camera Co made very few cameras, they mainly made shutters. I've found record of a couple of folders on the internet but only one mention of this rangefinder that NKK made briefly before they went bust in 1958.


Wester front by Mudplugga, on Flickr


Wester case by Mudplugga, on Flickr



Wester back by Mudplugga, on Flickr


Wester view by Mudplugga, on Flickr

It's a well made camera, the construction is better than many of the cameras of this era which have poorly pressed, thin steel, top plates, This is a heavy and strong camera.
The shutter is smooth and quiet, with speeds from B, 1 to 500 sec. Apertures on the 45mm Wescon lens go from f16 to f2.8. The closest focus on the ( very stiff ) control is 2 feet. There's an ISO dial from 800 to 10, is ISO 10 still available ? This is just a reminder dial, there's no light meter or battery.
Under the ISO dial is the film wind on lever, and this is a joy. I have never felt such a smooth mechanism on any camera. There's a tiny but clear frame counter on the back of the top plate.
The viewfinder is excellent, very clear with a good yellow patch, out of the few rangefinders I have this is by far the best.
Other than that it's as you would expect from a camera of this period, tripod mount, strap lugs, cold shoe and one nice touch, a shutter lock with a nice knurled twist button on the front.

As yet I haven't run a film through it, so the quality of the lens is unknown. But.....if the lens is any good this will be a great little rangefinder. I will post pictures, but it might take a couple of weeks.

[Berndt]

Really nice and interesting find. Looking forward to seeing the pictures, taken with this camera !!!

[daveh]

Lloydy, as you say solidly made. Perhaps that was the reason for its demise - the public could buy other cameras which would do the same, but cheaper.

[Stephen]

Nice example of 1950's Japanese camera construction, the better end of the wide choice available. With unknown ones the weight is the indicator, light and they are flimsy, really little more than what were classed as Kiosk cameras, intended for tourists and toy sales, like the HIT cameras.
Then there were about 20 or more makers of middle quality, and then the handful of classy makers of Leica clones.

This one must class as reasonable, like the Neoca and Taron, and indeed may be better internally than average. Lens quality was pretty much average across the makes, nothing outstanding, but more than needed at the price levels.

Amongst the best internally were Lord, whose rangefinder parts rival Leica!, and it has a more robust chassis and chrome parts. Lord intended a Leica clone, but never got around to producing one.

The major name makers were all very sound in the 1950's, they suddenly got worse after the financial troubles in Japan in the late 1950's, which lead to bankruptcies and closures in the camera producers.
Often for the large US market and in Europe to an extent, the cameras were badge engineered to another name, usually a distributor or a maker wanting a cheaper model without manufacturing it.

Stephen.

[lloydy]

Thank's for information Peter, what you've told me and a tiny bit gleaned from the internet is all I've found. So I'm guessing it is rare, or at least scarce in the West. The value of the camera isn't important, well, if it would fund a lifestyle of the rich I wouldn't complain. My main aim is to use it, but sadly I think that I mistook the smooth film wind on for 'quality' whereas in fact the film take up spool is actually slipping. With no film it seems fine, the lever turns the spool, but with a film or a bit of friction from a finger the spool slips, and will actually go backwards. I'm guessing there should be a ratchet mechanism linked to the rewind release button on the camera base that is either broken or stuck ?

I have some experience of repairing cameras and lenses, but obviously there is no instruction book for this camera. And I have no experience with rangefinders other than getting my Zorki set up - adjusting the rangefinder and setting the lens mount distance.
I'd hate to wreck this camera, and I'm prepared to send it to someone who knows what they're doing. But if it's likely to be a simple generic type of job I'll have a go. So if anyone has experience of 1950's Japanese rangefinders I'd love to hear your advice and thoughts.

[Stephen]

First, check the rewind button, wherever it is, is not still engaged, the action of pressing it frees most winding reels. designs vary, usually a clutch within the shaft or a dog clutch on top of it. The action of further winding overcomes the spring and the clutch closes, restoring the drive. It may just need a bit of use to free up the mechanism. Never assume all cameras are the same operation, check that the film counter is not interconnected, and needs to be zeroed if it counts from zero. Also try moving the sprocket drive shaft, sometimes this is interconnected to the restoration of the drive, as the film pulls on the sprocket the clutch engages. Hope this helps, it should be easy to cure, dependant on entry to the drive shaft area. Try opening up the bottom plate and see if they have run interconnecting bars from the shaft to the shutter area, might pay to lightly lube and study the action of the parts.

Take lots of digital shots of every move in an unknown camera, never remove parts without recording the parts and moves to put it back.

Stephen.

[lloydy]

I was thinking that the rewind button / mechanism might be the culprit, it does go in and spring out - but whether it springs out enough is what I need to discover first. It does feel as though there's a clutch mechanism in there, the take up spool does turn when wound with the lever, it's when there's drag from a film it slips. Looking at the action with the back open and with no film it looks fine.

At the moment I'm on holiday, I only discovered this problem late in the evening the day before we departed, I was going to bring the Wester to try, but before I loaded a good film I tried a test film ( exposed many times and wound back ) and that showed the problem when I tried it with the camera back open.

So it's a job for a rainy day when I get home, get the tools out and record every move with the NEX. I'm determined to get it fixed.

[philbirch]

You still got that camera Dave? Any news?