Stephen
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Post by Stephen on Jun 7, 2015 8:19:10 GMT -5
Coming from ebay, a R.F. Hunter 35mm camera, from the early 1950's, a bit of a curiousity in a British brand name, but an imported camera from Steiner in Germany. R.F. Hunter were photographic distributors and wholesalers in the UK, having thei own Hunter brand for several cine and darkroom products. They distributed Paterson products, but were mainly the official importer of Rollei Cameras to the UK. Along the road they also brought in some cheaper types of imports like the Steiner (Bayreuth), and marketed the UK made box cameas from Gilbert in the 1950's. The Hunter is a plain 35mm camera, limited speed shutter, a modest anastigmat 45mm F3.5 lens, but features a strange film transmission shared with Saraber and Periflex amoungst others, the film transport has no sprockets, relying on the large diameter of the take up spool to space images. Made from Bakelite, with metal covers and fittings, it has bottom loading! Steiner sold the camera under other names in Germany as well as the Steinette, and made a rangefinder version for Hunter. The Hunter cost only £4.99, and has the case, and instruction sheet included with it..... camera-wiki.org/wiki/Hunter_35Has photos and references.
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Post by philbirch on Jun 7, 2015 10:08:41 GMT -5
I've got one of those...
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Stephen
Lifetime Member
Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Jun 7, 2015 13:26:16 GMT -5
Yes..... that's the camera all right, and an issue must arise as to what film would work, with 100th as the top speed, vitually ruling out 200ASA colour neg, without resorting to a neutral density filter. I think Steiner are still in business making binoculars, I wonder how many of the 1950's makers apart from Leica and several Japanese makers are still in business these days, even Kodak are gone.
Stephen
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Post by philbirch on Jun 8, 2015 15:40:08 GMT -5
I'd have no hesitation using ISO200 film in mine. When I get round to it!
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Stephen
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Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Jun 8, 2015 18:53:50 GMT -5
Yes, but 100th at F16 would be the max exposure, and it is about a stop over the max for 200 asa. These simple lenses work best at about F8, f16 would not give the best results. Add in the poorer standard of colour developing and printing these days, and all the potential quality has gone.
So about 3 stops over in bright sunshine and that assumes te 100th is not slow......obviously designed in the far off days when 50asa was fast, and colour was 12 ASA....
Mind you in B/W then a 50 ASA film processed to give a lower speed would be fine, but colour to be practical will need a 3x nuetral density.
From what I am told, the Hunter has a good standard lens for the type and price, better than a Beirette, or Ilfords cheaper models.
Stephen.
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Post by philbirch on Jun 10, 2015 15:06:21 GMT -5
I'm sure I have an ND filter in one of those odd sizes. I agree, if the 1/100th is slow that would compound the problem.
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Stephen
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Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Jun 10, 2015 15:21:23 GMT -5
If you need a few small diameter ND or colour filters, buy a cokin filter and saw it up with a piercing saw and re-polish to surfaces if marked. To stop any marks, cover with selotape before sawing up. Get a plastic cap to fit the camera, and cut out the front and glue in the cokin filer as accurately as you can. Tip.. some bottle caps work fine! Stephen.
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Stephen
Lifetime Member
Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Jun 10, 2015 15:23:22 GMT -5
I have the Hunter 35 in the Post today, cleaning it up for a test shot or two! It appears to all be in working order, and a bit better built than I thought. Stephen.
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Stephen
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Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Jun 11, 2015 9:30:46 GMT -5
The Hunter has cleaned up well, a few marks on the front cover, which appears painted or anodised, rather than chrome. the shutter does not work on B properly as yet, but the other speeds look Ok, but cannnot be tested as the back of the camera is solid like a Leica.
The loading is as per Leica, from the bottom, with a removable drum, rather than a spool. There are no sprockets at all, the frame spacing comes from the winder turning the drum.
The lens appears fine, it was very dirty, but cleaned up fine. It is not possible to check the back element easily. The 45mm F3.5 Steiner lens apppears to be a three element anastigmatic type.
The Hunter camera has a leather case and instructions, and also it has it's original receipt from the shop in Shepherds Bush in London, where it was bought as new. I will take a shot of the camera and the receipt later today.
Stephen.
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Post by philbirch on Jun 11, 2015 12:56:02 GMT -5
Nice one. The ND I have is a Wratten square, I have a few from the 70's with sections cut out where they've been used for photomicrography
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Stephen
Lifetime Member
Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Jun 13, 2015 12:03:37 GMT -5
In the R.F. Hunter camera case, folded up, is the original sales bill from July 1957, from Hatherley's of Shephards Bush, in London, showing the cost, and in proportion, an expensive case. Signed and Stamped bill. Looks like somone was bad at adding £SD, as they altered the 7s to an 8s, the shop these days is an Asian foodstore. Stephen
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Stephen
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Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Jun 13, 2015 15:30:28 GMT -5
I was curious about the stamp on the bill, in the time I was in the photographic trade no mention was ever made of adding stamps. I knew old bills often have them, even old paid newspaer paper bills.
It appears that the requirement for putting stamps on receipts was brought in by the 1891 Stamp Act in order to raise money for the Government. The 1920 Finance Act said that any receipt for something worth £2.00 or over, should have a two pence stamp put on it. If it didn’t have the stamp, then the receipt was not valid in a court of law.
Stamps on receipts were finally abolished by the 1964 Finance Act.
Stephen.
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Stephen
Lifetime Member
Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Jun 15, 2015 6:03:06 GMT -5
First results back for the Hunter 35, and it is over exposing a bit, as the shutter runs a bit slow. A few burnt out highlights, and the lower speed is the worst. Near impossible to test the shutter, as it is bottom loading, with a solid body, no opening back. It looks like the shutter would open easily, but in the meantime, a fresh test with an ND filter. The film was used in three cameras, changing between the cameras to economise on film! The results are quite sharp, but not very contrasty, about average for a simple 3 element lens.
Stephen.
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Stephen
Lifetime Member
Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Jul 1, 2015 12:04:45 GMT -5
The shutter has now been cleaned up, the blades had old oil on them. Very simple guillotine action shutter, self cocking, rather like the Ilford Advocate. Very few parts so little to go wrong.
Stephen.
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