Franka Solida I questions...

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Sergio La Marca - 28 Nov 2004 00:04 GMT

Hi everybody. I recently bought a Franka Solida I 6x6 camera on eBay
(...sounds familiar?...)
I'm very pleased with the sturdiness of the camera ('solida' is an italian
word for 'sturdy', didn't you know?) but I got a couple of doubts. First, I
opened the back and found a light plastic film spool in the LEFT
housing...is PLASTIC normal for a 50's camera like this? Also, I think the
take up spool should be in the RIGHT compartment as the wind crank is there.
But, the spool doesn't enter into the compartment, even if it seems to me it
could actually fit in..So can someone of you, maybe owning a Solida I, give
me some useful advice? Second question. Can someone of you please explain
the function of the little red dot appearing near the wind crank after
winding and disappearing after releasing the shutter? I think it's some sort
of double exposure prevention interlock or something like that. Maybe
someone can elaborate on that?
Thank you and the best to all of you.
Sergio La Marca
Italy

Signature

Sergio La Marca
Tredici (CE), Italy
slamarca@libero.it

Reply to this Message

Stacey - 28 Nov 2004 01:31 GMT

> Hi everybody. I recently bought a Franka Solida I 6x6 camera on eBay
> (...sounds familiar?...)
> I'm very pleased with the sturdiness of the camera ('solida' is an italian
> word for 'sturdy', didn't you know?) but I got a couple of doubts. First,
> I opened the back and found a light plastic film spool in the LEFT
> housing...is PLASTIC normal for a 50's camera like this?

Someone has used this camera recently or it would be an old metal one. The
film moves from the film spool to the take up spool but is not rewound, the
last film spool becomes the next takeup spool.

> Also, I think the
> take up spool should be in the RIGHT compartment as the wind crank is
> there. But, the spool doesn't enter into the compartment, even if it seems
> to me it could actually fit in..So can someone of you, maybe owning a
> Solida I, give me some useful advice?

Yep, pull up on the spring loaded wind knob and the metal shield will -flip
out- so you can insert the takeup spool. You'll have to turn the knob till
it engages the slot in the top of the spool afterwards. Then use the red
window to set each frame of the film.

> Second question. Can someone of you
> please explain the function of the little red dot appearing near the wind
> crank after winding and disappearing after releasing the shutter? I think
> it's some sort of double exposure prevention interlock or something like
> that.

That's exactly what it is, a double exposure prevention device. I have a
couple of these (a type I and type II) and they work fairly well, the
enagon 75mm lens is a triplet that performs pretty good stopped down
between f11-f22.

Signature

Stacey

Reply to this Message

Sergio La Marca - 28 Nov 2004 21:38 GMT

Thanks a lot, Stacey, I would never have figured out the way to put the
takeup spool into the camera by myself. Btw, do you know if there is a
manual online? I think I have to experiment with some roll to get into mf
photography... As for the double exposure interlock, if I guess right I have
to wind the crank until the red dot appears to safely shoot another
photo...am I right?
Also, my camera sports a Frankar Anastigmat 1.35/75 mm and has a red 'C' on
the lens (I think it means 'color corrected'...). Have you found an
appropriate lens hood or filters?
Thank you,
Sergio

> > Hi everybody. I recently bought a Franka Solida I 6x6 camera on eBay
> > (...sounds familiar?...)
[quoted text clipped - 28 lines]
> enagon 75mm lens is a triplet that performs pretty good stopped down
> between f11-f22.

Reply to this Message

Stacey - 29 Nov 2004 00:23 GMT

> Thanks a lot, Stacey, I would never have figured out the way to put the
> takeup spool into the camera by myself. Btw, do you know if there is a
> manual online? I think I have to experiment with some roll to get into mf
> photography... As for the double exposure interlock, if I guess right I
> have to wind the crank until the red dot appears to safely shoot another
> photo...am I right?

To "safely shoot another frame" you need to wind the film until the next
number on the backing shows up in the red window. the double exposure
prevention will take care of itself. These have no counter other than using
the red window on the camera back. Using 120 film is kinda strange until
you've used one roll, then it will make sense.

> Also, my camera sports a Frankar Anastigmat 1.35/75 mm and has a red 'C'
> on the lens (I think it means 'color corrected'...).

It means it's coated.

> Have you found an
> appropriate lens hood or filters?

It probably takes slip on filters, trial and error...

Signature

Stacey

Reply to this Message

Sergio La Marca - 29 Nov 2004 12:07 GMT

Thank you again, Stacey, I'll look around for the hood and filters.
Sergio

> > Thanks a lot, Stacey, I would never have figured out the way to put the
> > takeup spool into the camera by myself. Btw, do you know if there is a
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>
> It probably takes slip on filters, trial and error...

Reply to this Message