 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| PhotoKB HomeDiscussion Groups Digital Photography Digital PhotoDSLR CamerasZLR CamerasPoint & Shoot CamerasFilm Photography 35 mmLarge FormatMedium formatDarkroomFilm and LabsOther EquipmentPhoto Technique Nature PhotographyPeople PhotographyTechnique GeneralGeneral Photo Topics General TopicsAustralian PhotographyUK PhotographyDirectoryPhoto Clubs |
Photo Forum / Film Photography / Medium format / September 2003Kodak Medalist II
I'm trying to get into MF photography, and need some help. I was loaned a camera by somebody who knows less about it (the camera AND photography) than I do. Can anyone tell me where I can find information about the controls on a Medalist II? Specifically, the small slide button with labels 'M' and 'F' at each end of it's range, and the hook shaped lever adjacent. Thanks > I'm trying to get into MF photography, and need some help. I was loaned a > camera by somebody who knows less about it (the camera AND photography) than [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > it's range, and the hook shaped lever adjacent. > Thanks I could be wrong, but... According to " Collector's Guide to Kodak Cameras" by Jim & Joan McKeown, the Kodak Medalist II camera (1946-1953) uses 620 film. You will experience difficulty in finding 620 size film. From the Kodak website FAQ: ------------------------(quote)--------------- Is it possible to buy film in old, discontinued roll sizes (e.g. 127, 620)? Kodak found it necessary to discontinue many roll film sizes some years ago. Cameras using these film sizes have not been manufactured for many years, and customer demand declined to the point where we were forced to discontinue the films. The films simply became more costly to manufacture than what an average consumer could be expected to pay. However, there is a company in Honeoye Falls, NY, (U.S.A.) that cuts and respools film for use in old roll film cameras. They have film available in sizes 127, 620 and 828. Dick Haviland Film for Classics PO Box 486 Honeoye Falls, NY 14472 (585) 624-4945 -----------------------(end quote)------------ The difference between (discontinued) 620 and (readily available) 120 film is the thicker of the ends of the spool; 120 is thicker. Some people will recommend (after locating a couple 620 spools) re-spooling 120 film on the 620 spool, then never letting the 620 spools out of your sight! Respooling roll film would have to be done in the dark, and it ranges between "tricky" and "impossible", depending on your frustration tolerance level. Other people claim to have modified their 620 cameras to accomodate the thicker spools and use 120 film. Whether the Medalist cam be modified by bending, filing, or whatever, and whether you want to risk damage to it (possibly destroying any collector value) is your decision. The above mentioned book does praise the camera, so it's a shame about the film size. I never seen one in the flesh, but the picture looks like it might be a comfortable-to-use MF camera. Ken Other > people claim to have modified their 620 cameras to accomodate the thicker > spools and use 120 film. Whether the Medalist cam be modified by bending, > filing, or whatever, and whether you want to risk damage to it (possibly > destroying any collector value) is your decision. It is possible to have the medalist converted to 120. Ken Ruth at Photography on Bald Mountain will do it for $200. > The above mentioned book does praise the camera, so it's a shame about the > film size. I never seen one in the flesh, but the picture looks like it > might be a comfortable-to-use MF camera. It's kinda big and the shutter cock is not connected to the film transport. It's a rangefinder and it's nice and contrasty and easly to use. It makes 6x9 images which is a nice size but is a larger size than many labs are used to dealing with. Jeff > I'm trying to get into MF photography, and need some help. I was loaned a > camera by somebody who knows less about it (the camera AND photography) [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > of it's range, and the hook shaped lever adjacent. > Thanks You'll have to respool 620 from 120 onto 620 spools. Fantastic lens, cool viewfinder but weird ergonomics. The lever is a flash delay for bulbs and the other is for bulb or electronic sync.  SignatureStacey IRC the shutter cock is coupled to the film advance when you set the counter after winding manually to the 1st frame. -Lyle Signatureremove nospam. from e-mail to reply > > I'm trying to get into MF photography, and need some help. I was loaned a > > camera by somebody who knows less about it (the camera AND photography) [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > The lever is a flash delay for bulbs and the other is for bulb or > electronic sync. Winding to the first frame is somewhat tricky with the Medalist. You first set the counter to 0, then use the red window in the back to position the film to frame 1, then set the counter to 1. After that the frame counter mechanism keeps track of the advancement. I liked my Medalist II, back when 620 film was available. The lens is outstanding, and the rangefinder is excellent. OTOH, the camera is a bit clumsy and a bit fragile mechanically. With the price of specially wound film as high as it is, it would probably make sense to look for another camera now. > IRC the shutter cock is coupled to the film advance when you set the counter > after winding manually to the 1st frame. [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > The lever is a flash delay for bulbs and the other is for bulb or > > electronic sync. Or, if you really love it, have it converted to take 120 film. Tricky but doable. Several fine phototechnicians will do the conversion. It is not cheap. Regards, Marv > Winding to the first frame is somewhat tricky with the Medalist. You first > set the counter to 0, then use the red window in the back to position the [quoted text clipped - 46 lines] >>> The lever is a flash delay for bulbs and the other is for bulb or >>>electronic sync. I would be interested in finding info. on how to convert it to 620 myself. > > I'm trying to get into MF photography, and need some help. I was loaned a > > camera by somebody who knows less about it (the camera AND photography) [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > The lever is a flash delay for bulbs and the other is for bulb or > electronic sync. I already checked into that. It involves some very expensive milling. This camera is a family thing, so I wouldn't have it done anyway. Doug > I would be interested in finding info. on how to convert it to 620 myself. > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > The lever is a flash delay for bulbs and the other is for bulb or > > electronic sync. >> I'm trying to get into MF photography, and need some help. I was loaned >> a camera by somebody who knows less about it (the camera AND photography) [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > The lever is a flash delay for bulbs and the other is for bulb or > electronic sync. Actually it may be for regular bulbs or focal plane bulbs instead of electronic sync? Anyway it's something you don't need to worry about without flash. SignatureStacey "FP" means Focal Plane. "F" is a fast bulb and "M" is a standard bulb. "X" would have been for electronic flash. I'm not an expert in the Medalist, but I have a hunch that it like many 1950s cameras did not have an "X" sync. I'm sure a qualified tech can convert the "M" to the "X". I believe in most cases it involves bending some contacts. Re-spooling film is a pain, but doable. One of my cameras takes 121 film, which I have to re-spool from 127. First you have to run the film through a camera to the end. Take it out and then in a darkroom, or a dark closet at night hand roll the film off of one spool onto the other. Be very careful when you reach the place where it's taped, if you mishandle it, you'll get a lump in the roll. I've heard of people using cameras like the Coronet F-20 (cheap box camera that sells for peanuts on eBay) which can use both 120 and 620 film and roll the film both ways from a 120 to 120 and then from 120 to 620. I don't see how this works since on the return the loose end of the film will start to curl in the camera, but others on the web claim that this works just fine. I don't have a camera that takes both 121 and 127 film and so have not been able to do this. I bought the Coronet for this purpose, if I should ever aquire a Medalist. > >> I'm trying to get into MF photography, and need some help. I was loaned > >> a camera by somebody who knows less about it (the camera AND photography) [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > Stacey film respooling is easy, some 620 film can still be bought, see notes at http://medfmt.8k.com/mf/620.html on respooling etc. see http://medfmt.8k.com/mf/manuals.html on manual vendors sources etc. and mf/kodakmedalist.html for notes on the cameras, related posting etc. hth bobm Signature*********************************************************************** * Robert Monaghan POB 752182 Southern Methodist Univ. Dallas Tx 75275 * ********************Standard Disclaimers Apply************************* > film respooling is easy, some 620 film can still be bought, see notes at > http://medfmt.8k.com/mf/620.html on respooling etc. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > hth bobm Respooling to be able to run film through a camera is only half the battle. After the film's been exposed, if it is to go to a lab it will have to be respooled back on to a 120 spool in order to conserve scarce 620 spools. Fair Lawn won't give 'em back, and the b/w labs I've used are pretty iffy. Anyway, that's one of the things changing bags are for. Cheers, Dan |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.