Manual K24 WWII camera

[Mark Boom]

Hi, I recently bought a Kodak Model K-24 Aerial Surveillance Camera. Camera was manufactured by Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester New York for the United States Army Air Forces for use during World War 2 (WWII) on their surveillance / reconnaissance aircraft. Camera was made to be both manual or electric driven, uses 5" format film, has a Kodak Aero Ektar F/2.5-178mm lens. (7") Camera has a Delco 24 volt direct driven motor unit, manufactured by General Motors, and has original spec plate on side of lens. (See images for more details) Camera is approx. 15" x 11" x 10-1/2".

Does anybody know where to get a manual for the camera?

Regards, Mark Boom from Amsterdam Holland

[john bell]

Hi I have a new camera the same as yours with no manual
let me know if you get one I will return the favour
yours
john bell

[Mark Boom]

Ok John I will, regards, Mark Boom

[koppie]

so do you guys manage to take any picture with this camera? without the control unit?

[Dave_B]

There have been a number of posts in various places that suggest these lenses may be radioactive. The cause seems to be the Thorium they used in the glass to get the optimal optical properties. With an average lifetime of a few missions for a WWII bomber and crew, I guess a little radioactivity (if they even knew it was there) was not deemed to be an issue. The following link has some more data.



http://home.earthlink.net/~michaelbriggs/aeroektar/aeroektar.html

[Joseph O'Neil]

My WWII 178mm Aero Ektar is radioactive. Last two elements, rear of the lens. However, inside the metal body of the camera, you should be shielded just fine. My rad dectector will sing real good close up, but I find it doesn't take much to shield this particular lens I find.

joe

[Donald Qualls]

The thorium glass in these and other lenses (including my best lens for 35 mm) is primarily an alpha emitter -- alpha being the least penetrating form of nuclear radiation. Any solid or liquid of even fractional inch thickness (aluminum foil, one sheet of paper, etc.) will block effectively all alpha. There are other forms of radiation from daughter species formed as the thorium decays, but they aren't major problems. Don't sleep with it under your pillow or use it for a telescope eyepiece or loupe, and you'll be fine with these radioactive lenses.

[Dave_B]

If you read the document on the URL I reference, you will see that some of the daughter compounds emit gammas which are potentially quite dangerous. The author is a professional gamma ray astronomer who has researched this in some detail. Caution is warranted, especially around small children and pregnant women.

[naderb]

hi, you should try using the aero ektar lens with the speed grafics camera, it gives amazing results, also im looking for a manual for the k-24, does any body know where i can down load it from.Incase you want some more info on the speed grafics with the lens, google "jo lommen", this guy has a lot of info on his site..