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village idiot
12-Jun-2007, 21:42
While the remains of my Tech V are working their way back East on a slow truck, I've been looking for another camera. While I do think I would like to get another Technika, I'm certainly not married to the idea. I stopped into Glazers today and found this lonely Cambo in the case, with no price tag, and surrounded by far more elegant, ( and far more expensive) beauties. Turns out the Cambo was dirt cheap. I had the salesman mount it, and a Sinar F1 on tripods, and played with them both for a while. Frankly, I wasn't all that impressed with the F1, particularly at over four times the price of the Cambo. So I bought the Cambo. :)

As you see in one of the photos, there is a separation happening at the edge of the bellows. ( The only reason I could find for the bargain basement price) What adhesive should I use to repair this? I remember seeing in another thread about a product called pliol? Is this what I want? What is it, and where do I buy it? ( Don't tell me, go back to Glazers...:o )

Also, Is there model # or name for this unit? That would be nice to know if I need parts, and from what I saw, Cambos' website is useless, unless you are looking for current model info.

So at this point, I think the only thing I need to start wrecking film is a lensboard or three. Which brings up my my next question.

Is there a spreadsheet somewhere cross-referencing which lens boards fit which cameras? The opening in the supplied lensboard is 3-11/16" square, or 94.3mm square, whichever way you want to look at it. Is this opening a standard opening for X? camera? I'm going to post a WTB, but just in case you've got a #0 and/or a #00 lensboard, I'm looking for those, as well as a couple of leveling vials....

Thanks in advance for any and all assistance!

David Karp
12-Jun-2007, 22:06
It looks like the bellows is separating from the bellows frame. If so, I think you could remove the bellows from the camera, and use 3M Super 77 to re-glue the bellows to the frame. Don't glue the frame into the camera! ;)

This is a version of a Cambo SC. There were lots of versions of this camera. In a later version, it also exists in the USA as a Calumet 45NX. The version you have looks like it has some sort of an adapter lensboard on it. This camera should take the regular Cambo lensboards that fit most of their 4x5 and 8x10 cameras. I think I may have both a No. 0 and No. 00 board. I will try to check tomorrow. If I have them, they are in black, not silver.

If you end up with a Technika, and decide to keep the Cambo, keep an eye on E-Bay for a Cambo to Technika adapter. I have one on my Cambo 45SF (it used to be on my 45NX). It allows me to use my lenses on both my Walker Titan (uses Technika-type boards) and my Cambo.

These are very nice and useful cameras. The design has been around for a long time. It is a very good first 4x5. Very intuitive. Has all the movements you need.

Nick_3536
13-Jun-2007, 01:12
http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/supercambo/supercambo.html

Looks like a newer version of my Super. My 8x10 takes huge lens boards. Move that doo hickey on top of the front standard and I bet you can remove the adapter. Are you sure the opening isn't 96x98mm?? That would be standard Linhof 4x5 and very useful.

village idiot
13-Jun-2007, 07:16
David,
Thanks for the model info. That is a huge help.
Yes, the bellows is (are?) separating from the frame, and the frame is easily removed, and as Nick says, sliding the frame retaining doohickey one way or the other allows removal of either the bellows or lens board in the front, or bellows or back in the rear. Very simple. I like simple. Are you talking about the spray 77? That could work, but would require quite a bit of masking.
The bellows look to be in "new" shape except for this separation.

I am misty eyed with joy at the prospect you may have the lens boards I need. If not, I picked up a 2'x3' "short" of .09 aluminum sheeting I can get sheared to spec. and then drill my own holes.

Nick,

Great link, thanks! Unfortunately no, the adapter opening is not for Linhof boards. I measured it with digital calipers.

Scott --
13-Jun-2007, 07:54
Get down to a local Ace Hardware (or the western equivalent - the borgs may have it, too) and buy a jar of Pliobond contact cement. Comes in a glass jar, with a screw cap that has a built in applicator brush that's pretty useless. Use an old kid's watercolor paintbrush (read: small and cheap) to paint some Pliobond onto both surfaces. Let it tack over a couple minutes. Then apply a very thin coat to one surface, and press the two surfaces together. Problem be gone.

Warning - Pliobond stinks. But the smell offgasses pretty quick.

BrianShaw
13-Jun-2007, 08:22
Hey Rick... great buy. I have a Cambo SC that has been "tiding me over" since about 1982. Lensboards aren't a problem - they are expensive if bought new and anywhere from cheap to moderately priced if bought from the auction site. There are generally plenty of them available. If you can't fix the bellows (which I'll bet is a relatively simple task), tehy too are seen on the auction site frequently.