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View Full Version : Contessa Nettel 13x18 to 5x7 Conversion



Ash
23-Mar-2011, 04:28
Similar to the Goerz Anschütz conversion. In fact, near identical in places.

The Contessa Nettel Deckrullo has a built-in focusing mechanism, and if I had gone for this camera in the first place the poor Anschütz would never have been butchered! Would have saved me a lot of money as well..... Anyway!


Lens was missing, original sliding back was in perfect condition, the shutter was totally broken and the clockwork shutter mechanism was missing pieces. I think this camera had been a donor body some time in the distant past.


I removed the back, whole shutter assembly including the bastard metal plate off the side, and cut the right side down. All the gaps were filled, but on the right hand side there's an ugly cut-out where the shutter mech used to be...

Maybe one day I'll re-cover that side and make it a bit prettier.



By recessing the B&J back into the body the 180mm lens now sits at infinity about halfway(!) along the focus rack. That means this camera is capable of using much wider lenses than initially designed. If I had more than one shuttered lens then I'd test out just how wide I could go.

There is still more than enough focus range to do head and shoulders.

Ash
23-Mar-2011, 04:31
The front lens is the 180mm Goerz Dagor mounted in press shutter (same one I always use). It's mounted on a piece of rubbish hardboard/fibreboard/whatever that was laying around. Not painted black yet. Need to at least paint the backside.

The lens mounting mechanism is a bit cracked and wobbly, so that's a glue-job I think. The original rise/shift is in-tact but stiff so I'm not going to try it.

On the Goerz I ended up removing the strap from the left side and putting it on the right. It looks like Contessa sorted this complaint with a nifty strap lock/unlock.

Ash
23-Mar-2011, 13:27
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/Untitled-1asm-4.jpg

Seems to work fine!

Ash
15-Apr-2011, 14:04
Finally this camera is "finished". Received an excellent condition folding food (no flakes, no stink, no peeling) from R Mann. It was a bit difficult to install because it wasn't riveted to the ground glass retainer. Hoping everything stays put!!

The camera feels much safer now the glass isn't prone.


http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/206788_10150163519054725_280018619724_6608274_7400078_n.jpg
DIY solution to protect the lens

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/216594_10150163519139725_280018619724_6608276_437622_n.jpg
5x7 back flush

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/217769_10150163519174725_280018619724_6608277_1379236_n.jpg
Opened

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/216407_10150163519249725_280018619724_6608280_5317966_n.jpg
Opened with back as well

Ash
15-Apr-2011, 14:05
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/216313_10150163519199725_280018619724_6608278_2082135_n.jpg


http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/217789_10150163519229725_280018619724_6608279_7098585_n.jpg

On the second picture there's a little silver screw/retainer in the tripod socket. The intention is to make a more permanent wrap that attaches there to hold the cap in place and so on.