13x18 FKD Reisekamera

[Ash]

Arrived home from work and this was waiting for me. I had a feeling it may turn up today...

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/IMG-20110701-00184copy.jpg


Since it's got too dark to take my own, this is one of the seller's images:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/481342659_o.jpg



Not sure if I'll keep the lens and shutter. I don't really need either, and they are heavy - watch out they may end up in the classifieds! As for the camera it's in pretty good condition but I should have checked the seller images more closely; there are missing knobs and screws all over the place.


This weekend I hope to do as much as possible to get it working for me:

-Modify the original back to standard 5x7 holders
--add a U-shape of wood
--shape the wood for the steel spring edges
--cut the groove for the holder to lock into

-Find/buy knobs, bolts and screws to complete the camera

-Build a lensboard adapter from Contessa Nettel to FKD.

-Test!



Not sure how much I will do, but I hope it'll be done sharpish.

[Ash]

So far tonight I've pulled out loads of excess bits from the back, it's ready for a butchering.

Lensboards on the Contessa are as tall as the FKD ones, but 1/3 the width. This means I can keep the lenses as is, and am planning on making stoppers panels for either side. That way they'll cut out the light and lock the board in the center without needing a whole adapter plate. That's the plan anyway.

The board with the little Dagor lens will sit fine. Annoyingly I need to trim down the excess length I'd left on the Ernon's board before it will fit.

There are a lot of pinholes in the corners of the bellows, but it's only a problem at full extension - when the bed is doubled in length from the picture above. Currently I should be ok, but may take some paint to the inside to sort it out.

[Ash]

With a new hacksaw this was so much easier than previous projects.

I bought a M4 x 16mm bolt for the missing knob on one side of the rear tilt, and some pine stripwood to use in the back. The spare B&J back was the 'good' back from the Goerz mod; the Goerz now has the glassless back with moldy focus hood.

On the back I did as I planned and glued down 3 strips of wood, one on the bottom and one either side. Then I realised that they didn't come long enough at the entry point so stuck a piece either side to aid the insertion of a film holder.

At the front I carved down the Contessa lensboard slightly (it was too long anyway) and made spacer panels for both sides. These then have a stripwood block along them to form a light trap against the raised bit of wood the Copal 3s is sat on. I noticed a tiny bit of light leaking through on one edge even after painting the rear black. Will see how it goes. This lens will probably live on the camera, in which case I'll make a better board adapter or just fit it to a full sized board.


http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/SAM_1322copy.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/SAM_1323copy.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/SAM_1325copy.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/SAM_1326copy.jpg

[Ash]

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/SAM_1327copy.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/SAM_1329copy.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/SAM_1330copy.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/SAM_1331copy.jpg

[Steven Tribe]

Nice to see a "Russi" close up. Is this Beechwood, I see?

[Ash]

Your guess is as good as mine Steven. It must have been beautiful brand new.

[Ash]

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/mum-1asm.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/dad-1asm.jpg


Two quick test shots. Ernon 180/3.5 at 1/125 f/8

[George E. Sheils]

Wow. :)

Congratulations on the great results from your work on getting this fine camera going again.

Well done !

[bolas]

Since few days i'm a happy owner of this russian wooden camera :) I have no idea if it is FK or FKD, but it is 13x18 cm format. Lens are quite eary model of Industar-4 (4,5/210) made in GOMZ, serial number 3567.Unfortunatelly the nameplate on front of camera is missing. Is there any chance to get the year of production ?

Few pics:
http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/827/fkd13x1812.jpg
http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/4112/fkd13x1805.jpg
http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/5171/fkd13x1808.jpg

[Ash]

Yours looks like a much nicer version of mine. No idea on production I'm afraid!

[bolas]

I took a look on PhotoHistory.ru (http://www.photohistory.ru/1207248174899423.html) and it's difficult to judge. As far as i understood FKD was modernisation of FK. Is it possible that my camera could be made in 30-40's ? Early lens + serial number, no plastic. Any ideas ?

More pics:
https://picasaweb.google.com/bolas1939/WoodenFK13x18?authkey=Gv1sRgCIGg1KmR_dnbaw

[Ash]

Considering the holder style, they could be early. Mine came with a huge mechanical shutter wedged on the front though, and it looked more modern than the 40's. I know that some parts of Eastern Europe were slower to modernise their equipment though.

[Steven Tribe]

I note that the Russian 13x18cm have increased the width of the sliding lens boards to accomodate larger (faster) lenses compared with original German reisekameras.
I don't think the date can be determined as the camera looked the same during the whole post WWII period. Perhaps dating the lens might give an idea?

[bolas]

Is there any place on the web where can i check Industar-4 serial numbers/years ? I was trying to find something but without any luck yet... what i noticed about those cameras is that wartime cameras are made less carefully, details are more ugly. In post-war cameras since about 60-70's plastic parts starts to appear. That's why i'm thinking of early 30's or late 40's/early 50's. Maybe the date of introducing Industar-51 which replaced Industar-4 in this cameras is the key ?

[Cor]

Bolas,

It's quite simple actually: mostly the first 2 digits on Russian Camera stuff are the year of production, so your lens is from 1935.. I guess your camera could be from that same period. I seem to recall that these camera's are made until in the seventies. I have the 18*24 cm version with a nice 4.5 300mm Industar (Tessar), coated,, both the camera and lens were made in the seventies I thought..

good luck,

Cor

[bolas]

Cor i'm not sure if it works with Industar-4 ... on PhotoHistory.ru there is small article about this lens (http://www.photohistory.ru/1207248189519467.html), and one can easy find photos of lens with three digits like No.112 or No.224 - so it's rather imposible cause this lens probably doesnt existed in 1911 or 1922. Fk cameras appeared in 1930 and were in production untill late 80's. Acording to ZenitCamera.com (http://www.zenitcamera.com/archive/history/marks.html) the first Industar-4 was made in 1931 in GOI.