Pony Premo (#4)

Hi there,

I'm looking to sort out my Pony Premo - basically I need to get the lens/shutter assembly off and I'm not too sure how to do that, and I'm also thinking about getting it re-covered as the original (leather?) covering is in a bit of a state.

Although I'd like to know how to get the shutter off the camera, the thing I really want to know is about that covering... I spoke to a bookbinder over the phone and tried to explain what I was looking for - he suggested it could be 'Rexine' Material or 'Skiver' Leather.

Does anyone know what it is that I should actually be asking for..? :confused:

Rexine is a trademark for a thin product resembling leather. Skiver leather is a sheepskin which has been thinned. What you should get probably depends on how authentic you want your camera to be. Recovering it to be as original would be difficult. You would have to find somebody to show the original leather to because there were several forms of "graining" used while Premos were being made. Just choosing an attractive material would be much easier.

Look between the shutter and the lensboard. Is there a brass flange there? If so, you just twist the shutter counter-clockwise to take it off. If you don't see a flange, open the back of the camera with the front closed. You should see a black metal ring with slots in the edge around the shutter. You need a tool (usually called a spanner) which grabs the slots and allows you to turn off thel ring, letting the shutter come loose. Often something improvised will work, but if not the spanners are available from the S.K. Grimes company or from eBay.

Thank you for the information Ernest, I think I'll just go with an attractive finish as I'm not too concerned about authenticity - essentially I'd just like to 'tart it up' for the next 100 years ;-)

I have one of those spanners - needed it to remove the 10.5cm f6.3 Kodak lens off of the 120; however looking through the back all that I can see is the rear lens (and that just unscrewed). I'll take a look for the flange.

There were (are) four screws also visible from the back, but I've a feeling those hold the frame for the bellows so I don't really want to go playing with those just yet!

Many thanks,
David.

EDIT:
Yep, the lens just unscrewed :-)

Can you post photos of the front and back?

el french:

Yes sure, I'll get the photos done over the weekend and put them up here.

In fact I can go one better, but it will take a bit of time... I'll write up an article on the camera / lens / shutter and put it in the Creative Image Maker magazine.

I had the shutter apart last night just to check it out and it's actually in pretty good condition, but those pneumatic pistons look a bit grubby. I may well document the whole strip down and put that in an article too.

Cheers,
David.

Here are those photos 'el french':

Lens / Shutter Assembly Front:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3115/...1c7ddfbb62.jpg

Lens Rear (I believe the screws that you can just see actually hold a frame that itself holds the bellows in position:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3454/...5ebec8df9a.jpg

Just thought I'd add that I've just had the lens / shutter apart and given it a good old clean (specifically the pneumatic tubes) - works like a charm now :)