Need information about Seroco 5X7 drop bed camera

[Steven Tribe]

I have had a range of cycle cameras (POCO long focus and the like) - all with bad bellows, in spite of having superb mahogany beds and leatherette covering! European camera bellows - the ones with heavy duty calico folds and leather edges - vary an awful lot. Some are really as new, whilst others, having an apparently similar quality when new, are OK - apart from these leather edges. I am sure it is a storage problem. Mahogany, brass can survive bad storage, but leather can't.

Coming in a case, even when scruffy, improves the chances!

[rrunnertexas]

Steven,

Yes, I checked the tracking number and it says it will be delivered tomorrow night. I am so excited! I will first check the film holders to see if they are still glass plates or already have the film sheaths installed.

The film was delivered last week...

[rrunnertexas]

Also, not to change the subject of my original question too much, but what kind of polarizing filter can I use with this camera/lens? I don't see any threads to use like a modern lens has.

[Steven Tribe]

Clip-on filter holders (using a steel spring clip) are fortunately a very common (and price right) item on "that" auction site. I would think that a replacement of the filter part with more modern glass would be quite easy. In addition, I think there were pressure fittings in the old "Series" system with Roman numerals?

[rrunnertexas]

My Seroco camera has arrived and looks great! The shutter is sticky, so I have already sent it out for a CLA.

All the film holders have Kodak film sheaths inside them, so I believe that should work out well for the film I have.

The next step is to get a yellow filter and a polarizing filter.

Can a few members post some images of their cameras with filters attached? What do I need to purchase, maybe from that auction site to get me going?

Thanks!

[Steven Tribe]

Sorry, I forgot to check this thread yesterday.

This is the type I know (but have never owned!).

This is (reference) listing 121572992852. Nebro made a lot of these too.
I am fairly sure these have threads so you can switch to other filters.

[Leonard Robertson]

Kodak made a number of sizes of "slip-on" or "push-on" adapter rings for Series filters (Tiffen and Ednalite also made these but Kodak are more common. All three makers made screw-on Series adapters too, so you need to find the push-on style). Search eBay for Kodak adapter ring and you will see a style of ring with several slots cut in the rear of the adapter that slip over the outside of your lens barrel (eBay #221694052709 is an example). The ring is aluminum and the segments between the slots can be bent slightly to make the diameter larger or smaller. Kodak marked the adapters with the diameter that fits over the lens, so you can find a size that is close and bend the segments to adjust to your exact lens diameter. If you aren't familiar with Series size filters you can Google and find the sizes of the different Series numbers. Step-up rings are available to mount larger Series sizes on smaller Series adapter rings. I recall there are one or two Series sizes that will allow a standard size threaded filter to screw in instead of the Series retaining ring. The threads are not exactly the same, but will work. If you can't find the filters you want in Series size, this may be an option for you. If you need more details on this idea, I can get out my boxes of adapters and filters and refresh my memory.

Len





















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[rrunnertexas]

Len,

OK, that makes things much clearer. I will measure the O.D. of the lens and see what it needs for size. Then, if I can get a new polarizer that will screw into the Kodak adapter, I will be set.

Thanks!

[rrunnertexas]

Steven,

The sample you posted is very interesting too! Plus, it is vintage...

[Leonard Robertson]

I dug out a Series VII Kodak adapter ring to play with. For anyone not familiar with Series filters, they are filters without any threads on the metal ring surrounding the glass filter. They are designed to fit into a recess on the Series adapter ring. The recess has threads inside where a Series retaining ring is threaded in to hold the filter in place. If that doesn't make sense, Google Series filters or some variation on that term.

Anyway, a Hoya 55mm threaded filter will screw into the Series VII adapter ring in place of the retaining ring. The thread pitch isn't the same and it doesn't screw in very far so you must use your own judgement whether it is acceptable or not. Vibration in a car might loosen it. But for short time use on the lens while shooting, I suspect it will work.

The outer diameter of a threaded 49mm Hoya filter (I'm not sure if the o.d. of all makers threaded filters are the same) is almost the same as the o.d. of a Series VII filter. So a 49mm threaded filter will fit inside the Series adapter ring and the Series retaining ring holds it in place. However, the threads on the 49mm filter need to point toward the retaining ring so they fit inside the retaining ring (otherwise the threaded filter is too thick). This method of holding a filter is more secure than threading in a 55mm filter, but I'm not sure how well it will work with a polarizer which needs to be rotated, since the polarizer ends up behind the retaining ring.

Last idea: take the glass out of a threaded filter and glue the outer ring of the filter to the front of the Series adapter ring. Then regular size threaded filters can be screwed into the "empty" filter. This is possibly the best idea, although it involves a bit of effort. It may give more size options. It appears an empty 49mm filter can be glued to the front of a Series VI adapter.

I tried one more combination - a 67mm filter screws into the front of a Series VIII adapter rather well, although this may be somewhat large in diameter for your lens.

Len