Seagull 205

[Joao]

Hello
I am looking for additional information about the Seagull 205 RF (I've already serched the usual places). I would like to know if there is any sort of relationship between the camera number and the age of the camera (or year it was made).
Tips and practical advice will be most welcome.
Thanks in advance
Joao

 

[longw]

Hi Joao,

The first two digits stand for the year, the rest is the number of the production. This is also true for its variant Phenix 205 seires.

The first year Seagull 205 was officially put into market was 1969. There were two editions, one is Shanghai edition, the other is Jiangxi edition. This could be distinguished by the logo of the camera.

Jiangxi factory started using its own brand Phenix 205 in 1983.

You need to cock the shutter first, then set the speed, just like use of other mechanical RF.

tao

 

[Joao]

Thank you for the information. This camera has a number 31095 - so the year of production is 1995??
I've posted some pictures of the camera here
http://public.fotki.com/BlueWind/seagull-205/
The leatherette is falling off (easy to repair) but I noticed that the lens "plays" a little , to the point of being necessary to press it against the body when focusing (something inside will need to get fixed or tightened...)
Regards
Joao

 

[longw]

No idea about the serial no. on your camera. But I don't think it was made in that year. Read somewhere Seagull had different serial no. format with 5 or 6 digits. Maybe yours is an early mode. Later made uses the first two digits to stand for the year, see the photo I attatched.

tao

 

[Eugen Mezei]

Where you got the idea that speed could be changed only after cocking the shutter?