Please Help Identify What this is.

[GeorgeFH]

I got this as part of a lot with a camera. At first, I thought it is an aux rangefinder. But the dial has three number ranges, with three positions marked as infinity. Can anyone tell me what is this?

thanks

 

[adep]

Looks to me like an auxiliary rangefinder. The dial on top should act as a focusing ring like on a lens. Look through the round window and see if there's a patch.

 

[gb hill]

Looks like an aux rangefinder to me! Marked in meters from 3.8 to infinity. I have one but it's not quite like that. Interresting little gadget whatever it turns out to be, no doubt.

 

[ravid905]

It could also be a close-up rangefinder, the three different distance settings are the number to set your lens at based on which close-up filter you have on your lens. I know Kodak made a few different ones, one with a set of three lenses which was all chrome and one with two. See items 320091811116 and 320088802430. The second one I mention looks like yours, so my guess is it's to help the 50 on your IIa focus closer then 3.5 feet. Did it come with the three filters that read R'1:2/32, R'1:3/32, and R'1:4.5/32. If not, I have a set you can have. Of course I could be totally off, as I shouldn't even be awake right now, damn cats:bang: .

 

[wyk_penguin]

What ravid said.
I wonder if it was for the Kodak Retina since using the tele/ wide acessories on the Retina required refocusing. By putting the distance markings of the lens onto the aux rangefinder, you could avoid the tedious calculations.

 

[rxmd]

It is for the close-up lenses for a Kodak Retina. The RF came as a kit with two close-up lenses for the 29.5mm filter ring of the Kodak Retina folders.

Why two if it has three ranges? Do you stack the closeup lenses for the third range?

 

[GeorgeFH]

well, mystery solved. thanks for all the help in IDing this. I just realized it tilts for parallax compensation. I actually have on of the close up lens, which I use on my digital camera with an adapter.

 

[bkrystad]

Here's a pic of the close-up kit my dad got for his IIIc back in the day. He tried to describe for me once how the two lenses (NI+NII) fit together for the third range. Can't imagine the DOF on that tightest config.