Autocord Results!

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1/10 f3,5 hand held , no mirror vibrations is great :D
 
Very glad that I stumbled onto this thread, and thanks for posting those great photos Darkhorse. I have been looking for a MF camera that would give me that special look of Leica glass for quite some time, and the Rokkor on your camera looks like it. Just got a nice Autocord MXS that I haven't run any film through, and bought a Yashica D too because it was such a bargain price. Will load up the Autocord when it gets a little warmer (we just had a bunch of snow here not 50 miles from the Mexican border!) and see how it performs. My filters and metal lens cap from my Rolleicord went right on both cameras, which was nice.
 
Been looking at Autocords, but they are not much offered on Ebay. I see a few, but really can't tell anything about condition. Mostly "this belonged to my father and it seems to work."
 
Been looking at Autocords, but they are not much offered on Ebay. I see a few, but really can't tell anything about condition. Mostly "this belonged to my father and it seems to work."

Exactly. Suddenly all ohBoy-sellers have become totally helpless operating a simple camera. I searched for months but couldn't find a working Autocord for a right price so I bought a Ricoh Diacord L instead. I'm happy with it.
 
I took a calculated risk in buying one that looked primo, subject to the seller's "I can't test anything because my hands are only painted on" disclaimer. Color me lucky: after a helix-relube and viewfinder cleanup there are no issues. It's an Autocord CDS model II, perhaps somewhat less valued than either models I or III, but a treasure for me.
 
Yes, I'm also a satisfied user of Rick Oleson's viewfinder screen. He's a genuinely friendly and helpful guy as well. But a new screen was not required for my Autocord, only a cleaning -- it is now very bright.
 
The mirrors in the Autocord CDS models are SiO2 coated, so the first surface can be gently cleaned up very nicely without damage. But I don't believe that's true of earlier models -- I don't know when this hard coating was introduced. First surface mirror coatings are generally delicate and don't withstand much cleaning beyond blowing off the loose dust.
 
I've just bought an Autocord (later model with the newer Minolta logo) and damn am I looking forward to using it! I'm back into the 120 game baby! This will pair up nicely with my Opemus 6 -- I will have to get a flatbed scanner as I'm not going to buy a 120 compatible film scanner; just scan the prints I make.
 
Well my Autocord turned up yesterday and what a beauty!

It's a 1965 Autocord I according to the serial number, everything is clean and in great condition, came with the case, strap and the lens hood in a little pouch thing. 120 only, no meter, just nice and simple. I shall be using this a lot over Christmas and probably tonight at the work's christmas do!

It also has the Citizen shutter so 1/500th and with a bit of luck should it go wrong, someone will be willing to look at it more readily than the Optiper MXV for example.

Hurrah!

I will post results in the new year as I won't have chance during Christmas to process and do prints. (I will be doing wet prints, b&w and RA4 colour -- no 120 scanner and no desire for it either, think I'll get the most pleasure out of this without involving my PC.)

Cheers!
Vicky
 
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