can we identify Mario Giacomelli's camera?

[tobias]

Hi,
I just read a rather interesting interview with Mario Giacomelli, know some of his work, and find how he talks of his one camera in a most peculiar manner:

"I don't know about other people's cameras. Mine is a thing I had cobbled up, it holds together with tape and is always losing parts. All I need to set is the distance and that other thing - what do you call that other thing? I'm not a fan of mechanics. I have had this camera, still the same one, since I started taking photos. It has lived with me, shared many moments of my existence, both good and bad. If I ever lost it... well, the very idea of having to live without it pulls at my heart."

the full interview is here

and I found this picture of him and what I assume to be this machine. I love how he talks of two apertures, f2 and f22 (and nothing between)

Does anyone recognize this camera?

let the fun begin,
T

 

[Rogrund]

Is it a Kobell?

 

[Pickett Wilson]

He does seem to be toying with the interviewer, like he is not happy with being interviewed.

 

[tobias]

I guess it is possible that he did limit his knowledge to very simple processes. But yes, he does a wonderful job of keeping the mystery to how he could work.

And it does look like the Kobell

 

[colyn]

He used the Kobell camera..

http://www.agallery.com/Pages/photographers/giacomelli.html

 

[re_visible]

It is a Kobell, but a adapted and changed one.

Here is what the net knows about it:
http://www.topgabacho.com/Perseo.htm
http://www.novacon.com.br/odditycameras/ballerio.htm

Not that much.

I have seen one once at a "Fotoflohmarkt" here in Switzerland, and it was on sale.
As far as I remember it was priced around 900€...

 

[rlouzan]

http://photo.net/leica-rangefinders-forum/00BZ38

 

[35mmdelux]

Not everybody knows or cares about the technical aspect of cameras. I shot for 20 yrs with a mechanical camera where I set it to 1/60 or 1/125 and adjusted the aperture as needed.

 

[Al Kaplan]

Interesting camera although two shutters seems a bit much for a fixed lens camera. Leaf shutter for flash synch, F.P. for fast speeds?

 

[tobias]

I love the collective knowledge.

FP for using non shutter lenses, surely, and lens shutter for press use with flash?