Ektra to the rescue!

[Dez]

I am known to blather on at great length about my favourite RF camera, the wonderful Kodak Ektra, which I am currently using in my avatar. As well as being a truly amazing design for its time (1941), it had an impressive range of specialized accessories, one of which can be very useful for a different application.

The Close Focus accessory allows the Ektra to make use of the 1.5' to 3.5' focusing range of its 50mm and 35mm lenses. It is a very accurate rangefinder calibrated over this range, with a second range that can be used for even closer work when a +3 accessory diopter lens is used with one of the 50's. It also includes a parallax-correcting VF indicating the field of the 50mm lens. Interestingly, the close focus scale of the Ektra lenses is exactly the same as that of the LTM Nikkors, with ticks every three inches. As a result, this device is completely compatible with these lenses, and as far as I know, is the only convenient tool for making use of their close focus ranges.




Pretty cool, eh?

These devices are quite hard to find, and they have to be scarce as only 2000 Ektras were ever made. I hunted around for years until I found one, but there is actually one on ebay at the moment (no connection to the vendor).

Cheers,
Dez

 

[farlymac]

I've seen folks using the Retina close-up rangefinder too.

PF

 

[Dez]

As I recall, there is a problem with trying to use the Retina version. It assumes the addition of diopter close-up lenses, and is calibrated in the normal 1m to infinity scale. It will work, but is cumbersome, and doesn't support the use of the Nikkor's close focusing scale.

Cheers,
Dez

 

[Robert Lai]

Sorry DEZ, but for $200+, I'd rather just use a tape measure!

 

[goamules]

deleted...

 

[Dez]

Sorry DEZ, but for $200+, I'd rather just use a tape measure!

I'd probably say the same thing if I didn't already have my Ektra gear. As you recall, I am loath to part with a pile of money when there may be a lower-cost approach, but I think a tape measure may be a bit difficult when doing handheld closeups!😀

Cheers,
Dez