German Folder

[tedwhite]

One of my birding friends, in his seventies, found an old box of his father's stuff and unearthed a German folding camera (looks like it takes 120 film).

But it has no name: On the front of the lens is inscribed F. Deckel-Munchen. Below the lens is the word Compur. Shutter speeds are from 1 through 1/250th. F stops are from 2.9 through 16. Lens is a Steidbeil Munchen Cassar 75/2.9. Bellows seems OK (I shined a flashlight into it anc couldn't see light leaks). I visited the local camera shop and perused their current camera bluebook but couldn't find it.

Perhaps someone on this forum might know something about it?

Ted

 

[hermie]

A couple of quick Google hits:

http://vintage-cameras.com/html/folding_f__deckel1.html


http://www.krphoto.com/ccforum/messages/872.html

 

[bmattock]

Could be a lot of folding MF cameras. Deckel was the lens mount/shutter company. Steinheil was the lens manufacturer. Since it is a 75, I'll presume it is a 6x6 format. f/2.9 makes it a tad faster than the average for that time period (f/3.5). If it still has the leather body covering, and it is a Zeiss, it will have a model number embossed on the back somewhere near the red hole. 524/16, something like that. If it is an Agfa, I dunno. Could be a Franka, Wirgin, Balda, all kinds. Is it a rangefinder? If yes, is it coupled to the lens? If not, is the viewfinder centered on the body?

A photo would definitely help!

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[wlewisiii]

Is the body made of bakelite or leather covered metal? Do you have a digi to get a couple of quick shots of it?

Either way, it should be a fine little 6x6 (and really quite a fast Tessar clone for the lens) camera if the bellows is good.

William

 

[jan normandale]

Ted , check this link on old cameras...

http://vintage-cameras.com/html/folding_f__deckel1.html

 

[wlewisiii]

I'm not sure how much that'll help him - it's a plate camera with a very different layout, I'm betting, from the 6x6 roll film camera in question. It is probably made by/for Deckel with a decent lens & shutter combo.

It does make me wish I owned a copy of McKeown's.

William

 

[bmattock]

I'm not sure how much that'll help him - it's a plate camera with a very different layout, I'm betting, from the 6x6 roll film camera in question. It is probably made by/for Deckel with a decent lens & shutter combo.

It does make me wish I owned a copy of McKeown's.

William

Deckel made Compur shutters and lens mounts for cameras like the Retina. I have a copy of McKeown's somewhere, packed away since moving here - sigh. Sorry, not being much help.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[tedwhite]

Let's see, to answer questions. It's a metal body, the leather is intact, it has TWO little red windows on the camera back, no number at all near them, and a serial number #3817768 on the side of the Compur shutter. If you hold the camera horizontally, the viewfinder (not coupled) is in the center.


It also has a worn, but still quite useable rather heavy leather carrying case with a metal snap closure. No name on it, either.

 

[dazedgonebye]

Uncoupled rangefinder.
Open the back. What size negative?

 

[bmattock]

So it was a convertible - 6x6 or 645 with an adapter over the film gate. Still a lot of cameras it could be. However, the good part is this - the shutter and lens are both well-known and decent makes. If the camera is in good shape, shoot with it! I think I'd need a photo of the thing to be able to do much more in the way of id'ing it, though.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[bmattock]

Uncoupled rangefinder.
Open the back. What size negative?

Gotta be a 6x6 with a (usually missing) 645 gate. If it was larger, say 6x9, the lens would be a 100mm or 105mm maybe.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[tedwhite]

I tried to put pics on My Photos but, as usual, they were rejected as being too large. However, if someone wants to PM me with their email address I can suck them into photoshop and attach them to the email. I'm a serious retard when it comes to this stuff.

Ted

 

[tedwhite]

Just opened the back. Definitely not a square neg size, so I'd guess 6X4.5

 

[dazedgonebye]

Not that many dedicated 6x4.5s out there compared to 6x6.
email them to me at smaniscalco (at) sjm.com.
I'm headed to bed, but I'll post them in the morning.

 

[BILLC]

With two red windows it is most likely 6x4.5. Balda made a lot of these but most have a name stamped across the front. Noris is another that has that shutter lens combo. Is there a bump out on the back? A picture would help. If the shutter works you should get great shots with it.

Bill

 

[wlewisiii]

Yes, early 6x4.5 needed two red windows as you first turned 1 into the first window and then into the second window to split the 6x9 film space. No one had 6x4.5 frame numbers on the backing paper so that makes sense. 75 is a little long for that size, but not that unusual in those days.

I still think it actually is a Deckel made camera as they usually put only the Compur name (rather than Deckel & Compur after about 1930ish) on shutters for other companies (IME and all that...).

Still, the best thing to do is pop a roll of Plus-X or Reala into it and see what it does... 😀 It should be a pleasant little scale focus camera in use.

William

 

[dazedgonebye]

Ted passed these images on to me. Perhaps someone can identify it now.
I'm afraid I haven't seen this one before, but it certainly looks 1930's to me.