Kardon USA #806

[David Murphy]

This was a local purchase made at a favorable price (not exactly cheap however!). I suppose I've become a LTM collector of sorts. As many of you know Kardon was the only US made Leica copy, and that's one reason it's special. I'm delighted to add it to my small collection.

My initial impression of the build-quality of this camera is quite good. I'll comment more on that aspect after I burn a roll of film or two with it.

The camera needs a shutter repair and new curtains (which is pretty normal for a 65 year old screw mount camera). The overall condition is decent however and there are no missing parts that I can see. It goes into the shop in the morning and I'll post my film tests on this thread hopefully in a week or two when it comes home!

 

[David Murphy]

I just noticed from the above photos that the rangefinder front window bezel was cocked at an angle. This was cross threaded on (not bashed in) and I just unscrewed it and reattached it correctly! It's nice and square to the front of the camera body now - what a sweet little camera! The camera is actually better cosmetically than the direct flash of my simple digital camera indicates (there is no light ring around the leatherette at the lens mount flange for instance - digital lies!)

 

[johannielscom]

Real nice camera David, I love the clean top plate and script!

Looking forward to seeing your shots!

 

[David Murphy]

I just noticed that furcafe (here and on flickr) has many shots taken with the Kodak Ektar 47mm F2 on a Kardon (nice work too). My quest will now be for the Ektar!

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Sweet camera, David.

Was the Kardon based of the Leica IIIa? Though the diopter adjustment is more like the IIIc.

Looking forward to seeing some results.

 

[David Murphy]

Sweet camera, David.

Was the Kardon based of the Leica IIIa? Though the diopter adjustment is more like the IIIc.

Looking forward to seeing some results.

Yes apparently. Like the IIIc it has a diopter setting and a 1/1000 shutter speed. The 50mm finder is easier on the eyes than a IIIc, but many Leica copies have improved on Leica in that regard.

 

[David Murphy]

I finally got this camera working and tested. Youxin Ye CLA'd it and put new curtains on it, although it required three visits to his shop to accomplish this (we are determined to save such a rarity!). While it works pretty good now the T setting was not possible to make work again correctly (the other functions are fine). I was told by my local camera tech that these differ internally significantly from Leica III models and are not as easy to work on. The camera is a bit hard to load, one other owner has confirmed this, another has not - not enough data for me to form a firm opinion on this yet.

I have found that the best way to load the Kardon is to use a standard Leica or similar takeup spool (in lieu of the Kardon one, which is hard to attach film to), not trim the film leader, and open the shutter to help guide and verify the film is correctly seated over the pressure plate. Youxin Ye made these suggestions. By not trimming the leader one gets the full traction right away of both sprockets located on the film advance spindle (or whatever it is called) which facilitates the initial transport past the pressure plate (which seems firmer than a screw mount Leica).

I briefly had the camera up for sale, but I've now decided to keep it! It's simply too rare to let go of.

In any event I shot my first test roll with this old American beauty. The lens was a Yashinon 50mm F1.8 and the film was generic ISO 200 color print film. The Yashinon is a real winner by the way, but that is a subject for another post!

 

[wypor]

Nice copy

I also have a set (camera + kodak ektar 47mm f2 lens). Althorugh my copy cannot works properly this moment. The ektar lens is a wonderful lens that i have used.
One of my favour standard lens

 

[Roger Hicks]

The first time I ever read about the Kardon, some 35-40 years ago, it was described as a bit rough and as having QC problems that contributed to its demise. That, as I recalll, and the price when new. Does this bear any resemblance to what others know about the camera? I've read very little since, and never actually handled a working one, so I have no idea whatsoever if that was a remotely fair assessment.

Cheers,

R.

 

[je2a3]

Congrats David on a rare American Leica, also like the results from the Yashinon!

 

[David Murphy]

Roger,

My impression is that the Kardon is a bit fragile mechanically. I've owned or own Nicca, Fed, Leotax, Canon, Kardon, Minolta 35, Zorki, Yashica (YF), and Tower Barnack-type (or similar) 35mm cameras. Of these the Leica and Canon's stand out in my experience as the most solid mechanically. While the more offbeat early Leica copies are fun to collect and use casually, Leica and Canon are what I'd turn to for serious, extended use in this realm.

I'm sure not everyone here agrees with me!

-- David

 

[David Murphy]

Please post some Ektar shots when you get a chance. These lenses are quite hard to find (unfortunately).

Nice copy

I also have a set (camera + kodak ektar 47mm f2 lens). Althorugh my copy cannot works properly this moment. The ektar lens is a wonderful lens that i have used.
One of my favour standard lens

 

[Bill58]

Congrats too, David on a wonderful piece of American history. I think I've commented before here that the delicate build of the Kardon is a mystery to me since everything made during the 50s ib the USA was built like a battleship. Perhaps the Kardon was a result of an earlier post-war shortage of raw materials/ changeover from wartime to peacetime mfg?

BTW--you said "I just noticed from the above photos that the rangefinder front window bezel was cocked at an angle." I'd screw it and (any similar pieces) down w/ a little Loctite like I did on my Canon L1 (that I bought from you).

 

[David Murphy]

Bill, I really think that companies which attempted to compete with Leica by building similar copies (starting in earnest after WWII) found it more difficult than expected to manufacture good shutter mechanisms able to withstand the tests of time and repeated use. Building a durable Leica copy at a competitive cost was more than a matter of overcoming the patent hurdles as they found out. Interestingly many of the copies notably improved on Leica viewfinders, rangefinders, self-timers, advance mechanisms, loading mechanisms, flash sync mechanisms, and other aspects, but were still challenged on the aspect of basic mechanical durability.

Having owned and used a few Leica copies I really admire the build quality of Leica screw mount cameras even more. As I said above, one notable exception (in my view at least) are the Canon Barnack models, which are really remarkably well made, and I think their popularity and large sales numbers (in the 1950's) reflects this.

 

[Charles Woodhouse]

Hi from Australia,
I recently acquired a Kardon Civilian body no.1753 from the States and fitted new curtains using Aki Asahi's silk-rubber-silk material because the one curtain remaining in the camera was a thick rubber-rayon-rubber affair. My camera works perfectly on all speeds except T which acts like one second.
My camera looked very good, but was a bit of a wreck when it arrived with some screws and simple parts missing but the build quality seemed equal to a pre-war Leica. The main diversion from Leica design was partial ring shaped locking plate that fits inside the body to receive the lensmount screws. This made fitting the lensmount easier than a pre-war Leica and streets ahead of those two curved plates that Barnack Canons use.
I have read that the Kardon was the only Leica copy authorised by E. Leitz in the guise of Leitz New York.
The Civilian take-up spool is a weird affair with a V shaped slot to hold the film, and yet the Military version is the same as a Leica

 

[David Murphy]

Hi from Australia,
I recently acquired a Kardon Civilian body no.1753 from the States and fitted new curtains using Aki Asahi's silk-rubber-silk material because the one curtain remaining in the camera was a thick rubber-rayon-rubber affair. My camera works perfectly on all speeds except T which acts like one second.
My camera looked very good, but was a bit of a wreck when it arrived with some screws and simple parts missing but the build quality seemed equal to a pre-war Leica. The main diversion from Leica design was partial ring shaped locking plate that fits inside the body to receive the lensmount screws. This made fitting the lensmount easier than a pre-war Leica and streets ahead of those two curved plates that Barnack Canons use.
I have read that the Kardon was the only Leica copy authorised by E. Leitz in the guise of Leitz New York.
The Civilian take-up spool is a weird affair with a V shaped slot to hold the film, and yet the Military version is the same as a Leica

Charles thanks for insightful comments. Yes whoever designed that takeup spool probably never loaded a Leica! It's cute, but virtually unusable. If I'm not mistaken "Leitz New York" was a company formed from Leica's assets in the United States which had been seized at the beginning of World War II, so naturally they'd authorize a copy and I suppose it was Kardon who stepped forward to attempt it.

 

[JohnTF]

I saw three of them at an auction about a year ago in Columbus, all military, and Igor bought a couple.

The Kodak lenses really looked amazing with a blue tint to the coating.

My impression was that they were a military request, but that is just what I was hearing at the auction.

One or two were stamped Signal Corps on top with a plate on the back, I should have snapped some photos, but I believe Igor kept a particularly mint specimen, it was my impression the others did not last long on his web page.

I became a fan right away, besides I always wanted a Harmon Kardon back in the day.

;-)

 

[nickthetasmaniac]

Reviving this thread because there seems to be very little info available on the Kardon.

In case anyone is interested, Mainline Photographics in Sydney (Australian Voigtlander Distributor) currently has a Kardon RF (#1338) and Ektar 47/f2 for sale.

https://www.mainlinephoto.com.au/kardon-us-army-35mm-rangefinder-camera-with-ektar

I have no affiliation with the seller, just thought it might pique peoples interest 🙂