Kodak Pony 135 Model C

[Harlee]

I just received a mint model C Kodak Pony along with the like new case. I find it hard to believe this camera is 50-55 years old. It doesn't look like it's ever been used. The sutter speeds were all slow at first, but I continued to set the shutter on different shutter speeds, administered a drop or two of lighter fluid and now all the speeds appear to look and sound correct. I had one years ago and along with an ancient Weston 735 light meter got some really great colored pics as good as any of the RF cameras I have, and I have quite a few. I therefore want to try the same thing on this camera to see if it's as good as my older one which I sold years ago, only shooting a far broader range of pics instead than shooting in my back yard only. As soon as possible I'll run a fresh roll of 35mm film and if they're any good I'll post them. I may even take it with me when I head back into Siberia next March.😱

 

[jon.oman]

The Kodak Pony 135 was my first camera of this film format. I used it for a couple of years before I bought the Nikon F directly from Japan. I may have been the second owner of the Pony, since I got it from a pawn shop more than 45 years ago! I think the Pony did a great job.

 

[farlymac]

Just pulled mine out of the collection box, and placed it in the repair box. Seems like all speeds are 1/300. Hope it's just something loose, and not broken.

PF

 

[farlymac]

Found the problem. The speed cam follower was going it's own way. Actually, it seems the tension spring on the follower was getting weak, so I adjusted that, and lubed the shafts on a couple of levers. Still a bit iffy on 1/25, but I don't plan on using that speed on this camera anyway. Found a big fingerprint on the inside of the front element, so someone had taken it apart before. I'll post the fixing photos in the Repairs section, and some test ones here.

PF

 

[Harlee]

I'm curious, how did you get to the speed cam, through the back or through the front?

 

[farlymac]

Took out the two screws from the front ring, which then makes it possible to remove the distance scale ring and a spacer underneath it. Then you unscrew the front element. The focus stop ring and a pressure washer will then lift off. Next are two screws holding the shutter cover. Then the speed setting ring lifts off, exposing the speed cam, which also just lifts out. The guts of the shutter are now fully exposed. I have the photos of the operation finished, just haven't had time to get them up on Flickr, between chasing computer problems, and running packages down to the post office.

The speeds are all correct now, as I did a bit more work on the spring and gears. Multiple actuations of the shutter at all speeds made things settle in quite nicely.

PF

 

[farlymac]

Harlee, I put the Pony fixing in the Repair forum at: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1769886#post1769886

Slapped a roll if Ilford HP-4 in it, and will see Monday how they came out.

PF

 

[Harlee]

That sounds great! I'll be anxious to see how your pics turn out. I'm on my way to Jacksonville, FL to spend Christmas with my youngest son and family, and I may just slip some color film in the Pony and see how she behaves.

 

[farlymac]

Here's the samples from my test roll of Ilford FP-4 Plus 125.


Christmas Tree Crane #2 by br1078phot, on Flickr


White Grille by br1078phot, on Flickr


The Lot by br1078phot, on Flickr


Big Merc by br1078phot, on Flickr


Ice House Renovation #2 by br1078phot, on Flickr


Rock Up Close by br1078phot, on Flickr


Retaining Wall by br1078phot, on Flickr


Sun Glint On Rapids by br1078phot, on Flickr

The complete set is at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7699588@N07/sets/72157628492642301/

From the coatings on the lens, I'd say it will do fine with color film. Just keep from pointing it into the sun.

Have a great visit with the kids, Harlee, and Merry Christmas!

PF

 

[Harlee]

Nice shots Farlymac! Unfortunaetly I didn't take my Model C with me to JAX. Simply took my digital and a newly acquired XA2. The first shots I took with my XA2 were a bit underexposed, but improved after several shots, so I put in a roll of Kodak 200 to try it out again. Had a great visit with my son, his wife and granddaughter. Got to talk by phone with my grandson who's presently in jail with 3 felony charges. Got caught up in drugs while serving with the Marines in Iraq, and it carried over into his civilian life. Hopefully they'll allow him to attend a drug rehab near us in Orlando. His hearing comes up n a couple of weeks. Hope you had a good Christmas!

 

[farlymac]

Harlee, sorry to hear about the grandson. Drugs are a scourge on society that just doesn't want to go away. Hopefully he can get things turned around.

Had a quiet day, went to Midnight Mass, then got up at 8:00 and had a nice breakfast, and a very good dinner in the afternoon. Was watching the Packers/Bears game, but since I don't have any team in the hunt (my poor Colts got slobberknocked this year), I got kind of bored with it.

Took a few shots of the church decorations with a Sure Shot Classic 120 on Fuji 400, so we'll have to see how those came out. Still got about half the roll to shoot, so I might see about going back in the daylight.

PF

 

[Harlee]

Glad you had a nice Christmas. I've been kicking around picking up a Canon 120, but I've got so many cameras now my wife's about ready to give them the heave-ho! But, we'll see! Ciao!

 

[Harlee]

Just finished up a roll of Kodak 200 in my Pony model C. Hopefully some of the shots will be good enough for posting. All depends if the shutter is doing what it's supposed to be doing. My Pony C looks as though it's never been used, or used very, very little. Same with it's case. I hope the shutter is working as well as the camera looks. Hopefully I'll post some pics tomorrow.

 

[Harlee]

Kodak Model C

Kodak Model C

I've posted a few pictures taken on my Kodak Pony Model C yesterday and I'm quite pleased with them. The shutter speeds appear to be working OK, but on the first 6 shots a line or scratch appeared across the entire frame about 2/3s from the bottom of the picture. It disappeared on the last 4 shots, so I'm assuming that there was a piece of dirt on the flim plane that came loose after shooting around 10 shots. As you can see, the camera itself is in mint condition withour a scratch on it, or discoloration, or rub marks on the front plate. It really doesn't look as though the camera was ever used, or if it was it probably shot one roll through it some 50-55 years ago. The case is in the same condition. I used a hand meter to get the approximate exposure times.

 

[farlymac]

It did good with the color film. I'm always leary of using color in some of my older cameras because of the lack of lattitude. If that's your backyard, I may have to come visit sometime.

PF

 

[Brian Levy]

The 135c was my first real camera. Before that I used my folks Argus 620 tlr. While the lens was rather soft, once learned to use it, I took some wonderful memories with it. I used it for some years before getting a near-new Spotmatic. Whenever I see 1, it brings back the memories and thrill of learning photography. It convinced me loads of gimmickd and electronics is not needed to make good photos.

 

[farlymac]

Brian, I like to think that I can get a decent image from just about any camera I use (well, except for that Argus 520). Anf Kodak did make some wonderful lenses.

PF

 

[Harlee]

I think RFF has made some changes to the site and I'm now able to download some pics to my messages. Here are a few taken with my Kodak Pony Model C [I hope]. The first two pics have a horizontal line across, but after a few shots it disappeared. I think they're rather sharp for a 55 year old camera.

 

[farlymac]

Kodak always did make decent lenses for their better consumer cameras. It was when they tried to dumb things down that IQ suffered because of inferior lens design/materials.

The third image is showing some of the same charcteristics I noticed in your heron photo. Did you make any color corrections in that image?

PF

 

[Harlee]

No I didn't, just enhanced them in my "Picture It" software. I'm sure glad I'm again able to upload some of my pictures. Thanks for your help farlymac!