Kodak Signet 35 - Best Value in Classic 35??

[goamules]

I think the OP has discovered the hidden truth of old lenses: Any medium speed lens from that era can shoot fantastic photos. And F3.5 is medium/slow speed with 35mm. An F3.5 in a large format 8x10 lens would be very fast. But with small sensors, anything below about F1.8 is considered fast, and that is where the aberrations start showing up.

The history of lens making is trying to get the quality of a slow lens, from a fast lens. And Kodak did know how to make some fantastic lenses in the 1950s. But it's easy with an F3.5.

 

[BillBingham2]

I've always been impressed by any glass with the Ektar name on it.

Interesting thread.

B2 (;->

 

[Beemermark]

Forget the style, forget the lens, forget the RF, the coolest, baddest thing was the the slide rule on the back. With this you could compute exposure for any condition. Throw away your light meters, just carry the Signet 35 along with your M3.

 

[BillBingham2]

The old professional photo guide had something like that but it was round.

I love the slide rule idea though, much more readable and would look way cool expanded on the back of an M2.....

B2 (;->

 

[Timmyjoe]

Well my auction-site Signet 35 arrived today. Man is it Tiny. I was expecting it to be much bigger. It's cute as hell.

It was an "as-is" camera so it needs work. Looking thru the viewfinder was like looking thru dense fog. The shutter speeds are SLOW. But I think it can be salvaged. The lens is pretty clean.

Can't wait to get it "back on the road". I appreciate this thread introducing me to this little camera. Looks like it's gonna be fun to shoot.

Best,
-Tim

 

[shawn]

The old professional photo guide had something like that but it was round.

I love the slide rule idea though, much more readable and would look way cool expanded on the back of an M2.....

Kodak even made a circular version too. I have a Tourist back that has one.

Shawn

 

[Spavinaw]

Are you sure Shawn? I have several Tourists and the ones with the faster lenses have a linear calculator like the Signet 35. Maybe you are thinking of the circular plate that selected red windows for exposing 8, 12, or 16 frames on a 620 roll plus 828 film with adapter.

 

[shawn]

Are you sure Shawn? I have several Tourists and the ones with the faster lenses have a linear calculator like the Signet 35. Maybe you are thinking of the circular plate that selected red windows for exposing 8, 12, or 16 frames on a 620 roll plus 828 film with adapter.

You might be right, I might be thinking of that. :bang: Unfortunately all of my Tourists have bad bellows so I never shoot them. I have a good Monitor though.

Shawn

 

[farlymac]

I prefer the Signet 40. You get a little faster shutter (goes to 1/400, and pretty accurate too), a larger body that's easier to handle, and more art deco looking than any of the other Signets.


In The Autumn Of Their Life by P F McFarland, on Flickr

PF

 

[Tim Murphy]

I need some help regarding repairs for the Signet 35

I need some help regarding repairs for the Signet 35

Dear Board,

So I have one of these that I bought at a garage sale for about $ 5.00. It looked interesting so I bought it last year.

Cosmetically the camera is fine and it has a perfect leather case. The lens looks to be in good condition and when testing it all apertures work properly.

What doesn't work reliably is the shutter button. The actual button that contacts the arm to fire the shutter appears to be worn on the underside that actuates the arm.

If I press the shutter button while wiggling it then it fires on contact most of the time. But that isn't a good way to go.

Are there any links for repairs or can anyone offer me any tips to repair the arm-shutter button connection. I've removed the screw at the bottom of the shutter button in hopes that I could then remove the button but I'm lost as to how I can do that?

Regards,

Tim Murphy
Harrisburg, PA 🙂

 

[Hatchetman]

The actual shutter button may be locked up for some reason - it has a lock unless the film is wound and shutter is cocked. You can override that with the tiny little sliding lock at the front bottom of camera. The trigger button should go WAY down, I don't see how it could fail to trigger the little arm if it is working properly.

 

[Timmyjoe]

Really is a fun camera to shoot. Here's my little $19 Signet 35 auction site find.

Sun flare extraordinaire:

Protest camera:

Found a Kodak Wratten K2 filter and the original Kodak No. 22 holder for the Signet 35. Excited to see how that works.

Best,
-Tim

 

[artphotodude]

Hey Guys: The O.P. Here with an update. Not able to get a 'Serious' shoot in (so busy this year), but did some more hobbying with the signet, some Delta 100 and an orange and green filter.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/artphotodude/sets/72157687681871646

The 3rd deserves a click. This is pound for pound one of the sharpest lenses I've ever shot. But #2 is the most amazing. Even at a relatively-short focal length, the bokeh is nice and creamy and the sharp areas are Crisp as can be.

This is likely going to be my final film camera.

No Less AMAZING is the light meter I've been using with it. A G.E. PR1 selenium. Still within 1/3 stop after 60+ years and even has very effective incident metering!!!

 

[Hatchetman]

those really are sharp. how are they scanned?

 

[artphotodude]

They were done on a Noritsu RGB/Lambda. There is a slight repetitive pattern in the shadows that I'm not wild about, but if I can figure out how to get rid of it in Photoshop, might wind up going this route on everything. At $1 a shot isn't bad.

 

[citizen99]

Kodak Signet 35 by John Hancock, on Flickr
This is a solid little camera, and I really like the ergonomics. It sits comfortably in my hands at eye level. The focus lever, shutter arming lever, and release tab, all fall nicely under the fingers.
Shooting the with it in early March, I confirmed that it's comfortable to use whilst wearing gloves.

It's quite heavy for its size, and with the well-positioned and smooth shutter release, it's possible to release the shutter with minimal camera shake.

The film transport is smooth, and it doesn't stress the film sprocket holes as it doesn't have to arm the shutter.
Kodak Signet 35 test shot by John Hancock, on Flickr

 

[Greyscale]

I love all of the Signets. I agree with Phil, the Signet 40 is the best user. The 50mm lens for the 80 is a remarkable lens, I have not yet used the others. The 50 is a fun camera, and the meter on mine is still quite accurate, use the zone focus marks, keep the aperture between f5.6 and f11, and it is a dandy street shooter.

This is the prettiest one.


Kodak Signet 35, Army Signal Corps Edition by Mike Novak, on Flickr

Signet 80 with the 50mm

Kodak Signet 80, Agfa Vista 400@100 (expired 5/2005) by Mike Novak, on Flickr

Signet 40

Kodak Signet 40, Fuji Neopan 400 by Mike Novak, on Flickr

Signet 50

Kodak Signet 50, Hy-Vee (Fuji?) 200 ASA film by Mike Novak, on Flickr

 

[artphotodude]

After getting a much fancier scanner, my conclusion is the quality on the original Signet 35 is very comparable to Anything I've ever done in 35mm before (including Nikon & Leica - and slaughters anything Zeiss was doing at the time).
The 3 below were taken on Kodak Ektar 100 film + Polarizer (pushed 2-stops).

 

[Luddite Frank]

"This is likely going to be my final film camera. "

I wouldn't bet on it... 😉


I'm glad you are enjoying this camera, and are getting such wonderful images from it.

My first "real" camera outfit was a Retina IIIc kit that came from the original owner, the father of a high-school pal, back in 1985.

I've always has a soft spot in my heart for Kodak products.

They did make some fine stuff.


I have Signet 35 in decent shape that I have shot a roll or two with...

I bought it because it was cute, in decent condition, and I thought it would look very appropriate riding around on the front seat of my 1961 Rambler... 😎

I need to dig it out and run some more film with it.

I enjoy seeing your photos, and hope you will share some more.


Regards,

LF

 

[artphotodude]

"This is likely going to be my final film camera. "

I wouldn't bet on it... 😉

Only saying this because I've shot Hasselblad, Sinar, Mamiya RZ, Graflex, Nikon and others and what I used to need from film (Medium or Large Format Quality), I can easily get from digital (Love the Fuji XPro series). So If I'm shooting film, I want film for the analog look of Cross-Processing, Sometimes Bold Grain, Star Trails, the look of a classical lens AND mostly the Stodgy one-shot at a time, feeling of high-grade studio cameras. Taking 10 minutes or so to plan a shot rather than machine-gunning it.

This is like shooting my old Graphic View in Speed and Execution, shoots as close as 2ft, and thanks to the final generation of films gets me result comparable to what I used to get on Medium Format, at a size I can easily scan. Honestly, this is all the film I need from this point on. Built like a tank, and a dynamite picture-taker.

BTW - Tried a Retina II in College with f2 Xenon lens, and it wasn't nearly as sharp or contrasty as this Ektar is! Gaussian lenses really don't come into their own till the Multi-Coated Planars (with the exception of perhaps the old Nippon Kogaku glass).