Mini-monorail camera (Help me identify it)

[shadowfox]

So I saw a plastic bin filled with photography stuff in an Estate Sale, there was a can of Tri-X from 1976, a stack of RC paper from 1975, a few bulk loaders, and ...

this camera

It's a monorail view camera, but small, the back is spring -type that can accept either 2x3 inch film holders or the Graflok 6x9 120 film back.

The lens is the Mamiya Sekor 90mm 1:3.5 which I believe is for Mamiya Press cameras.

As you can see, the camera is very well made, all the knobs and stuff are well laid out and very sturdy.

And this logo is everywhere on the camera:

So the question is... whose logo is this?
Does anybody know who made this camera?

One small problem, on the back, in place of a ground glass, it has a milky piece of plastic with which I cannot focus due to its thickness. So I just rip it out, and temporarily replace it with wax paper until I can source a 6x9 ground glass.

This is what it looks like when focusing on a subject using the wax paper:

In short, I think I got myself a working monorail medium format camera. I didn't even know this type of camera existed 🙂

 

[Oren Grad]

It's a Galvin.

 

[shadowfox]

It sure is, thanks Oren!

 

[Jockos]

Rudy (http://stores.ebay.com/ecbuyonline2008?rmvSB=true) does custom GG and is a great guy to deal with!

 

[oftheherd]

Rudy (http://stores.ebay.com/ecbuyonline2008?rmvSB=true) does custom GG and is a great guy to deal with!

You can even make your own, but it is better imho to purchase one. Even 8x10 GG isn't that expensive any more.

 

[shadowfox]

Should I get Ground Glass or Fresnel glass?

 

[shadowfox]

After someone beat me on ebay on a Galvin back *with* ground glass, I am back to searching for a good ground-glass solution.

Yesterday I tag along with my wife to Staples (office supply big-box chain, for those not from US). I was looking for any packaging that has that frosted look on it, so I can use it as a better alternative than wax-paper.

Then I saw this:

A 3-ring binder that has a frosted plastic as the cover ... with the right thickness!!

So for $2.50, I have a functional "ground-glass" for the Galvin.

(Sorry for the bad quality smartphone shot, the real view is much prettier)

Not bad, eh? Now I can test the camera in the earnest.

 

[robert blu]

Wow, this is interesting to see how it develops.
robert

 

[GaryLH]

Just as an FYI. A number of years ago Ian Grant over at APUG did a post about making his own ground glass.

http://www.apug.org/forums/forum216/78392-making-ground-glass-focus-screen.html

Shadow fox, your frost plastic should work fine.. Enjoy your new LF.

Gary

 

[oftheherd]

Just as an FYI. A number of years ago Ian Grant over at APUG did a post about making his own ground glass.

http://www.apug.org/forums/forum216/78392-making-ground-glass-focus-screen.html

Shadow fox, your frost plastic should work fine.. Enjoy your new LF.

Gary

I think I saw that before, but when I decided to make rather than buy an 8x10 GG, I googled and found several sites with info. I used fine grain sandpaper rather than powder. Crocus cloth is very (almost too) fine grain grit and does the job.

Shadowfox - the Fresnel and GG do different things. The Fresnel distributes the light better.

 

[shadowfox]

Wow, this is interesting to see how it develops.
robert

Robert, this is to me what makes this "hobby" fun.
And it's more so because I have you and the others to share the "fun" with.

 

[GaryLH]

Oftheherd, I was thinking about sandpaper at one time. I gather u were happy w/ results. I was lucky enough to find a replacement at a price I could live w/ before I started down this DIY path myself.

Gary

 

[shadowfox]

Shadow fox, your frost plastic should work fine.. Enjoy your new LF.

Gary

Gary, the thing that makes this plastic work is because of the small size of the focusing area that it has to cover, only 86x56mm.

Were this a larger camera, I think the plastic (which has a slight curve) will present a focusing problem with large apertures.

 

[shadowfox]

Shadowfox - the Fresnel and GG do different things. The Fresnel distributes the light better.

What do we use Fresnel for then, if not focusing?

 

[farlymac]

I believe what Herd is getting at is a plain GG will scatter the light so much, the corners can become quite useless. With a Fresnel, it gathers the light to better illuminate the entire focusing surface.

PF

 

[shadowfox]

That makes sense, Phil.

 

[kuzano]

Ground Glass Alternative.....

Ground Glass Alternative.....

Tupperware large containers.

Host a local Tupperware party
Ask the Tupperware rep to bring some larger Tupperware
Cut a 4X5 section out of a flat side on the container.
Install with the opaque side toward the lens.

Works for me.

You get a tupperware credit for hosting'
You get a commission on what the TW rep makes..
If the TW hostess has a good rep, you get to spend an eventing with a group of ladies in your home.
Think of the possibilities????