Please help identify this camera

[nhchen]

Hi everyone, I need your expertise to identify this camera I received. It's not working right now but I think I can fix it. Ignore the lens, it didn't have a lens so I put that one on. It's got a focal plane shutter with reflex viewing on top. It doesn't have any name markings in it which makes me think it may be home made?

Regards nathan

 

[BillBingham2]

Looks like a Fred to me.

Anything of interest in on the inside (marks, scribes, pencil notes)?

Even the one-offs that I've seen (though not many) have a "Made in XXXXX" on them.

I still say Fred, but he looks like a good bit of fun still could be had with him, with a bit of TLC.

B2 (;->

 

[Scrambler]

What a beauty ;-)

I can't give you a definite but Medium Format SLRs are thin on the ground. The nearest designs I have seen are Japanese postwar. I would be guessing that's the origin. There are a few brands. Google should help.

 

[tunalegs]

I've seen a similar camera on Yahoo Auctions Japan, a while back, I don't remember what they listed it as though. But I'm therefore guessing that it at least must be Japanese.

 

[sevo]

The rack mechanism, lever and knobs look very much like those on Mentor and Primar LF reflexes, but the former never had a SLR with integrated film holder, and while the latter are best known for their 6x6, that had a very different construction paradigm without rack and bellows. It might be some other German maker sharing the same hardware parts supplier, or a Japanese maker inspired by them.

 

[nhchen]

Well I did get it from Japan, so very likely Japanese. The only marking I can see is the Number "5" stamped inside the film chamber and in the removable back, which doesn't help much.

 

[sevo]

Panel stampings generally were for assembly, and as far as I can make out, Japanese makers used Arabic numerals there too, so that does not point to a Western origin.

As far as I can make out, the major strains of Japanese SLRs were derived from the Reflex Korelle, Graflex RB (and other early 20th century reflex cameras) or KW Pilot 6 - all of them with key features different from yours.

 

[nhchen]

Well after many hours of taking it apart and putting it back together, the camera is alive again!

Even inside the camera, there were no markings to help identify it. I did manage to replace the shutter ribbons and curtain.

One day I may need to replace the bellows. Now all I need to do is test it with some film!
I wonder what original lens it had on it?

regards,
nathan

 

[BillBingham2]

WOW, most excellent! I wish I had the skills and time to breath live into such a wonderful camera.

Thanks for sharing!

B2 (;->

 

[nhchen]

Thought I should update this with some photos I took with the camera and the fujinon 105mm enlarging lens attached to it:

regards,
nathan

 

[RichC]

Excellent job! It's nice to see this old camera live again...

 

[nhchen]

Randomly looking though camera repair blogs I’ve finally identified what this camera is - a Katsunuma flex. It’s a rare Japanese 6x6 slr. Found on this website 『KATSUNUMA-FLEXでの発見』

Regards
Nathan

 

[lynnb]

I hadn't seen this thread before today - great job Nathan! The pictures are excellent. Well done!