Topic: Good discovery?

[Stu]

"Some felt the camera to be revolutionary others that it was so completely different that it wouldn't sell".
Ensign Ful Vue

We will see...

My mate found it and it stinks, I mean it actually smells old and musty - but works at both its shutter speeds!
Still, as it has a beautifully scratched up lens (if you can even call it that) and potential for some 'creative' light leaks, so I plan to give it a go.

Hope to have some photos from it in the next few weeks.
If it is no good, I will 'convert' in into a pinhole and waste some more film!

Has anyone got/used one of these?

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[db]

yep. I bought one for a few dollars some years ago. I'll dig up a print from it and attach it to this message tomorrow. It is nice to use with a soft low contrast glass lens.

My only complaint was that it wasn't quite Diana-ish  enough for me 

Edit- I located a small version of one. It's a shot I quite like, but to be fair on the camera it's had some filter+darkroom action. I shot with an orange filter, printed it on Grade 4.5 and gave the sky an extra stop or two exposure to make the clouds snap. This also enhanced the vignette, which isn't usually so evident. Hmmm- likely a bit of time with a diffuser on the enlarger too, by the look of those blacks.

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[Stu]

Illusion shattered... I must admit that deep down I was hoping my mate had discovered a gritty diana-esque camera that even in my hands would create distorted masterpieces.

 I would definitely be interested in seeing the results you got.

Thanks,
Stu

[Francois]

To get rid of the musty smell, I tried something a while ago that seems to work not too bad.

I had bought an Argus brick with that awful smell. I figured that musty must equal mushroom spores or bacteria. So I got a can of Lysol and liberally sprayed it inside and out. I let it dry and put it in the garden shed so that I wouldn't have to endure the smell.

I can say it's much better now.

Lysol is made from ethylene alcohol and it kills 99% of spores and bacteria within the first 60 seconds. Some might say it is marketing hype but it's not the case. They use it for decontaminating the researchers who work with bacteria in labs (they shower their contamination suits with the stuff). If it's good for them, it's good for my camera.

I found it to be safe on metal, glass and plastics. Though I must say that the leatherette suffered a bit...

[kuru]

A shot from mine

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[Stu]

Thanks you lot. I still think Francois may work for Lysol! Only joking Francois - I am taking your advice and will go and buy some. Thank you.

If I can produce anything as close to a photograph as yours Kuru I will be chuffed!

[Andrea.]

Here's mine. One from the camera when I was given it. The picture is of the chap - now about 40 years - and the other I took at my previous work with the rest of the old film that was in it.

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[Sandeha Lynch]

Good score.  This is a must-have camera.





I think.   

[Stu]

Great stuff!

Any ideas what f stop it is?
Lazy question seeing as I should really work it out for myself!

[Sandeha Lynch]

There's a nice description here ...
http://www.amdmacpherson.com/classiccameras/

[sausage100uk]

I made a pinholeout of mine

[Francois]

Somehow, it reminds me of a camera that could have been designed by Raymond Loewy... but sadly wasn't.

[kuru]

Somehow, it reminds me of a camera that could have been designed by Raymond Loewy... but sadly wasn't.

I have an Anscoflex II that he designed. Very cool camera.

[Stu]

There's a nice description here ...
http://www.amdmacpherson.com/classiccameras/

Thank you. Answered all my questions.