Kodak Double Baseboard-extension Cameras User Manual

Kodak Double Baseboard-extension Cameras

OVERVIEW

First read the Instructions

Every Kodak camera is thoroughly tested before leaving the factory. Precision in manufacture and perfection of equipment are the principles on which they are built. Every individual camera is a piece of fine mechanism, which should not be put into use before the following instructions have been carefully read through. Thereby possible damage to the camera before actual use will be avoided, and in addition it will enable the owner to obtain good results from the start.

To open the camera.
Hold the camera in the left hand, 80 that the focussing screen is towards the palm. Then press on the leathercovered knob (1), when the lightlysprung baseboard will fly open and can be pressed into its place with the right hand. This is at an .angle of 90° and can be recognised by the audible snap of the sidestruts (2) as they clip into place. Now pres’s the camera against the body with the left hand and with the thumb ~tl1d ‘ index flnger of the right hand pull out the lens-standard by the drawknobs (3) as far as the flxed stop at the front of , the baseboard. The camera is now, as the pointer on the focussing scale (5) shows, ready for <.II exposures at “infinity”, i.e. for .all objects more than 50 feet distant from the camera.

Focussing near objects.
By using the focussing scale (5) ‘which gives the distances in feet, objects at 6 feet up to 30 feet or “infinity” ‘can be focussed at will, the distance being estimated. To extend the lens-standard forward the following operation is necessary:

1. The milled button (4) is pulled sideways out of the baseboard and turned toward the front.
2. The focussing scale must be pressed down at the same time, which leaves the focussing pointer free. The baseboard can now be moved forward by turning the button (4). The sharpness of the focussing can at any time be exactly judged only on tho focussing screen, for it requires considerable practice accurately to estimate the distance. In this case tho composition of the picture can bo cheeked on the screen at the same time.

To do this, first open the cover of the focussing screen and also tho lens shutter by turning the disc (a) situated aboye the lens, in the direction of the arrow, so that the letter l’ is opposite the pointer at the bottom. With p!essure on (b) the shutter will open am the picture to be taken will be visible on the focusRing screen. To get the clearest possible picture place the stop-lever (d) at the inscription 1 : 4 .5. A glance at the focussing screen will now show that the lens gives only a limited depth of sharp focus. Objects in front of and behind the plane of sharp definition will be more and more indistinct and “fuzzy”. In portrait negatives this indistinctness is all to the good, as the figure will stand out plastically from the softened background.

When taking a large group of persons, however, the deeper arrangement of the picture will demand a more general sharpness of defintion. ,\his can be obtained by focussing sharply upon the middle distance; say the centre one of three rows of people, and stopping. down by means of the lever (d) to a medium aperture, about 1: 8 or 1: 11. !The focllssing’ screen will now show tho persons in the front and back rows equally sharply focussed. When focussing by the scale and e~timating the distance. it is best, in order to compensate for accidental errors, to stop down to about 1 : 5.6 or 1: 8. Ey reducinl!: the effective aperture LL longer exposure is of course rendered necessary and when the lever (d) is moved to the next higher number, the exposure must be doubled. For example; calculating the expositive with full aperture 1 : 4 . 1/100 sec.

The Exposure.

Outdoor exposures can usually be made with the camera in the hand, but if an exposure of more than II’. sec. is necessary, the camera must be rested upon a rigid support or a tripod must be used. For this purpose the camera is fitted with two tripod bushes, for upright and horizontal pictures respectively.

LENGTH OF’ EXPOSURE: To deter mine the correct time of exposure, an Exposure Table is’ given with each camera. Taking the stop 5. 6 as a basis, however, good results will usually be obtained by calculating according to the following indications.

1. In sunshine and clear weather:

2. Outdoor groups  25 second

3. Street scenes, landscapes second  50 second

4. Swiftly moving objects  100 second

5. In dull weather:
   Outdoor gróups sec. Landscapes 725 sec.

6. Outdoor time exposures stationary objects:

7. in sunshine and fine weather, stop 23 = 1 second, with tripod;

8. under trees or in dull weather, stop 16 = 1 second, with tripod;

9. Indoor portraits:
   full aperture, 6 to 10 seconds

The viewfinder

After deciding what one is going to photograph, the proper position must be taken, from where everything can bc seen to the best advantage. For this purpose the “Vollenda” is equipped with a brilliant viewfinder 6, which reflects the image. This can be turned at an angle of 90°, and can therefore be used for upright or horizontal pictures. Sketch on page 10 shows the exact limits of the field of view. If the object which one wishes to take does not all appear in the viewfinder this signifies that the distance from the object is too· short, and the photographer must step backwardsuntil the complete image appears in the viewfinder. When the finder produces the correct image, the shutter and uiaphragm have been adjusted correctly, and the wire release at c is screwed into the shutter, the camera is then held very rigidly against the body, anu the film exposed by gentle pressure of the wire release. The shutter can also be released by the finger trigger (2).

The Wire-frame Finder

In addition to the mirror viewfinder, the camera is fitted with the popular wire-frame finder. This feature consists of a peep-sight, which is built to fold up on the camera body, and the folding wire frame (10). In use the peepsight is held close up to the eye, when the wire frame will be seen to enclose the limits of the picture to be taken. It is important that the camera should be held perfectly upright, and not allowed to tilt either upward or downward. The correct position call be assured if care be taken that all vertical lines in the subject are kept parallel with the upright border lines in the mirror finder, or with the sides of the wire-frame finder. Serious distortion can be caused by tilting either way, making any buildings photographed appear to be toppling over.

Should it be wished, for instance, to photograph a tower to the top, it will not help to’ tilt the camera upward, but a position must be taken up at a distanc~ sufficient to include the whole in the view-finder whilst the camera is held upright; or the lens may be raised by means of the micrometer-screws 11 or 12, for upright or horizontal pictures respectively. When making an exposure the sun should always be kept on one side or behind. The sun must never be permitted to shine from the front directly into the lens. When the picture has been sharply focllssed either by scale or on the screen, draw the focussing screen out of the camera, whilst pushing the slide-bolt (7) to one side. Then push into the camera the loaded metal plate-slide or filmpack adapter. Now set the shutter according to the instructions on page 18 and draw the slide-cover right out of the camera. Hold the camera pressed as still as possible against the body, supporting it with both hands; see that the picture is upright in thE viewfinder and release the shutter by means of the cable release, which is screwed into the shutter orifice (c) or by the finger release (b). After making the exposure at once carefully replace the slide- cover, and remove the slide from the camera; restoring the focuss ing screen in its stead.

To close the camera
When it is desired to close the camera, the following’ must be observed:

1. That the mirror finder, after use for a horizontal picture, has been replaced in the upright position otherwise it will foul the when the lens-standard is pushed in, and if bent, will not give a correct field of vision.

2. The wire-frame finder must be folded over into its closed position.

3. The extension of the baseboard must be wound back by the nut (4) exactly to the “infinity” mark, or the housing will not close.
   The milled nut (4) must be pushed back into the baseboard.

4. If the lens has been moved by means of the knob (11) or (12) it must be replaced in its central position. which is indicated by a white spot on the lensstandard, otherwise the bellows will not fold correctly when the camera is closed.

5. The lens-standard must be pushed back into the housing exactly to the stop.

Press with the thumbs on the sidestruts (2) to release the baseboard, which can then be folded up.

The use of the double baseboard-extension

Enables small objects to be photographed almost in their actual size. The full extension is obtained by pressing on the focussing scale and pulling tho lens- standard as far forward as the ,baseboard will allow, then operating the double-extension by means of the nut (4). Focussing must now always be done on the screen. For cameras fitted with the Schneider Xenar 1: 4 . 5 or any other lens of similar type auxiliary lenses can be supplied. These may be either longfocus or short-focus auxiliary lenses. The long-focus lenses yield the focal lengths as shown in the following table and are suitable for portraits as well as for landscape negatives, as they permit a choice of perspective from one and the same standpoint. Short-focus lenses render specially good service with interior exposures, because they giYe a certain wideangle effect. From the-table you ·can see which’ auxiliary lenses can best be used with your camera, together with an indication of the degree of enlargement to be obtained and the necessary multiplication factor for exposures. The “Compur” shutter, gives exposure times

1/50th,100th and /23oth, as well as brief time exposures (B) and long

When ordering please state the exact diameter of the front lens-mount time exposures (T). The shutter is adjusted by turning the engraved ring a, which is fitted around the outer edge. to the desired exposure. The shutter is, for all instantaneous exposures from 1 to 1/250th of a second, to be wound up by pressing the tension lever f, to the right. The release is operated by pressure on the finger trigger b, or the wire release which is serewed into the socket c. The Compur shutter with automatic self timing device is manipulated as described above, i. e. set for all instantaneous exposures. If the operator wishes to include himself in the picture, the button (g) has to be pushed backwards in the direction of the arrow, after the shutter has been set as usual. The self timer is then set by an additional pressure on tension lever f in the direction of the arrow. The release is operated as usual, by pressure on the trigger b or the wire release at (c).

The self timer will release the shutter after 12 seconds, according to the speed at which the shutter has previously been adjusted. When the self timer has run of, the shutter is in its normal condition. Further use with the self timer to be manipulated as previously described. The self timer can be used for all instantaneous exposures except The diaphragm is adjusted on all shutters by the pOinter d, the biggest opening being in position of f/4,5, and the smallest at f/32. It is important that by moving the pointer d to the next No. higher, the exposure must be about doubled at each step. For instance, the exposure time at f/4,5 being correct at  1OOth, it would have to be increased at f/5,6 to ‘/ooth, at f/8 to ‘ /30th, f/11 to about ‘/,5th sec. By reducing the diaphragm greater depth is gained, which is of advantage when taking snapshots at short distances, or exposures with grrat depth of field.

The Lens

In conclusion, it is necessary to emphasize that the lens is the eye of the camera. It has therefore to be kept clean, and must not be touched with the fingers. For cleaning it, a clean soft piece of old linen shouldbe used. It is not advisible to unscrew the lens as it has been focussed in the factory, and unnecessary unscrewing may cause a difference in the turn of the thread, and so interfere with the focus.

VERICHROME

because
“Verichrome” is so fast that you gel good pictures even in poor light;

because
“Verichrome” has a special double coating that gives wonderful latitude and makes ample allowance for errors in exposure;

because
“Verichrome” is non-halative, and because it has such a fine grain that you get better enlargements; and because “Yerichrome” is made b, Kodak

IMPORTANT
When closing the Kodak Recomar, the cable release must be in position below the catch used for locking the camera base-board. If the cable release should be between the catch and top of the Kodak, when the camera is closed, it will be impossible to open the camera.

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