# My new Ultra light-weight LF cameras



## IanG (Oct 21, 2008)

A couple of weeks ago I returned to the UK and opened two parcels from Germany.

Two Patent Etui's one complete the other described as "Korpus" (Corpse)

What amazing cameras, both take 9x12 cms plates/film & just a touch smaller film size than 5x4 inch but the ultimate competitors.











In comparison to other 9x12 cameras, an Erneman 





We'll leave the size comparison with a Speed or Crown Graphic for now, but the Graphics are huge 

These are destined for use, not to be sat on a shelf, i have 5 or 6 9x12 cameras and luckily they all take the same plate/film holders plus I have 120 roll film backs.

The "Korpus" camera was at first glance a corpse, opened with a bottle opener or worse, but a few taps with a hammer it's almost as new !!!!!!  Soon it will be fitted with a modern coated lens and a key part of my LF equipment.

Ian


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## compur (Oct 21, 2008)

Neat cameras!  Congrats!


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## Mitica100 (Oct 22, 2008)

I've got a fully functional KW Patent Etui and I absolutely love the sleek design on it! I should cut some film for it since I have a few holders.

Congrats on the find!


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## IanG (Oct 22, 2008)

Ilford, Foma & EFKE still make 9x12 film, which is quite easy to find in Europe. I bought a Combi tank from the Us for procesing, as unlike my Jobo it's adjustable.

Ian


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## Mitica100 (Oct 22, 2008)

IanG said:


> Ilford, Foma & EFKE still make 9x12 film, which is quite easy to find in Europe. I bought a Combi tank from the Us for procesing, as unlike my Jobo it's adjustable.
> 
> Ian



Cool! Thanks for the info!:thumbup:


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## IanG (Oct 24, 2008)

Just to show exactly how small it is in comparison to a 5x4 Crown Graphic 

The 3rd camera is my Zeiss Ikonta 521











Now consider that the 9x12cm film size is only slightly smaller, 5x4 is 10.1x12.7cm

Ian


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## Paul Ron (Oct 26, 2008)

All nice cameras but I especially like the slim line of the "Korpus".

Nice!


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## pete_6109 (Nov 10, 2008)

Hey IanG,
That is a very, very, cool camera. I want one! 
I have a Kodak Recomar 33 with a roll film holder. I wonder if it would fit
the Etui?? All the 9x12 (and 6x9) European folding cameras appear to be from the exact same mold. Dr. Nagel seems to have influenced the entire European camera market with his design. Here's 2 pics of my Recomars. They look just like your Erneman and have similiarities to the Etui except for their size.


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## IanG (Nov 10, 2008)

Pete, Recomars are great cameras I'd like to get one with a rangefinder at some stage.

A great many 6.5x9 & 0x12 plate cameras from various manufacturers appear fairly similar, some share common parts, Nagel's not one of the first though.

However there are significant differences with the focus mechanism / track bed, folding struts, case etc and in addition there are at least 5 types of plate holders and they aren't interchangeable. There was no agreed standard, although in practice there are two more common types. Zeiss used 3 differing types depending on which company had made the camera pre-merger.

I don't know the edge style of the Nagel Recomar plate holders, are they like these ?





These fit a Patent Etui, as well as my Rodenstock & Orion Werks 9x12's.

Or like these ?





Flat edges. These fit early Linhofs and some Zeiss cameras.

Ian


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## Mitica100 (Nov 10, 2008)

pete_6109 said:


> Hey IanG,
> That is a very, very, cool camera. I want one!
> I have a Kodak Recomar 33 with a roll film holder. I wonder if it would fit
> the Etui?? All the 9x12 (and 6x9) European folding cameras appear to be from the exact same mold. Dr. Nagel seems to have influenced the entire European camera market with his design. Here's 2 pics of my Recomars. They look just like your Erneman and have similiarities to the Etui except for their size.



Nice Reco! I might sell my Etui in the near future, need $ for a Canon L lens.


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## pete_6109 (Nov 10, 2008)

IanG said:


> Pete, Recomars are great cameras I'd like to get one with a rangefinder at some stage.
> 
> A great many 6.5x9 & 0x12 plate cameras from various manufacturers appear fairly similar, some share common parts, Nagel's not one of the first though.
> 
> ...


 
Ian,
I don't have any plates. but you first set of picks look like the correct ones. Here's a pick of the edge of my roll film holder and the back of the camera. It looks like you thin edged plates would fit.
Thanks for the info.


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## pete_6109 (Nov 10, 2008)

Mitica100 said:


> Nice Reco! I might sell my Etui in the near future, need $ for a Canon L lens.


 
Mitica,
You have some collection on your website. You could probably retire if you sold all of those cameras. Each one you have is a collectable.


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## IanG (Jun 20, 2010)

Pete, I missed your reply, only found it today because the page was referred to in my site log.

Yes the first plate holders should fit, I recently bought one with an integral film adaptor, the seller said he has a lot more,I need to find his details it was at a camera fair.

Useful to know Recomar's take similar, so Kodak holders fit but I think the US variety are quarter plate not 9x12.

Ian



pete_6109 said:


> IanG said:
> 
> 
> > Pete, Recomars are great cameras I'd like to get one with a rangefinder at some stage.
> ...


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## compur (Jun 20, 2010)

Coincidentally, I found this Recomar 33 at a flea market today for $20.  Other
than a little cosmetic wear it seems in very good working condition including
the shutter and clean lens. But, no ground glass or holders -- will have to
find those on eBay.






I have an old Kodak brochure that includes the Recomar cameras.  I was
reading it today and discovered that accessory wide and tele lenses were
made for them.  Didn't know that before.


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## IanG (Jun 21, 2010)

Does it have the back itself or is that missing ? If it's just the glass then that's easy, I make my own - takes less than 10 minutes, and they are equally as good as anything available commercially.

I need a back for my second Patent Etui & also for a Busch Pressman (6x9) and am looking at making my own to use until I can find the correct parts. If I get time I'll post details here.

Zeiss sold the Wide angle & Tele attachments pre-WWII, Proxars & Distars, the Kodak lenses on Recomars were rebadged Tessar's.

I have a 1940 Kodak Professional catalogue (in the UK) that has a page on the Recomar, the catalogue would have been printed in 1939 just before the start of WWII. I'll scan the details next time I'm in the UK.

Ian



compur said:


> Coincidentally, I found this Recomar 33 at a flea market today for $20.  Other
> than a little cosmetic wear it seems in very good working condition including
> the shutter and clean lens. But, no ground glass or holders -- will have to
> find those on eBay.
> ...


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## compur (Jun 21, 2010)

IanG said:


> Does it have the back itself or is that missing ?



Thanks for the info. Just the glass is missing from the viewing back which is 
otherwise in good shape.  I planned on scrounging another and cutting to fit 
when I find a suitable donor.


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## IanG (Jun 21, 2010)

compur said:


> IanG said:
> 
> 
> > Does it have the back itself or is that missing ?
> ...



I'm grinding a new one for my main Patent Etui tomorrow, it's as easy to start with fresh glass. I'd make you one but the postage would be more than the costs of making your own.  

#400 grit Silicon Carbide is very cheap, I made 15 screens last month in a couple of hours for a total cost of £15 ($21), all sizes from Quarter plate through to 10x8, and 2/3rds of that was having a glass supplier cut the blanks.

Ian


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## compur (Jun 21, 2010)

^ I've never made one. Any particular technique to creating the ground 
surface with the Silicon Carbide?  Do you use a wheel? Disk? Sheet? or 
other tool? Do you just rough it up until it looks right ... or?


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## IanG (Jun 21, 2010)

You use #400 grit silicon carbide powder from a Lapidary suppliers (used to polish stones) and a bit of water. Get a piece or two of 2"x2" glass roughly 1/4" thick from a glass merchant, they use it for shops etc and always have small bits hanging around. along with glass to fit the back 2mm will do. Take all the sharp edges off the 2x2 first with some coarse wet & dry paper (wet).

Then just place the new screen on some newspaper on a flat surface, damp it to stop it sliding add some grit & a little water and randomly grind the glass using the 2x2 to do the grinding action, after a few minutes rinse the screen see how you're doing.

Then start again until it's perfect, it's extremely easy takes under 10 minutes. For a finer finish you can grind again with $600 grit Silicon Carbide. You can tailor the smoothness to suit your needs.

I also re-ground some older pre-WWII screens and the improvement in brightness & clarity was quite astonishing.

Because I'd made a couple of screens before I got 3 2x2 bits, and I use one for #400 grit & another for #600. I made one 5x4 screen with just #400 and another with #400 then #600 and I found I prefer this one for my 5x4 but just #400 is better on the 10x8 camera.

A single cut with #600 is very much slower and also very much finer but I prefer the double cut #400/#600 for it's brightness.

All sounds far more complex than it is in practice. I'll never buy a commercial screen again, except maybe a Maxwell or Beattie, but they are entirely different

Ian


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## compur (Jun 21, 2010)

^ Great -- thanks!


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## compur (Jun 22, 2010)

On second thought I think I'll give a 4x5 conversion a try. No change to
the camera itself -- just a home built adapter that replaces the 9x12 film 
holder.  It would require an adapter for the 4x5 film holder plus a new 
focusing screen that also fit the adapter and provides the same optical
distance as the new film holder.  Should keep me busy for a while.


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## IanG (Jun 22, 2010)

Well you can do both 

There's an old repair guy in the US who makes conversion backs for Recomars, has done them for years.It is a practical proposition and I've thought of making one myself, as it would fit all 5 of my 9x12's.

Let us know how you get on.

Ian


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