Well, the camera with 90mm came yesterday. As of today, I can't say
that I am thrilled about vaporized oil in the taking lens, haze in the
viewing lens, the missing darkslide, or the completely frozen back.
This is the fifth camera in a row that has come from Ebay and has been
defective/broken in some major way (following a Fuji GM670, GS645
folder, Sprintscan 120, and Graflex/Norita 66). Chalk (another) one up
for the estate sale buyers/inheritors/etc. I am contemplating looking
for a 135 and a new 120 back and sending the old ones to Greg Weber.
Anyway, the camera is a lot lighter than I imagined from hearing the
various reports. The ergonomics are not terrible, but I cannot imagine
what it would be like without the grip. It basically looks like the
bottom half of a KO 200, but it feels a lot lighter. Of course, in
sheer size, it makes a Rolleiflex look like a toy (which I guess by
comparison in terms of mechanics, it is).
The viewing is excellent; the moving frameline is pretty neat. I can
see why one might want to go for the hi-mag viewers (one of those on
the way as well), since the microprism spot has such tiny prisms. Did
Maxwell ever make his screen for this beast?
BTW, does anyone know how the folding viewer dismounts? There are two
buttons, but they don't seem to press in.
As usual, this story is to be continued...
____________
Dante Stella
http://www.dantestella.com/photo.html
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