Trolling pays off...

[scott]

Have decided the $15 legacy Bolsey Model C is, for now, non-fixable. I will eventually (pending gnat-like attention span) source other cheap cameras to rob parts from and cobble together a Franken-Model-C (reference: Antique Axe anecdote). For now, completely obsessed with this particular camera, I have been trolling eBay. Couple weeks ago happened across one that was in amazing aesthetic condition. Not film tested - parts or repair. Awesome. Seller confirmed the rangefinder mirror was intact and that the helical was functional. Sat on it; seller made a good offer, I purchased.

Camera arrived, with a near pristine case (not a single pulled stitch, wonderful patina, sketchy strap I need to remedy), loaded with a roll of complete, really old Kodachrome, and an original insert from the film. Shutter stuck open. Have figured out enough, now, how not to go about messing with these Alphax shutters; got this one working in short order. Spent a few days just observing and very lightly lubing posts with RemOil cut with naphtha. Working wonderfully so far.











Only thing missing is the Bolsey badge on the WLF hood; I happen to have one that will get transplanted after I prove out the camera. A few wear marks, spotless glass, accurate rangefinder and WLF (after some tweaking; confirmed with a GG on the film rails). It's a triplet, coated, including the viewing lens. The Apotar is one of my all-time favorite lenses; I'm hopeful this Wolly lens will be similar stopped down. Putting an old (circa-2012) roll of Acros in to make sure the winding/spacing are good, then loading with with Arista. Visiting my daughter in upstate NY this week, will be toting this if all goes well.

See that - trolling pays off.

[Julio1fer]

Good! You are getting closer to an operational camera!

[scott]

Good! You are getting closer to an operational camera!

Thanks. It’s loaded; the advance, which felt wonky running dry, seems to be working correctly. Have a Series V hood on it. Aside from crazy winds, it’s a lovely, bright day, so sunny 16 will work. Heading out shortly for some errands, hope to run enough film through it today to develop.

[scott]

Ran about half a roll of that 14 year expired Acros through to test. Spacing is perfect, actually better than pretty much any other 135 camera I have, short of my old A2. Shot 15 frames; these are the ones that came out the best:









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The camera seems to work pretty much flawlessly. I'm not 100% convinced the WLF completely matches the rangefinder; I'm putting the GG across the film rails again tomorrow and adjusting the viewing lens if necessary (the barrel on the viewing lens threads through the mount so you can thread it in and out to adjust). But the exposures seem good, counter and advance, which seemed sketchy running dry, work really, really nicely.

Some observations in practice:

• The shutter release sucks. I've had dozens of camera with shutter mounted releases, and have NEVER had an issue. May just be me and this camera, but I had a bear of a time triggering the shutter without adding wild shake. That's where the WLF actually really helps - pin the camera against my body to steady. I'm guessing this is a practice issue.

• The WLF is great for composing, but much smaller than on a 6x6 TLR. Surprisingly so. Again, need to practice with it, and generally get the thing close in use and stop down.

• The rangefinder is aces - really easy to use. Mine has the vertical adjustment slightly off, but it's a split image, so this doesn't really have an impact. Separate rangefinder and viewfinder windows. I generally set the focus with the rangefinder and framed with the WLF. Would like to be able to just use the WLF.

• Very difficult to shoot portrait orientation with this camera.

• The aperture and shutter speeds are set with sliding levers on the face of the shutter. Using a hood makes seeing these, let alone adjusting them, sketchy. Not impossible, and with a Series V press on adapter easier to just remove the hood, set and replace.

• At times, I think largely when shooting verticals, my finger on the shutter release actually blocks the viewfinder window, making it kind of a crapshoot on whether I was framing things correctly. The WLF was pretty useless for these.

• The lens vignettes pretty noticeably. Doesn't really bother me, and this triplet has a very, well, triplet signature anyway. Neat effect, at least for some things.

All that said, it's a lot of fun to use. Will be taking it out this weekend, with some fresh film. I think, with some practice and attention, this will make good images. Cool little camera.

Next issue: I need to figure out how to remove the two rivets on each side of the strap that connect to the case.

[Brazile]

The results speak for themselves -- seems like a good setup. I have a couple cameras with that kind of release and I always struggle with them. I think there's a bit of finesse and muscle memory that you need to work up to oppose the movement of the camera when pressing the shutter lever. I haven't developed it yet.

Also, even old Acros is good.

[scott]

Thanks, Robert. I'm sure it's a practice thing - been long enough since I had to think about that I just kinda don't think about it. Mash the release and go. I'm really happy with the thing, and glad it's producing.

I need to see if I can drill out the rivets on the case and fabricate some kind of strap situation. Might just attach some little tabs with metal loops so I can attach another strap, rather than "hardwire" one permanently. Seems like they always fail at some point.

[Julio1fer]

Nice results in your test! All cameras in that period had their quirks, and users were supposed to adjust. Good job, and hope that you can get the case repaired as you want in the next step.

Maybe to shoot portrait format more comfortably with the WLF you can try to orient yourself at 90 degrees angle to the subject, and hold the camera at eye level. Just a thought, it worked for me with an Exa that had a WLF.