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Message |
    
Simongabriel
Tinkerer
Username: Simongabriel
Post Number: 1
Registered: 05-2013
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 18, 2013 - 05:11 pm: | 
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Hello!
So, while junk shopping for cameras today I picked up an interesting one for £5. The casing is battered and looks like it's had a few odd jobs on it in its time. Most noticeably the camera has its front cover replaced (at least it looks that way, anyway).
The camera is a Corfield. That's all I know! It's branded with
'Corfield TECHNICAL GR IV BRITAIN' as you can see in this picture below:
http://i.imgur.com/TdRlaAn.jpg
It also has a serial number and some human engraving that marks I/ME/-/1/1.
As mentioned earlier, the camera appears to have been played with a lot, cosmetically. Every other mechanism of the camera seems to be working perfectly!
The lens also seems to be puzzlingly unbranded by any numbers or name.
I'm having a great deal of trouble tracking down something similar on the internet with the information I have and I'm wondering if anyone here could help!!
Here are some pictures of the camera and I hope someone could give me a bit of light!
http://i.imgur.com/2ZUEoBG.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/kLW9lhW.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/FK3fspd.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/RdtD65G.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ZNvLIEE.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/DFA2Usj.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/vsA0wLn.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/LiIpIzo.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/T25CH6J.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Ro1brN7.jpg
Thanks! |
Msiegel
Tinkerer
Username: Msiegel
Post Number: 342
Registered: 03-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 19, 2013 - 08:54 am: |
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To me it looks like the camera is a version of the Corfield Interplan which was available in Leica-, Praktica- (M42?)and Exacta mount.
Look here:
http://www.corfield.org/camera/page6.htm
Propably it was made for some technical use that does not require focusing or framing. The lens seems to be custom made/altered to be mounted to something like a microscope/telescope/oszilloscope or whatever via the front adapter. But I do not know any details about such adapters so regard this as guessing.
There was certainly a demand for such bodies (e.g. lacking finders etc.) in industrial/medical/laboratory etc. use. The demand seems to have been large enough to even have a factory made top plate showing it's name.
But what this camera way exactly used for - no idea. |
Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 1079
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 20, 2013 - 10:46 am: |
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Bog standard Corfield Technical Mk IV - worn but otherwise straight from the factory. Not a version of the Interplan, but uses the Interplan body minus the front viewfinder window and shoe. I have seen a couple of these that still had the viewfinder internals present - or they had been refitted. Unscrew the little blanking cap and see if it is possible to look thought the finder. Obviously without the interchangeable front unit no actual framing is possible. Corfield made their own optics and depending on how the fixed focus lens is set up, camera could be for microscope or oscilloscope use. Is the alloy front unit just to alter the orientation of camera - landscape to portrait - or does it contain a helical thread? Again I have seen both types of adapter available from other manufacturers.
Most manufactures of quality 35mm cameras produced some form of technical body in the 1950's and 60's. In the late 60's, early 70's we used Leica MD's on our micriscopes and when the departmant changed to Nikon, I purchased a couple. Still use them on my Visoflex set up. Unfortunately the Corfields were somewhat crude and did not survive the competition. |
Simongabriel
Tinkerer
Username: Simongabriel
Post Number: 2
Registered: 05-2013
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 20, 2013 - 02:31 pm: |
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Thanks for your response, good information, Glenn!
Figuring the camera will be better with someone else's collection so I'm going to plonk it on eBay! |
Biloraguy
Tinkerer
Username: Biloraguy
Post Number: 7
Registered: 06-2013
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 - 12:25 pm: |
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What a great camera. It looks like something Mary Shelley dreamed up. I love it. Anybody can own a plain old ordinary Leica M2. This is special. |
Simongabriel
Tinkerer
Username: Simongabriel
Post Number: 3
Registered: 05-2013
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 12, 2013 - 08:32 am: |
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Hey, guys!
Just a heads up that I'm selling this camera in case any of you are interested.
(Probably UK buyers only)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161084560174?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m 1555.l2649 |
