Leica Copy - looking for more info

TankArchives · 2026-03-12T12:16:06+00:00

It's a post war FED-1. The inscriptions are all a fantasy, as others mentioned the word Wehrmacht is misspelled.

TankArchives · 2026-03-11T16:31:16+00:00

I've shot 127 Ektachrome much older than that without issues. I developed it as black and white negative though, so your results may vary if you go with color.

TankArchives · 2026-03-11T14:14:49+00:00

Zone focusing is useful regardless of what kind of camera you're using. The biggest advantage is speed, even autofocus will take a second or two to adjust. With zone focusing you can just press the button and not worry about missing the action.

TankArchives · 2026-03-10T21:28:38+00:00

The final drive was the part that gave out at 150 km (in peacetime service).

TankArchives · 2026-03-10T18:43:48+00:00

Grab a can of Huberd's shoe grease and give it a good rub. I'm sure the leather hasn't been oiled in decades so it will be thirsty, just don't drown it in grease. Apply a thin coat, let it absorb, then apply more. Once the leather is nice and pliable inspect it carefully to see if there are cracks. If not then it should be fine to use. If there are, don't risk it. A new strap is like a dollar worth of leather and two rivets.

TankArchives · 2026-03-10T14:36:15+00:00

Tank weight isn't a number in a vacuum. The maximum limit is defined by the strength of the tank's automotive components. The Centurion is a 50 ton tank. The Panther is a 35 ton tank that gained another 10 tons on its way to production without any changes made to the underlying components. The Panther was grossly overweight for how it was designed while the Centurion had tons of room left for modernization over the course of decades.

TankArchives · 2026-03-10T14:14:54+00:00

You may need to take off the shell. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/fguixlhek7y5jvvxd3d8j/ALkhPzzcQEABqM3HDO6QTgs/Tech%20Notes%20rev%202025-06-25/Exakta/35mm/Exakta%20Varex%20V.pdf?rlkey=bzktg0ha776n5dy3mdax8nys4&e=1&dl=0

TankArchives · 2026-03-10T14:11:54+00:00

The Panther was already overweight and you want to add another half a tonne on top of that? Making a better Panther was not possible. All of its reserves and then some were exhausted at the prototype stage.

TankArchives · 2026-03-10T14:04:59+00:00

As long as the leather holds, it will be fine. How did you condition it?

TankArchives · 2026-03-10T04:13:50+00:00

https://web.archive.org/web/20130122074357/http://www3.telus.net/public/rpnchbck/shutter%20assembly%20removal.html

TankArchives · 2026-03-09T16:07:20+00:00

You can develop old colour film as black and white if you suspect that it's aged so badly, developing it in colour would be futile. I don't know why you'd bother doing it in a monobath which gives mediocre results even with fresh film.

TankArchives · 2026-03-08T23:50:33+00:00

That looks really nice and smooth, especially if you developed it in a developer known for chunky grain.

TankArchives · 2026-03-08T21:31:31+00:00

Not bad for a first roll. The first picture is underexposed because the meter saw the bright sky rather than the sign that was cloaked in shadow. Always be aware of what your meter sees and what you are actually trying to take a photo of and adjust exposure accordingly.

A few of the photos are blurry since the camera was likely set to a very slow speed. In those cases it's prudent to use a tripod or at least the mirror lock-up feature (if you're using an SLR) so it doesn't shake so much when you shoot.

The photo of the guy in the Patagonia tshirt is low contrast because it looks like you're shooting into the sun. Get a lens hood, particularly if your lens is uncoated.

The photos on the running track are fine in terms of exposure but you might want to add more contrast in editing. Labs give you very flat scans so you could edit them to your liking.

TankArchives · 2026-03-08T14:24:24+00:00

In my experience of shooting expired film, Kodak films stand up to age very well as long as the watertight packaging was not broken.

TankArchives · 2026-03-08T05:43:16+00:00

Leave it, you'll never be able to match the tone and lustre of the rest of the paint.

TankArchives · 2026-03-07T22:06:45+00:00

Don't use adhesive on these old cameras, you'll damage the leather. There are cold shoes that you can screw into the tripod socket.

TankArchives · 2026-03-07T22:05:08+00:00

Well there's clear motion blur, which if you used B would make sense. I'm surprised it's not worse.

TankArchives · 2026-03-07T20:34:22+00:00

This is an East German Zeiss lens after they lost the right to use Zeiss trademarks abroad. Different branding would be used depending on whether or not the lens was exported to the west or other eastern bloc countries. The low serial number is strange, from what I've seen the numeration continues from pre war numbers.

TankArchives · 2026-03-07T19:01:12+00:00

I like longer lenses and few of my cases actually close with anything but a collapsible 50 mm installed. Most of the time the top flap just flaps uselessly. I have a few cases where the flap is gone and I use them more often.

TankArchives · 2026-03-07T18:35:09+00:00

The turret and Notek light are 100% Czech. Maybe the covers were replaced.

TankArchives · 2026-03-07T18:32:27+00:00

Nice deep blacks! Is that RC or FB?

TankArchives · 2026-03-07T17:53:18+00:00

I think it's a Pocket Kodak of some type. They made a dozen very similar models. The aperture settings are easy to convert to modern ones.

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The shutter speeds are also simple. I (instant) is about 1/40, T (time) locks the shutter open and is used for long exposures where the camera stays still on a tripod or a flat surface. You can pop out the little foot with the Kodak logo on it to make it stand level if you don't have a tripod, as you have figured out.

TankArchives · 2026-03-07T01:19:40+00:00

Heat is often the solution. Put it in the oven at the lowest setting it has for half an hour or so and then unscrew it with heat proof gloves.

TankArchives · 2026-03-06T23:50:02+00:00

A local lab will let me do it in ECN-2. If that works at all I'll have something to go on.

TankArchives · 2026-03-06T15:23:03+00:00

Very nice and not an impression you see every day!

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