I've had this camera for several years (at least 5-6), haven't dared run a
roll of film through it.
I got it from my grandfather. I suspect it's 60's era although it could be
50's.
The camera in question is a Beauty Lightomatic II made by Beauty Camera Co.
Ltd. of Japan. It's a fixed lens rangefinder with a 45/1.9 Biokor-S (yes
that's how it's spelt) lens mounted in a 5 blade Copal-SV shutter, it takes
46mm filters, smallest aperture is f/16.
It does have a meter in the form of a metering cell in the top left hand
corner of the front (CDS cell?). I've never bothered to check if this still
works because of the other "feature" of this camera. That feature is that
the lens is badly gummed up. Focus still works but is very stiff. Setting
the aperture and shutter speed will select the correct settings but the
rings are so gummed up that usually both rings move as one. I call this a
"feature" because it automatically moves the other ring to compensate for
proper exposure. For instance, right now I've set the lens at 1s and 2.8, if
I move to 1/2s for shutter speed, the aperture turns to 1.9, all by itself!
Years ahead of it's time. Seriously though, this is a complete pain, the
easiest way to get a different setting is to keep turning the ring when the
other ring is at it's max setting in that direction.
Couple of questions:
1. Has anyone else on this list ever heard of this camera?
2. Is it actually worth anything? I seriously doubt it in it's current
condition. Although I'm sure I could get creative with an ebay listing and
talk about how "rare" and "hard to find" this camera is.
3. Any recommendations on how to clean this up? I don't see any real easy
way to disassemble the lens but I wonder if some type of solvent applied to
the outside could work it's way in through the gaps to help loosen this up a
bit (such as apply to the lens set at it's closest distance and then focus
to infinity and then back)?
--
Andrew "Frugal" Dacey
frugal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.tildefrugal.net/
< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
|