KW Camera Reflex Box

[David]

Picked up a beat-up KW Reflex Box today at a consignment store. $50, and it was a bit of a risk since the focusing glass is cracked in half and I wasn't sure if it worked. The leather is really worn but intact and the mesh around the viewing hood is in pretty good shape. I figured that since I fixed my Rolleiflex Old Standard when I got it I might try this one, too.

I don't have any photos of it yet, but here's a link to a page about this type of camera. Mine is much more rugged (read as: well loved.)

http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/entry_C53.html

Long and short, it works. I have to replace a non-essential spring on the shutter cocking arm, but the lens (after a disassembly with cleaning) is a very sharp Steinhall 10.5CM 1:4.5 tessar. The shutter speeds are accurate. How I will hold it at any speed without camera shake is a mystery to me. The whole camera jerks around when the shutter actuates.

Surprisingly for an older camera in the 6X9 format, it only stops down to f16. At any rate, I'm going to try and run a roll through it this weekend or next and see how it looks. I'm pretty optimistic the results will be decent.

[luisalegria]

Good find!
A 6x9 SLR is a pretty rare thing these days, in working order.

[koji]

I also got it at a side walk sale a long ago, was $25 with leather case. It is missing infinity stopper pin, you can see it.



The lens is Steinheil Box-Actinar 10.5cm F6.3. It works perfectly, although the mirror is deteriorating.

Clean the transport mechanism, it scratches the film. See

[David]

Well, I've used my Reflex Box a few times since I got it and all the images are soft. I realized that the mirror was (key: was) surface coated but it now silver-free. So the light is bouncing off the back of the glass and throwing off my focus. Add to that the cracked-in-half ground glass, and focusing is a problem.

So I'm going to try and figure out a solution. I think I'll try some reflective decal material on the existing glass, simply cut to size. We're talking about stuff only a few mils thick, so I'm hoping that's close enough to the original silver that it will work. It seems easier, so far, that finding a new surface-coated mirror of the correct shape.

Luis, any ideas?

[luisalegria]

No easy solutions if you aren't up to replacing the mirror.
There may be a way to shim the groundglass .

[Mos6502]

The guy who sells those replacement TLR mirrors on ebay can cut you a replacement mirror to order. Get the measurements of yours, including thickness if you can, and get in touch with him.

[David]

Mos, is that eBay seller Marty1107?

[Mos6502]

Yes. I bought a mirror from him before to fix a Reflekta. He cuts the mirrors himself so conceivably he can make them any size needed.

[luisalegria]

FYI -
There are plastic front surface mirrors available.

http://www.bostoncraftworks.com/FrontSurface.htm

One sheet of this 1mm stock would make a LOT of camera mirrors.

Just one supplier.

1mm plastic sheet is very easy to cut accurately with Dremel tools. Should be sufficiently flat and rigid for this purpose.

[David]

Thank you, Mos. I sent the measurements and he's going to cut a custom mirror. I can't believe it's less than $10!

Luis, thank you, too. I've got some other repair projects that need mirrors (box cameras, mostly) and that would be perfect.

Now I just need to replace the ground glass and I'll be in good shape!