Old Folding camera help opening bellows: Found this old camera mint at my grandparents attic Leca ? I open the front cover, now how to take the bellows out the camera. Any ideas.

Lenny Loc: Boston

Found this old camera mint at my grandparents attic Leca ? I open the front cover, now how to take the bellows out the camera. Any ideas.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

The slide part (bottom center) has a "lock" that must be undone to slide the lens mount forward on the two silver rails. It will usually lock again in the extended position.
I don't know where it would be on that model.
Maybe squeeze the two vertical knobby things? (gently).
Press down on the plate in front of the silver bar under the lens?

Lenny Loc: Boston

Ok I will try that. have you seen a camera like that I think it may be a a part of the Leica early edition??????

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Lenny wrote:

Ok I will try that. have you seen a camera like that I think it may be a a part of the Leica early edition??????

Sure the letters aren't "Focal"?
It's not too clear zooming in on the image.

ORpilot Loc: Prineville, Or

It appears to be a copy of my mom's old Kodak or maybe kodak copied Leica. On the Kodak squeeze the two posts below the lens and pull out to the click stop. Your distance scale for estimating focus is on the base (white with numbers) there should be a pointer that lines up with the distance numbers. Note that the view finder will most likely rotated 90' for horizontal shooting. Happy shooting

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

ORpilot wrote:

It appears to be a copy of my mom's old Kodak or maybe kodak copied Leica. On the Kodak squeeze the two posts below the lens and pull out to the click stop. Your distance scale for estimating focus is on the base (white with numbers) there should be a pointer that lines up with the distance numbers. Happy shooting

Looks like the scale may be on the right.

Paul Moshay Loc: Los Angeles, CA

A wonderful find looks like it is in good condition The pinch clamp that holds the lensboard in position looks like those two silvery posts just below the lens. If that is not the clamps, then there will be a similar devise somewhere on the lensboard. Pinch them together and the lensboard should slide forward on the rails. It might be sticky from being in place for so long so be careful with it. The long ivory-colored device on the bed is the focussing scale, there will be an indicator pointer on the lensboard (front standard) that is lined up with the desired distance focussed on. To return the front standard into the camera body, where it came from, use the pinch clamps and slide the lens back into the camera body, push rearward on the two hinges to unlock them then the rail board will close back up and close the body. You might be lucky in that the camera could take 120 roll film. If so, use it and have fun. It is not a Leica camera.

User ID

Lenny wrote:

Ok I will try that. have you seen a camera like that I think it may be a a part of the Leica early edition??????

Zeca is Zeca, not Leica.

It’s made in Dresden, appears to be 1/4 plate per its 4” Rodenstock lens.

You may need to open the back to gently “massage” the bellows outward if the pleats are all sticking together from long time in storage.

It’s a showpiece, not a user.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

BTW - The bellows may be fragile from age.
I have a Kodak Number 1 folding camera and the bellows are shot, flaking all over.
It's on the curio shelf.

StanMac Loc: Tennessee

Lenny wrote:

Found this old camera mint at my grandparents attic Leca ? I open the front cover, now how to take the bellows out the camera. Any ideas.

Those two “knobs” on the metal piece below the lens look like thumb screws. Try loosening them to see if that metal piece will slide forward, the tighten the thumb screws to hold it at the correct focus distance as shown on the camera left of the lens board. Just a thought . . . .

Stan

User ID

StanMac wrote:

Those two “knobs” on the metal piece below the lens look like thumb screws. Try loosening them to see if that metal piece will slide forward, the tighten the thumb screws to hold it at the correct focus distance as shown on the camera left of the lens board. Just a thought . . . .

Stan

Do NOT unscrew anything ! The clamp is typically spring loaded and, depending on design, small pieces may fly apart :-(

Dikdik Loc: Winnipeg, Canada

Careful opening it... the bellows may be brittle

StanMac Loc: Tennessee

User ID wrote:

Do NOT unscrew anything ! The clamp is typically spring loaded and, depending on design, small pieces may fly apart :-(

I didn’t say unscrew, I said loosen. This clamp doesn’t appear to have the release levers on either side of the clamp that are normally pinched together to loosen the clamps grip. This one may just be held in position with those two thumb screws.

Stan

Paul Moshay Loc: Los Angeles, CA

Stan, do not tell him to unscrew or even try to loosen those parts. There is no way that the casual user of that camera would be instructed to loosen the posts in order to focus the camera.

roxiemarty Loc: Florida

Lenny wrote:

Found this old camera mint at my grandparents attic Leca ? I open the front cover, now how to take the bellows out the camera. Any ideas.

This is a screenshot from Google. Maybe if you Google it, there will be a video how to do it.