The Altissa Box

[sobrietyanonymous]

hi guys,

i am a pentax DSLR user, and am keen on venturing beyond digital images. i maintain a travel blog and enjoy photography in general, especially portraits and streets.

about a year back, i actually bought an Altissa box from ebay, and since i acquired it, i have conveniently shafted it to the darknest corner in my dry cabinet.

i rarely venture outside pentax forums, and i chanced about a huge following of medium/large format photographers, aka here.


i am here to seek sincere advice on how i can play my altissa box.. i am keen to start shooting with it... i know not many people would have played with it, but i figured if any place to find, it would be here

i have tried researching about it on the internet, but information is limited.


shutter seems to be working, but i cant figure out how to open it up to put in a film.. and what format of film..

im very noob.. all advices would help..


this is not my photograph, but mine looks exactly 100% like this, and comes with a beat up box too

some information from the internet:

Altissa Box 1951
German medium format BOX camera, produced by Altissa Werk Dresden, use 120 roll film (6x6)
Lens: Altissar Periskop 8/70
Shutter speed: B, 1/25th.


other information i found:

Other features:

Shutter: simple spring rotary type, speeds: B and 1/25, setting: via a flat knob on the front plate
Cocking and Shutter release: by the same knob, white, on the front plate w/cable release socket
Winding lever: on the left side
Back cover: removable with camera box, w/ red window and built in lid; opens by a lever on its left side, before sliding the box pull-out the winding lever
Engraving on the back cover: Made in Germany
Tripod socket: 3/8"
Strap lugs
Body: metal; Weight: 291g
Serial no. none

i also noted that http://shop.lomography.com/sg/films/120-film is selling 120 films.. would be keen to buy some to experiement. but i dont even understand how it works!

 

[xsaifuddin]

I'm pretty sure there are tonnes of info about 120 films. Try to get some ideas from youtube especially on how they generally load 120 film into a medium format camera.

Local labs and shops have 120 film stocked up as well for your info.

Good luck!

 

[pinholecam]

Try RubyPhoto and get some Kodak T-max film which is relatively cheap.

Sorry, can't help you on the camera though.
Iman (OceanPriest) is the Pentaxian who shoots the most film (amongst Pentax users) and goes to most of the monthly outings, so its easy to talk to him for more info.

Frankly, the camera seems tough to work with (ie. B, 1/25; f8; f16)
Exposure will be tough with modern films which are usually ASA100 and higher.
On a bright day, just using sunny16 as an example, ASA100 film will already need a setting of 1/100, f16
So perhaps on a more overcast day or open shade on the same bright sunny day (approx 2 stops darker), you'd get to use the camera at f16, 1/25 (ISO100 film).


my few cents.
The gurus here can probably give better advise.

 

[sobrietyanonymous]

Try RubyPhoto and get some Kodak T-max film which is relatively cheap.

Sorry, can't help you on the camera though.
Iman (OceanPriest) is the Pentaxian who shoots the most film (amongst Pentax users) and goes to most of the monthly outings, so its easy to talk to him for more info.

Frankly, the camera seems tough to work with (ie. B, 1/25; f8; f16)
Exposure will be tough with modern films which are usually ASA100 and higher.
On a bright day, just using sunny16 as an example, ASA100 film will already need a setting of 1/100, f16
So perhaps on a more overcast day or open shade on the same bright sunny day (approx 2 stops darker), you'd get to use the camera at f16, 1/25 (ISO100 film).


my few cents.
The gurus here can probably give better advise.

thanks for ur heads up. i managed to take out the main part of the camera today to expose the film containing component "i dont know what u call that"

i think i roughly know how to play with this.. any other experts here care to share.. would make a trip down to ruby photos when i can.

 

[mamypoko]

Assuming the dismantled image looks like the above, you would be loading the film on the bottom (there should be a spare spool at the top compartment) then unrolling part of the paper backing, going along the back of the lens along the 2 rollers (black side facing the back of the lens) and putting the lead into the top spool.

You would then tighten the paper onto the spare spool until you see an arrow on the paper, then putting the camera back together, and winding until you see the number '1' in the red window at the back. That means that it's ready to shoot the first frame.

You will have have to manually wind the film after each shot or you risk multiple exposures. Since its 6x6 you will get 12 shots on a roll of 120 film.

I guess you can join any of our outings too, but recently we've all been busy.

 

[pinholecam]

I've got a couple of tlr cams.
If you see me at the outings, we can always try to see how the film loads.

Otherwise, try Youtube