kodak tourist 2 battery

The next page contains information on this camera. If the image below looks like your camera, click below to see the PDF manual.

If you find this manual useful, how about a donation of $3 to: M. Butkus, 29 Lake Ave., High Bridge, NJ 08829-1701 and send your e-mail address so I can thank you.  Most other places would charge you $7.50 for a electronic copy or $18.00 for a hard to read Xerox copy.

Click here for Camera Manual site RIGHT CLICK ON LINK BELOW, CHOOSE "SAVE TARGET AS" SAVE TO FOLDER OF YOUR CHOICE Problems opening PDF files or printing problems - click here

CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE TO  Kodak Tourist II PDF MANUAL

Daniel J. Schneider

Photographs, blog and reviews by a film photographer

Kodak Tourist II folding 6×9 620 camera

The Kodak Tourist II is one of my many thrift-store finds. Actually, it was my girlfriend Kate’s thrift store find. We’d stopped at a charity shop on the other side of town where I found an excellent condition, complete Polaroid 350 outfit, and decided to peek at the cheap camera bin (on the lookout for Color Optical Lens cameras or the Zeiss-lensed Yashica point-and-shoots of the 1980s). Kate spotted the Tourist behind some old 8mm motion picture cameras and slid it over to me.

I was excited by the prospect of owning my first actual folding camera (this one’s been waiting its turn for a roll of film and a write-up for quite a while). Once I figured out how it opened and operated, I decided it was definitely coming home with me.

It sat on the shelf for a month or more before I decided to test it. I started by candling the bellows. While I did find four tiny pinholes along the corner with the seam, they were much smaller than the holes in the bellows of the Agfa Ansco PB20 Viking or my Kodak No. 2 (coming soon). I decided to give it a test anyway. I may use some liquid electrical tape to repair them if I find a reason to use the camera for something more than the test roll.

I wasn’t disappointed. The microscopic pinholes don’t appear to have affected the images in any discernible way .

As with all my cameras, I researched its history before starting this post.

About the camera

Camera-Wiki notes that the Tourist II was produced from 1951 to 1958 . The rather large folder takes 620 film and makes 8 6x9cm frames (actually about 5.8cm by 8.3cm.

The Tourist II was offered with a variety of lenses, the top end being an Anastar lens which retailed for $95. The Kodet lens was the bottom end, though. According to an ad in the July 6, 1950, Schenectady Herald , the Tourist with a Kodet lens retailed for $24.50 which is about $235 in 2012 dollars. The $95 price tag for the top end model is closer to $900 2012 money, meaning it was among the most expensive offerings Kodak had at the time.

The camera has a grey bakelite top with a simple eye-level viewfinder. The viewfinder is fairly accurate, despite some difficulty using it because of its incredibly small size (only about ¼” across). The film advance knob is aluminum, and while its diameter is generous, it’s not very tall and I found it more difficult to use than similar cameras.

The front of the camera has a small silver button that releases the door, which when pulled on, extends the bellows until it locks firmly in place. A button mounted in the door actuates the shutter at the front of the bellows through a series of levers and rods, making it extremely easy to shoot with this camera.

Of particular interest on the Tourist and Tourist II is the film door. Both ends feature a combination hinge/latch assembly that allows the door to open either direction, or be removed completely to accommodate adapter kits for 828 film and other options.

The Flash Kodon shutter has a fixed 1/50th sec. shutter speed and the Kodet Lens offers f/12.5, f/16, f/22 and f/32 apertures.

About my example

My Tourist II came in practically mind condition. It shows a small amount of wear in the enamel on the back where it’s probably rubbed against many shirts and jackets as it was carried over the years. The thin cotton webbing-style strap was still attached and in excellent shape. The shutter sounds accurate and the aperture blades move smoothly.

Inside the camera was clean and looked new. The negatives from my test roll show no evidence of light leaks and no trouble from the four minuscule pinholes I found when I candled the bellows before shooting the roll.

The bellows is pliable and otherwise in great shape. The latch/hinge mechanisms on the back operate smoothly, and the lens door and latch all seem like new.

Pros: Easy operation, very sharp for what is probably a plastic lens, relatively lightweight for such sturdy construction, big negatives make good prints.

Cons: Film advance knob difficult to use, viewfinder tiny and hard to use, rolling 120 film onto 620 spools is tedious (although it sounds like most Tourists can be adapted to accept 120 film without re-rolling).

The future: This one with probably be around for a long time and I can see myself using it for more work in the future because of its light weight and overall easy of operation.

Related articles

Antique kodak baby brownie special toy camera, capitol hill, denver, black and white film photos, 2011 denver zombie crawl photos.

Kodak Tourist

The Kodak Tourists were the last in a long line of American-made folding roll film cameras from Eastman Kodak . The original Tourist series was introduced in 1948, and included a range of quality levels at different price points. In 1949 a high-end version with a 4-element Anastar lens and Synchro-Rapid 800 shutter was released. The original Tourist series was replaced by the Tourist II series, which was introduced in May of 1951 and features a redesigned top cover and a new viewfinder. The redesigned top cover was expanded and appears to have been designed for a possible integrated rangefinder addition, though this was never developed. The Tourist II line dropped the f/8.8 model and added another higher end model with a Synchro 400 shutter (see "Lenses and Shutters" below). The remaining specs of the two cameras are essentially identical. Production was discontinued in July of 1958.

• 2 Lenses and Shutters
• 4.1 Original documents

In standard form, all Tourists use 620 film , making eight 2¼×3¼ inch (6×9 cm) exposures. The Tourist's most unusual feature is its back; through the use of cleverly engineered latches, it can be opened on the left side, right side, or removed completely.

Removing the back allows the use of the optional multi-format Kodak Tourist Adapter Kit , which consists of:

• a replacement camera back with red windows for three additional formats
• film frame masks for "Square" (2¼×2¼ inch / 6×6 cm on 620 film), "Half 620" (2¼×1⅝ inch / 6×4.5 cm on 620 film), and "828" (28×40mm on 828 film ) masks
• 828 roll film supply and take up spool adapters
• clip-on viewfinder masks for each of the three additional formats.
• zippered carrying case and instruction manual
• an empty 828 reel for the first use

The Kodak Tourist Adapter Kit, which originally sold for $14.50, is compatible with all Tourist and Tourist II models with f/6.3 or f/4.5 lenses.

The Kodak Tourist is unique in being one of few cameras designed by the manufacturer to accept such significantly different film sizes as 620 and 828. Because the lens is not interchangeable, and with fixed lens focal lengths around 100mm, the camera becomes essentially a mild telephoto when used with 828 film. In this configuration it is suitable primarily for portraiture, though could also be used for other telephoto uses such as wildlife photography provided the subject did not require rapid refocussing of the lens.

The Tourists are well made and feature a die cast aluminum alloy body, covered in black "Kodadur", a synthetic leather of remarkable durability. Top plates are molded gray plastic that Kodak called "Tenite", which house eye-level telescopic viewfinders on all models. All models also feature a tripod socket and lens door-mounted shutter release. Frame advancement and shutter cocking are not coupled and are completely manual on all models. All Tourists feature flash synchronization via the ASA bayonet socket. The Anaston and Anastar lens models feature front-element focusing and top mounted accessory shoes sized to accept the Kodak Service Range Finder. The fixed-focus Kodet lens models lack these features and had smaller viewfinders. All models take a flash gun mounted on a special bracket that attaches to the tripod socket. All Tourists had sockets for cable release on the shutter body; on certain models this socket is accessed by first removing a cover screw.

The camera back on the Kodet f/12.5 and Anaston f/8.8 models is plain, featuring only a small window for the film frame counter with a traditional external rotating cover. The camera backs on Anaston and Anastar f/6.3 and f/4.5 models include a large, adjustable rectangular exposure calculator, which is specific to the lens and shutter mounted to the camera (i.e., the exposure calculator on a given camera includes only those shutter speeds and f-stops available on that model). The exposure calculator is biased towards over-exposure—it approximates a “sunny 8” rule , and may thus lead to photos that are moderately to severely overexposed, depending on the film's exposure latitude. The backs on f/6.3 and f/4.5 cameras also include a lever that actuates an internal cover for the frame counter window. The Kodak Tourist Adapter Kit back includes only a small circular film type reminder dial, with no exposure calculator, in order to make room for the multiple film format frame counter windows. Three frame counter windows are hidden behind a large disk that is rotated into position for all four different formats—the 828 and 6×6 formats use the same window—and includes an external rotating cover for the windows.

A variety of lens/shutter combinations were available on the Tourists, representing a very wide range of prices. At the low end, the Kodet version of the camera sold for as little as $24.50 and is little more than a folding equivalent of a box camera; at the upper end, the camera sold for as much as $95 (Anastar/Synchro-Rapid combination), and the f/6.3 and f/4.5 versions are capable of producing professional-level results.

The Tourists show a curious similarity to two European Kodak models introduced somewhat later. The British Kodak Sterling II and Juniors (Tourist) and the French Kodak Modèle B 11 (Tourist II) utilize strikingly similar folding struts and top plate/viewfinder assemblies, though the folding bed on these cameras are hinged on the left whereas the Tourist follows the American convention and is hinged on the right.

Lenses and Shutters

Single element meniscus lens (fixed focus):

• Kodet 86mm f/12.5 lens in Flash Kodon shutter app. 1/50 sec plus bulb and time

Three element Cooke triplet type lenses (front element focus):

• Kodak Anaston 100mm f/8.8 in Flash Diomatic shutter 1/25 – 1/100 sec plus bulb and time (not available on Tourist II)
• Kodak Anaston 105mm f/6.3 in Flash Diomatic shutter 1/25 – 1/100 sec plus bulb and time
• Kodak Anaston 105mm f/6.3 in Flash 200 shutter 1/25 – 1/200 sec plus bulb
• Kodak Anaston 105mm f/4.5 in Flash Kodamatic shutter 1/10 - 1/200 sec plus bulb and time
• Kodak Anaston 105mm f/4.5 in Synchro 400 shutter 1/5 - 1/400 sec plus bulb (Tourist II only)

Four element Tessar type lens (front element focus):

• Kodak Anastar 101mm f/4.5 in Synchro-Rapid 800 shutter 1 – 1/800 sec plus bulb
• PDF Manual - Tourist with Anastar lens on Mike Butkus' site
• PDF Manual - Tourist II with Kodet lens on Mike Butkus' site
• History of Kodak Cameras at Kodak's website (archived)
• Tourist , Tourist , Tourist II on www.collection-appareils.fr by Sylvain Halgand (in French)
• Kodak Tourist review at CameraShiz!

Bibliography

Original documents.

• Brian Coe, Kodak Cameras - The First Hundred Years , Hove Foto Books, 1988
• Original Kodak user manuals for the Tourist and Tourist II
• 1949 Kodak "Camera Line-Up" sales brochure
• Flickr image
• 6x9 viewfinder folding
• Image by Jack Hufnagel
• Image by Tarn McDaddo

Navigation menu

Personal tools.

• View source
• View history
• List of Companies
• Community portal
• Recent changes
• Random page
• What links here
• Related changes
• Special pages
• Printable version
• Permanent link
• Page information
• This page was last edited on 29 August 2022, at 04:11.
• Text is available under GNU Free Documentation License 1.3 ; other licenses apply to photos.
• Privacy policy
• About Camera-wiki.org
• Disclaimers

Andrew D. Brosig Photography

Thursday, may 29, 2014, the end of an era - kodak tourist ii folding camera.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Kodak Tourist (1948)

Film Type: 620 Roll Film (eight 6cm x 9cm exposures per roll, varies with accessory kit) Lens: 105mm f/4.5 Kodak Anaston coated 4-elements Focus: 3.5 feet to Infinity Viewfinder: Scale Focus Optical Shutter: Flash Kodamatic Leaf Speeds: T, B, 1/10 – 1/200 seconds Exposure Meter: None Battery:  None Flash Mount: Coldshoe and M and X Flash Sync, if hotshoe, flash sync speed Weight: 810 grams (w/ Anaston), 834 grams (w/ Anastar) Manual: http://www.cameramanuals.org/kodak_pdf/kodak_tourist.pdf

The Eastman Kodak Corporation has a long history of making folding cameras.  If I had a nickel for every estate sale I’ve been to with at least one folding Kodak, I’d have…a lot of nickels.  Although there are some exceptions , many of these early 20th century Kodak folders were quite basic.  Many had meniscus or doublet lenses with basic single speed shutters.

While many collectors often thumb their noses at these early folders, it’s important to remember that Kodak always has been a “film first” company.  From the very first 1888 Kodak to the first Brownies, VP Kodaks, and even the Retina, Kodak produced cameras to generate more potential customers for their film.

Kodak’s reputation as a maker of quality cameras was often quite low as you really don’t need a state of the art precision instrument to make a photograph.  The thing is, Kodak would on occasion release a couple really terrific models alongside their run of the mill models.  Such is the case of the Kodak Tourist.

First released in 1948, the Kodak Tourist was a medium format folding camera that shot 6cm x 9cm images on their 620 format of roll film.  Kodak’s 620 film uses the exact same film stock as regular 120 film, except on thinner spools.  This fact alone often turns off many collectors as most cameras designed for 620 film cannot use regular 120 without some kind of modification or respooling.

I’ve never had much of an issue with this, as I find respooling 120 onto a 620 spool to be quite easy and something I can do in less than 2 minutes in a film changing bag.  Some people like to try to modify plastic 120 spools by either sanding them down or using a nail clipper to make them smaller.  Some models like the Kodak Medalist and Chevron have such tight film compartments, even filing down a plastic 120 spool won’t work as these cameras are extremely intolerant of anything but a genuine metal 620 spool.  While it’s possible to have some success doing this on other 620 cameras, the risk of a piece of plastic falling off inside the camera damaging it, or even damaging the film is too great.  I much prefer to respool the film.  If you’d like to try this yourself, the Film Photography Project made a really great video showing the same method I use.

The Tourist occupied the lower to middle end of the market below their Kodak Monitor series and was a replacement for the Vigilant Junior camera which was produced between 1940 and 1948.  They were generally well made cameras with a die cast aluminum body and covered in Kodak’s own synthetic leather called Kodalur.

The release of the Tourist coincided with an dramatic increase in popularity of Kodachrome slide film.  Originally released in both 35mm and 828 formats in 1936, Kodachrome’s popularity surged in the years after the war as a new generation of Americans were settling down, starting families, and wanting to capture precious moments in color.  As a result, Kodak tried to push Kodachrome on as many people as possible, even those who owned medium format cameras, so they created a Tourist 828 adapter kit, which added a 28mm x 40mm mask in the film compartment and replaced the Tourist’s rear door with an 828 specific one.  The 828 kit is compatible with all Tourist models with any of the f/6.3 or f/4.5 lenses, but not the f/8.8 or f/12.5 models.

In order to replace the door on the Tourist, there are hinge releases on both sides of the camera, which has the added benefit of allowing any door connected to the Tourist to open from the left or the right.  This is very convenient as it simplifies film loading by giving the photographer a choice of which side they want to start on.

If you weren’t a fan of 828 film but still wanted something smaller than a 6×9 exposure, there were optional masks for 6×6 and 6×4.5 that could be inserted in the film compartment as well.

The Tourist had a wide range of lens and shutter combinations from the single element Kodet 86mm f/12.5 with single speed Flash Kodon shutter to the Tessar based Anastar 101mm f/4.5 with Synchro-Rapid 800 shutter, with prices ranging from $24.50 to $95 depending on model.  These prices compare to $260 and $1000 today.

The Synchro-Rapid 800 shutter was based on the same shutter Kodak used in their Kodak Chevron camera.  With it’s 1/800 top shutter speed, it was the fastest medium format leaf shutter at the time of it’s release.

How Kodak was able to accomplish such a fast shutter speed was by using a unique design with two sets of shutter blades.  Unlike most leaf shutters in which a primary set of blades open all the way and change directions to close for each exposure, the Synchro-Rapid 800’s shutter only rotates in one direction for each exposure, cutting the length of time that it needs to work in half.

This has a side effect of requiring the shutter blades to move in the opposite direction when cocking the shutter, which would expose the film as the shutter has to open again, but backwards.  To prevent light from passing through to the film, a second set of shutter blades stays closed while cocking the shutter, so as not to expose the film.  This second set of shutter blades is not used for exposure, and merely has to get out of the way during normal exposure, but stay closed when cocking the shutter.

While this proved to be an effective way to achieve such fast shutter speeds, the additional complexity caused the shutter to develop reliability problems.  Many cameras like the Tourist and Chevron that feature this shutter exhibit problems today.

In 1951, an updated model called the Tourist II would make its debut with a revised viewfinder that Kodak referred to as the Scopesight viewfinder in which there was a projected frame line in the viewfinder to help with composition.  Earlier versions of the Tourist II had the name plate on the very top of the top plate, and later versions had it facing forward in attractive red lettering.

There’s no telling how many Tourists were sold, but the whole series was produced for 10 years and as I type this, there were 199 auctions for “Kodak Tourist Camera” currently for sale on eBay which suggest that quite a few were sold.

Today, there doesn’t seem to be much of a collector’s market for the Tourist, and frankly, I can see why.  Even though the f/4.5 models are quite capable cameras, the overwhelming majority of the ones out there are the lower end f/12.5 and f/8.8 models.  Kodak’s reputation in the folding camera segment doesn’t help either.  Sure, the company had quality medium format cameras like the Medalist and Chevron, but very few people in the market for a mid century medium format camera would consider the Tourist.  But that’s where this camera’s biggest strength is.  These things often sell for very little, which is probably why I’ve come across so many of them.  The Kodak Tourist is not only a feature rich camera, but also capable of wonderful results.

My Thoughts

In this hobby, sometimes cameras come, sometimes cameras go.  In the case of the Kodak Tourist, it would take the 4th Tourist to come across my desk before I found one that I was willing and able to shoot a roll of film through.

The first, was one of the lower end models that came to me in early 2015 when I first started collecting and simply had no interest in as I hadn’t yet ventured into the world of mid century Kodak 620 folders.

The second was an Anaston f/4.5 equipped one that I had an interest in shooting, but it had some major issues.  One of the folding struts was somehow missing, and the shutter was completely seized.  I thought I could still shoot it with the missing strut if I could at least get the shutter working, but Kodak in their infinite wisdom did not use a locking ring like pretty much every other maker of folding cameras, instead the shutter was riveted to the lens plate, and my attempt at getting it out, made it worse.

The third, was the top of the line Anastar version with the Synchro Rapid 800 shutter, but it too had a malfunctioning shutter.

Finally, the fourth, which is the one being reviewed here with the Anaston f/4.5 lens and Flash Kodamatic shutter.  Although not the top of the line lens and shutter combination, it was still a highly regarded performer that I had high hopes for.

Upon holding each of the final three Tourists, it is clearly evident that this is not just some cheap Kodak folder.  The Bakelite (or whatever it is) top plate I think is what cheapens the look of the camera, but despite any preconceived notions I had, the Tourist felt like a pretty decent camera in my hands.

Folded up, the camera is nicely detailed with chrome trim, and a durable synthetic body covering that doesn’t show scratches, cracks, or Zeiss bumps like other cameras have.  Of the four Tourists I came across, none showed any signs of body covering peeling or missing, suggesting that the Kodalur covering was up to the task.  The camera weighs 810 grams (~1.8 lbs) with the Anaston lens, which is heavier than both the Voigtländer Rollfilm at 544 grams and Kodak No.1 Autographic Special at 771 grams.

The top plate features the film advance knob, accessory shoe, two strap lugs, and a small knob that at first appears to do nothing, but is actually a release for the spool centering pin for loading in a new roll of film into the camera.  I’ll get to this later.

Another notable characteristic of the top panel is it’s color.  The plastic panel has some chameleon characteristics as it seems to change color depending on the lighting.  In each of these beauty pics, it’s color seems to wander between a teal green, turquoise blue, and gray.  I had half a mind to color correct the various photos in this article to make them all consistent, but decided to leave them as is, so you can appreciate it’s multi-pigment-ness!

The bottom of the camera lacks the plastic from the top and is just a flat piece of metal covered in Kodalur and has a centrally located 1/4″ tripod socket.

The standard back that comes with all f/6.3 and f/4.5 Tourists has a sliding exposure calculator, similar to the one that Kodak used on other cameras of the era like the Signet 35 .  Below the exposure calculator is the red window for viewing the exposure numbers on the back of the film paper.  To the left of the red window is a spring tensioned lever that opens and closes a metal door protecting the red window from excess light.  You need to press down and hold the lever while advancing the film in order to see the numbers.

To use the exposure calculator, there are two sliders, one for the type of film you have in the camera, and the other for changing the lighting conditions.  This being a Kodak camera designed in the late 1940s, they only give you film options for the 4 types of Kodak films that were available in 620 at the time.

I would set the calculator like I have in the image to the right if I were shooting Kodak Plus-X of an average subject in bright sunlight.  It recommends shutter speed and f/stop combinations of 1/200 @ f/5.6, 1/100 @ f/8, 1/50 @ f/11, and 1/25 @ f/16, all of which would give proper exposure.

Removing the film door requires sliding a door lock on both sides of the camera.  Remember, the Tourist allows you to swing open the door to the left or right, or remove it altogether.  Whichever you choose, you need to unlock the hinge.  In the image to the left, you can also see the large shutter release button on the front door of the camera.

The image to the right shows the camera’s right hinge separated from the body.  When you are ready to close the door, you must make sure the two sliding pins are in their correct position to hold the door securely shut.  The Tourist predates the use of foam light seals, so there was no degraded seals that I had to replace.

With the film back off the camera, loading the camera is mostly easy.  I say “mostly” because due to the nature of Kodak’s 620 film, the spools are very narrow.  Kodak intentionally made tight film compartments in their mid-century 620 cameras to discourage people from using standard 120 film with it’s large spools in their cameras.

Film travels from right to left, and in order to remove an old spool on the right side and insert a new spool, you must first release the spool centering pin, which is connected to the smaller knob on the top plate of the camera which I mentioned earlier.  To do this, you must first press down on the small knob on top of the camera and rotate it clockwise a quarter turn.  Once you’ve done this, the pin will pop up, allowing you to easily remove and install a new spool.  Without doing this, removing the old spool will be impossible, and any attempt to force it out will likely damage the camera.

For the take up spool, the winding knob must also be pulled up to give room to insert a spool on this side, but it doesn’t require any unusual steps.  Once you have a new roll of film loaded, make sure to reset the film centering spool and then close the door, making sure that the latches on both side of the camera are secure.

All versions of the Kodak Tourist use rim set leaf shutters with front unit focusing rings which work exactly like every other shutter of this style.  Shutter speed is changed with a dial around the perimeter of the shutter, and f/stops are selected by moving a small lever nearest the door.  The Anaston equipped models have shutter speeds from 1/10 to 1/200, plus B and T, and a self timer.  The Anastar versions have shutter speeds from 1 to 1/800, plus B, no self timer, but an adjustable M/F/X flash synchronizer.

The Tourist does not have a self cocking shutter, so you must do this by moving the cocking lever above the shutter speed scale as far as it will go.  It also lacks double image prevention, so do not cock the shutter until after you’ve advanced the film and are ready to make your exposure.

Finally, the viewfinder, although basic and offering no information about the status of the camera, is large and bright making composition of the large 6×9 frame a snap.  With the 6×6 and 6×4.5 baffle kit would have included a mask that clips on over the front viewfinder window to approximate the smaller frame, but I did not have access to this kit.

Like other mid century Kodak cameras, Kodak’s reputation as a “film first” company didn’t do their mid-tier cameras like the Tourist any favors.  While the series was a good seller, their value in today’s collector’s market is quite low, which is a shame because they can be quite nice cameras.  But what kinds of results do they give?

For the first roll through the Tourist, I hand rolled a fresh roll of Kodak Portra 160 onto a 620 spool in a film changing bag and went shooting.  Portra is one of my all time favorite films and looks awesome in medium format, so I was eager to see what the Kodak Anaston was capable of.

Mission accomplished…mostly.  The Kodak Tourist delivered exactly how I had hoped.  Despite it’s lackluster reputation today, I really believed this camera would deliver some wondrously sharp and contrasty images and it did.

On a couple of images, I noticed a bit of focus error that could very well be due to me miscalculating distance, but in the one of the little girl on the sidewalk, it almost looks like the blur is only in the middle of the images, and not the edges, which could suggest a film flatness issue.

You have to be careful with some large folding cameras like the Tourist when you extend and collapse the bellows with film in them.  The movement of the bellows creates a vacuum in the film compartment causing the film to move in and out of the focal plane.  The best way to avoid this with a camera like this is to just leave it open for the whole roll, but that’s not always feasible.  So in the cases where you have to open and close the camera with film loaded, do it slowly, and even after erecting the camera, give the film advance knob a small twist to help eliminate any slack that may have developed in the film.

That issue aside, the Tourist proved itself to be a worthy medium format camera in the same league as higher spec cameras like the Kodak Monitor series, or various German made folders by Zeiss, Voigtländer, and many other companies.  I thought it’s heft was reassuring of it’s quality, and the large and bright viewfinder was easy to use.  Of course, you just need to make sure to get the “good” lenses.  I was never able to shoot the top spec Anastar/Synchro 800 equipped model, but this “step down” Anaston/Flash Kodamatic is no slouch either.

So the next time you are trawling eBay or browsing a thrift shop and see a Kodak Tourist sitting there on the shelf, don’t pass it up.  Check which lens it has and don’t immediately assume it’s a piece of garbage.  It just might surprise you!

Related Posts You Might Enjoy

Kodak Monitor Six-20 (1940)

AGFA Billy-Clack No. 74 (1934)

External Links

http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Kodak_Tourist

https://www.bnphoto.org/bnphoto/KodakTourist.htm

http://www.jenniferstamps.com/journal/2019/camera-review-kodak-tourist

https://blog.jimgrey.net/2009/01/05/kodak-tourist/

https://www.lomography.com/magazine/118083-kodak-tourist-my-oldest-friend

http://www.jollinger.com/photo/cam-coll/cameras/Kodak_Tourist.html

https://schneidan.com/2012/06/03/kodak-tourist-ii-folding-6×9-putting-a-roll-through/

https://camerashiz.wordpress.com/kodak-tourist/

Like this article? Share it!

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

11 Comments

I must say that the camera was able yield some very nice images. The brick building or court house is full of detail. The hard-coated Luminized lens seems to handle your choice of color film extremely well.

Considering the small quantities / limited availability of mid-priced cameras in the immediate post war period – I’d say that the Tourist and Tourist II definitely filled a need. German camera makers hadn’t yet been able ramp up their offerings.

Here’s a YouTube photographer/machinist who eschews the “re-roll 120 onto a 620 spool” approach. He did preferred to make his Kodak Tourist take 120 roll film, period. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue0jr5E0Axo

Good info, although….this guy…..is….very hard…..to listen…..to. 🙂 Another 620 camera that is commonly modified is the Medalist. There used to be some shops that specialized in adapting it to 120. For how infrequently I shoot 620 these days, it only takes me 2 minutes in a film changing bag to do one roll, so I don’t mind doing it that way.

Thanks for the informative article! Being from Rochester, New York, I am a casual collector of Kodak products (it reminds me of home). I just found a Kodak Tourist at the flea market: it’s in good shape, but not exactly like yours. It has no exposure calculator on the back, just a small round cover for the red window. On the front it says “Kodet Lens” and “Flash Kodon Shutter”. Can you tell me any more about my camera? I’d like to use it.

One more question; the Tourist I bought has a Kodak 6A close-up attachment in place over the shutter, and I can’t remove it. How is it done? Is the regular lens beneath it or do I need to find a lens for this camera? It only cost me $5.00, so if it has to be a decorative item I can live with that.

Hi Carl, answering both of your questions. The Kodet lens was the base option for the Kodak Tourist. I believe it is a two-element lens that while not going to be incredibly sharp, offers a huge depth of field making focusing the camera extremely easy. You’ll likely get images with good center sharpness, showing some vignetting and significant softness in the corners. This would work well for potraits or still lifes, as people tend to like soft edges on shots like that.

As I cover in the article, the camera uses 620 film, which means you’ll either have to buy some 620 online, or hand spool regular 120 film into 620 spools. It’s very easy to do and something you can do in a film changing bag, or just in a room with the lights off in your house.

Finally, the 6A close-up attachment is pressed on. You just need to pull it straight off. It’s not held on by screw threads. Having been there for decades, it’s likely very stiff, so you might need to pull pretty hard to get it off.

Good luck, and even if you never get a chance to shoot this camera, there are countless other options for mid 20th Century Kodaks to choose from!

Hello! I recently acquired a Kodak Tourist 2 folder. I will be re-spooling 120 onto 620 spools and had a question about advancing the film. Will the frame number in the red window correspond correctly to the 2×3 format in this camera? What numbers do I advance the film to make sure I don’t over-lap my photo’s? I’ve been shooting an Argus 75 and get the square negatives, and assume the frame numbers are meant for that size? I’m a long time 35mm film photographer, but just beginning my foray into the cool vintage stuff. I’ve searched all day trying to find an answer to this question, but can’t seem to find an answer to what seems to be a very vital question. I enjoyed reading your above article about this camera! Thanks, Mario

The exposure numbers on your respooled 120 will match perfectly as if you had real 620 film in there. No need to worry, it will work perfectly!

Thanks Mike! I just shot a roll while on a bike ride. I noticed it was really easy to accidentally trip the shutter while handling camera. Will this mean I got double exposures, if I had already advanced the film and I took another shot? I’ve recently started to develop my own b&w film. What fun! Will see how this roll turns out. Might of got a couple of good ones?‍♂️

Mario, the Tourist requires that you manually cock the shutter before you can fire the shutter. Once this is done however, then yes it can be easily tripped. For instances where you are carrying the camera around, like on a bike ride, I would not cock the shutter ahead of time, only waiting until right before you are ready to make an exposure.

I am repairing one now that has the good Anaston 4.5 lens. Most things work but the bellows is full of pinholes. I am hoping to use it as a regular shooter.

Like this Post? Let me hear your thoughts! Cancel reply

Please create an account, or Log in here

If you don't have an account, create one here .

Create a Show & Tell Report as inappropriate

Posted 13 years ago

aireboss (1 item)

I own an antique (?) Kodak Tourist Camera. It has a KODET LENS, with a FLASH KODON SHUTTER.

Camera is in excellent condition, it uses Kodak 620 Film.

Stamped on the film door housing is 193667. Stamped on the right side interior, just below the film loading carrier is 70086701.

I am assuming 1936 is the year it was manafactured, 67 is maybe month and day (?)

I would love to know the age and value of the camera...........anyone out there who knows?

Help us close this case. Add your knowledge below.

Want to post a comment?

Create an account or login in order to post a comment.

• Kodak Manuals
• Installation manual & users manual

Kodak FL5.2 Installation Manual & Users Manual

• page of 20 Go / 20

Table of Contents

• Troubleshooting
• Introduction
• Installation
• Response to Emergency Situations
• Warning Labels
• Product Information
• Battery Module Specifications
• Battery Charge/Discharge Curve
• Product Features
• Battery System Features
• Items in the Package
• Installation Steps
• System Start up
• Commissioning
• Troubleshooting and Maintenance
• Maintenance

Advertisement

Quick Links

• 1 Troubleshooting and Maintenance
• Download this manual

Related Manuals for Kodak FL5.2

Summary of contents for kodak fl5.2, page 3: table of contents, page 4: introduction, page 5: safety, page 6: warning labels, page 7: product information, page 8: battery charge/discharge curve, page 9: product features.

• Page 10 Running LED This LED is used to indicate if the battery is operating effectively. A green light on this LED means the battery is ON and operating normally. Alarm LED This LED is used to indicate if the battery is operating failure. A red light on this LED means the battery is operating abnormally.

Page 11: Installation

Page 12: clearance, page 13: installation steps.

• Page 14 STEP A Connect BAT + to POS +, BAT – to NEG – respectively. Connect the battery communication network cable to the lithium battery communication port of the inverter. STEP B Plug the power plug into any output socket on the left or right of the battery. Connect the communication network cable to the CAN interface of the battery, connect the ground terminal of the battery with the ground wire, and lock the nut.

Page 15: System Start Up

• Page 16 Number Slave Slave Slave Slave Slave Slave Slave Slave Slave Slave Slave Master batteries 0001 0000 0010 0000 0000 0001 0011 0000 0000 0000 0001 0010 0100 0000 0000 0000 0000 0001 0010 0011 0101 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0001 0010 0011...

Page 17: Commissioning

• Page 18 Fault status indicated by indicator: ● Off ○ On ◐ Flash Fault List LED1 LED2 LED3 LED4 LED5 ALARM Adc/afe Fault ● ● ● ● ○ ○ ◐ High Voltage Fault ● ● ● ● ○ ○ ◐ Low Voltage Fault ●...

Page 19: Exclusion

• Page 20 V5.1 10-203-00033-06...

Rename the bookmark

Delete bookmark, delete from my manuals, upload manual.