BUSCH 

Busch Pressman 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 " MODEL "C"

Restoring.


   

Sellers's picture on Ebay auction.

Worn, dirty and malfunction is not even the right qualification for this camera after more then 30 years on a forgotten place somewhere in the USA.

This is a real challenge for the amateur camera restaurateur.

First of all dismantle the camera by removing the easy parts, like the front shutter, the eyepiece, the handgrip, the viewfinder and the complete backside by its four screws. Than you can remove the whole front standard together with the bellows backwards, out of the body. it’ s easy and no risk at all. Then clean the parts with a bit of warm water and soap. Remove the rust and polish the chrome parts. Clean the leather body also with some warm water and soap, dry it and repair the worn leather with new liquid leather scuff master, a very good leather repairing kit. To complete the restoration, you may like to shoe shine the leather.

Remove the Kalart viewfinder and try to figure out how it works and how it is connected to the cam. Watch the mechanism from the mirror that moves, controlled by the level connected to the cam. You might need some help, so look at my "Kalart" site: "adjusting the Kalart Rangefinder."

While cleaning and repairing cameras you’ll often find this kind of repair labels or initials, somewhere scratched in the camera body , from a repairer some decades ago.

A clear advantage for the Busch camera is the drop bed function. This desirable option you can’t find on the Graflex until the Pacemaker appeared on the market. 

You may find the distance scale of the Busch Camera less convenient. The picture on the left  shows a distance from 6 feet. Comparing to the good readability of the Graflex scale, this design is rather trendy than handy. The picture on the right shows the Busch Pressman camera after the restoring job.

This particular 23" Busch Pressman (pictures below)  is equipped with a Heiland Solenoid for flash synchronizing, a tubular finder and a chrome finished lensboard

 

 


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Any Questions?

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