MEDALIST CONVERSION

Bald Mountain has offered conversion to 120 film for several cameras over the years.

The most frequently converted camera is the Kodak Medalist [I and II]. [ 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 image size]

The Medalist II has a 5 element coated Ektar lens, X sync built in, automatic cocking, and double exposure prevention. The range finder is quite accurate. The camera greatly resembles the bridge between Oakland and San Francisco.

One reason there are Medalist II units is there were design problems with Medalist I units. Problems corrected in the new design included eliminating the shutter button lock lever located on your unit at the base of the trip button If it rotates even slightly counter clockwise and the return of the trip button is not fully completed [very easy to not notice] the camera will sometimes jam the trip arm as the camera is wound also jamming the wind/cock assembly. [and possibly bending parts causing other jamming problems. Before winding a Medalist I always take note that the trip button has returned to it's full up position, and keep an eye on the lock levers position. Also some Medalist I units have a tendency to slip off the "O" position during loading new film necessitating resetting to "O" to keep loading.

The original Medalist had a nice self timer. With the introduction of the Medalist II came two sets of contacts in the shutter for flash. The X sync contacts are the default contacts and close the flash circuit every time the blades are fully open. To use X sync just plug into the shutter, do not cock the flash delay lever.
The second set of contacts used for flash bulbs only close immediately on actuation of the shutter release lever but the shutter itself is delayed up to 20/1000 [ M sync] of a second for ignition and warm up of flash bulbs. The mechanical parts that delayed trip of the shutter for the self timer function in Medalist I cameras were used in the Medalist II with modification and removal of some parts to greatly shorten the delay time creating delay synchronization for flash but unfortunately deleting self timer function.

If you are going to look for one of these units, give me a call and I will tell you how to evaluate and examine them for features and condition. 831-423-4465 [9-5 Wednesday and Thursday, 9-12 Friday]

Kodak Chevrons [2 1/4 X 2 1/4] are also converted from 620 to 120 film

Also remember that you can transfer

120 film onto 620 spools in the dark

and use these cameras in this way.
 

The #1 Panoram Kodak can also be improved in it's use of 120 film and adjusted for correct focus.

To those who have recently been listing that they are patenting the Medalist 120 conversion I respectfully respond by giving freely the conversion method to the public domain as I have been converting these from 1979 both fully and occasionally just the feed side only. Once Kodak Medalists were considered impossible to successfully convert to 120 but not knowing that back in the late 1970s I converted one for a very good friend who had a great sense of humor [ several weeks later he got it back converted then he let me know it was not supposed to be possible!] So have fun all those out there who want to give it a try!

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