New to me camera, Kershaw 630.

Oldbones

Oldbones

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I have just received a Kershaw 630 camera.
Its a bit dusty but appears to be all there and working.
I have given it a clean, the shutter appears to work, just three speeds and bulb.
As far as I can tell to focus you have to estimate the distance, choose shutter speed and aperture
The bellows appears to be fine and is not dried up and cracking.
There is a label inside the case saying 120 film, so I will get some of that.
Just wondering if any one here uses a camera like this or can give me advise on it.
Thank you in advance.
.
 
Found this info on the net

The Kershaw 630 is a medium format folding camera produced by Kershaw-Soho in Leeds, UK, my neck of the woods, around 1955. It's an updated version of the Kershaw 110, featuring a bigger focusing lens and an iris. As you say it takes 120 roll film, producing 6x6cm square format images, so you should get 12 exposures per roll.

Kershaw, established in 1888 started producing photographic equipment in the early 1900s. The company became A Kershaw & Sons Ltd and was later part of Amalgamated Photographic Manufacturers Ltd, which became Soho Ltd. In 1947, Kershaw was sold to a subsidiary of the Rank Organisation ³.

The Kershaw 630 features an Otar Anastigmat 80mm f/6.3 lens, with focus areas from 4.5ft to infinity. The shutter is a Vario, with speeds of Bulb, 1/25, 1/75, and 1/200th. It also has a PC socket for flashbulb sync at 1/25th
 
Thank you for the brilliant response.
The gentleman who sent it to me also messaged me with a wee bit of info to try and help me be successful when I get out side with it
This what he told me.

"A couple of things.

The f stop is quite tight at 6.3 but I suggest that as a rule you should be aiming for f8, f11 and f16. (one of the reasons that I did not send it too soon, waited for it to brighten up a bit.
I have electronically tested the shutter speeds and they are about a stop out. The shutter fires at HALF the indicated speed across the whole range, ie. 125 is 160th 60 is 1/30th etc

Get a roll of XP2 super rated a 400 and in your calculations formulate it as f200.. the film as a very wide latitude and will take care of any minor errors.

I have the same camera and its easy to slip into a pocket when out for a walk etc and the photos are great"

So for me considering its the age that it is I feel like I will have a workable folding camera.
 
If the shutter is firing at half the speed set, it will be overexposng by one stop. If you rate 400 iso speed film at 200, you will be over -exposing by another stop. You need to rate the film at 800.
 
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