Old Felica Film Camera and a New 3D Printed Winding Knob

Here's my second find from the same flea market as my first Kodak Box camera.

The case is worn out and a little bit broken. The camera is also missing a winding knob. The ring that is supposed to keep the winding knob in place was loose inside the camera. And someone has written something inside the case. Not sure what the text says. Something "50 filmi 25".

Who the heck writes anything inside a camera case? With a ballpoint pen? Anyway, not gonna try to take it away. It is what it is. Part of the history of this camera.

The Vredeborch Felica is a simple camera for 6x6 exposures on 120 film, made by the German firm Vredeborch.

scale focusing by twisting the front ring of the lens
two shutter speeds
aperture settings "sunny" or "cloudy"
yellow filter to enhance clouds in black & white photos

Type: viewfinder camera
Manufacturer: Vredeborch
Year of launch: 1954 or 1955
Film: type 120 film rolls
Lens: 60mm
Shutter: guillotine-type, flash synchronized, with speeds 1/25 sec., 1/50 sec. and B
Aperture: f8 or f16
Viewfinder: optical, Albada type
Format: 6x6 cm negative

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

I bought the camera despite the winding knob is missing because although it looks like a crappy toy camera, I fancy it, the shutter works and I thought that the problem would be easy to fix. Or at some point I would find a spare part for it. Anyway, I wanted to add this to my HUGE collection of two (at that time) old cameras. (At which point is it wise to buy a oxygen free cabinet for my cameras? Too early?)

My camera, all it's rust and dust from above.

Closed. Open.

You pull the camera out from the top.

And all is left is an empty shell.

A knobless camera.

Several knobs, all a bit rough on the edges since speed was more important than quality when finding out the correct dimensions. Not quite there yet with these so the ring shall stay in the plastic bag.

Finally!

The winding knob keeps the film spool on it's place and of course this is also how you wind the film. The metal ring keeps the knob on it's place but as I didn't find any photos of the original winding knob or how to prevent turning it clockwise which is the wrong way, you actually can turn this 3D printed version to the wrong direction too. That is, until the film gets stuck.

All the previous winding knob versions and the final result on it's place with a tape and a drawn arrow since the arrow was too small detail to be printed.

I draw the arrow myself. Yes I know. Truly a masterpiece.

Winding knob seems to work. That is, if this is an upside-down number one.

I didn't bother to clean the camera that much, just the lens and the viewfinder. And little bit dust blowing from inside but that's it. I will clean it properly and perhaps try to restore it best I can if the photos are adequately good. Or at least artistically good.

Covering that possible light leak, frame number peekaboo window with electric tape.

Cheapest film I found because this is a first try. Again I trust in Fomapan ISO 400 black and white 120 film. 5,90€.
Camera: 8€.

And we're good to go!

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_{Film cameras
Kodak Box 620
1, 2
Cosina Flash 35E
1, 2, 3}

_{Digital cameras
Sony A6400, 16-50mm
1
Sony A6400, Laowa 25mm f2.8
1
Comparison: Sony A6400, Canon EOS 550D, Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7, Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P32, Canon PowerShot A550
1, 2}