Adox Golf

Adox Golf

Specifications:

Camera type: Folding Bellows Medium Format 6cm x 6cm on 120roll film

Lens Type: Adoxar 75mm f6.3

Shutter Type: Pronto 4 speed + B 25,50,100,200

In a time long ago there was a company in Germany called Adox which made cameras and they used the names of Golf and Polo long before Volkswagen became a household name. These were both popular ~~cars~~ cameras the Golf being the larger medium format and the Polo was the smaller 35mm. This particular model is a Golf medium format fitted with a basic Adoxar lens on a Pronto 4 speed shutter.

Before you write to me and slate me for having changed the appearance of the Golf illustrated above let me just say that when this arrived there was virtually no paint and very little leatherette left intact. So I decided to make this a project piece and do it how I wanted. At the end of the day it doesn't affect the efficiency of the camera. Fortunately it seems mechanically sound and the glassware is not bad, around 80 percent.

My first attempt at using this has resulted in something of a disaster. The only film I could get "off the shelf" was Fuji Provia slide film in 400 iso. Not only do I dislike 400 film but getting E6 processed is a lot more difficult than C41 negative. Because I am accustomed to shooting medium format with Superia 100 I kept setting the exposure too high and then to add insult to injury when I sent the film to the lab they inadvertently processed it as C41, consequently I ended up with negative slides. This was virtually impossible to scan properly because the film base colour was corrupt and the base was cloudy instead of clear. I have posted some shots but they really don't do justice to the camera although there are a couple which show promise. I definitely think it's worth another outing but next time I'll use ordinary negative film.

I've managed to salvage this one, except for the colour shift, which at least shows the lens to be quite capable.

This one again shows that the lens is clear and sharp, even though the colour is all over the place.

Since this outing I have decided to remove the lens and mount it, in the same way as the Steiner, and use it as a lens for digital. It seems so clear and sharp I'm sure it will make a good candidate.