Kiku camera 1950's

[georgeoliver]

I have found this very small Kiku 16 camera in my attic. The pencil is to give an idea of scale. It seems to be in working order but when I activate the camera the shutter sticks at the 45 degree angle. It seems to stick at half open. Is this a fault with one of the settings or should it do this? I know nothing about cameras so please can someone help.

Also is it worth getting it repaired?

Thanks

[miketoll]

Know nothing about the Kiku but surely shutters should not stick? Sounds like it would need a service to work properly.

[Alex1994]

Hello

Nice collectable find. The Kiku cameras used 17.5mm rollfilm, which is a 35mm roll split in two. That film format isn't produced anymore. In theory you could buy a roll of 35mm film and split it, but this would have to be done in total darkness and would be very problematic. No film = no pictures.

Even if you can get the shutter to work, you won't be able to take any pictures! You can certainly send it to a repairshop but there is no interest like I said above.

[Don Hoey]

Interesting camera, BUT ............ looking at photo no2 I saw that the film would require backing paper as in 120 film.
A quick net search brought up this page
http://www.subclub.org/darkroom/roll17mm.htm

That all suggests unless you have a darkroom and the ability to process yourself, that its not really worth doing more with it than having it as a display item.

Don

[georgeoliver]

Chaps,

Thanks. If is never going to take photos then I am probably best looking for a camera collector rather than someone who wants to take photos. The question is would the repair cost outweigh the second hand value!

[Don Hoey]

Originally Posted by georgeoliver

The question is would the repair cost outweigh the second hand value!

Not really sure that this is a collectable, so repair would almost certainly be a lot more than secondhand value. There are probably no parts available so that would add to the cost if anyone could undertake it, as any parts would have to be specially made.

By the way ............. Welcome to WPF.

Don

[Alex1994]

Loads of these were made so second-hand value is minimal. It's only worth anything as an ornament or paperweight, and like I said even if you repaired it you wouldn't be able to take pictures.