[Brightcolours]

The only reason I asked where you are from is because you make very peculiar errors in your English, which made me wonder if it somehow was translation related.

 

On the old camera gear related topic: I have an early 1970's Nikon Nikkormat, which works fine and was a better engineered camera as any Zenit ever was, I have a 1920's large-ish format folding camera which mostly is in great order still too, I have an Agfa Record II 6x9 camera which works just fine (from the 1950's), and a Kodak Retina II C i believe, which is in good shape and in working order.

[toni-a]

The only reason I asked where you are from is because you make very peculiar errors in your English, which made me wonder if it somehow was translation related.

 

On the old camera gear related topic: I have an early 1970's Nikon Nikkormat, which works fine and was a better engineered camera as any Zenit ever was, I have a 1920's large-ish format folding camera which mostly is in great order still too, I have an Agfa Record II 6x9 camera which works just fine (from the 1950's), and a Kodak Retina II C i believe, which is in good shape and in working order.

For your own healh stay away from the Kodak lenses of the 50s they are radioactive 

[Brightcolours]

For your own healh stay away from the Kodak lenses of the 50s they are radioactive 

Nonsense.

[davidmanze]

   You were a bit quick to dismiss Toni's post BC!...

 

    Kodak did produce a lot of Thorium Oxide based lenses in the forties through to the sixties!.....see here:

 

http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Radioactive_lenses

 

   not many were mountable on other bodies....

 

 

  Whether they were dangerous in reality to your health is another mixed argument.......

 

 

             .........for another day.....or decade.... or my rebirth!

 

                                                   ....... de préférence..    B) 

[Brightcolours]

Yes, I dismiss the fake news that "Kodak lenses from the 50's" are radioactive. Some might have an element from glass containing thorium oxide, yet many do not. Certainly not the lens from a Kodak Retina.

Yes, I dismiss the fake news that lenses with a lens element made from glass which contains thorium oxide is a health risk.

[JJ_SO]

Photogs are already protected by massive metal camera bodies.

 

Oh, and an aluminum hat, of course

 

Models should be really worried, though*: don't lick it or look through from the wrong side (like a gun has a business end...)

 

* except those with aluminum hats

 

[davidmanze]

   I think we have to put things in proportion when it come to Thorium and radioactivity, yes it was used in many lenses including Pentax, Minolta and others as well as Kodak, they have been tested by many people, the fact is not in doubt.

 

  It was also used in glass production as well as medical apparatus, eg.  shoe fitting machines and a host of other dangerous medications devices which were finally made illegal in the thirties. Many radioactive glass products still sell in the antique trade (auctions) and are a lime green colour and not considered dangerous and are still legal to sell.

 

  The bottom line:

 

  If you drink heavily and smoke (whatever???),  fly in airplanes, drive on the roads, walk the streets at night, bicycle in large cities and sleep with very loose woman,.... all of which I do..

 

 ............the additional danger of popping a Pentax thorium impregnated lens into your weekend shooting bag.........

 

    ......is likely to be of very little consequence!      

[Brightcolours]

Eating a banana...

[mike]

Eating a banana...

 

ThO2 browns glass over time reducing the transmission of light through it.

 

While we're on the subject, don't eat IC chips from the 70s. There were traces of radioactive elements that would emit alpha particles....

[Brightcolours]

ThO2 browns glass over time reducing the transmission of light through it.

 

While we're on the subject, don't eat IC chips from the 70s. There were traces of radioactive elements that would emit alpha particles....

You can get rid of the yellowing easily, if it occurs.

 

And on the subject of radioactive elements. When elements decay, they become other isotopes/elements, which may emit other radiation when they decay. So more than likely, they will emit gamma, alpha and beta radiation.

 

And on ICs from the 70's, I have not heard of radioactive elements in those. As far as I know, they used the same stuff as they do now (silicon, gold).