Info on Panoram repair

B&Jdude · 08-28-2008, 10:17 AM

Frank R. and I were discussing issues we both are having with the swing lens mechanism on our Panorams and neither of us knows how to get it out of the camera to work on it. Does anyone here have knowledge of any Panoram maintenance literature and/or repair articles in old National Camera, Camera Technician, or other publications?

About 15 years ago I got a 8-10 page photocopied monograph (I no longer have it) from Ed Romney on overhauling and restoring Panorams, but apparently he never published it as part of his repair book sales stock. Ed's wife continues to sell his books, but the Panoram thing isn't listed in her catalogue. Did anyone on this forum get a photocopy of that mongraph. and still have it?

Any advice on repairing sluggish or jammed Panoram swing lens mechanisms would be most welcome by myself, Frank R., and probably many other Panoram owners.

EuGene

JackGreen · 08-28-2008, 01:01 PM

I have a Panoram that had the problems you describe. I tried to disassemble it but couldn't figure out how to get to the swing mechanism either. I finally took it to a local repair guy who is willing to look at older cameras. He wasn't having much success either for a while until he found a single screw, as he described it, on the top or bottom (I can't remember) of the camera that allowed him to get to the inside..That's all he would tell me. I know this isn't much help but it may be a clue.

Ken Ruth at Bald Mountain advertises that he can improve the focus of Panorams so obviously he works on them.
Good luck,
Jack

B&Jdude · 08-28-2008, 05:04 PM

Thanks, Jack. I got hold of Ken Ruth, and we had a nice long conversation about the camera. I think I might just send it out to him for repairs. I am such a ham handed fool that I might ruin it . . . also my tools, consisting of a ball peen hammer, vice grips, 10" bench grinder, 1/2" electric drill, and a Porta-Power might not be suitable for camera repair.

EuGene

B&Jdude · 09-23-2008, 08:47 AM

Jack:

Let's move this discussion to the Camera Building and Modification Forum (down near the bottom of the Forum list) as that is the forum for camera repair threads, and there is already a thread there on Kodak Panoram Overhauling.

EuGene